We can help make the party planning easy. Total Wine & More has the largest selection of wine, beer and spirits available – and our team members have the expertise to help you find just what you need for party drinks.Tell us what you’re planning for dinner, and we will recommend wines to complement the meal perfectly. Let us know who’s stopping by for the big game, and we’ll suggest beverages to keep everybody happy. Give us the details on your formal affair, and we’ll help calculate how much you need and how to stay on budget.Here are a few tips to get you thinking. When you stop by your local store, ask any Total Wine & More team member to help with party planning – or call to schedule an appointment, if you like. Just keep reading for some helpful ideas for how to plan a party. We want to be sure you and your guests have a great time at your next get-together.Count on guests consuming two drinks in the first hour of your event and one drink during each following hour. Are you serving wine, beer and spirits?

The general rule of thumb is 50 percent of your guests will prefer wine, 30 percent will prefer beer and 20 percent will prefer mixed drinks.Simply offering wine and beer? Plan on 60 percent of your guests drinking wine and 40 percent drinking beer.Use our easy drink calculator to determine how much wine, beer and spirits you’ll need for your gathering. Get Blank Drink Calculator Worksheettop 10 washington red wines Use this handy tool to figure out how much alcohol to have for your party by entering the number of hours and guests,best beer and wine for wedding then mark the type of alcohol you want to serve.best recipes for wine tasting What Will Be Servedwine and food solutions

The resulting information provided by this tool is only intended for informational purposes and calculations are based on estimates and certain assumptions. The information is not guaranteed to be accurate and is intended to be used solely as a guide. responsibility or liability for any losses or damages caused as a result of any placing reliance on this tool and the resulting information.best white wine to pair with salmonAn open bar sounds nice, in theory — because serving 200 guests top-shelf alcohol can get expensive, fast. where can i buy wine of fire ukBut before you buck on an open bar in favor of serving a signature cocktail alongside a selection of wine and beer, consider these pros and cons.The pros of an open bar ...1. Your guests will love you."Simply said, 'Who doesn't love an open bar?'" exclaims Chandra Keel, owner of Chandra Keel Events in Phoenix.

"When it comes to bar options, having an open bar is top-notch and your guests will love you for it!"2. An open bar makes your life easier.If you have the budget for it, Keel points out, an open bar is a major plus because, "there's nothing to decide. There's no calculating and estimating anticipated costs for beer and wine versus beer, wine and a signature drink. It just simplifies things and removes the need to crunch the numbers and decide what's reasonable."3. With more alcohol, it's more likely people will treat your wedding as a party."There really is such a thing as 'liquid courage,'" says Keel. "I would never suggest couples to encourage over-drinking, but allowing your guests the option to have a drink or two sure does add a little energy to the dance floor."The cons of an open bar ...1. It's very expensive."An open bar is probably the fastest way to skyrocket your food and beverage costs," admits Keel. "It is a pricey option and if that's a concern for you, a better option is to offer beer and wine only, and possibly reduce the number of hours throughout the evening that alcohol is served."

2. The more alcohol, the more likely something will go wrong."If you read stories about weddings gone wrong, the chances that over-consumption of alcohol is involved is pretty high," says Keel. "If you worry that you have rowdy crowd, sometimes it's best to control the amount of alcohol by offering beer and wine only — and being careful to shut the bar off at least an hour before guests head home. Remember, as the hosts, you can be held legally responsible for drunk drivers leaving your wedding."See More: Cost Effective Alternatives to an Open BarThe pros of a signature drink, plus wine and beer ...1. A signature drink shows off your personality."Couples can be creative with it by making slight tweaks to a well-known cocktail and giving it a catchy name," says Keel. You can also offer his and hers versions of the same drink — think: a Moscow Mule with a splash of orange juice, and the Russian classic with a piece of candied ginger — doubling your menu items without adding too much to the cost, Keel says.2.

You'll look like the hostess with the mostess."The best hosts not only give options, but helps direct their guests into choosing the best option," explains Keel." It's warm and inviting to walk up to the bar and already have your drink choice made for you. It makes it easy for them to order a fantastic drink when they otherwise might be at a loss for what to order."3. It controls the cost.You're offering a cocktail or two, but at the fraction of the funds it takes to host an open bar. "It doesn't look cheap," says Keel, "and it can, in fact, add to your wedding because your signature drink adds to the overall style of your wedding day." Lower your costs even more, Keel suggests, by offering your signature beverage during cocktail hour and then switching to beer and wine only for your reception.The cons of a signature drink, plus wine and beer ...1. Crafting a signature cocktail adds another item to your already long to-do list."Granted this is probably one of the more fun tasks," admits Keel.