How much wine do I need for 50 guests?

You need 43 bottles of wine for 50 guests at a birthday party. This provides 183 total servings with a 15% buffer to ensure you don't run out.

How much wine per person for a birthday party?

Plan for 3.7 servings of wine per person at a birthday party. This accounts for the fact that not everyone drinks alcohol and consumption naturally slows as the event progresses.

How many servings are in a bottle of wine?

One bottle of wine contains 5 servings. For 50 guests, you'll need 43 bottles to provide 183 total servings.

What percentage of guests will drink wine at a birthday party?

At a birthday party with 50 guests, approximately 38 guests (76%) will actively drink. Our formula accounts for this when calculating the 43 bottles you need.

Should I buy extra wine as a buffer?

Yes! Our calculation of 43 bottles already includes a 15% buffer (6 extra bottles). This ensures you won't run out even if some guests drink more than average. It's always better to have leftovers than to run short.

How long will 43 bottles of wine last for 50 guests?

43 bottles of wine will last approximately 4 hours for 50 guests at a birthday party. This calculation factors in the natural slowdown of consumption as the event progresses.

Calculate a different drink for this event

🍷 Wine viewing 🍺 Beer 🥂 Champagne 🥃 Spirits

How Much Wine for a 50 Guest Birthday Party?

🍷

bottles of wine

For a 50-guest birthday party lasting 4 hours

15% buffer included

183

Total servings

3.7

Per person

Buffer bottles

How We Calculated This

Our bartender-tested formula, step by step

Estimate actual drinkers

50 guests × 75% drinking rate

= 38 drinkers

At medium events, about 75% of guests typically drink alcohol.

Calculate base consumption

38 drinkers × 1.5 drinks/hour × 4 hours

= 228 base drinks

Industry standard is 1.5 drinks per person per hour for a 4-hour event.

Apply consumption decay

Adjusted for drinking slowdown over time (decay factor: 3.25)

= 185 adjusted drinks

People drink faster in the first hour and slow down as the event progresses.

Apply birthday party modifier

× 1 (0% for wine)

= 183 wine servings needed

Birthday Partys have standard wine consumption.

Convert to bottles

183 servings ÷ 5 servings per bottle

= 36.6 bottles (raw)

Each bottle of wine provides 5 servings.

Add 15% buffer & round up

36.6 × 1.15 = 42.1, rounded up

= 43 bottles

Always round up and add a buffer. Running out is worse than having leftovers!

* Why trust this formula?

Based on industry standards and refined by bartenders with 30+ years of experience. We factor in consumption decay (people drink less as events progress) and real-world drinking percentages.

📊 Quick Reference: Wine by Guest Count

Guests	Wine Needed	Total Servings
25 guests	22 bottles	92 servings
50 guests (you)	43 bottles	183 servings
75 guests	65 bottles	275 servings
100 guests	86 bottles	366 servings
150 guests	129 bottles	549 servings
200 guests	172 bottles	732 servings

* All calculations include a 15% buffer. Amounts for birthday party.

Your Shopping List

Everything you need, plus essentials you might forget

🍷

Wine

The main event

bottles

Don't forget these

Wine opener/corkscrew (Have a backup!)

2 pieces
Buy
Wine glasses (or plastic) (2 per drinker for variety)

76 glasses
Buy

Email Your Shopping List

We'll send your complete list plus pro tips for a stress-free event

No spam, unsubscribe anytime

Pro Tips for Your Birthday Party

Insider advice from experienced bartenders

💡

Milestone birthdays (21st, 30th, 40th, 50th) consume 25% more than regular birthdays.

⏰

Birthday parties have 3x more shots than any other event type - stock shooters.

🎯

Consumption drops 60% during cake and presents - factor in 30-45 min of low drinking.

🧊

Know your crowd's age - 21-30 year olds drink 30% more beer, 50+ drink 35% more wine.

✨

Consider a signature 'birthday cocktail' to make the guest of honor feel special.

🛒 Buying Guide

Birthday parties vary wildly by age group. For 21-35, stock up on beer and mixers for cocktails. For 40+, increase your wine selection. Always have extra for milestone birthdays - people celebrate harder at 30, 40, and 50.

Explore More Calculators

Find the perfect amounts for any event

More for your Birthday Party

Different guest count?

Other events (50 guests)

🎉

Planning a different event?

Use our free calculator for any combination of drinks, events, and guest counts.

Browse All 336 Calculators