BYO alcohol: What took you by surprise?
We are doing BYO for about 60 guests (beer, wine, and a few spirits), and I'm looking for real-life feedback. For those who have already married or manage weddings, did anything catch you completely off guard regarding alcohol consumption? Did you run out of something unexpected, or did guests pivot to a specific drink faster than planned?
Question Asked: 29/06/2026
Wedding Date: 9/08/2018
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Answered by: 2 Experts
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(26) · Melbourne & Surrounding Suburbs, Yarra Valley, Dandenong Ranges & Mornington Peninsula
Posted: 30/06/2026
Beverages can be tricky to be honest! As a catering company we normally bring more than what is required to allow for flexibility in what is consumed. You can get a crowd that are all beer and champagne and then you can have a wedding that really appreciates wine and you move a heap of white and red wines.
I guess my tips would be:
- Make sure you have plenty of water and ice. If you don't have fridges and you are icing booze down in tubs, 20 bags is a pretty good start, as long as it ain't boiling hot, if it is double it.
- If you are doing your own booze better still to hire a coolroom from the day before and have it loaded and nice and cold for the big day.
- Good sparkling, if you serve a quality drop or a bit of French Champagne I can assure you that you will go through plenty, more than if you serve a cheaper sparkling, but generally you won't serve as much white wine if this is the case.
- Don't forget the soft drink and make sure it includes mineral water
- Glasses!!! Everyone underestimates how many glasses they need, and busy catering staff have to run around and clean glasses by hand in someone's laundry, taking them away from looking after your guests. For finger food events allow 6 glasses per person (they just get left everywhere) and for seated events 4 to 5 glasses per person.
At the end of the day, you know your guests best. If your family loves beer, buy the beer. If your friends are wine people, plan for the wine. Dont understimate the amount of work involved in providing your own bar, once you factor in bar staff, ice, chilling, glassware, mixers, garnishes, RSA service, pack-up, rubbish and transport, there is quite a bit to organise. It can still work beautifully, but it needs a proper plan.
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An excellent response from Essential Catering and Events.
Adding my 2 cents:
Beer ratios matter more than people think. People often overbuy wine and underbuy beer. At a lot of weddings, beer disappears faster than expected, particularly early in the event.
Safe play: skew slightly heavier on beer unless you know your crowd is wine-focused.
Pre-ceremony vs post-ceremony spike
Consumption isn’t linear.
Make sure your bar is fully stocked before guests arrive back from the ceremony.
Spirits creep up late in the night
Even if you plan “just a few spirits”, they often pick up later once people are relaxed.
You don’t need heaps, but don’t underbuy mixers (tonic, soda, cola are usually what runs out first).
Running out of cold drinks (not drinks)
This is a big one. You might technically have enough alcohol… but it’s warm.
The coolroom suggestion is spot on — I’d emphasise this even more as non-negotiable if budget allows.
Glass collection becomes chaos
At BYO weddings, glasses end up everywhere — ledges, gardens, bathrooms.
Extra tip: consider a few clear “glass return” points or trays to help staff keep up.
End-of-night waste and transport
People rarely plan for:
Nominate someone responsible or it becomes a messy, late-night problem.
The biggest surprise for most people isn’t what gets drunk — it’s the logistics around keeping everything cold, stocked and under control throughout the night.