Cocktail & Bar
Total drinks = Guests × Hours × Drinks per hour Bottles needed = Total drinks ÷ Serves per bottle Add buffer: Bottles + (Bottles × 0.15) Italian aperitivo reference (per guest, 2 hours): Prosecco: 0.75L ÷ 6 flutes = 1 bottle per 5–6 guests Wine: 0.75L ÷ 5 glasses = 1 bottle per 4–5 guests Spirits: 0.7L ÷ 14 serves = 1 bottle per 14 cocktails
For a toast, plan 3-4 bottles of 0.75L Prosecco. For a 2-hour aperitivo, plan 5-6 bottles plus a small buffer.
For a toast, 6-7 bottles usually cover 40 guests. For a longer aperitivo or party, plan 10-12 bottles depending on duration and drinking profile.
For a standard Italian aperitivo lasting 1.5–2 hours, plan for 1 bottle of Prosecco per 6–8 guests. Each 0.75L bottle yields approximately 6 flutes of 125ml. For a longer event or heavier drinkers, use 1 bottle per 5 guests.
For a sit-down Italian dinner, budget 1 bottle per 2–3 guests for a full meal with multiple courses. For 20 guests expect to open 8–10 bottles (a mix of white for antipasti and red for mains). Add 1–2 reserve bottles.
For a 3-hour cocktail party with 50 guests, plan for roughly 3 cocktails per person = 150 serves. A 0.7L bottle of spirit yields about 14 × 50ml serves. You'd need approximately 10–11 bottles of your main spirit, plus mixers, liqueurs, and vermouth.
Italian standards: aperitivo (1.5–2h) = 2–3 drinks; dinner (2.5–3h) = 3–4 drinks; evening party (4–5h) = 4–5 drinks. These are average estimates — always add a 10–15% buffer.
Yes. In Italy, analcolici (non-alcoholic options) are increasingly important. Budget approximately 20–30% of drink volume as non-alcoholic: sparkling water, fruit juices, analcolico aperitivo (e.g. Crodino, Sanbittèr), or virgin Spritz alternatives.
For Italian weddings, use the formula: (Number of guests × hours of reception × 1.5 glasses per hour) ÷ 5 glasses per bottle. Add 15% buffer. For a 100-guest, 6-hour reception: (100 × 6 × 1.5) ÷ 5 = 180 bottles + 27 buffer = ~207 bottles total.