How many non-alcoholic drinks does a wedding need?
Plan zero-proof drinks for the guests who do not drink, plus the guests who are pacing themselves. Two drinks each for roughly a fifth to a third of the room is a workable starting point; the exact number is less important than giving the drinks the same glass, garnish, and placement as the alcoholic ones.
How many non-alcoholic drinks should a wedding have?
Plan two zero-proof drinks for about 20% to 30% of the guest list, plus water. For 100 guests that is 40 to 60 drinks. Batch one citrus-and-soda build and one tea-and-fruit build; both scale like a cocktail and neither needs a separate bartender.
Three builds that batch
The goal is a drink with acid, sweetness, and length, not a juice pitcher. Each of these follows the same one-part acid, one-part syrup, three-parts base structure, with soda added at service.
| Build | Acid | Sweet | Base | Top |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Citrus spritz | 0.75 oz lemon | 0.5 oz syrup | 2 oz NA aperitif or tea | 2 oz soda |
| Tea highball | 0.5 oz lime | 0.5 oz honey syrup | 3 oz strong tea | 2 oz soda |
| Shrub soda | 0.75 oz vinegar shrub | 0.5 oz syrup | 2 oz fruit juice | 2 oz soda |
How many to make
Use the same drinking-share logic as the alcohol estimate, inverted. If 70% of guests drink alcohol, 30% may want a zero-proof option at some point; not all of them will have two. A batch for 40 to 60 servings covers a 100-guest room without turning into waste.
| Guests | Zero-proof servings | Base batch | Soda |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50 | 20–30 | 40–60 oz | 40–60 oz |
| 100 | 40–60 | 80–120 oz | 80–120 oz |
| 150 | 60–90 | 120–180 oz | 120–180 oz |
Make it visible
A zero-proof drink in a different glass, on a different table, with a different sign, announces that some guests are being handled separately. Use the same glassware, the same garnish, and a clear label. Put the zero-proof option at the same bar, not behind it.
- Same glass, same ice, same garnish as the signature drink.
- A small sign that names the drink, not a warning label.
- Water on every table, not only at the bar.
- One zero-proof option is enough; two covers different tastes.
Keep going
About 10 minutes. Software, not a waitlist — your chart tonight.