Wondering how many drinks to plan for to serve your guests? Keep these handy tips in mind. Want to know how much and what to buy, then check out our recommendation on Bar Basics.

• On the average, expect guests to drink 2 drinks or servings of a nonalcoholic beverage the first hour and 1 each hour thereafter. Remember, people drink more when the weather is warm.
• If you plan to serve bar drinks, you should allow 1.5 ounces of liquor for each drink. This will yield approximately 16 drinks from each 750-milliliter bottle of liquor.
• When serving wine, plan on one 750-milliliter bottle for every two guests (one bottle for every 3 to 4 guests if the wine will be served only during a meal). If you prefer to buy the large 1.5-liter bottle of wine, it will serve 4 guests (6 to 8 guests if served only during a meal).
• When ordering beer for a party, allow about 12 ounces per guest for every half hour to hour. You might want to buy a keg if you have a large crowd.
• Always have available nonalcoholic beverages. Consider nonalcoholic wines and beers alongwith stocking up on juices, bottled water, lemonade, soda and/or iced tea.
• If you’re uncertain about how much to buy, ask your beverage store if you can return any unopened bottles. If you entertain frequently, you may want to plan ahead and shop in quantity.