Prevention · share not drinking · soft drinks
Wine and drivers at an event: who won't drink, and what to provide instead
Out of a hundred guests, fifteen to twenty-five will not drink wine: children, drivers, pregnant women, people who don't like it. Counting them does two things: it avoids buying twenty bottles too many, and it makes you plan what they will drink. The calculator gives both.
The share who drink, and the litres alongside
Set for 100 guests. Enter the children, the designated drivers, those who are pregnant or don't drink: you get the percentage to carry over into the quantity calculator, and the soft drinks and water to plan.
Why 80% is the right default setting
A wedding of a hundred people usually includes ten to fifteen children, five to ten drivers who stop after the toast, one or two pregnant women, and a few adults who don't drink. That makes between fifteen and twenty-five people who won't touch the wine, and 80% is the middle value. A family gathering with lots of children drops to 70%; drinks between colleagues with no children goes up to 90%. The quantity calculator has this field for that reason, and it is the first setting to adjust.
| Event | Share drinking | What weighs on it |
|---|---|---|
| Wedding, 100 guests | 75–85% | Children, drivers, an evening that finishes late so more drivers who hold back. |
| Family reunion, weekend | 65–75% | Lots of children, grandparents who drink one glass, lunches. |
| Corporate drinks reception | 70–80% | No children, but everyone is getting back in the car or on the train. |
| Christening, communion | 60–70% | A third of the table is under fifteen. |
| Association dinner, club evening | 85–90% | Adults, regulars, often on foot or car-sharing. |
What non-drinkers drink
A guest who doesn't drink wine still drinks: about a litre of soft drinks over an evening, juice, fizzy drinks, sparkling water, and still water like everyone else. Half a litre of water per guest, all guests included, is the minimum, and more in summer. The calculator adds it up. What it doesn't do is choose: a sparkling grape juice served in a flute at the toast lets the pregnant woman and the twelve-year-old raise their glass with everyone else, and that is the detail that matters most.
Water on every table
One jug per table of eight, filled before guests sit down, and refilled without anyone asking. It is the most effective prevention measure, and it costs nothing.
Breathalysers at the bar
A basket of disposable breathalysers near the exit. Nobody has to, everyone sees them. They are mostly for those who are unsure.
A designated driver per car
Asked for on the invitation, reminded at the toast. Whoever is driving has a glass of sparkling at the toast, then soft drinks, and a thank-you from the groom on the microphone.
A taxi number, or a coach
A night taxi number displayed at the bar, or a shuttle to the hotel for a wedding in the middle of nowhere. This is where the host makes the difference.
What a host owes their guests
No law lecture here: the common-sense rule is enough. Whoever serves the alcohol is responsible for how they serve it. Don't serve a guest who is visibly drunk, don't serve minors, offer water and soft drinks without being asked, and don't let anyone drive when they are in no state to. For a private event, a wedding or a birthday at home, there is no permit to apply for. For an association party where wine is sold, you need one: the temporary bar licence page explains the process at the town hall.
At a wedding, the question arises mostly for the evening party. The calculator on the wedding wine page reduces consumption after midnight by itself; that is not just caution, it is what really happens. People drink water at two in the morning, whatever anyone says.
How many people don't drink wine at a wedding?
Between fifteen and twenty-five in a hundred: ten to fifteen children, five to ten drivers, one or two pregnant women, a few adults who don't drink. That is why the quantity calculator is set to 80% drinkers by default, and why you should lower it for a family party.
How much soft drink should you plan for an event?
One litre per person not drinking wine, split between juice, fizzy drinks and sparkling water, and half a litre of still water per guest, all guests included. In summer, increase the water by a third. A sparkling grape juice for the toast lets everyone raise a glass.
Is a host responsible if a guest drives after drinking?
The driver is responsible for their driving. The host is expected to take care over how they serve: no alcohol for minors or for someone visibly drunk, water and soft drinks available, and a way to get home. This is not legal advice; it is what is expected of a host, and it is almost always enough.
Do you need breathalysers at a wedding?
Nothing requires it for a private party. A basket of breathalysers near the exit costs ten to twenty euros, bothers nobody and helps those who are unsure. With a taxi number on display and water on every table, that is most of what a host can do.