Total Wine Wedding Consultation: Complete Guide

What Total Wine Actually Offers for Weddings

Okay so Total Wine does wedding consultations but it’s not like what you’d think of as a traditional venue consultation or anything fancy. I learned this the hard way back in spring 2023 when a bride emailed me at like 11pm asking if Total Wine would come set up her bar and I had to explain that’s… not really how it works.

Total Wine’s wedding service is basically a buying consultation. You go in, meet with someone who knows their inventory, figure out what alcohol you need for your wedding, and they help you calculate quantities and place an order. Some locations are better than this than others, honestly. The store manager at the one near me is amazing but I’ve heard stories about locations where they just kinda shrug and hand you a calculator.

Here’s what they actually do: help you estimate quantities based on guest count, drinking preferences, and event duration. They’ll walk you through their selection, point out what’s on sale, explain their return policy which is actually pretty crucial for weddings, and sometimes offer volume discounts depending on your total purchase.

Scheduling Your Consultation

You’re gonna want to call ahead. Don’t just show up on a Saturday afternoon expecting someone to spend an hour with you because that’s their busiest time and you’ll end up standing around getting frustrated while they help other customers. I usually tell my couples to aim for weekday mornings or early afternoons.

When you call, ask specifically for someone who handles wedding orders. Not every employee has done this before and you don’t want someone who’s just guessing. Some stores have a designated person, others it’s just whoever has done it most recently.

Book this consultation about 2-3 months before your wedding. Earlier if you want but not so early that prices and inventory might change significantly. Later than 6 weeks out and you’re cutting it close especially if you need to do a second consultation or adjust your order.

What to Bring With You

I always send my clients in with a prep sheet because otherwise they forget half the important details and have to go back. You need your guest count obviously but also break it down by who actually drinks. Like if 40 of your 150 guests are kids or non-drinkers, that matters a lot for quantities.

Bring your venue details too—specifically whether you’re doing beer and wine only or full bar, if there are any restrictions, and how long your reception is. A 4-hour reception needs way different quantities than a 6-hour one. Also know if you’re doing a cocktail hour separately because that adds another calculation.

If you have specific brands in mind, write those down. I had a groom once who wanted this specific Japanese whiskey for his groomsmen and he couldn’t remember the name during the consultation and it became this whole thing where he was googling on his phone while the consultant waited.

Your budget is important to mention upfront. The consultant can work within it but only if they know what it is. Don’t be embarrassed if it’s tight—they’ve seen everything.

The Actual Consultation Process

So you’ll sit down or stand there with your consultant and they’ll start with the basics. How many guests, how long is the event, what’s your crowd like. That last question matters more than people think because a wedding with mostly 25-year-olds is gonna have different consumption than one with mostly 60-year-olds.

They use these industry formulas which are actually pretty solid. Generally it’s like one drink per person per hour for the first two hours, then it drops to about half a drink per person per hour after that. But these are averages and if you know your family throws back drinks, you gotta adjust up.

For beer and wine only events, the typical split is 50% beer, 50% wine, then the wine breaks down to about 60% white and 40% red in summer or 50/50 in cooler months. But again this totally depends on your specific group.

Full Bar Calculations Get Complicated

If you’re doing full bar the formula gets more detailed because now you’re adding spirits. Usually they estimate about 40% of guests will drink liquor, 30% wine, 30% beer. Then within liquor you’ve got vodka being the most popular, then whiskey, rum, tequila, and gin.

This is where I get kinda annoyed with some consultants because they push these huge bottles of everything when realistically you might not need that much gin, you know? Unless you’re having a very specific gin-loving crowd, one handle of gin for 100 people is probably fine but I’ve seen consultants recommend three.

The thing that really bugs me is when they don’t ask about signature cocktails. If you’re planning to serve a signature margarita all night, your tequila needs go way up and your vodka needs might go down. It’s not one-size-fits-all.

Understanding the Return Policy

This is honestly the best part about buying from Total Wine for weddings. They take back unopened bottles. Like, all of them. You need the receipt and the bottles have to be completely unopened and in sellable condition, but this is huge for wedding planning.

What I tell couples is to buy more than you think you need—maybe 10-20% more—because returning is easy but running out mid-reception is a disaster. I saw that happen at a wedding in summer 2021 and the father of the bride had to leave his own daughter’s reception to go buy more wine at a regular store at markup prices. Not ideal.

You usually have like 30 days to return but check your specific store’s policy. And keep everything organized with your receipt because trying to return 47 bottles of wine without a receipt is gonna be a nightmare.

One random thing my cat knocked over a bottle of wine I was using for a tasting once and I was so glad I hadn’t opened it yet so I could return it… anyway, keep your bottles stored safely until the wedding.

The Return Process After Your Wedding

After the wedding you’ll probably have a bunch of unopened bottles. Don’t wait forever to return them because you’ll forget or lose the receipt or whatever. I usually tell couples to have a designated person—not the bride or groom who are on honeymoon—handle the return within a week.

Load everything into your car with the receipt, bring it back to the same store, and they’ll process it. You’ll get refunded the same way you paid originally. This can take a few days to show up on your card but it will.

Pricing and Discounts

Total Wine’s regular prices are already pretty competitive but for large wedding orders you might get additional discounts. This varies by location and manager discretion so you gotta ask. Sometimes it’s a percentage off, sometimes it’s free delivery if they offer that.

They have sales constantly so if something you want is on sale during your consultation, consider buying it then even if your wedding is a few weeks out. The return policy protects you anyway. Just make sure you have storage space because 30 cases of wine take up more room than you’d think.

Their wine club members get extra discounts too I think? Or points? I don’t actually have their wine club myself so I’m not totally sure how that works but it might be worth asking about if you’re making a huge purchase.

Delivery and Logistics

Some Total Wine locations offer delivery for large orders, some don’t. The one near me does for orders over a certain amount but you have to schedule it in advance and someone has to be there to receive it and you gotta be 21+ obviously.

If they don’t deliver or you want to save money, you’ll need to transport everything yourself. Get help with this. Cases of wine and liquor are heavy and you don’t wanna be loading your car by yourself. Also make sure your vehicle can actually fit everything—I had a couple once who ordered for 200 people and showed up in a sedan and it was like… what were you thinking.

Plan your pickup for a day or two before the wedding, not the morning of. You’ll have enough stress that day without adding a Total Wine run to it. Make sure wherever you’re storing it is climate controlled especially in summer because wine doesn’t love sitting in a hot garage.

What They Don’t Do

Total Wine is not a bar service. They don’t provide bartenders, they don’t set anything up, they don’t provide ice or cups or mixers or garnishes. You’re literally just buying the alcohol from them. Everything else is on you or your caterer or whoever you hire for bar service.

They also don’t do tastings for weddings like a wine vendor might. You can taste things in the store generally but it’s not like they’re gonna set up a private tasting for your wedding wines. If you want to taste specific wines before buying, you’ll need to buy bottles separately and do it on your own time.

Some couples think Total Wine will give recommendations for bartending services or rental companies and… nah. That’s not their thing. That’s where a wedding planner comes in handy or you can ask your venue for recommendations.

Mixers, Garnishes, and Other Supplies

Total Wine does sell some mixers and garnishes but their selection is limited compared to the alcohol selection. You’ll find basic stuff like tonic water, club soda, cranberry juice, simple syrup. For more specialized mixers or fresh garnishes like limes and lemons, you’ll need to shop elsewhere.

I usually tell couples to make a separate grocery store run for mixers, garnishes, ice, cups if needed, napkins, and anything else bar-related. Don’t forget the ice! People always forget ice and then panic. For 100 people you need like 200 pounds of ice minimum, more if it’s summer or if you’re chilling bottles in tubs.

Making Your Own Shopping List

After your Total Wine consultation you should have a pretty detailed list of what alcohol to buy. But you need your own list for everything else. Mixers for each type of drink you’re serving, fresh fruit, olives or cherries if you’re doing martinis or Manhattans or whatever, stirrers, straws maybe.

Also think about how you’re serving things. Are you doing bottles of beer in tubs of ice or are you pouring them into cups? Wine—are you letting people pour their own or having someone pour? These decisions affect what supplies you need beyond just the alcohol.

Common Mistakes People Make

Underbuying is the biggest one. People get weird about having leftover alcohol but honestly it’s better to have too much than too little, and again, you can return it. I’ve never had a couple regret buying extra but I’ve definitely had couples regret not buying enough.

Another mistake is not considering your specific crowd. The formulas are guidelines but if your family is full of wine enthusiasts, you’re gonna need more wine than the standard calculation suggests. If your friends are craft beer people, factor that in.

Not asking about sale timing is another thing. If your wedding is in October and you’re consulting in August, ask if they typically have sales in September that you should wait for. Sometimes waiting a few weeks can save you a bunch of money.

Oh and not planning for the champagne toast separately—that’s a thing people forget. You need champagne or prosecco or whatever for the toast and that’s in addition to your regular bar calculations because it happens all at once. For 100 people you need about 25 bottles for a toast.

Working With Your Venue or Caterer

Some venues require you to use their alcohol service, so check that before you even go to Total Wine. Would be annoying to do a whole consultation and place an order only to find out your venue doesn’t allow outside alcohol. Most venues are fine with it though, especially if you’re bringing in your own bartending service.

Your caterer or bartending service might have preferences about how things are delivered or what brands work best for their setup. Check with them before your consultation if possible. They might have good insights about quantities too since they’ve worked lots of events.

If your venue charges a corkage fee that’s something to factor into your budget calculations. Some places charge per bottle opened which can add up fast. Make sure you understand all the costs beyond just buying the alcohol.

Timing Your Purchase

Like I mentioned earlier, 2-3 months before is ideal for the consultation but when should you actually buy? I usually say 2-4 weeks before the wedding. Close enough that inventory is current and prices are locked in, far enough out that you’re not stressed and rushing.

If something you want is on a really good sale earlier than that, buy it then. The return policy protects you. But don’t buy everything 6 months early because what if your guest count changes or you decide you want different signature cocktails or… life happens, things change.

For champagne specifically, don’t buy too far in advance because you want it relatively fresh. A month before is perfect for bubbly.

Questions to Ask During Your Consultation

Ask about current sales and upcoming promotions. Ask if buying more qualifies you for any additional discounts. Ask about their specific return policy and timeline. Ask if they offer delivery and what that costs. Ask what their busiest times are so you know when to avoid pickup.

Also ask the consultant about their personal experience—have they worked other weddings? What do they see people commonly over or under buy? Their practical experience can be really valuable beyond just the formulas.

If you’re considering wine club membership, ask if the discount would actually save you money on your specific order. Sometimes it’s worth it, sometimes it’s not, depends on what you’re buying.