What to Buy for an Evening Wedding

An evening wedding needs more than food, drinks and flowers. You will also need enough tableware for dinner, dessert and coffee, plus serving equipment, chilled storage and practical items for the venue setup. Plan quantities from your confirmed guest count, then add a small buffer for breakages and unexpected guests. Check deliveries and borrowed equipment at least one day before the wedding, not when guests are arriving.

Organize this event for free with Lizzt

What to bring

Grouped the way you'd shop for it, with quantities.

Furniture

Tablesqty 10
Chairsqty 90
Buffet tablesqty 3
Welcome table
High tablesqty 4
Table linenqty 10
Chair coversqty 90

Tableware

Dinner platesqty 100
Dessert platesqty 100
Coffee cupsqty 100
Water glassesqty 100
Wine glassesqty 100
Champagne glassesqty 100
Coffee spoonsqty 100
Dinner cutleryqty 100
Serving spoonsqty 12

Kitchen

Serving traysqty 12
Small bowlsqty 20
Cutting boardsqty 4
Chef's knifeqty 4
Cake serverqty 2
Food warmersqty 6
Water jugsqty 12
Coffee thermosesqty 6
Teapotsqty 4
Coolersqty 6

Equipment

Bluetooth speakersqty 2
Microphone
Microphone stand
Extension cordsqty 6
Power stripsqty 6
Charging stationsqty 2

Lighting

String lightsqty 8
LED candlesqty 40
Table lampsqty 8

Decorations

Flower arrangementsqty 12
Flower vasesqty 12
Balloonsqty 100
Balloon arch
Ribbonsqty 8
Table decorationsqty 10
Name badgesqty 90
Menusqty 90
Program cardsqty 100
Welcome sign
Photo framesqty 10
Guest book
Pensqty 6
Ring pillow
Ceremony arch
Backdrop cloth

Cleaning

Waste binsqty 6
Trash bag holdersqty 6
Bucketsqty 4
Spongesqty 12
Dish brushesqty 4
Microfiber clothsqty 12
Broomqty 2
Floor squeegeeqty 2
Dustpan and brushqty 2
Dish racksqty 4

Catering

Groceries
- Champagne - 12 bottles
- Prosecco - 6 bottles
- Red wine - 15 bottles
- White wine - 15 bottles
- Rosé wine - 8 bottles
- Beer - 120 bottles
- Non-alcoholic beer - 24 bottles
- Cola - 12 bottles
- Cola Zero - 10 bottles
- Orange soda - 8 bottles
- Tonic - 6 bottles
- Ginger ale - 4 bottles
- Spa Blauw - 12 bottles
- Spa Rood - 8 bottles
- Apple juice - 6 packs
- Orange juice - 6 cartons
- Lemons - 12 pieces
- Limes - 12 pieces
- Mint - 4 Bunches
- Coffee beans - 3 kilo
- Tea assortment - 4 boxes
- Decaffeinated coffee - 1 kilo
- Sugar - 2 kilos
- Sweetener - 2 boxes
- Semi-skimmed milk - 8 liters
- Oat milk - 4 liters
- Whipped cream - 6 cans
- Ice cubes - 20 kilo
- Ice lollies - 40 pieces
- Baguettes - 12 pieces
- Mini sandwiches - 100 pieces
- Unsalted butter - 2 kilos
- Herb butter - 2 kilo
- Cream cheese - 2 kilo
- Young cheese - 3 kilos
- Brie - 2 kilos
- Ham joint - 2 kilos
- Smoked chicken - 2 kilo
- Hummus - 2 kilos
- Pesto - 1 kilo
- Olives - 2 kilos
- Grapes - 5 kilos
- Strawberries - 4 kilos
- Apples - 40 pieces
- Pears - 30 pieces
- Cucumber - 12 pieces
- Cherry tomatoes - 4 kilos
- Carrots - 3 kilos
- Peppers - 20 pieces
- Mixed salad - 6 kilos
- Potatoes - 15 kilo
- Rice - 8 kilo
- Pasta - 6 kilos
- Chicken breast - 12 kilo
- Vegetarian burgers - 30 pieces
- Salmon fillet - 8 kilos
- Vegetable mix - 10 kilo
- Mushrooms - 4 kilos
- Onions - 4 kilos
- Garlic - 8 bulbs
- Cooking cream - 6 liters
- Tomato sauce - 6 liters
- Mayonnaise - 3 liters
- Ketchup - 3 liters
- Mustard - 2 jars
- Dressing - 3 liters
- Olive oil - 2 liters
- Sunflower oil - 2 liters
- Salt - 1 kilo
- Black pepper - 250 grams
- Paprika powder - 250 gram
- Italian herbs - 250 grams
- Bouillon cubes - 2 boxes
- Baguette croutons - 1 kilo
- Paprika chips - 8 bags
- Plain chips - 8 bags
- Mixed nuts - 3 kilo
- Salted breadsticks - 6 bags
- Mini quiches - 120 pieces
- Bitterballen - 150 pieces
- Cheese soufflés - 100 pieces
- Wedding cake - 1 cake
- Petit fours - 100 pieces
- Chocolate - 2 kilos
- Cookies - 6 packs
- Sugar pearls - 2 jars
- Aluminum foil - 3 rolls
- Cling film - 3 rolls
- Baking paper - 2 rolls
- Napkins - 250 pieces
- Paper towels - 8 rolls
- Toilet paper - 24 rolls
- Trash bags - 50 pieces
- Dishwasher tablets - 40 pieces
- Dish soap - 3 bottles
- All-purpose cleaner - 3 bottles
- Glass cleaner - 2 bottles
- Hand soap - 6 bottles
- Disinfectant spray - 2 bottles

Tips

Count dinner plates, dessert plates, water glasses and wine glasses separately. For a seated meal, allow one complete place setting per guest, plus roughly 10% extra for breakages, late replacements or dietary-service changes.
Plan the drinks service by time of day. Chill the first round before guests arrive, and keep coolers available for bottles that will not fit in the main refrigerator; two to three drinks per person during the first hour is a useful starting point.
Do not leave coffee service until the end of the shopping trip. Count coffee cups, teaspoons, coffee thermoses and teapots for the number of guests who may be served at once, and check that serving trays are large enough for the route from the kitchen.
Match serving equipment to the menu before buying food. Buffet dishes may need serving spoons, trays, small bowls, cutting boards, a chef’s knife, cake server and food warmers; missing one of these can delay the meal even when the ingredients are ready.
Test the evening’s sound and power setup at the venue at least 24 hours beforehand. Check the Bluetooth speakers, microphone, microphone stand and extension cords together, including cable length and access to usable sockets.

Frequently asked questions

How many plates and glasses do I need for an evening wedding?: Start with one dinner plate, dessert plate, water glass and wine glass per guest, then add about 10% extra. For 100 guests, that means approximately 110 of each item, unless your caterer provides replacements or clears and washes items during the meal.
How much alcohol and soft drink should I buy for an evening wedding?: For the first hour, plan on two to three drinks per guest, then roughly one drink per person per hour as a starting point. Confirm the final quantities with your caterer and allow extra water, soft drinks and non-alcoholic options for drivers and guests who do not drink alcohol.
When should I chill drinks for an evening wedding?: Move drinks into refrigeration or coolers at least 4 to 6 hours before guests arrive. Bottles that need a long time to cool should go in the day before; keep a separate reserve so the main drinks station can be replenished quickly.
What wedding supplies are easy to forget?: Commonly missed items include coffee spoons, serving spoons, water jugs, cake servers, extension cords and a microphone stand. Check these against the menu, speeches and venue layout at least one week before the wedding, then test borrowed or rented items 24 hours beforehand.

Start this plan in Lizzt

Every task and item on this page, ready in your own event. Invite people, split the work, and see who has done what.