Wedding dinner shopping list
A wedding dinner needs more than food and drinks. You also need enough plates, glasses, cutlery, serving equipment and table details for every course and guest. Use the final guest count to set quantities, then add a small buffer for breakages, late additions and staff use. Check hired or borrowed items early, especially champagne glasses, table linen and serving pieces, because these are easy to overlook until the tables are being set.
What to bring
Grouped the way you'd shop for it, with quantities.
Furniture
- Dinner tablesqty 8
- Buffet tablesqty 3
- Serving tablesqty 2
- Chairsqty 70
- Bar unit
- Coat racksqty 2
- Dance floor
Tableware
- Dinner platesqty 75
- Starter platesqty 75
- Dessert platesqty 75
- Coffee cupsqty 70
- Water glassesqty 80
- Wine glassesqty 80
- Champagne glassesqty 70
- Coffee spoonsqty 70
- Dinner knivesqty 75
- Dinner coversqty 75
- Tablespoonsqty 75
- Dessert spoonsqty 75
- Serving spoonsqty 12
- Serving tongsqty 8
- Carafesqty 12
- Thermos flasksqty 4
Decorations
- Tableclothsqty 8
- Napkinsqty 80
- Table runnersqty 8
- Name badgesqty 70
- Menusqty 35
- Flower vasesqty 12
- Artificial flowersqty 60
- Candlesqty 48
- Candle holdersqty 24
- Welcome sign
- Table numbersqty 8
- Balloonsqty 80
- Ribbonsqty 4
Lighting
- String lightsqty 6
- LED lampsqty 12
- Extension cordsqty 6
Equipment
- Bluetooth speakerqty 2
- Microphoneqty 2
- Microphone stand
- Power stripsqty 6
- Coolersqty 4
Kitchen
- Cutting boardsqty 6
- Chef’s knives and bread knivesqty 8
- Mixing bowlsqty 6
- Measuring cupsqty 3
- Pansqty 12
- Food warmersqty 6
- Induction platesqty 2
- Coffee machinesqty 2
- Kettlesqty 2
- Kitchen towelsqty 12
- Oven mittsqty 4
- Aluminum foilqty 2
- Cling filmqty 2
- Storage binsqty 15
Cleaning
- Waste binsqty 4
- Broomqty 2
- Dustpan and brushqty 2
- Mopqty 2
- Bucketsqty 3
- Cleaning glovesqty 6
- Microfiber clothsqty 12
- Trash bagsqty 30
Catering
- Groceries
- Champagne - 12 bottles
- Prosecco - 6 bottles
- Red wine - 18 bottles
- White wine - 18 bottles
- Rosé - 6 bottles
- Beer - 5 crates
- Alcohol-free beer - 2 crates
- Cola - 12 bottles
- Cola Zero - 8 bottles
- Sinas - 6 bottles
- Tonic - 4 bottles
- Ginger ale - 4 bottles
- Sparkling water - 24 bottles
- Still water - 24 bottles
- Apple juice - 6 packs
- Orange juice - 6 cartons
- Lemons - 12 pieces
- Limes - 12 pieces
- Coffee - 4 packs
- Tea - 2 boxes
- Milk - 8 liters
- Oat milk - 4 liters
- Sugar - 2 packs
- Mints - 1 box
- Whipped cream - 12 cans
- Ice cubes - 10 bags
- Olive oil - 2 bottles
- Sunflower oil - 1 bottle
- Butter - 1 kilo
- Salt - 1 pack
- Black pepper - 1 jar
- Paprika powder - 1 jar
- Garlic powder - 1 jar
- Italian herbs - 1 jar
- Fresh basil - 6 bunches
- Fresh parsley - 4 bunches
- Onions - 5 kilo
- Garlic - 6 bulbs
- Carrots - 4 kilos
- Cucumbers - 12 pieces
- Tomatoes - 5 kilos
- Cherry tomatoes - 3 kilos
- Bell peppers - 20 pieces
- Zucchini - 12 pieces
- Mushrooms - 3 kilo
- Mixed lettuce - 3 kilos
- Potatoes - 12 kilos
- Rice - 4 kilos
- Pasta - 3 kilos
- Bread - 12 loaves
- Baguettes - 12 pieces
- Herb butter - 2 kilo
- Cream cheese - 2 kilo
- Parmesan cheese - 1 kilo
- Grated cheese - 2 kilos
- Feta - 1 kilo
- Mozzarella - 2 kilos
- Chicken breast - 8 kilos
- Beef roulade - 8 kilos
- Vegetarian burgers - 12 pieces
- Eggs - 30 pieces
- Cooking cream - 4 liters
- Broth - 6 liters
- Tomato sauce - 6 jars
- Pesto - 6 jars
- Mayonnaise - 2 jars
- Ketchup - 2 bottles
- Mustard - 2 jars
- Balsamic vinegar - 2 bottles
- Apples - 5 kilo
- Grapes - 4 kilos
- Strawberries - 3 kilos
- Melons - 4 pieces
- Cake - 1 piece
- Dessert puddings - 70 portions
- Vanilla ice cream - 8 liters
- Chocolate sauce - 3 bottles
- Cookies - 6 packs
- Plain chips - 6 bags
- Paprika chips - 6 bags
- Nut mix - 3 kilo
- Olives - 6 jars
- Paper towels - 12 rolls
- Toilet paper - 24 rolls
- Dish soap - 3 bottles
- Dishwasher tablets - 50 pieces
- All-purpose cleaner - 3 bottles
- Glass cleaner - 2 bottles
- Hand soap - 6 bottles
- Hand sanitizer - 4 bottles
Tips
- Plan one complete place setting per guest for each course: dinner, starter and dessert plates, plus the matching cutlery. Add 5–10% extra if items are hired, borrowed or difficult to replace.
- Count glasses by use rather than by guest. For a seated dinner, allow at least one water glass and one wine glass per person, then add champagne glasses for the toast and a spare 10% for breakages.
- Buy non-perishable items before the final week, including napkins, table runners, menus, name badges and decorations. Leave fresh groceries and desserts until the last practical shopping day.
- Keep serving equipment separate from guest tableware. Count serving spoons and tongs for every buffet dish, and provide at least one carafe or thermos flask for each drinks station.
- Confirm dietary requirements before buying the final food quantities. Print the menus and prepare name badges only after the guest list and seating details have been checked against the latest RSVP list.
Frequently asked questions
- How many plates and glasses do I need for a wedding dinner?
- Start with one dinner, starter and dessert plate per guest, plus one coffee cup if coffee is served. Provide at least one water glass and one wine glass per person, then add about 10% extra for breakages and last-minute guests.
- When should I buy groceries for a wedding dinner?
- Buy non-perishable groceries and supplies several days or weeks ahead, depending on storage space. Buy fresh groceries as close to the dinner as practical, usually 1–2 days before, and chill drinks at least 6 hours before serving.
- How many napkins do I need per wedding guest?
- Allow at least two napkins per guest for a multi-course dinner: one at the place setting and one spare. For 100 guests, that means a minimum of 200 napkins, with extra stock if food is served buffet-style.
- When should I confirm the wedding dinner shopping list?
- Do a first check when invitations and dietary requirements are being processed, then confirm quantities once the final guest count is known. Complete the last check 3–7 days before the dinner, including deliveries, tableware and chilled drinks.
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