BYO BEVERAGES.

Songbird Retreat Wedding Venue is a BYO venue, allowing you to bring your favourite beverages to enjoy on your wedding day. Whether you have a specific wine, craft beer, or signature cocktail in mind, BYO lets you personalise your bar selection to reflect your unique style and taste.

Songbird servers can serve your wine or beer to guests. Our partner vendors, should you wish to contract them, can mix cocktails of your choice.

Being a BYO venue allows for valuable savings, giving you more control over your budget while ensuring a memorable celebration for you and your guests.

SOME KIND OF WONDERFUL

OLIVE CARAVAN

This vintage mobile bar offers a whimsical, sophisticated vibe with curated wines, craft beers, and cocktails served by friendly bartenders.

A small white food trailer parked on gravel with a scenic green trees background. The trailer has a serving window with a menu and a sign that reads "Some kind of wonderful."

INFORMAL

Bottles on a table , or bar if you hire one, or on the dinner tables are an easy and relaxed option. Songbird servers can mingle and serve beer and wine.

A table with various glasses of drinks, including wine, beer, and sparkling beverages, arranged with floral decorations in a garden setting.

Your BYO Beverage Guide for Weddings at Songbird Retreat

Planning a celebration to remember means making sure your guests are well taken care of — especially when it comes to drinks! Whether you're keeping it casual or going full cocktail-hour glam, this guide will help you work out how much alcohol, non-alcoholic drinks, and water you'll need for your wedding day.

Quick Estimating Guide

We recommend planning for 6–8 drinks per adult guest for a full wedding reception (including the ceremony, cocktail hour, dinner, and dancefloor). Here's how that breaks down:

Guest Count Total Drinks (Per 6pp). Total Drinks (Per 8pp)

30 guests. 180 drinks 240 drinks

50 guests 300 drinks 400 drinks

80 guests 480 drinks 640 drinks

100 guests 600 drinks 800 drinks

120 guests 720 drinks 960 drinks

Note: These include alcoholic and non-alcoholic options.

Alcohol Mix Estimate

A typical wedding mix might look like:

  • 40% Wine

    • 1 bottle = ~5 glasses. Allow ~1 bottle per adult

  • 30% Beer/Cider

    • 1 bottle/can per drink. Allow ~2–3 per person

  • 20% Sparkling/Champagne

    • 1 bottle = ~6 flutes. Allow ~½ bottle per guest if toasting

  • 10% Spirits (Optional)

    • 1 bottle = ~15 standard pours. Provide mixers separately

Tip: Red wine tends to be more popular in cooler months; white and rosé in summer.

🧊 Water & Non-Alcoholic Drinks

Don't forget your sober guests, drivers, and hydration needs! Songbird Retreat does not supply tap water for drinking.

We recommend:

  • 1.5–2 litres of water per person

  • 1–2 non-alcoholic drink options per guest

    • Sparkling water, juices, soda, kombucha

How Much Alcohol & Drinks Do We Need?

Elegant dining table set with wine glasses, a bouquet of white and pastel flowers, and small lit candles in a dimly lit setting.
Champagne bottles in an ice bucket on a white table with six flutes and six tumblers, outdoors with trees in the background.
Four bottles of Joy sparkling wine with gold foil caps in a silver ice bucket with a black handle, placed outdoors on green grass.
Empty champagne flutes arranged on a white table, with a backdrop of a tent and some flowers.

Approximate Cost (BYO)

Here’s a ballpark idea based on standard New Zealand supermarket prices (Countdown/Pak’nSave):

Guest Count Basic Alcohol Package Including Water & Non-Alc

30 guests. $500–$700 $650–$850

50 guests $850–$1,100 $1,100–$1,400

80 guests $1,400–$1,700 $1,800–$2,200

100 guests $1,700–$2,200 $2,200–$2,800

120 guests $2,100–$2,700 $2,700–$3,400

Prices vary by brand, sales, and whether you buy bulk or premium labels.

Most supermarkets will accepts returns of full boxes of wines if you have over-catered.