Coffee machine recipe: 71 g of coffee to 1,200 g of water (1:17). For a batch of eight 8 oz cups at 1:16, use about 119 g of coffee to 1,900 g of water. Medium grind, and let the machine run a full cycle.
Your three options
| Option | What you get | Best for | Think about |
|---|---|---|---|
| Venue coffee service | Regular and decaf brewed by the venue or caterer, often poured at the table with dessert | Most receptions, and the simplest choice | Whether it is included in your package, and which coffee they use |
| Hired espresso cart or coffee bar | Baristas making lattes, cappuccinos and iced drinks to order | Couples who want coffee to be part of the experience | Cost, power and water needs, venue approval, and lines at busy moments |
| DIY self-serve station | Airpots of brewed coffee, cups, milk and sweeteners on a table | Backyard weddings, showers, brunches and smaller events | Someone has to brew and refill, and you supply everything |
Check your venue contract first. Many New Jersey venues include coffee service, and some restrict outside food and beverage vendors, so ask before you book anything.
How much coffee to plan per guest
There is no fixed rule, so this guide states its assumption plainly: about 60 percent of adult guests will drink one 8 oz cup of coffee, and you add 10 percent on top so you do not run dry. If your crowd are big coffee drinkers, or the event starts in the morning, raise the share. If coffee arrives after a long night of dancing, it may be lower.
At a 1:16 ratio, one 8 oz cup (about 237 g of water) takes about 15 g of coffee.
| Guests | Cups (60% plus 10%) | Coffee | Brewed coffee |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50 | 33 | about 495 g (1.1 lb) | about 2 gallons |
| 100 | 66 | about 990 g (2.2 lb) | about 4 gallons |
| 150 | 99 | about 1,485 g (3.3 lb) | about 6.2 gallons |
| 200 | 132 | about 1,980 g (4.4 lb) | about 8.25 gallons |
The math for 150 guests
- 150 guests x 60 percent = 90 cups
- 90 cups + 10 percent buffer = 99 cups, call it 100
- 100 cups x 15 g = 1,500 g of coffee, about 3.3 lb
- 100 cups x 8 oz = 800 oz, which is 6.25 gallons of coffee
Use the calculator above to turn that into batch recipes for your brewer. Because a little water stays behind in the grounds, brew slightly more water than the cups you plan to pour.
Questions to ask a coffee cart vendor
- Power. How much power does the setup need, how many outlets or separate circuits, and can they bring a generator if the venue cannot supply it? Confirm this with your venue coordinator.
- Water. Do they bring their own water tanks, or do they need a hookup or a nearby sink?
- Permits. Do they hold whatever food license or permit the event's town requires? Rules vary by municipality, so ask the vendor and check with the venue.
- Insurance. Can they provide a certificate of insurance, naming the venue if the venue asks? Many venues require one from every outside vendor.
- Menu. Which drinks, which milks, iced options, decaf, and whether they can add tea or hot chocolate.
- Staffing and speed. How many baristas for your guest count, and roughly how many drinks they can make in an hour?
- Setup and breakdown. How much time they need before service and after, and how much space the cart takes.
- Pricing. Is it per guest, per hour, or per drink, and what is included: cups, lids, sleeves, travel?
- Outdoor plan. For a garden or Shore wedding, what happens in heat, wind or rain?
Read reviews from recent events and check their current details before you book.
Timing at a reception
- With dessert or the cake cutting is the classic moment, and when most guests will want a cup.
- During cocktail hour, an espresso cart becomes something to do while photos are taken. Iced drinks work well here in a New Jersey summer.
- Late night, a second round of coffee helps guests who are driving home.
- Stagger it. Espresso drinks are made one at a time, so a cart open for an hour or two avoids one long line. Brewed coffee should be made close to serving and held in airpots rather than on a hot plate, which turns it bitter.
Decaf and milk alternatives
Always offer decaf, especially in the evening. A reasonable starting point is to make about one in five cups decaf: for 100 cups, that is 20 decaf (about 300 g of coffee) and 80 regular (about 1,200 g). Label the airpots clearly so nobody guesses.
For milk, plan about 1 oz per cup for the guests who take it. If half of 100 cups get milk, that is 50 oz, which a half gallon covers. Add at least one plant-based option such as oat milk, plus sugar and a sugar-free sweetener. Keep dairy on ice at an outdoor station.
Setting up a DIY coffee station
- Brewers: a regular coffee machine makes one pot at a time, so for more than 50 guests borrow a second machine or rent a large batch brewer.
- Airpots: at least two for regular and one for decaf, each clearly labeled. Brew into them and keep them off any hot plate.
- The table: cups and lids, milk and plant milk on ice, sugar and sweetener, stirrers, napkins, and a small bin for waste.
- A person: name one friend or staff member to brew and refill. A station nobody owns runs dry at the worst moment.
Running a DIY station? Do a full test brew a week before with the same brewer, the same airpots and the same coffee. Time how long one batch takes, so you know when to start brewing on the day.