The Right Number of Glasses to Buy for Everyday Use and Entertaining

Whether you have a dining room table for four or 14, identifying the right amount of place settings for your everyday (and special occasion) needs can be tricky. Everyone thinks they'll entertain a crowd at some point—for a far-off holiday, a birthday, or that milestone anniversary party—and need a surplus of dishes, cutlery, and, of course, glassware as a result.

Here's what actually happens: You purchase those extra sets of wine goblets and they promptly collect dust. The reality of how you really entertain sets in; dinner party guest lists rarely reach a half dozen and the holidays inevitably end up hosted at your great aunt's house year after year. 

So how many glasses do you really need to buy when it's time to stock up? As it turns out, there might be a perfect number for your family or entertaining style—one that results in water, wine, and cocktail glasses you'll truly use. Here's what entertaining experts, home hostessing gurus, and event planners have to say about identifying this drinkware sweet spot.

Everyday Glassware: Buy Sets of 8

For most families, purchasing water, wine, and other cocktail glasses in a set of eight is best, says Sarah Bogart Cooney, an entertaining expert and owner of Fewer & Better (she regularly runs formal events but also considers herself a minimalist). According to Cooney, this number typically works for everyday use and small-scale entertaining. "For the frequent hostess, I'd recommend eight glasses for wine and eight for water or cocktails," she says. "I have a rule that no more than eight people makes a perfect dinner party."

Everyday Glassware for Larger Groups: Buy Sets of 12

Naturally, hosting bigger parties or having a larger family should result in more glassware. If you fall into this camp as a hostess (or as a parent), up your everyday glassware count to 12, says Rebecca Shenkman of Pink Bowtie Events.

But purchasing glassware in sets of 12 could be a virtue of preservation more than actual use. "If glasses seem to break easily and often in your home, I recommend 12 to 14 at a minimum," says Ronda Carman, the author of Entertaining at Home. "They are so easy to find these days and not very expensive." On the wine front, she suggests stemless iterations for everyday entertaining; they're versatile, less likely to break, and can be used for a myriad of drinks.

According to Lindsey Morgan, the owner and creative director of Bello and Blue, it's best to take your base set requirement for wine and water glasses and add two. "It's nice to have 10 percent extra [stock] with a minimum of 2 additional sets," she says. "Consider the size of your space and how many guests you feel comfortable hosting at once. If you have a dining table for eight guests, consider 10 sets of water and wine glasses so there are a few extras, just in case."

Specialty Glassware: Accumulate Over Time

Then there are those special occasions that go beyond your Friday night dinner party. These are the Thanksgiving dinners, the holiday parties, and the New Year's Eve events when you're thrilled to pull out your fanciest bottle of Champagne or the bottle of red that's been aging since your first anniversary. 

The glasses you pour these special drinks into don't have to be purchased in a set number at one given time. Instead, accumulate them as you go, building a repertoire of glassware that holds memories—and expands naturally with your family. "If you only entertain at the holidays, have fun! Find glasses that you love and can't wait to pull out each year. I collect Ruby Red Holiday Gems by Lenox for years. They always make me happy," says Carman. 

Choose Coupes Over Flutes

Want to stock up on a glassware set for Champagne? Carman says to opt for coupes over flutes; the former can also be used for sparkling cocktails, martinis, and mixed drinks. "It's a classic glass that can immediately elevate your drink of choice," she says.

Don't worry about having all the right glasses for every occasion, adds Morgan. Instead, you can improvise, particularly when serving a bigger group. "If you're not having a sit-down dinner, integrate a variety of types of glassware so you don't have to go so deep in one particular type. Use wine glasses for wine, spritzes, and sparkling water," she says.

Buy Vintage Glassware in Sets of 2 or 4

If you've ever resisted buying an eye-catching set of vintage rocks glasses because you aren't sure what you'd do with a set of just two or four, embrace the mix and match philosophy.  Willow Wright, owner of Urban Redeux, an antique shop in Alexandria, Va., has a trick: She buys cocktail glasses in pairs or sets of four in two pattern iterations—and builds the collection over time. "This allows me to have a variety of fun patterns and styles," she says.