Table of Contents
Key Takeaways
- Signature Cocktails: Create custom cocktails for the bride and groom to reflect their personalities.
- Classic Cocktails: Offer popular classics like Margaritas, Mojitos, Moscow Mules, Martinis, and Old Fashioneds.
- Wine Selection: Include red (Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot), white (Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio), and rosé options.
- Beer Choices: Provide both domestic (e.g., Coors Light, local craft beers) and imported beers (e.g., Heineken, Guinness).
- Non-Alcoholic Options: Ensure availability of sodas, non-alcoholic beers, and sparkling cider for toasts.
- Sparkling Wine for Toasts: Budget for enough sparkling wine and non-alcoholic sparkling cider for all guests.
- Seasonal Drinks: Adjust drink options based on the wedding season (e.g., hot chocolate in winter, punchbowl in summer).
Planning a wedding requires months of preparations from picking a venue and a theme to arranging family travel and noting dietary restrictions. Sometimes the drinks provided at the wedding are one of the last things the bride and groom think about because they are planning everything else. If you are getting around to choosing the right drinks for your wedding, let this guide be an aid to help you choose the right beverages for your special day.
Signature Cocktails
Whipping up a custom cocktail to reflect the preferences and personalities of the bride and groom is a great way to make the day more special. The cocktail can be the first one the couple shared when they first started dating, or one they are known to enjoy. To make it even more fun, you can create one signature cocktail for the bride and one for the groom and ask the bartenders to keep track of how many people order each one. The person whose cocktail wins gets some kind of a prize at the end of the night.
When creating these signature cocktails, make sure not to make them too complex because then they will require a lot of expensive ingredients. Stick to three or four ingredients to make it easy for the bartenders to learn the day of and so that they can make them quickly as the guests start rolling into the reception. Also, make sure that if you are doing one cocktail for the bride and one for the groom they are made of different bases. For example, if the groom’s favorite liquor is tequila, then his cocktail should be made of tequila and if the bride’s favorite is vodka, then hers should have vodka as the base. This gives variety to the drinks offered.
To complete the signature cocktail look, you can print out a drink menu poster to have at the bar that announces the signature cocktails and their ingredients. To get even more creative, you can come up with fun names for each signature cocktail to represent the personality of the bride and groom or to do a play on their names. For example, if the groom’s name is Mark, you can name his cocktail the “Markerita”. This is a fun conversation starter for guests and will keep people talking and laughing all night long.
Classic Cocktails
No wedding bar is complete without the availability of a few classic cocktails. To make it simple, you should choose one brand of each type of traditional liquor to have in the bar. For the classic cocktails, you should choose at least one for each type of liquor so that all guests are happy.
Margarita
For a classic tequila-based cocktail, you have to go with a margarita. It is a fan favorite that will always be requested by guests. With only three core ingredients: tequila, triple sec, and lime juice, it is quick and easy to make. Guests can order one on the rocks or frozen if you have a blender that can be used for the event.
Mojito
When it comes to rum cocktails, the mojito is always a good choice. This is an especially good pick for a classic cocktail list if your wedding is taking place in the summertime, even better if it is taking place on a beach. If you are hosting a winter wedding, a good rum alternative is a hot buttered rum.
Moscow Mule
The mix of spicy ginger beer, lime, and vodka has made this copper-cup cocktail one of the favorites in recent years. It’s made for easy sipping and can easily be modified into an Irish mule with whiskey or a Mexican mule with tequila. All varieties are equally refreshing and will keep guests cool while dancing on the dance floor.
Martini
As a higher-end classic cocktail, the martini should be on your menu to cater to the older crowd like grandparents and great aunts and uncles. Although all of the cocktails on this list are good, some drinkers prefer a classic. Made with either gin or vodka depending on preferences, make sure to have all of the ingredients available for the different varieties.
Old Fashioned
Like the martini, the old fashioned is in a higher class than most cocktails and requires a bit more skill to make it correctly. As far as whiskey drinks go, this is still one of the most popular, so be sure to be fully stocked with orange peels and cocktail cherries.
Wines
For the meal portion of the evening, a selection of wines is a great way to appease guests who like a nice red or white to complement their food. Check out online vendors like Wine Warehouse Store who offer a wide selection of wines that can accommodate different dietary and religious needs like Kosher requirements. This is great for Jewish weddings or weddings where many guests follow a Kosher diet. This way, everyone will feel included and able to participate in the enjoyment of the meal.
To stay within budget, most couples offer one white, one red, and maybe a rosé if there is a desire for it. Read below for an explanation of the most popular wines in each category to decide what will work best for your wedding.
Red
The top three choices for red wine at weddings are Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot. Each brings its own unique flavor profile, so choosing the right one for your guests is dependent on the general tastes of everyone. Pinot Noirs are on the lighter side of red wines and are a good choice because they go well with many types of dishes. Cabernet Sauvignons tend to be more bold and full-bodies, making them a good pairing with red meat and hearty meals. Merlot is in the middle ground between the other two popular choices as it is smooth and appeals to most people.
White
When it comes to white wines, the top three most popular are Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Pinot Grigio. If you are serving fish or chicken as one of your meal options, then any of these white wines are suitable pairings. For fish, Sauvignon Blanc is perfect because it is crisp and refreshing. Chardonnay offers a more full-bodied and buttery experience and goes well with chicken dishes. Pinot Grigio is the most neutral of these three white wines and a go-to for many people.
Rosé
With its rise in popularity in recent years, rosé has shown up at most weddings in the modern era, especially in the summertime. Served chilled, it works as a good middle ground for people who like both red and white wine and don’t want to compromise.
Beers
Having at least a few beer options is always smart for guests who prefer casual drinking and don’t care for wine or liquor. A selection of both domestic and imported beers should keep guests satisfied.
Domestic
Having one light lager and a few local craft beers will satisfy those who just want something refreshing and can introduce out-of-towners to your favorite local craft brewery. For lagers, going for something like Coors Light or Budweiser by the can or purchasing a few kegs for the event will be perfect.
Imported
Imported beers like Heineken and Guinness are popular for weddings and may even already be on tap if you are holding your wedding at an events center that has a bar. Before the wedding, you can send out a survey to guests to see which imported beers they would like to have at the wedding.
Non-Alcoholic Options
Although this category is often overlooked, it is extremely important to have some options for those guests who do not drink alcohol. You can do this by adding a soda fountain to your budget and also purchasing a few cases of non-alcoholic beers. For the toast, you can also purchase a few bottles of non-alcoholic sparkling cider so that everyone can partake in the festivities.
Sparkling Wine for the Toast
The toast is one of the main events of the wedding reception where everyone gets a glass of bubbly and raises them in honor of the new couple. It is important to set a budget for as many bottles of sparkling wine and non-alcoholic sparking cider as you think will be necessary to allow each guest to get a glass. It is also important to check with your venue to see if they will provide champagne flutes or if you need to purchase plastic ones in bulk for everyone.
Seasonal Drinks
Depending on the season in which you are getting married, the beverage list might change. If you are having a winter wedding, consider having a hot chocolate or hot cider station so that guests stay nice and cozy while celebrating. If you are getting married in the summer, you can have a big punchbowl and a lot of assorted fresh fruit to go with the cocktails.
By taking the time to plan out a specific drinks menu and giving your guests a good variety of options, you will have a happy crowd. Make sure to accommodate to different preferences and have at least one option for each guest so that all are satisfied.
