There’s a seemingly endless variety of drinks that you can serve at your wedding. From classic cocktails to exotic beverages, from sparkling wines and liqueurs to non-alcoholic options. The sheer number of drink options leaves many couples confused about what to serve. Many brides and grooms worry about which type of drink is right for their particular wedding and how much alcohol should be served. Here are some tips on choosing the drinks for your wedding:
Know what you’re looking for in a wedding drink
Choosing the right drinks for your wedding is crucial. Choosing the wrong drinks can result in guests having dry, boring or even uncomfortable experiences. You want to make sure that the drinks you choose complement the rest of your wedding reception food, and take into consideration the dietary requirements of your guests.
You’ll also want to ensure that you and your guests are happy with the drinks you serve. You’ll need a good understanding of what different drinks do to guests. When choosing which drinks to serve, you’ll also need to consider how much alcohol is appropriate for the event.
Think about your guests
It’s important to choose drinks that are appealing to your guests. If your guests prefer a low-alcohol drink, then a low-alcohol pass would be appropriate as well. It’s also important to consider the age of your guests. If any of your guests are younger, then you’ll need to consider that. Your guests’ preferences will most likely change after spending time with each other.
It’s important to choose drinks that are appealing to your guests and are also appropriate for the event. It’s also important to consider the dietary restrictions of your guests.
Ask yourself these questions before you make a decision
- What type of alcohol would you like to serve?
- What are your wedding food themes? – How many guests are you expecting? – What are your personal preferences?
- Where will you be serving the drinks?
- How much would you like to serve?
- Would you like to include non-alcoholic beverage options?
- When and how will you serve the drinks?
- What will your bartenders wear?
- How much will your alcohol and food cost?
- What will happen if someone gets drunk?
- What are the laws and regulations in your area?
- Is there a specific alcohol expectation?
- Are there any local drink traditions?
- Is there anything else you would like to know about your wedding drinks?
Which alcohol?
If you’re going with a classic cocktail, then a genie bottle of Champagne is the most appropriate choice. For a more casual event, serve a sweet refreshing beverage, such as a lemonade or iced tea. For an elegant or formal event, try serving a dry, sparkling wine, or a liqueur. If you want to go with a beer, we recommend serving a light beer, such as a lager, or a dark beer, such as an IPA.
For a more formal or upscale event, you’re likely to want to serve a glass of red or white wine. If you want to serve a cocktail, you’ll want to choose a spirit-based drink, such as rum or vodka, or a cocktail made with wine, such as a Cosmopolitan.
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Decide how much to serve
If you’re unsure about how much alcohol to serve, start with half a glass for each guest. However, this is just a starting point. If you’re serving a low-alcohol beverage, then you’ll only need a small amount of alcohol. It’s important to keep in mind that people aren’t exactly sure how much alcohol is appropriate for them.
You’ll also want to keep in mind the age of your guests. If any of your guests are younger, then you may want to serve less alcohol.
Don’t forget the non-alcoholic beverages
If you’re going with a classic cocktail, then we recommend serving non-alcoholic beverages as well. You can also try serving non-alcoholic beverages such as water, soda or juice. You can also serve non-alcoholic beverages such as iced tea, lemonade or ginger ale.
Sparkling wines and fortified wines
If your guests prefer sparkling wines or fortified wines, then you have a few options. You can serve a sparkling wine such as prosecco or a glass of sparkling wine from a bottle. Or you can serve a fortified wine such as port or sherry.
Non-sparkling wine (e.g. pinot noir)
Pinot noir, or non-sparkling wine, is a good option for weddings that don’t want to serve alcohol. A non-sparkling wine is a good choice if you don’t want to serve alcohol but you do want to have a glass of wine during dinner or if many of your guests prefer to drink a glass of wine during dinner. You can also serve a pinot noir if you’re serving a low-alcohol beverage, such as sparkling apple juice, sparkling orange juice or sparkling grape juice.
Fruit wines (e.g. sherry, porchetta)
If you’re going with a standard bottle of red or white wine, you can also try serving a fruit wine instead. A fruit wine is similar to a port wine and will add some sweet flavour to the drink without adding any alcohol. Or, you can try serving an orchestra if you don’t have a red or white wine that your guests prefer. A light red wine, such as a pinot noir, or a light white wine, such as a sauvignon blanc, are good options.
Liqueurs (e.t. Amaretto) and spirit-based mixed drinks (e.h. Mojitos)
If you’re going with a classic cocktail, then you can serve a liqueur such as an Amaretto. You can also try serving a spirit-based mixed drink, such as a mojito. You can add a bit of sweet flavour to some of these cocktails, but they won’t add any alcohol. You can also add various sweeteners or fruit juices to the drink.
Summing up
Choosing the drinks for your wedding is a big decision and one that can have a big impact on your guests. It’s important to think about the types of drinks that are appealing to your guests, the types of food you’re serving and the age of your guests. You can also consider serving non-alcoholic beverages, and adding a bit of sweet flavour to your drink without adding any alcohol.
