Let’s cocktail! In Signature Style…
IN WEDDINGS, AS IN LIFE, SERVICE COMES FIRST
It’s unromantic, yes; but what you serve and how you serve it depends first and foremost on logistics. We suggest at least one bar with two bartenders for every 100 guests. If your event will have fewer folks behind the bar, or will be nominally staffed by your cousin, that’s cool. Just don’t pin your hopes on an elaborate, 25-ingredient signature drink with a smoked garnish for 200 guests.
Always keep it simple, with your wedding cocktails. Chat with your bartender and let them come up with something that will suit you and not kill them to make. Cocktails like the Negroni or the Sidecar can be pre-batched, so bartenders can mix them up quickly and keep lines moving. You can also customize these drinks with a variety of seasonal ingredients.
GIVE YOUR GUESTS ACTUAL CHOICES
If you plan to offer multiple wedding cocktails, be sure to provide some variety for your guests, all of whom might not share your love of amaro or Scotch. An ideal assortment of signature drinks comprises different spirits, strengths, and flavor profiles. We suggest a Moscow Mule, a stirred whisky drink, and something light and effervescent.” Not a fan of ginger beer? Swap your mule for a sour, the classic combination of liquor with equal parts sweet and sour mixers.
For your whiskey drink, opt for crowd-pleasing classics like the Sazerac or Old Fashioned. Our go-to wedding cocktail is a Manhattan. Be forewarned, though, that big, boozy whiskey drinks pack a punch. To prevent overzealous guests from overindulging, consider limiting the quantity of whiskey cocktails your bartenders will pour. Sparking wine cocktails tend to be lower in alcohol.
We suggest a take on a French 75 using a spirit like gin or vodka, so guests can have multiples while still being able to remember the event. Approach the French 75 as a rubric (spirit + citrus + sugar + bubbles) and tweak it to your preferences. Fruit juice provides citrusy sweetness in a Pineapple French 75, and sparkling apple cider stands in for Champagne for autumnal weddings.
ON A BUDGET? THINK BIG
Large-format drinks check a number of practical boxes. They are easy to execute and cost-effective, often low ABV, and can be served family-style in pitchers or coolers.
We recommend making big-batch containers of red and white sangria. It’s super inexpensive and incredibly easy to make at home in large quantities. Putting the sangria in self-serve containers with spouts removes waiting at the bar. Punches are also the best bang-for-your-buck wedding cocktail.
