Pour Decisions: The ultimate guide to drinks!
Photographer: Phoebe Rossi
Weddings are a celebration of love, and what better way to toast to the happy couple than with a thoughtfully curated selection of drinks? From cocktails to non-alcoholic options, the drinks at your wedding set the tone for the entire event, adding to every moment. It can be a bit overwhelming thinking about what to serve when and how much you need to buy, here are some tips to help you along the way:
Pre-Ceremony (Arrival of Guests):
Why: Guests often arrive early, so having drinks available helps them relax while they wait for the ceremony to begin. It’s a great way to welcome everyone, especially if your ceremony is outdoors or during hot weather.
What to Serve: Non alcoholic beverages such as water, iced tea, lemonade, or mimosas (for a more relaxed vibe). You could of course serve a glass of fizz however we find that’s best served straight after the ceremony!
How much do we need: We would recommending allocating no more than 1 glass per person, this will be no longer than 30 minutes. Make sure you have plenty of water for throughout the day too.
Post-Ceremony:
Why: After the ceremony, guests will likely want to mingle and celebrate the newlyweds. A glass of fizz provides the perfect opportunity for everyone to unwind and enjoy drinks while you and your wedding party take photos or make your way to the reception. This is the ideal time for your signature drinks, which can reflect the couple's personalities.
What to Serve: Champagne/Prosecco, Pimms, beer, and non-alcoholic options - you could also do a cocktial hour here!
How much do we need: An hour and a half is the perfect amount of time for a drinks reception, we would suggest allocating 2-3 drinks per person during this time.
Wedding Meal:
Why: During dinner, guests will want to pair their meal with wine or other beverages. It’s a good idea to have drinks available throughout the meal to keep everyone refreshed. Red & White are the go to, but depending on the time of year, your menu and what you like rose is always a great touch! You also do not have to provide all 3 options for all your guests, if you love a particular drink you can just get in enough for yourselves (yes, people do that!!).
What to Serve: Wine (Red & White) & Water (Still and/or sparkling)
How much do we need: Half a bottle of wine per person is ideal and make sure there is plenty of water avaliable throughout
Toasts & Speeches:
Why: Toasting to a speech is about more than just a beverage, it’s a celebratory ritual that ties everything together.
What to Serve: Champagne or sparkling wine is the traditional choice however lots of people either opt for something a little more them, shot toasts have also become really popular over the last few years (these can double as favours too!).
How much do we need: One glass per person is plenty, half a glass is often enough to depending how many speeches you have.
After the Meal (Dancing & Party Time):
Why: After the meal and toasts, the energy picks up as everyone heads to the dance floor. Your bar should have a wider selection of fun cocktails or a special drink ready for guests to enjoy as they dance the night away. This is also when people may want something stronger, so consider offering after-dinner drinks, liqueurs and tea & coffee is always a nice touch.
What to Serve: Cocktails, beer, wine, wide selection of spirits, tea & coffee
How much do we need: This really depends on your number of guests and how many options you’d like stocked on your bar. If your venue has an in house bar or you have hired a bar company for the day they will take care of all of this for you - if you are doing an open bar and buying everything yourselves do get in touch and we can assist on quantities.
Key Tips:
Hydration: Always make sure that water is available at all stages of the wedding. Keep water stations or bottles accessible during cocktail hour, dinner, and dancing.
Pacing: Keep in mind that it is a super long day, and you don’t want anyone going overboard to early on! A well-balanced drink service alongside flow of food will help keep the mood light and fun.
Consider Your Guests: Not everyone drinks alcohol, so make sure non-alcoholic options (like mocktails, sparkling water, or juices) are available at each phase of the event.
By thinking about when to serve drinks and making sure there's something for everyone, you'll help ensure your guests have an enjoyable experience from start to finish. Cheers to a beautiful wedding celebration!
Photographer: Graham Hodgetts