Wedding Cocktails – Best Bar Trends for Family and Friends

From bachelor and bachelorette parties to rehearsal dinners and post-ceremony receptions, alcoholic drinks are a key part of many weddings. Traditionally offered through open bars or pay-with-ticket options, mixed drinks and more elaborate cocktails are no longer the top choices on reception bar menus. Today’s couples are looking to expand the drink options for wedding guests with craft beers and local wines, as well as with a range of non-alcoholic “mocktails.” Many couples are also embracing the concept of having a signature cocktail that serves to further personalize the wedding and complement the couple’s theme and décor.

As popularity for signature wedding drinks continues to grow, couples are tasked with creating a cocktail that is not only clever in name, but also tasty in its various ingredients. When opting for a signature wedding cocktail, wedding experts offer three points of advice: focus on your wedding’s location by using local ingredients in the cocktail; personalize the cocktail with a reference to a special date, trip, and/or family gathering; or create a new version of a favorite go-to drink. By following any of these three suggestions, couples can offer wedding guests a memorable drink that will add to a memorable day.

For budget-conscious couples, signature cocktails are an appealing option as they are both budget-friendly and easy-to-serve. Signature drinks offer a creative and strategic alternative to the expense of a full bar menu and long drink lines for people who want custom drinks. However, wedding experts caution couples on having too many signature cocktails. Experts agree couples should offer no more than two or three signature drinks at their wedding. As signature drinks, they are intended to be customized to the couple’s tastes. As such, couples should consider serving one cocktail designed by the bride, one cocktail designed by the groom, and a third one that is created together, like a signature cocktail inspired by the couple’s relationship. 

When choosing or creating a signature cocktail, couples should consider the theme, season, and color scheme of the wedding. For example, a light, refreshing cocktail might be perfect for a summer outdoor wedding, while a richer, spicier drink could suit a winter reception. Matching the drink to the occasion helps reinforce the overall aesthetic and vibe of the event.

Once the drink menu is decided upon and the bar is stocked with all the necessary ingredients for signature cocktails and additional drink options, the issue of responsible drinking needs to be considered by both the wedding couple as well as their wedding guests. The easiest and most successful way to ensure guests don’t become inebriated is by offering plates of small bites throughout the hours of the reception. Wedding professionals assert that food options should be small enough to be an appealing snack, but rich enough to help slow the absorption of alcohol consumed by guests. Couples may also want to consider having transportation options available for guests who should not be driving after the reception ends.

For couples who choose to have a non-alcoholic reception, there are still many options for a wide range of beverages for guests. Among the most popular are “mocktails,” (the non-alcoholic versions of traditional cocktails), as well as non-alcoholic beers and wines, which are rising in popularity among calorie-conscious wedding guests.

Another drink trend that is being seen more frequently at wedding receptions today is coffee and tea bars, which offer a range of coffee- and tea-related beverages. Not only do these drinks appeal to coffee and tea aficionados, but they also offer the caffeine boost that many guests can appreciate as the reception and other wedding-related events go on well into the evening. Along with coffee and tea bars, hot cocoa bars are also on trend for weddings held in fall and winter.

For weddings held in spring and summer, blended fresh fruit drinks remain the cocktails of choice among guests, and can often be customized for children without parental worries.

When it comes to wedding cocktails, traditional receptions include bars with alcoholic drinks, and while this tradition is still a top choice of many brides and grooms, there are so many more options available for today’s couples. Luckily for every attending the receptions, most of the non-alcoholic bar options will leave guests with wonderful memories of the couple’s special day instead of alcohol-fueled dancing and behavior that guests won’t soon forget.

Photo courtesy of Pik Pongpol Photography

Photo courtesy of Soulflare Weddings

 Photo courtesy of Soulflare Weddings