15 Best Wedding Cocktail Ideas For Every Personality Type
Make a splash!
getty Weddings are known for champagne toasts and clinking wine glasses, but the best celebrations also have memorable wedding cocktail.
Where the couple takes this cocktail is up to them, from a tried-and-true favorite to some sort of signature concoction. It may somehow involve the colors of the wedding or even the flowers. Ideally, though, the best cocktails for your guests will be delicious and Instagram-worthy.
If your wedding ideas are more focused on what you're wearing and your venue, take some time and check out these great cocktails that are bound to have your guests talking.
1. Blueberry Bourbon Smash
Dave Coe of Cru Bar in Charleston, South Carolina created this Blueberry Bourbon Smash.
According to Coe, "It’s an easy cocktail to batch for large groups. We make a blueberry/mint simple syrup by simmering fresh blueberries and cane sugar, remove from heat and add fresh chopped mint. Let that sit and strain.
From there, pour 2 ounces of bourbon, juice of half a lemon and an ounce of the blueberry mint simple in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a highball glass over ice and garnish with the fresh blueberries and a sprig of mint. It's light and refreshing, but you definitely taste the bourbon. It's everything you could want in a summer cocktail."
2. Apricot Frosé
Photo: Lucy Beaugard
This gorgeous summer cocktail is made with rosé wine, vodka, apricot puree, rich simple syrup, and water. Says Ky Belk, Bar Manager at El Five in Denver, “For those nuptials taking place outside in the heat of the summer, I think a great way to help guests 'chill' out during the cocktail hour is with a frosty beverage like Frosé.”
Go one step further and create your own riff by incorporating alternative fruits like apricots or strawberries. “The result is a next level Frosé that is signature to your special day — ice cold, refreshing and delicious,” Belk adds.
3. Aperol Spritz
Nothing screams "summer" like an Aperol Spritz! “This classic drink is light enough for a hot day, but sophisticated enough to be the signature drink of your cocktail hour or reception,” suggests Trip Wheeler of SB Value.
Better yet, this cocktail is best paired with fruit, making for a bright, colorful addition to your food and beverage menu.
4. Pimm’s Cup
“A Pimm’s Cup is another festive choice for couples that want to serve a cocktail that’s equal parts vibrant and refreshing,” says Wheeler. These drinks look especially appetizing when passed around to your guests with fruit and mint garnishes.
5. Ophelia’s Drift
Photo: Komich.com
"Ophelia's Drift is a Cognac based, refreshing and somewhat tropical punch that is laced with spicy pops of ginger and fruity floral aromas... You do all of the work beforehand and simply pour over ice at the moment of serving. The drink is flavorful and impressive, but seems effortless at the same time,” says Kellie Thorn, Beverage Director of Hugh Acheson Restaurants in Atlanta.
6. Jardesca California Spritz
Photo: Jardesca.com
According to Marshall Dawson, co-founder of Jardesca, “The Jardesca California Spritz enhances your special day with the beautiful spirit of California and its delicious bounty. As a low-alcohol, natural, wine-based aperitif, this elevated Spritz is a creative and camera-ready alternative (or complement) to traditional sparkling wine that will keep your guests refreshed throughout your celebration.”
7. Nao Bubbly
Photo: Andaz Mayakoba Resort Riviera Maya
Andaz Mayakoba Resort Riviera Maya’s bartender, Omar Romo, has crafted a unique Nao Bubbly cocktail. The Mexican resort’s cocktail from their newest oceanfront dining destination, Sotavento, is perfect for an intimate and tropical wedding toast. It combines artisanal St. Germain elderflower liqueur, sparkling wine, lemon, and rich lavender syrup.
“Its flavors are the perfect balance of floral and citrus, which is ideal for celebrating tropical destination weddings,” says Romo.
8. Le Spritz
Photo: Liberty Common
"Le Spritz from our menu is the perfect wedding cocktail. Lillet gives the drink a nice honey forward flavor with some solid floral notes. Using pet-nat for the bubbly keeps it dry but adds in some prevalent yeast aroma (depending on which one you’re using). What you get in the end is really a spritz that almost drinks like Champagne but with more space to find yourself unwinding into it,” says Daniel King, Beverage Director of Liberty Common.
9. Spicy Tequila with Watermelon
Photo: Dara Pollack
“Spicy tequila with watermelon is easy to make ahead in large batches. Not to mention, it's fresh, seasonal, light, and delicious,” suggests Alexandra Shapiro, owner of Flex Mussels.
10. Bird of Paradise
“For summer weddings, a light, low alcohol cocktail is a wise choice for guests. In our Bird of Paradise cocktail, we use Snowbirds Vintners wine, rum, vanilla syrup, and fresh pineapple juice to make a sparkling cocktail that’s light, refreshing, and just as sweet and elegant as every bride wants to be,” Cuisiniers Catered Cuisine & Events Executive Chef, Jamie McFadden, adds.
11. Spritz Carlton
Photo: Eugene Dela Cruz / OneSeven Communications
At The Kitchen at Atomic in Las Vegas, Nevada, this cocktail is made with rosé wine, Aperol, Peach, Lemon and Grapefruit Soda
Says Tonia Guffey, Bar Manager, “The ingredients are easy to source and the drink is low ABV, so the guests can drink more of them without the risk of Uncle Andy getting too trashed before the speeches start! It's served on ice in wine glasses, which most wedding caterers will already have, which means bride and groom don't have to shell out more money for a specialty cocktail glass. It's bright and refreshing, so it works great to refresh after the party really starts and the dancing begins.”
12. Blueberry & Coconut Margarita
Photo: Vida Verde
The smooth undertones of coconut perfectly balanced with the sweetness from fresh blueberries makes this drink perfect for an outdoor summer wedding. Says bartender Daniel Zakarija of Vida Verde, "An unlikely pairing, resulting in a margarita like no other."
13. The Nahua
Photo: DiWine Restaurant & Wine Bar
At DiWine Restaurant & Wine Bar in Astoria, the Nahua is made with house-infused pineapple-jalapeńo tequila, housemade buccaneer syrup, lemon and lime and finished with a mezcal float. “The Nahua flavor profile is complex but smooth, resulting in a very pleasant cocktail," says Joao Beiler, Beverage Director.
14. Embrace the garden
If you're still stumped for ideas, take advantage of fruits or flowers from a garden to add a little something extra. Says Wheeler, “The best thing you can do is ensure that your cocktail of choice reflects the vibe of your wedding decor.”
For example, a sprig of lavender or other floral garnish is perfect for your outdoor reception cocktails, or even for a garden-themed celebration.
15. Add fresh fruit
“Fruity beverages are notoriously a crowd favorite, and extremely on-trend with the popular frozen cocktail concept,” adds Wheeler. A pureed beverage will keep guests comfortable and cool on humid evenings, easily garnished with a complementary berry.
Aly Walansky is a NY-based lifestyles writer who focuses on health, wellness, and relationships. Her work appears in dozens of digital and print publications regularly. Visit her on Twitter or email her.