The wedding ceremony has ended, and your guests are flowing into a cocktail hour while photos are being done. You are going to want to start off giving your guests an amazing impression so let’s turn our attention to the bar. Because, let’s face it, that is where there are heading. This may surprise you, but what you offer at the bar can really set the tone of the evening. If you are serving alcohol at your wedding, then have some fun with it and offer up a signature cocktail for your guests. And don’t worry if you and your future spouse have differing tastes. You can create a His and Hers, which is just an added personal touch to your big day.
As a wedding planner, I am giving you eight suggestions for some fun and festive cocktails you may consider having at your wedding. While these may not be exactly what strikes you as “The One”, let it incite some creativity and discussions between you and your partner during your wedding planning on what you would like to have.
Let’s head down south and sip on some peach sweet tea, spiked with a little bourbon of course. This cocktail is a perfect match to the southern-inspired or rustic theme wedding. All you need to make this cocktail come to life is sweet tea, peach preserves, lemon juice, and bourbon.
A classic cognac cocktail, your guests will feel like they are drinking liquid sunshine. This cocktail consists of cognac, orange liqueur, and freshly squeezed lemon juice. If you want to balance out the tartness of this cocktail, simply add a sugar rim around the glass. Garnish with an orange twist.
A lot of people like to offer their guests a coffee bar towards the later part of the evening, so why not make it fun and make it Irish? Traditionally served in a warm glass you will combine, brown sugar, brewed coffee, Irish whiskey, and heavy cream to top it off. It seems like these two should have always been a pair.
Who says popular and festive cocktails have to include a long list of ingredients? This simple cocktail of gin and grapefruit juice. Light and airy, your guests will feel refreshed after sipping on this beverage.
The holidays and wintertime bring on the urge for some eggnog, so if you are having your wedding during this time of year there is no better cocktail to serve. Eggnog seems to be either a love-it-or-hate-it-type drink, but with this recipe, you may be able to flip the haters. This eggnog is your traditional rum eggnog, with ginger, molasses, allspice, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg to send it over the edge with the gingerbread flavor.
We are rolling out the smoke for this next cocktail. This twist to the Old Fashioned will surely make your guest’s taste buds stand up with excitement. Mix it up with this beverage combining Woodford Reserve, spicy cherry bitters, blood orange bitters, and black walnut bitters, and a sugar cube. Once all ingredients are mixed properly, your bartender will then place the glass into the smoker with smoking cherrywood to infuse the taste.
A legend in and of itself, the Cosmopolitan has been keeping bartenders busy for years. The classic, but festive cocktail combines vodka, triple sec, lime juice, and cranberry juice. Your guests will light up at the familiarity offered up at the bar.
We are wrapping up our list with tequila. This cocktail combines tequila, blue curacao, and pineapple juice served over ice. The captivating blue color will be sure to draw every guest to the bar asking to try the hit of the event.
Finally, talk with your bartender about garnishes. There is something to be said about the presentation of your cocktails so don’t be afraid to pick one and make it festive with fresh fruit or flowers. Enjoy!
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