If you want to know what drinks to serve at a wedding, consider alcoholic and non-alcoholic options for your guests. We’ll also discuss the signature and classic wedding beverages typically offered at weddings.
And of course, you’ll know what’s the most popular drink served at weddings. Then, you can also browse our blog for anything related to wedding drinks.
For budgeting, find out how much is an open bar at a wedding, for example.
What Drinks To Serve At A Wedding: Wedding Beverages And Cocktails
Alcoholic drinks
Regardless of the size and type of wedding you’re having, the best alcoholic beverages to serve at the reception are the following:
- Wine (i.e., red and white)
- Champagne
- Beer
- Bourbon
- Whiskey
- Vodka
- Gin
- Rum
- Cocktails (e.g., one signature cocktail chosen by the bride and another by the groom)
If you’re on a budget, you can skip having a bartender, especially if it’s a small wedding reception. Here are tips on how to serve alcohol at a wedding without a bartender for those interested.
Non-alcoholic drinks for guests
It’s also better to serve several non-alcoholic drinks as alternatives if some of your guests don’t drink alcohol. However, please order enough drinks as some of the items below can be used as mixers and ingredients for cocktails:
- Sparkling ciders
- Waters
- Soda
- Coolers
- Faux fizz
- Mocktails
- Punch
- Virgin piña colada
- Non-alcoholic Irish cream liqueur
For easier budgeting, please know how much soda to buy for a wedding.
What Is The Most Popular Drink At A Wedding?
Beer
If you want a lively wedding bar, consider serving popular drinks at most weddings. Of course, they are beer and wine, but you can also never go wrong with having a signature cocktail served at your wedding reception.
Consider the season of your wedding when choosing the beer to serve. For example, opt for light-colored beers on hot weddings such as those in summer or spring, while cold weddings or those held in the evenings can have dark-colored beers.
Wine
As for choosing the wine, you can consider the menu or wedding theme. You can even think of the time of the year you’re getting married such as wines from warm growing regions for a spring wedding, for example.
Then, have a red, white, and sparkling wine choices where the most popular ones in weddings include:
Red wines for weddings: rose, pinot noir
White wines for weddings: sauvignon blanc, chardonnay
Sparkling wines for weddings: champagne, prosecco
Signature drink liquors
As for the liquors used in wedding signature drinks, the top choices in weddings across the US are gin, whiskey, rum, vodka, and tequila. And even if it’s a significant budget consideration, most weddings still have an open bar compared to other setups.
It’s possible to have a cash bar or offer a limited selection of drinks to your guests at your wedding if you’re tight on the budget. But to ensure that everyone will still have a good time, serve popular drinks based on how well you know your guests.
What Is The Best Drink To Drink At A Wedding?
Try these single-serve drinks to serve at a wedding to make it enjoyable for the guests without hurting your budget:
Wine and champagne
Consider having baskets filled with flowers and ice to serve your split bottles and canned wine. This way, the guests can each take a bottle or can without you having to budget for big 750mL bottles.
You also want to serve mini champagne bottles or split bottles. Because they’re smaller, there’s a lower chance of having wasted and unfinished drinks on the reception tables.
Canned beers
Do not assume that canned beers won’t look classy for your wedding. You can make them look pretty by covering them with stickers or recycled paper as decor.
Select a color or print that matches your wedding theme. You can even use a paper wrap with the wedding program information.
Pre-made cocktails
You don’t need to skip cocktails at your wedding because you’re limited with your budget. Instead, make single-serve pre-made cocktails to offer your guests.
Think of classics like sangria or rose slushies in gorgeous bottles. Arrange them beautifully in tableside trays or have a service pass these trays around.
Mocktails
Of course, you also want options for guests who don’t drink alcohol. For example, you can make them gorgeous-looking mocktails without the need for a professional bartender.
Think of refreshing lemonade or sparkling water garnished with herbs, floral ice cubes, or citrus wedges. You can even select decorative jars for their containers to make them more eye-catching at the reception.
What Drink Ran Out At The Wedding?
Funnily enough, signature wedding drinks or other alcoholic drinks are not the drinks that are likely to run out of during the wedding. Instead, most couples forget about computing the water bottles they’ll offer.
While it’s safe to assume that guests are looking forward to the bar, you also don’t want them to feel dehydrated and thirsty, especially if it’s summer or an outdoor wedding. So allocate one water bottle per guest, then have an extra bottle per table.
Conclusion
Was this guide helpful? To recap what drinks to serve at a wedding, you can never go wrong with beer, wine, and a signature cocktail or two.
Consider your budget, wedding theme, season, and types of guests to select specific drinks to serve. Then, we recommend having non-alcoholic options as well.