Everyone wants a way to put their personal stamp on their wedding reception. In addition, many couples will have a special wedding theme that they are using to tie together all of the elements of the wedding. A great way to achieve both of these goals is by creating a signature cocktail for your wedding.
Choices of wedding themes are as varied as the brides and grooms who choose them. Let’s say that you are having a New Year’s Eve wedding. Perhaps the bride will be wearing a slinky gown and very elegant bridal jewelry, and the men will all be wearing black tie. To enhance the elegant atmosphere of the event, design a martini bar for your reception. In addition to the classic vodka and gin martinis, you can offer martinis in tasty flavors as well, such as lemondrop or pomegranate. Be sure that your bartender stocks all of the necessary items like olives and cocktail onions, so that each guest can have his martini exactly the way he likes it.
Many couples have beach weddings or a tropical themed wedding at home. If your style runs towards the men in linen shorts and the bride in casual keshi pearl bridal jewelry, you will want they style of your reception to match. For a destination wedding, your signature cocktail should be rum-based. You can choose from classics like daiquiris, rum runners, and Singapore slings. If you decide to feature daiquiris, be sure to keep plenty of blenders on hand for those guests who prefer them frozen. To really play on the tropical theme, you could serve your signature drink in a coconut, complete with paper umbrella. Use garnishes such as chunks of pineapple and maraschino cherries.
Maybe you would like to choose a drink to highlight your heritage. You can either base it on the country of your ancestors or the part of this country from which you hail. For instance, at one wedding I attended, the bride was a transplant from Kentucky to New York. To bring a little touch of the Bluegrass State to her reception, her feature cocktail was a bourbon slush made with fresh cherries and lime. It was delicious!
Couples with Irish heritage might choose to feature fine Irish whiskey at their reception, while a Greek bride would no doubt want to serve up shots of Ouzo. This idea can also be carried through into your wine selections, such as a Riesling for a couple with their roots in Germany or a Sancerre for a bride with French roots.
Often, a couple may have a favorite color that they are using throughout their wedding for a unified look. If this is the case for you, talk to your bartender about creating a signature cocktail in a matching color. There are many great tasting drinks that can be concocted in shades of colors like pink or purple.
The season of your wedding can also serve as inspiration for a signature cocktail. Autumn brides can serve treats like a spiced hard cider, while a winter bride might offer guests an Irish coffee. Naturally, for the summer you will want to serve a drink that is light and refreshing.
Your reception can be made even more special by the inclusion of a signature drink. It is a way to tie the cocktail hour in with your wedding theme, while also expressing your personality. Work with your bartender or caterer to come up with the signature cocktail that will be perfect for your wedding.
