If you’re like many men, wedding planning seems to require the vocabulary of a foreign language whether it’s floral arrangements or cake ingredients. But there’s one area where you can probably hold your own in conversation: at the bar.
Beer, Wine, Cocktails — or All of the Above?
To please all the people all the time, you’ll need to stock an assortment of fan favorites, including popular beers, wine, and liquors. In addition — or instead — you will also need to create a signature drink (or drinks) to take your party to the next level. To get you started, consider these fundamental issues.
Who’s the Drink For?
- Will you be offering one signature cocktail?
- Or will you have one drink for the groom and one for the bride?
- Does the drink need to have an original recipe or can it just be a a Mimosa with a custom funny name?
- How many people are attending/drinking?
- Are you serving a full menu people can order from (including spirits) or a limited menu (like just beer and wine)?
- Are you springing for “top shelf” spirits or saving a little cash by offering mid-tier booze? (Do you even know the price difference?)
- Are you making a punch that can be ladled by anyone (and thus eliminates the need for a bartender)?
- Do you need a bartender, several of them, and/or waiters?
Answer these questions first, keeping in mind how many guests will be attending and who, exactly, is pouring the drinks — London’s top mixologist, the hotel’s overworked catering team, or your Uncle Randy. Then you can get to work on the following.
Pick a Theme: Color, Season, or Spirit
Most weddings these days choose a particular color to coordinate everything from bridesmaid dresses and groomsmen vests to flowers and décor. Some weddings play on the season and call upon spring, summer, winter, or autumnal accents. If one or both of the aforementioned scenarios applies to your wedding, consider matching your cocktail to a theme.
For example, if your color is red or blue, Campari or Blue Curaçao can add that color to the signature cocktail. If spring has a starring role, try using fresh herbs or seasonal fruit in your drinks. If it’s a winter wedding, you might play with variations on hot toddies to warm up the guests. Or you could have a “frostbite” cocktail that has a lot of crushed ice in it. The point is: the more closely your wedding cocktails align with your chosen themes, the more cohesive your evening will be.
Most people know which spirits they like most: vodka, gin, whiskey, rum, tequila, and so on. If your signature cocktail name includes the type of spirit being used, your guests will immediately know if they want it or not. You don’t want the bartender to have to recite the ingredients 150 times, once for each guest. (A sign on the bar helps too.)
Choose a Good Drink Name
If you’re serving a well-known cocktail, feel free to stick with the drink’s given name. Doing so gives your guests the satisfaction of recognizing what they’ll be drinking and conveys that you’ve got good taste (or at least appreciate the classics).
If you’re going the original cocktail route — or just want to have some fun with the name — you can try riffing on the bride and groom’s name, the wedding theme, or another fun element that adds a personal touch to the festivities. Funny is good. Irreverent can be good. Just make sure whatever name you go with passes the Grandma test. No one — least of all your bride’s family — wants to order a sexually suggestive cocktail at your wedding. Note that at a wedding, the drink name does not have to relate in any way to what’s in the cocktail — you may want to create a sign that lists the ingredients so people know what they’re getting at the bar.
Popular Signature Wedding Cocktail Names
On your big day, you’re allowed to come up with any name you like. Here are a few options to get the mind reeling…
- Invoke a season: Summer Breeze, Autumn in New York
- Invoke a movie: Pretty in Pink Mimosa, The Right Stuff Martini, The Irishman
- Invoke a cultural phenomenon or saying: The Royal Wedding, #Cheers
- Invoke a TV show or episode: The Red Wedding, Succession Sour
- Invoke a band or song title: Gin & Juice (thanks Snoop), Red Red Wine (UB40)
- Invoke humor: Don’t Worry About It, Secret Ingredients
- Invoke a region: Hudson Valley Punch, California Colada
- Invoke sports: The Falcons Slammer, The KickOff
- Invoke wedding concepts: Put a Ring On It, Best Man Bellini
- Invoke the couple’s names: #JamesandJenny, WhiskyJoe (for him) or TequilaTeresa (for her)
Confirm Glassware and Serving Details
Next on your wedding cocktail checklist is to confirm serving details at the venue. An outdoor wedding that necessitates plastic cups isn’t the best place to serve a bubbly cocktail best reserved for Champagne flutes. Will there be bartenders to make each drink to order? Should you have the staff (or some competent groomsmen) batch up cocktails beforehand so the drinks can easily be poured from a pitcher (a smart move)? Do you have access to fresh juices and exotic liqueurs? Knowing what you’re working with is the key to game-day success.
50 Signature Wedding Cocktails
The 50 cocktails below represent the most popular, delicious and easy drinks to make for weddings, and many require only two or three ingredients. For variations on each of these, go to our signature wedding cocktail generator, where you can sort the results by base spirit, mixer, color, or season. And on every cocktail recipe, we suggest other ingredients so you have plenty of color and spirit options.
DAIQUIRI
Color: White
The simple combination of rum, lime, and sugar is a lesson in synergy. While white rum is the traditional choice, subbing in aged rum gives you the richer, darker Ańejo Daiquiri.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces white rum
- 3/4 ounce lime juice
- 3/4 ounce simple syrup
Directions: Shake all ingredients with ice, then strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a lime wheel.
CAIPIRINHA
Color: Clear
Brazil’s finest export — after beautiful models and soccer — is their national cocktail, the Caipirinha, which features the national liquor, rum-like Cachaça. (Sub vodka for Cachaça and you’ve got a Caipiroska.)
Ingredients
- 2 ounces Cachaça
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1/2 lime, cut into wedges
Directions: Muddle limes with sugar in a rocks glass. Add ice and Cachaça.
IRISH COFFEE
Color: Black and White
Combine some vices in a way that everyone can enjoy by mixing whiskey with coffee, and your dance floor will stay packed all night long. Not feeling particularly Irish? Use tequila for Mexican Coffee, or slip Bailey’s in for a less boozy cocktail.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 ounces Irish whiskey
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- 4-5 ounces coffee
- Cream
Directions: Add sugar and whiskey to a coffee mug, then fill with coffee. Top with heavy cream.
HOT TODDY
Color: Brown
Toddies aren’t just for curing colds. They’re also for warming up guests during winter weddings. If you want to add a DIY element to your reception, create a help-yourself toddy bar with hot water, multiple spirits, and all the accoutrements, like lemons, honey, and cinnamon sticks.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 ounces whiskey
- 3/4 ounce honey
- 4-5 ounces hot water
Directions: Add honey and whiskey to a mug. Top with hot water. Garnish with a lemon wedge and cinnamon stick (optional).
RUSTY NAIL
Color: Gold
It doesn’t get much easier than this. Stock two ingredients, and pour over ice. The Rusty Nail is a favorite among those who were alive during Eisenhower’s presidency, but its mixture of Scotch and sweet Drambuie still holds up today.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces Scotch
- 1/2 ounce Drambuie
Directions: Add ingredients to a rocks glass over ice. Stir gently.
BEE’S KNEES
Color: White, Yellow
You don’t need a secret knock and password to sip this Prohibition-era cocktail. You just need gin, lemon, and honey.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces dry gin
- 1 ounce lemon juice
- 3/4 ounce honey syrup
Directions: Shake all ingredients with ice, then strain into a cocktail glass.
FRENCH 75
Color: Yellow
Named after the French 75mm field gun popularized in the early 1900s — there’s a nice bit of trivia for your father-in-law — this potent gin-laced drink is topped with bubbles to keep the celebration going all night long.
Ingredients
- 1 ounce gin
- 1/2 ounce lemon juice
- 1/2 ounce simple syrup
- 4 ounces Champagne
Directions: Shake gin, lemon, and simple syrup with ice. Strain into a flute or a coupe, then top with chilled Champagne. Garnish with a lemon peel.
OLD FASHIONED
Color: Brown
Ah, the Old Fashioned. This classic combination of whiskey and bitters is timeless and perfect for all occasions. Hey, just like you.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces bourbon or rye
- 1/4 ounce simple syrup
- 2 dashes Angostura bitters
Directions
Add all ingredients to a mixing glass with ice. Stir until well chilled, then strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice. Express lemon or orange peel oils over the top (twist the peel and rub it on the edge of the glass), and drop it in.
WHITE RUSSIAN
Color: White
Hosting a Big Lebowski-themed wedding with bathrobes and marmots is… not advised. But serving White Russians, especially if you’re hosting a brunch wedding, is perfectly acceptable.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces vodka
- 2 ounces cream
- 1 ounce Kahlua
Directions: Add vodka and Kahlua to an ice-filled rocks glass. Top with cream.
PAPER PLANE
Color: Red
This modern classic requires a couple ingredients you might not find at your average wedding venue. But if you can stock the ingredients and hire a talented barkeep, it’ll blow your friend’s “Miller or Bud?” wedding out of the water.
Ingredients
- 3/4 ounce bourbon
- 3/4 ounce Amaro Nonino
- 3/4 ounce Aperol
- 3/4 ounce lemon juice
Directions: Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice. Shake, then strain into a coupe.
MIMOSA
Color: Orange, Yellow
It’s got effervescent bubbly and vitamin-packed OJ, the perfect combination for morning weddings. Or the morning after your wedding, when church bells are ringing inside your head.
Ingredients
- 4-5 ounces Champagne
- 1-2 ounces orange juice
Directions: Add Champagne to a flute, then top with orange juice.
PIÑA COLADA
Color: White
If you like Piña Coladas and getting caught in the rain, then serve Piña Coladas at your wedding and roll the dice with an outdoor ceremony.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces light rum
- 1 1/2 ounces cream of coconut
- 1 1/2 ounces pineapple juice
- 1/2 ounce lime juice
Directions: Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice, and shake vigorously. Strain into a Hurricane glass over crushed ice. Garnish with a pineapple wedge.
CUBA LIBRE
Color: Brown
The cynical among us may dismiss the Cuba Libre as just a simple rum and coke. But this, friends, includes the worthwhile addition of lime juice, which takes things up a notch while protecting your wedding guests from scurvy.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces light rum
- 1/2 ounce lime juice
- 6 ounces cola
Directions: Add rum and lime to an ice-filled highball glass. Top with cola, and garnish with a lime wedge.
MICHELADA
Color: Red
Another great option for brunch weddings, the Michelada is a budget-friendly way to turn the beers you’re already stocking into a fresh, flavorful cocktail.
Ingredients
- 8-10 ounces Mexican lager
- 1/2 ounce lime juice
- 2 dashes hot sauce
- 2 dashes Worcestershire
- 1 pinch celery salt
Directions: Add lime juice, hot sauce, Worcestershire and celery salt to a pint glass with ice. Top with beer.
PALOMA
Color: Pink
Tequila shots are fun, but too many, and your best man might come unraveled before his big speech. Instead, serve the tequila-spiked, pink-hued Paloma. It looks good and won’t cause anyone to sob uncontrollably. Or challenge your Dad to a push-up contest.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces blanco tequila
- 1 lime wedge
- 4-5 ounces grapefruit soda
Directions: Rim a highball glass with salt, then add tequila and ice. Squeeze a lime wedge, and drop it in. Top with grapefruit soda.
WHISKEY SMASH
Color: Brown
The Whiskey Smash is a light and delicious way to consume whiskey that everyone can enjoy. To add some color to your cocktail, throw in a few blackberries, raspberries, or strawberries before you break out the muddler.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces bourbon
- 1/2 ounce simple syrup
- 1/2 lemon, cut into wedges
- 5 mint leaves
Directions: Muddle the lemon, mint, and simple syrup in a cocktail shaker. Add bourbon and ice, then shake until chilled. Strain into an Old Fashioned glass filled with crushed ice and garnish with more mint.
SAZERAC
Color: Red, Brown
Okay, now we’re getting classy. The Sazerac is sure to impress in-the-know drinkers, but you’ll need a knowledgeable barkeep to make it, not your cousin’s roommate’s friend who’s in desperate need of work.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces rye whiskey
- 1/2 ounce simple syrup
- 2 dashes Peychaud’s bitters
- 1 barspoon absinthe
Directions: Coat inside of a chilled rocks glass with absinthe, and discard the excess. Stir rye, simple syrup, and bitters with ice in a mixing glass until cold, then strain into your absinthe-coated glass. Garnish with a lemon peel.
TOM COLLINS
Color: Clear
If your name’s Tom, this is a no brainer. Even if it’s not (it’s probably not), the Tom Collins is a tried-and-true option that’s easy to make and goes down just as easily.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 ounces gin (or vodka)
- 3/4 ounce lemon juice
- 3/4 ounce simple syrup
- Soda water
Directions: Add gin, lemon, and simple syrup to a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake, then strain over fresh ice in a Collins glass. Top with soda water and garnish with an orange wheel and cherry.
SCREWDRIVER
Color: Yellow, Orange
Another two-part drink that can’t be, well, screwed up, the Screwdriver is a quick antidote to hungover groomsmen and bare bones bar selections.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 ounces vodka
- 4-6 ounces orange juice
Directions: Add vodka to a highball glass over ice. Top with orange juice.
SALTY DOG
Color: Pink
Grapefruit’s answer to the Screwdriver is the Salty Dog, a simple cocktail that’s refreshing, tastes great, and is loaded with vitamin C. (Skip the salt, and you’ve got a Greyhound.)
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 ounces gin (or vodka)
- 3 ounces grapefruit juice
Directions: Salt the rim of a rocks glass. Add gin over ice and top with grapefruit juice.
SIDECAR
Color: Brown
Cognac is always a fine choice, especially if you’re keeping a 30-year-old bottle tucked away for you and your closest friends. For everyone else, there’s the century-old Sidecar cocktail.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 ounces cognac
- 3/4 ounce Cointreau
- 3/4 ounce lemon juice
Directions: Rim a cocktail glass with sugar. Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice. Shake, then strain into your glass, and garnish with a lemon peel.
COSMOPOLITAN
Color: Red
If your wedding needs a pop of red, try the Cosmo. Sure, these days it’s most closely associate with Sex and the City, but you don’t have to be a Carrie or a Charlotte to enjoy it.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 ounces vodka (preferably Absolut Citron)
- 3/4 ounce Cointreau
- 3/4 ounce lime juice
- 3/4 ounce cranberry juice
Directions: Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice. Shake, then strain into a cocktail glass.
MOJITO
Color: Clear, Green
This warm-weather classic is equipped with rum, lime, mint, and club soda to provide serious refreshment to all who drink it.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces white rum
- 1 ounce lime juice
- 3/4 ounce simple syrup
- Mint
- Club soda
Directions: Lightly muddle mint in a shaker, then add rum, lime, simple syrup, and ice. Shake, then strain into a highball glass over fresh ice. Top with soda and garnish with a mint sprig.
MOSCOW MULE
Color: White, Yellow
It’s easy to make and easy to drink. If you can source some copper mugs, even better — just be sure your guests know those “souvenirs” get billed to you.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 ounces vodka
- Lime wedge
- 4-5 ounces ginger beer
Directions: Pour vodka in a copper mug. Squeeze lime over the vodka. Add ice cubes and top with ginger beer.
WHISKEY SOUR
Color: Brown
The something-for-everyone Whiskey Sour is tart and refreshing, so it’ll appease both your hard-drinking friends and your low-key relatives.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces bourbon
- 3/4 ounces lemon juice
- 3/4 ounces simple syrup
Directions: Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice. Shake, then strain into a cocktail glass.
MANHATTAN
Color: Brown
Channel your inner Don Draper (or Peggy) with the Manhattan, a classic combination of American whiskey, sweet vermouth, and bitters.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces bourbon or rye
- 1 ounce sweet vermouth
- 2 dashes Angostura bitters
Directions: Add all ingredients to a mixing glass with ice. Stir until well chilled, then strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a good cherry.
AVIATION
Color: Purple
If purple is one of your wedding colors and you need a drink to match, the violet-hued Aviation is here for you. It’s either that or grape Kool-Aid, but we’re confident you’ll make the right choice.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces gin
- 1/2 ounce lemon juice
- 1/4 ounce Luxardo maraschino liqueur
- 1/4 ounce creme de violette
Directions: Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice. Shake well, then strain into a cocktail glass.
MARTINI
Color: Clear
You need just two ingredients to make the Martini, so any wedding bar can handle it. Have some fun with the garnishes by offering lemon peels, olives and onions. (Employing the latter turns the drink into a Gibson.)
Ingredients
- 2 ounces dry gin (or vodka)
- 1/2 ounce dry vermouth
Directions: Add ingredients to a mixing glass with ice. Stir until well chilled, then strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a lemon peel or olives.
MINT JULEP
Color: Brown
Juleps aren’t just for the Kentucky Derby. Bourbon, mint, and sugar over crushed ice tastes great anywhere, especially during spring and summer when seersucker suits threaten to make an appearance.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces bourbon
- 1/2 ounce simple syrup
- 8-10 mint leaves
Directions: Lightly muddle mint with sugar in a chilled julep mug. Add bourbon, then pack tightly with crushed ice, forming a dome. Garnish with a mint sprig.
DARK AND STORMY
Color: Brown
It’s rum, it’s ginger, it’s refreshing. And it’s probably not foreshadowing the future state of your relationship.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 ounces dark rum
- 6 ounces ginger beer
- Lime wedge
Directions: Add rum to an ice-filled highball glass. Top with ginger beer. Garnish with a lime wedge.
MARGARITA
Color: White, Yellow
Every warm-blooded human likes a good Margarita, so consider adding one to your menu, especially if you’re getting married outdoors or anywhere near a beach.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces tequila
- 1 ounce lime juice
- 1 ounce Cointreau
- salt (optional)
Directions: Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice. Shake, then strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a lime wheel. Add a salt rim if desired.
BLOODY MARY
Color: Red
Another great option for morning and midday weddings, the Bloody Mary is a perfect eye-opener with easy to stock ingredients. To spice things up, go wild on garnishes and extras, like celery, olives, pickles, citrus, salts, and hot sauces.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces vodka
- 4 oz tomato juice (or preferred Bloody Mary mix)
- 1/2 ounce lemon juice
- 1-2 dashes Worcestershire
- 2-3 dashes hot sauce, optional
Directions: Add all ingredients to an ice-filled highball glass, and garnish to your heart’s content.
APEROL SPRITZ
Color: Red
The popular Aperol Spritz is a low-alcohol Italian classic. Best of all, your guests can knock back a few without falling out of their chairs.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces Aperol
- 3 ounces Prosecco
- 1 ounce soda water
Directions: Add all ingredients to a stemmed wine glass over ice. Garnish with a half orange wheel.
NEGRONI
Color: Red
For a boozier Italian option, try the gin-laced Negroni. It’s a stalwart at craft cocktail bars around the world, and now, your wedding.
Ingredients
- 1 ounce gin
- 1 ounce Campari
- 1 ounce sweet vermouth
Directions: Add all ingredients to a mixing glass. Add ice, then stir until well-chilled. Strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice, and garnish with an orange peel.
MAI TAI
Color: Brown
Give your wedding a tropical feel by adding a Mai Tai to the menu. Just note the ingredients list. Beachy venues should have your covered, but your parent’s staid country club probably isn’t stocking orgeat, a syrup made from almonds, sugar, and orange flower water.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces dark rum
- 3/4 ounce lime juice
- 1/2 ounce orange Curaçao
- 1/2 ounce simple syrup
- 1/4 ounce orgeat
Directions: Shake all ingredients with ice, then strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice. Garnish with a mint sprig.
BELLINI
Color: Orange
The Bellini is like the Mimosa’s peachier, Italian cousin. If you stock peach juice, OJ, and sparkling wine, you can easily serve both drinks, so why not double up and give your guests a choice?
Ingredients
- 1 ounce peach nectar
- 4 ounces prosecco
Directions: Add chilled peach nectar to a Champagne flute, and top with chilled prosecco.
GIMLET
Color: White
If you’re a fan of Raymond Chandler or were alive in the ‘30s, you probably know the Gimlet. The original recipe actually called for gin and Rose’s Lime Cordial, so you can also go that route. But modern tastes tend to prefer the fresh stuff. (Shake and garnish with mint, and you’ve got a Southside.)
Ingredients
- 2 ounces gin
- 3/4 ounces lime juice
- 3/4 ounces simple syrup
Directions: Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice. Shake, then strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a lime wheel.
BOURBON PEACH TEA
Color: Brown
If you’re getting married in the south or need something to pair with barbecue, this merger of bourbon, peaches, and sweet tea is here to appease everyone from Grandma to your groomsmen.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 ounces bourbon
- 1 1/2 ounces peach preserves
- 3/4 ounce lemon juice
- Sweet tea to top
Directions: Combine all ingredients in a glass with ice, adding sweet tea last. Stir and garnish with a lemon wedge.
SEA BREEZE
Color: Red
The Sea Breeze is easy to make even for novice bartenders. And if your wedding is happening anywhere near the sea, well, this drink just makes sense.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces vodka
- 2 ounces cranberry juice
- 2 ounces grapefruit juice
Directions: Fill a highball glass with ice. Add vodka, cranberry, and grapefruit. Top with a squeeze of lime, drop it in, and stir.
CAPE COD
Color: Red
Need something red? Getting married on Cape Cod? This has you covered.
Ingredients
- 1 ounce vodka
- 4 ounces cranberry juice
Directions: Pour vodka and cranberry into an ice-filled glass, and garnish with a lime wedge.
WHISKEY HIGHBALL
Color: Brown, Gold
Whiskey and Soda is a popular call at wedding bars, but you can take things up a notch by stocking a variety of whiskeys (Scotch, bourbon, Irish, Japanese…), sparkling waters, and citrus peel garnishes.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 ounces whiskey
- 4 ounces sparkling water
Directions: Pour whiskey and water into an ice-filled glass, and garnish with a citrus peel.
OLD PAL
Color: Red, Brown
This boozy classic with a friendly name makes a great groom’s cocktail. Mix up some Old Pals, and clink glasses with your best friends or father.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 ounces rye
- 3/4 ounce Campari
- 3/4 ounce dry vermouth
Directions: Add all ingredients to a mixing glass. Add ice, then stir until well-chilled. Strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice, and garnish with a lemon peel.
CHAMPAGNE COCKTAIL
Color: Gold
This celebratory number can provide an unexpected twist to your reception. It takes the Champagne you’re already serving and doctors it slightly for an extra dose of flavor and color.
Ingredients
- 1/4 ounce simple syrup (or one sugar cube)
- 2 dashes Angostura Bitters
- 4 ounces Champagne
Directions: Add sugar and bitters to a Champagne flute, then top with chilled Champagne.
ST-GERMAIN SPRITZ
Color: Yellow, Gold
St-Germain is a sweet and floral elderflower liqueur that turns everything it touches into something festive. Consider it your wedding bar’s secret weapon.
Ingredients
- 1.5 oz St-Germain
- 2 oz brut Champagne
- 2 oz sparkling water
Directions: Fill a tall glass with ice, then add St-Germain, Champagne, and sparkling water. Garnish with a lemon twist.
RUM PUNCH
Color: Red, Orange
Don’t worry, this isn’t your old college punch. This is an actual cocktail made with actual ingredients, which means your night won’t end face down on a stranger’s couch.
Ingredients
- 1 ounce white rum
- 1/2 ounce dark rum
- 1 ounce orange juice
- 1 ounce pineapple juice
- 1/4 ounce grenadine
Directions: Combine all ingredients in a tall glass with ice. Garnish with an orange slice.
PISCO SOUR
Color: White
Give your wedding some international flair by serving Peru’s most famous export, the Pisco Sour. It’s tart and delicious, but note that it calls for egg white (adds froth!), something not every wedding bar/bartender can accommodate (and not something every guest will want to consume).
Ingredients
- 2 ounces pisco
- 1 ounce lime juice
- 1/2 ounce simple syrup
- 1 egg white
- Angostura bitters
Directions: Add all ingredients except bitters to a shaker with ice. Shake hard to emulsify the egg white. Then strain into a glass and garnish with a few drops of bitters on top.
GIN RICKEY
Color: Clear
This summertime classic dates back to the late-1800s. It’s stood the test of time, so surely it can handle your thirsty wedding guests.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 ounces gin
- 1 ounce lime juice
- 4 ounces sparkling water
Directions: Add gin and lime to a tall glass, then fill with sparkling water and garnish with a lime wedge.
SANGRIA
Color: Red, Orange
It’s wine, it’s a cocktail, and it’s perfect for making in large batches and serving from pitchers to keep the line short and the drinks flowing.
Ingredients
- 1 bottle dry red wine
- 4 ounces brandy
- 4 ounces orange juice
- 2 ounces simple syrup
- Assorted fruit
Directions: Add all ingredients to a pitcher, and stir. Drop in assorted fruit, like apples, oranges and lemons.
BLACKBERRY WHISKEY LEMONADE
Color: Purple
Spruce up the typical lemonade with blackberries and, most importantly, whiskey. The result is a deep purple cocktail that tastes as good as it looks.
Ingredients
- 1 ounce whiskey
- 1 ounce lemon juice
- 1 ounce simple syrup
- 3 ounces sparkling water
- 2 blackberries
Directions: Muddle blackberries in a glass. Add whiskey, lemon, and simple syrup, then ice. Top with sparkling water and garnish with a blackberry.
STRAWBERRY KISS
Color: Red
Okay, so the name’s not something you want to say aloud at the bar, but the Strawberry Kiss is a gorgeous looking cocktail that tastes great. If not for you, consider this for the bride’s signature drink.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 ounces vodka
- 3/4 ounces lemon juice
- 3/4 ounces simple syrup
- 2 strawberries
- 6 basil leaves
- Sparkling wine
Directions: Muddle strawberries in a shaker, then add remaining ingredients except sparkling wine. Shake with ice, and strain into a cocktail glass. Top with sparkling wine.
