SPECIALTY COCKTAILS

Guide to creating a personalized bar menu for your wedding

It’s no secret that we love a delicious cocktail or cold glass of bubbly around here, and we’re betting that’s true for you, too! Signature drinks are one of the most fun ways to add a festive personal touch to your big day and get your party started out right. Here are some of our favorite tips to incorporate custom cocktails into your celebration.

KEEP IT SIMPLE

You don’t need hand-chiseled ice or the latest obscure smoked fruit to wow your friends and family – quality ingredients and thoughtful details will do that just fine!

Some of our favorite cocktails are the classics with a twist. Start with your favorite 2 or 3-ingredient drink and add an unexpected element or swap out ingredients for a refreshing surprise. Or simply select a special glass and add a beautiful garnish – even the simplest of cocktails feels special when it’s dressed up with a big sprig of fresh mint and a pretty paper straw!

MIX IT UP

If you choose to have more than one signature drink, try to offer more than one kind of cocktail. Even if you and your fiancé are both bourbon drinkers, remember that not all of your guests will be, so try to choose different liquors, flavors, and styles. You can have a classic, refreshing choice, like sweet tea vodka and lemonade, and a smooth, boozy cocktail like an old-fashioned. To share your choices with your guests, we always recommend custom signage like these cuties from Etsy vendor, Mulberry Market Design.

Selecting a signature beer or creating a champagne cocktail are other ways to mix it up! Offer your favorite local craft beer, or choose an offbeat, fun beer with a great personal story behind it. Champagne cocktails are easy to pour and even easier to drink! Adding a flavored sugar cube or a splash of liqueur like St. Germaine, Chambord, or Cointreau are simple, delicious options.

SERVICE STYLE

In addition to having your signature cocktail made to order for your guests at the bar, there are a few other ways you can serve them up to your guests.

Large glass dispensers garnished with edible flowers and fresh fruit add a decorative element and allow guests to serve themselves. To save guests from waiting in line at the bar you can also pass the drinks on trays along with the hors d’ oeuvres during cocktail hour. And being greeted with a champagne tower will always make us swoon!

PERSONALIZE IT

Consider the season, setting, and overall feel of your wedding. Signature cocktails are another way to share your personal style with your guests – choose drinks you love or that have a fun place in your story together. They should reflect you and set the tone for your reception celebration. Seasonal elements, local ingredients, special glassware, and unique accessories (like the cute drink stirrers!) can all be customized to deliver a special experience to your guests.

One of our all-time favorite signature cocktails was featured at Kate & Nick's Fripp Island wedding that had to be rescheduled when Hurricane Matthew blew through the city. To give a nod to the natural disaster, they decided on a cheeky signature drink which was – what else? – a Hurricane!