When it comes to choosing beverages for your wedding events and private parties, there are a lot of things to consider. What kind of mood are you trying to set? What type of drinks do your guests prefer? Are you looking for something unique? There are a lot of options to choose from, so how do you decide what’s right for your big day?
Choosing Alcoholic Beverages
When it comes to alcohol, there are a variety of options to choose from. Be sure to verify what‘s available through your venue or caterer’s suppliers for beverage distribution, but know that most common options should be easy to find. If you’re looking for something classic, wine and beer are always a safe choice. There are a variety of wines to choose from, so you can tailor your selection to your own preferences or the preferences of your guests. Plus, most guests will be happy with a cold beer.
If you’re looking to add a bit of flair, you might want to consider serving cocktails or specialty drinks. This can be a great way to show off your own personality and style. You can choose from a variety of cocktails, or you can come up with your own unique drinks. Just be sure to test them out ahead of time to make sure they’re not too strong or too sweet.
Picking Out Mixers
Once you’ve got the alcohol figured out, you’ll need to decide on the mixers. If you’re serving cocktails, you’ll need to have mixers like juices, sodas, and syrups on hand. You can either buy premixed beverages or make your own.
If you’re looking for premixed cocktails, there are a lot of great options on the market. Just be sure to read the labels and avoid anything with high fructose corn syrup. If you’d prefer to make your own cocktails, it’s easy to do with a few simple ingredients.
For most cocktails, you’ll need a liquor, a mixer, and a sweetener. If you want to make a Margarita, for example, you’ll need tequila, lime juice, and sugar or a sweetener like agave nectar. Other mixers you might want to have on hand include cranberry juice, grapefruit juice, orange juice, ginger ale, and club soda.
When choosing mixers, it’s important to think about the flavor profile of the liquor you’re using. If you’re using a smoky Scotch, for example, you might want to use a mixer with a similar flavor profile, like ginger ale or cola. If you’re using a sweet liqueur, like peach schnapps, you might want to use a mixer with a bit of tartness, like cranberry juice.
Including Non-Alcoholic Beverages
Of course, you’ll want to serve alcoholic beverages, but it’s also important to include non-alcoholic beverages. This is especially important if you’re planning a wedding with a lot of young guests or guests who are sober.
Some great non-alcoholic drink options include sparkling water, juice, and soda. If you’re looking for something a little more festive, you can also serve cocktails like Shirley Temples or Virgin Margaritas. By planning ahead, you can make sure that everyone at your wedding has a great time, whether they’re drinking alcohol or not.
Calculating Quantities
Once you’ve decided on the type of drinks you want to serve at your wedding, you’ll need to decide on the quantities. You don’t want to run out of drinks, but you also don’t want to have too much leftover. You can use a calculator to help you figure out how much to purchase.
Most people recommend buying one drink per guest. This will give each person enough to drink, but won’t leave you with a lot of leftover alcohol. If you have a lot of guests who like to drink, you may want to buy a bit more. But, be careful not to buy too much, or you’ll end up with a lot of wasted alcohol.
Once you’ve made all of these decisions, it’s time to start shopping! There are a variety of places to buy drinks for your wedding, including liquor stores, party stores, and even online retailers.
