A signature wedding cocktail adds a personal touch to any nuptials, making the celebration feel even more memorable. Whether you want to highlight favorite drinks or tie into the season, the right drink can tell your love story in a glass. Here’s how to choose the perfect one — plus a few recipe ideas to get you started.
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The ultimate guide to wedding cocktails
Wedding season always brings questions about creating the perfect signature cocktail. As someone who writes about cocktails for a living, helping friends craft meaningful drinks for their weddings and showers has become one of my favorite side projects.
Bubbly in a champagne flute is traditional for toasts, but a signature drink adds a personal touch, reflects your love story and can even be a more affordable option than a full open bar. Whether you’re planning a big affair at an event venue or an intimate backyard celebration, a personalized cocktail makes it feel even more special.
The best part? Anyone can design a memorable cocktail with a little inspiration. In this guide, I’ll walk you through how to choose flavors, tie in your theme and make the drink look stunning. Plus, I’ve rounded up a few favorite cocktail recipes to get you started!
Why have a signature cocktail at your wedding?
- A signature drink adds a personal touch that tells your love story. Plus, they are easy to customize with your wedding colors, themes and creative names.
- A well-chosen cocktail can elevate the guest experience. This is a memorable detail that guests will talk about long after the party ends.
- It’s cost-effective. It’s often more affordable than a full open bar. And even if you’re limited to beer and wine, you can still dream up a fun cocktail!
How to choose the perfect wedding signature cocktail
You already know that planning a wedding is full of details, so it’s no surprise that drinks shouldn’t be left off the list. A beverage that reflects the happy couple is a fun way to add personality and help guests get to know you and your partner better.
But where do you start?! Jot down your answers to these questions to help you land on your dream drink.
Signature cocktails go beyond wedding receptions. Use these tips to dream up signature cocktails for an engagement party, a bachelor or bachelorette bash, birthday parties and even bridal showers!
1. Serve what you love.
Start with your personal favorites to craft something meaningful. If you both love whiskey, do a whiskey cocktail. If you’re wine drinkers, sangria would go over well.
But what if you don’t like the same things? Offer two signature drinks with the pronoun combination you prefer, such as “his & hers,” “hers & hers,” “theirs & theirs,” etc. Or, get creative and name your drinks after your pets, favorite places, inside jokes or even your initials — anything that suits your style and feels special to you.
You can call them “The [Your Name]” and “The [Your Partner’s Name],” but ideally they should be a little different in spirit and flavor profile. If my husband and I were doing it all over again, we might do a sparkling, citrusy champagne mule for The Susannah (me) and a classic cocktail with bourbon for The Chris (my husband), like an old-fashioned or whiskey sour.
2. Let your love story inspire the recipe.
Think about where you met, where you’ve traveled or shared memories that could spark an idea. What drinks and ingredients are famous in that city or country? And what drinks did you love back then (or even now)? Where your wedding will take place can also inspire you. A few examples:
- Meet in college in New Orleans? Go for a daiquiri and Sazerac pairing.
- Honeymooning in London? Serve Pimm’s Cups and London mules.
- Destination wedding in Florida? Maybe a screwdriver with fresh OJ and a Paloma with fresh grapefruit juice from the Sunshine State.
- Live in Kentucky? Utilize a bourbon or beer from a local distillery.
3. Consider the timing of your big day.
Fresh, seasonal ingredients will make the cocktail feel fitting and festive. Serving something out-of-season may seem out of touch.
- Think about the time of year. Depending on the season when your wedding date falls, you might consider different drinks. For example, a spiked hot cocoa bar might be fun for a January wedding, but makes no sense in June. Likewise, ice cold mint juleps might be better for a spring or summer ceremony, while apple cider margaritas are better for fall.
- Consider which ingredients are available and when. Good, juicy watermelon might be hard to come by in February! The USDA has a great guide to ingredients by season.
- The time of day matters. If you will be getting married early in the day, a selection of mimosas might be apt. Afternoons might call for a cocktail hour with elegant appetizers (like mushroom croquettes) before dinner. Or for a late evening or nighttime reception, espresso martinis might need to be on the menu!
Too many fun drink options? You can serve a different signature cocktail throughout the wedding weekend — at the rehearsal dinner, during cocktail hour and/or for the day-after brunch.
4. Play with wedding colors and themes.
A cocktail can reflect your palette or add an unexpected pop of color. Drinks are a fun way to incorporate your theme colors into your wedding. Garnishes like fresh lavender, colorful straws and pretty stir sticks in your theme colors can help them feel on brand, too.
Your signature cocktail definitely doesn’t have to coordinate, but it’s great if it does! Contrast is another way to make cocktails stand out — add a bright lemon twist or cocktail umbrella in a complementary shade.
Craft beer fanatics might not need a signature cocktail at all, but you can add a custom label in your wedding colors to personalize the bottles.
My signature wedding cocktail: Our own wedding was very colorful and in late summer, so we offered “poptails” — fruity popsicles served in a glass of bubbly. The venue only served beer, wine and champagne, so this made our drink feel special.
5. Keep your guests in mind.
Try to come up with a signature cocktail that most people would enjoy (easier said than done, I know). Try to strike a balance your taste with what will appeal to your crowd — and plan for a non-alcoholic option too.
A divisive spirit like Campari, gin or tequila might deter some folks from ordering (apologies to the classic Negroni). If the guest list has a lot of non-drinkers and elderly folks, they might not partake. If there are lots of friends who love to party, then more booze might be required!
More than that, think about what your guests like. Most people will enjoy one or two cocktails, and some won’t have any. You know your guest list.
Nailing the details
There’s a little more nuance to consider when choosing your cocktail.
- Decide how many signature drinks to offer. A single crowd-pleaser or a duo to represent each partner? There’s no wrong choice here. Consider offering a signature mocktail for kids and non-drinkers.
- Think about who will make them. Whether it’s a bartenders, venue staff or a self-serve setup like a drink station, smooth service makes all the difference. If your venue doesn’t provide one, you might need to hire a bartender, too.
- Consider your budget. Pick a spirit that feels true to you but will be easy and affordable to serve to a crowd. Remember, top-shelf liquor comes at top-shelf prices, and more ingredients and fancy garnishes might mean more money.
- Do the math. On average, most guests enjoy about one drink per hour. For a high headcount, choose an easy cocktail or big batch drink that can be made ahead. Smaller crowds mean less demand, so a more complex recipe might work for a small wedding.
- Presentation matters. There are lots of choices here. Paper, plastic or glass? Will you rent or buy the glassware and/or the pitcher, punch bowl * or drink dispenser *? Factor in any garnishes, straws and cocktail napkins, too.
party essentials
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Important considerations
Understand venue policies on alcohol. Some venues require licensed bartenders or make you use their own staff. Also, some limit what can be served (beer, wine or spirits), so know the rules before you plan. Even if you can’t serve spirits, you can still have a great signature cocktail, such as white wine sangria, a spin on the classic shandy with beer or a sparkling champagne cocktail.
Check what’s included. Ask about glassware, bar setups and staffing — it can save you both money and stress. Some venues include basics like wine glasses, ice and cocktail napkins, while others charge extra for a full bar setup with mixers, garnishes and staffing. It’s common for venues to cover beer and wine service but leave specialty cocktails and bartenders up to you, so be sure to confirm what’s standard before you plan.
Do your homework. Research the licenses, permits and insurance you may need. Some venues won’t let you serve alcohol without proof of these policies.
- Local liquor laws: Get familiar with what’s legal, especially if you’re planning a destination wedding. Find out if there are any laws around who can serve alcohol. When transporting a big batch ahead of time, keep open container laws in mind. No jail time for the wedding party, please!
- Event insurance and permits: Make sure you’re covered if required — it’s better to know early than scramble later. Some venues require couples to carry event insurance (sometimes called wedding liability insurance), and if you’re hiring bartenders, double-check that they carry their own liquor liability insurance.
- Licenses: Venues typically need a license to serve alcohol, and many require you to hire a licensed bartender if you’re serving anything beyond beer and wine. Some states also require a temporary event permit for alcohol service, so check local regulations if your venue doesn’t handle it.
Tips for success
- Batch cocktails ahead to keep lines short, especially for a more complex recipe with lots of ingredients. Taste-test and tweak recipes well before the big day.
- Offer a spirit-free option for non-drinkers. Make everyone feel welcome!
- Add a personal touch with custom napkins, toppers or menus. Create a sign for your offerings with personalized drink names. (Check out our printable signs!)
Drink station signs
Elevate your drink station with a sign to help guests know how to prepare their drink.
Our stylish and customizable printable signs are here to help! These editable Canva templates are designed to seamlessly fit any theme. (Purchase matching sign templates or a design bundle in our cocktail shop.)
How it works: Purchase and install the template into Canva (no Pro account required). Simply edit the text, colors and icons. Then print, and you’re ready to impress your guests!
FAQ
On average, guests consume about one alcoholic drink per hour at a party, though this can vary depending on your crowd. You know your guests best, so think about whether they’re likely to be light or heavy drinkers. A good rule of thumb is 1.5 to 2 drinks per guest for a 3-hour event — some will have none, some will have one or two, and a few will have more than three.
For 100 guests, plan for 150 to 200 servings. Some planners suggest adding 10–15% more if you know it’s a big drinking crowd, or if the event runs longer than 3–4 hours. Regardless, it’s always good to slightly overestimate because running out looks worse than having a bit leftover.
It depends on your budget, your crowd and your preferences! One signature cocktail is usually enough if you’re also offering beer, wine or other drinks. Some couples feature two — one for each partner — as a fun way to personalize the menu. You could also offer a short list of 3 to 5 signature cocktails, but if you’re offering other options like beer, wine, seltzer and non-alcoholic drinks, a long cocktail menu might feel like too much — especially if you’re expecting a crowd of lighter drinkers.
Potentially, yes. It depends on your venue’s rules and local laws. A licensed, insured bartender protects you from liability and ensures legal compliance.
You definitely can! Many drinks are easy to multiply and refrigerate in advance. If your cocktail contains something carbonated (like champagne, ginger ale or club soda), skip adding it ahead of time. Instead, prepare a base with the other ingredients and only add the bubbly element just before serving or at the start of the party.
Wedding cocktail recipe ideas
Now you should be on your way to making fabulous signature cocktails for weddings, parties and other special occasions! Let us know what amazing drinks you come up with in the comments.
LeAndra says
These are great ideas, Susannah! Really love this post.
Amber K says
You have hit the mark.