A Guide to Creating Your Own Signature Cocktails
It’s every wedding guest’s favorite topic: the open bar (aside from celebrating love, of course). The bartenders in black shirts toss shakers over their sounders and crack cold cans hugged by monogrammed koozies. The newlyweds smooch and cork is popped. The champagne flows from a pyramid of glasses. These sights and sounds are all staples of a stellar wedding reception because sharing a glass is an important part of celebrating. While we know and love the classic red or white with dinner, nothing says unique quite like a signature cocktail. Does your hubby have a drink he’s known for ordering on a night out? Why not showcase this concoction! You don’t have to be a certified mixologist to create a signature cocktail for your wedding day.
Make It Personal
The more you, the better. Whether that means a simple ingredient you love, or a staple liquor, either work. This is your chance to get creative and make something you’d truly enjoying sipping. Be it your favorite night on the town cocktail, or one matching the color scheme of your bridesmaid dresses, it’s sure to be the talk of the evening. Don’t be afraid to have fun with it!
Make It Seasonal
Having a winter wedding? Your take on an Irish coffee will warm everyone’s hearts (and hands). For summer, add your favorite seasonal fruit for a luxurious and sweet touch. If you’re not sure what works best for your wedding date, reach out to your bartender. They’ll have ideas about what serves well in the weather around your day. But, odds are if you’d enjoy drinking it, your guests will too.
Name It
Your wedding hashtag isn’t the only opportunity to showcase your love for puns. A personalized cocktail name is directly correlated with its success. Coming up with a play on words can be stressful, but it’s important to remember that this is an opportunity to liven up your bar! You could refer to location, season, your name or pets, and any bridal terms you find on synonyms.com. When in doubt, make your guests laugh!
Signage
You went to all the work of coming up with a witty title, now you need to display it. This could mean pressed flowers in a frame to match your spring wedding drink or colored text in line with your vision. It’s also an opportunity to rope in a calligrapher to make your signs match your pretty paper details. All the more ways to make things personal. If a bar sign doesn’t seem your vibe, a place card on a servers tray is an elegant way to creatively display your signature cocktails.
Glassware
Often times overlooked are the delivering methods of each drink. Your bartender will know the specifics of what liquor fits what drink, but playing around with flutes, goblets, and highballs can offer a fun change of pace. Dressing a cocktail in a tall glass can elevate its specialty even more so.
Garnishes
Sprigs of lavender, floating orchids, sugared glass rims, and oranges peels are never out of the question. Don’t settle for a simple lemon wedge. Sometimes it’s that extra touch that can elevate your drink from just a cocktail to an experience in itself. These added details could again pair with your wedding flowers and colors, adding another signature touch to tie things back to your overall vision.
Delivery Time
Are you planning to serve your masterpiece during cocktail hour, or will it be joining you for dinner? Considering when you want your guests to indulge can be an important factor in crafting your drink. If it’s a cocktail hour drink in the hot summer heat, you’ll want something light and cool to keep your guests hydrated. Make sure to think about the when and where of your signature libation.
Ultimately, it’s all about crafting a refreshment that you’re excited to toast your day with. Cheers to you and yours!