Are you planning your summer wedding? If you are, and you're trying to cut down on the bar tab, you're in the right place.
As with every season, we've put together a list of wedding signature cocktail ideas. By choosing to serve one of these easy wedding cocktails instead of a full open bar, you can potentially save a ton of money.
Summer Wedding Signature Cocktail Ideas
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Signature cocktails are a really fun touch to add to your wedding.
You can definitely personalize your wedding by adding signature cocktails to the menu. Pick a drink that you really like or that goes with your name/personality (like Cathy's Cosmo or Mike's Moscow Mule).
If you solely have signature cocktails on your bar menu, you'll could save on your bar tab. The venue will only have to stock certain items and can charge you accordingly. Plus, if you don't use top shelf liquor, that means you don't have to pay for top shelf liquor.
And, if you're planning on making your own drinks and having a backyard reception, signature cocktails make a lot more sense. You can just make gigantic pitchers of the drinks and set them up so your guests can serve themselves. That way, no one has to play bartender and mix up drinks all night long.
When you're thinking about summer wedding reception cocktails, you want to go with drinks that are light and fruity. You can save anything dark and heavy for winter. But right now, with fruit in season, you want to add that flavor to your drinks.
Sangria is one of those summertime recipes that are a big hit. You can put in a bunch of different liquors, but we were at a restaurant once that suggested Licor 43 (which you can find at your local liquor store), and Pete's been making it that way ever since.
Sangria
- 1 bottle white wine
- 1/2 cup Licor 43
- 1.5 cup white grape juice
- Fruit of your choice, sliced and diced
- 2 sprigs mint
Halfway fill a glass pitcher with ice. Add the fruit. Pour in the white wine, juice, and liquor. Stir. Top with mint.
Piña Colada
Who doesn't like piña coladas and getting caught in the rain? Okay. Me. I'll admit it. But that's only because I'm allergic to pineapple and I don't drink alcohol. But the caught in the rain part, oh, it's so super romantic, isn't it? And, as much as Alanis Morissette would say rain on your wedding day is ironic, I still think a piña colada is a great wedding drink.
- 1.5 cups ice
- 1.5 cup frozen diced pineapple, frozen
- 2 ounces pineapple juice
- 2 ounces cream of coconut
- 1.5 ounces white rum
- 1 ounce dark rum
- Pineapple slices for garnish
Blend everything (except the pineapple slices). Pour into a glass. Garnish with pineapple slices.
Mojito
Mojitos just sounds like summer, don't they? Plus, what's great is that even though the recipe below is traditional, you can add fruit and totally change a mojito. Think strawberry mojito, mango mojito, passion fruit ... whatever works best for your wedding.
- 1.5 ounces club soda
- 1 ounce lime juice
- 1 ounce simple syrup (equal parts sugar and water, heated and combined)
- 2 ounce white rum
- Mint leaves
Put the mint, lime juice, and simple syrup in a cocktail shaker and muddle (to open the flavor of the mint). Add the rum, some ice, and shake. Strain into a glass filled with ice and top with the club soda.
More Seasonal Wedding Signature Cocktails:
If you stumbled on this post because you're planning a wedding and looking for signature cocktail ideas, but you're not planning a summer wedding, don't worry. We have ideas for other seasons as well. Check those out below:
More Summer Wedding Ideas:
If you're planning a summer wedding and need some more ideas to help you plan, you're in luck. We have a ton of posts that can help:
BRIDAL BABBLE: Which of these summer wedding signature cocktail ideas is your favorite?
