The Ultimate Guide to Wedding Drinks
There are a lot of things to think about when planning a wedding.
The venue.
The flowers.
The seating plan.
The playlist.
The person who definitely should not be given a microphone after 10pm.
And then there's the drinks.
Whether you're planning an intimate summer wedding or a full-blown celebration with hundreds of guests, getting the drinks right can make a huge difference to the day.
So here's our guide to planning your wedding drinks, from the first arrival to the last dance.
1. Start with your welcome drink
The welcome drink sets the tone for the whole day.
You could go classic with Champagne, keep things simple with a glass of fizz, or do something a little more memorable.
Margaritas, anyone?
A Pimentae Margarita makes a brilliant wedding welcome drink because it's already mixed, bar-quality and easy to serve.
Serve chilled in a glass with ice and a lime wedge for a simple but seriously good welcome cocktail.
2. Think about the season
Your drinks should work with the time of year.
Spring weddings
Think fresh, bright and citrusy.
Summer weddings
Cold margaritas, plenty of ice and something refreshing.
Autumn weddings
Think richer flavours and cocktails that work beautifully alongside a big dinner.
Winter weddings
Spicy cocktails, festive serves and something warming for guests arriving from the cold.
Our Spicy Margarita is particularly good for autumn and winter celebrations, while Grapefruit Margarita is made for sunny summer weddings.
3. Don't make cocktails complicated
Your wedding is not the time to discover that you've accidentally chosen a cocktail that requires 17 ingredients and a full-time bartender.
The best wedding cocktails are:
Easy to serve.
Easy to drink.
Easy to scale.
That's where pre-mixed cocktails really come into their own.
Pimentae gives you bar-quality margaritas without needing someone behind the bar shaking cocktails all night.
4. Plan drinks for different moments
You don't necessarily need one drink for the whole day.
Think about your wedding as a series of moments.
Arrival: Welcome margarita
Canapés: Something light and refreshing
Wedding breakfast: Margaritas alongside food
Speeches: Top up the glasses
Party: Easy-to-serve cocktails
Late night: Whatever's still in the fridge
And if you're hosting a larger wedding, a Bag-in-Box makes it much easier to keep cocktails flowing without slowing down service.
5. How much should you buy?
The easiest way to work out quantities is to think about:
- Number of guests
- How many hours you're serving drinks
- Whether you're offering other alcohol
- Whether cocktails are a welcome drink or available all evening
- How many different drinks you're serving
If margaritas are going to be a main feature, make sure you have enough to avoid the dreaded:
"Sorry, we've run out."
Pimentae's 5L Bag-in-Box serves around 50 margaritas, making it particularly useful for larger celebrations.
6. Create a DIY margarita bar
If you're having a more relaxed wedding, why not make the cocktails part of the experience?
Set up a margarita station with:
- Pimentae
- Plenty of ice
- Glasses
- Fresh limes
- Tajín
- Garnishes
- Napkins
Guests can serve themselves and you don't need someone spending the whole night behind the bar.
7. Don't forget the evening guests
If you're having people join later in the evening, make sure there's something waiting for them.
Cans are perfect for this.
Pop them in an ice bucket and guests can grab one when they arrive.
No waiting at the bar. No complicated orders.
Just grab, pour and party.
8. Make it yours
Your wedding drinks don't need to look like everyone else's.
Give your cocktails names based on the couple.
Create personalised menus.
Choose your favourite flavour.
Add custom signage.
Or simply serve the drink you actually love.
Because ultimately, your wedding should feel like you two, not a Pinterest board.
Your wedding drinks, sorted.
From the welcome drink to the last dance, Pimentae makes it easy to serve proper cocktails to a crowd.