Drink of Choice

Ideas & Inspiration

Drink of Choice

Amid the flurry of wedding details, deciding what drinks to serve—a detail many of your guests will truly appreciate—can be overlooked. And it’s worth noting that, left unchecked, the tab for a full, open bar can quickly eat up the wedding budget. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to add unique touches to your beverage menu, from signature cocktails to perfect Washington wine pairings to serving local libations, without breaking the bank.

If a full, open bar isn’t an affordable option for your budget, consider offering one to three signature cocktails alongside beer, wine and soda. This is not only a money saver—a couple can halve liquor costs by using this method in lieu of a full bar, according to Rebecca Pigeon, the wedding specialist at Capitol Hill’s City Catering—it’s also a memorable way to add a personalized touch to the reception.

“A signature cocktail can highlight something special about a couple or the wedding,” says Lendy Hensley, owner of City Catering. “Serve a drink you both love or the drinks you each ordered on your first date.” Pigeon adds that City Catering has worked with couples to create personalized drinks inspired by their favorite flavors, such as Bacon-Infused-Vodka Bloody Marys and Italian parsley–muddled gin martinis, and they have infused simple syrups with flavors such as jalapeño at the ready to make specialty cocktails.

Another way to inject personality into your signature drink menu—while also offering a respectful nod to your families—is to consider your cultural heritage. Mint juleps served in classic silver cups celebrate Southern roots; a limoncello-based cocktail offers a taste of the Mediterranean (and serving limoncello from Seattle-based Italian spirits importer Finamoré adds an extra local touch); a bit of lemongrass in a vodka spritzer evokes Southeast Asia.

Once you get started, though, it’s easy to get carried away. “Choose drinks that can be made properly by the number of staff you can afford,” Hensley warns. “Avoid drinks that have a complicated series of ingredients.”