A Quick Guide to Signature Drinks at Your Wedding
Every couple wants their wedding to be a unique and memorable celebration. They want the decor and details to truly reflect their personalities and love story.
Of course, choosing a color palette and design that feels “so-you” is important. Another great way to personalize your wedding is by serving a meal that you love (for example, if you love pizza, why not hire a brick oven pizza trailer like A Wandering Fire?).
Just like your color palette and preference for dinner, your wedding bar is an opportunity to personalize your day! From the selection of drinks to the presentation and decor of the bar area, couples can showcase their personality and style through this aspect of the celebration. One of the most fun ways to showcase your personalities is with signature drinks!
Guests enjoying Signature Sips at the Lafayette Club // Marit Williams
What is a Signature Drink and Should You Have One at Your Wedding?
A signature drink is the go-to or recommended beverage being served at your wedding bar. Most often, signature drinks are liquor-based, but they can truly be anything — whether it’s your standard order on a night out or a drink with special meaning to you as a couple. By offering a signature drink at your wedding bar, it's a chance to showcase your personalities or a special inside joke.
At a wedding, it’s common to offer two signature drinks, one to represent each of the couple. These don’t have to be hosted (paid for by the couple), but it’s a nice gesture to host these beverages for your guests to enjoy since you’re the ones recommending them.
Additionally, a signature drink doesn’t necessarily mean you make up your own cocktail. You can absolutely add more flavor to standard cocktails, such as a Maple Old Fashioned or a Blackberry Margarita (usually flavor enhancements are doable, just be sure to check with your bar service!), but you can also pick a classic favorite. Or, if you want to be funny, sure, your husband-to-be’s signature drink can be a Busch Light.
Marit Williams
Do You Need a Creative Name for Your Signature Drink?
You don’t need to, but, it’s most fun to rename the drink! For example, a margarita can become an “Amanda-rita” or Jack & Coke can become a “John & Coke”. Make it a Maggie Mojito, Jen’s Julip, or Oliver Fashioned.
Alliterations and puns are the key to a great signature drink name! Are you a blonde? Make it a French Blonde instead of a French 75. Are you and your partner from different states? Try a Minnesota Mule and a Wisconsin Whiskey 7 (or a California/Carolina Cooler, Florida Fizz, New York Manhattan, North Dakota Daiquiri… you get the point!). It’s also always a great idea to name a signature drink after your pets.
Ultimately, renaming your signature drink with something cute or unique can be a great conversation starter for your guests, plus, it’s memorable!
Marit Williams
If you’re not feeling anything silly or punny, you can call your drinks a “His” and “Hers” (or Hers and Hers!), or use one of these classic wedding drink names:
About Thyme
Blushing Bride
French Kiss
Love Potion (Find a fun recipe here.)
Lover’s Lemonade
Marry Me Mule
Marry Me Margarita
Main Squeeze
Mint to Be
How Do You Choose the Signature Drink to Serve at Your Wedding?
If there’s one place your wedding guests visit the most throughout the night, it’s the bar. Your choice of signature drinks is the perfect opportunity to showcase something unique about the two of you or your relationship.
We know it’s a tough decision, so here to help is Ashley Schuette, an expert in creating custom signature cocktails and bartending.
Ashley is the CEO and founder of Piccadilly Pours, a modern mobile bartending service for private events and intimate gatherings in Minnesota. “Custom signature drinks are our absolute favorite! I love when couples want to incorporate elements of them at the bar,” she says. Below, Ashley shares three helpful tips for creating your wedding day signature drinks:
Cocktail crafted by Piccadilly Pours // Kendra Lauck Photography
When choosing your signature drink, consider these three things:
1). Reflect on your story: Incorporate your personalities and interests. Incorporate elements that are meaningful to you, such as favorite flavors, places you’ve traveled, family traditions, shared experiences or your pets. This personal touch adds depth and authenticity to the drinks, making them truly reflective of you.
Ashley has served a variety of fun cocktails at weddings, including one couple whose signature drink was a family recipe that’s been passed down from generation to generation! Another couple's signature cocktail was rimmed with crushed watermelon Jolly Ranchers because of their equal obsession over the candy, whereas another couple didn’t drink alcohol so they made both of their signature drinks mocktails.
2). Presentation matters: The look of your signature drink should not only match the flavor profile, but the story you’re telling. From the glassware to the garnish, every detail contributes to the overall aesthetic appeal.
For example, if you’re naming your signature drinks after your pets, consider adding a picture of them to every cup with personalized edible drink toppers, custom cocktail napkins, or a tiny image of them attached to the rim of the glass by a mini clothespin.
3). Consider the season: Take inspiration from the season and theme of your wedding. Choose ingredients and flavors that compliment the time of year and the overall aesthetic of your wedding. For example, opt for refreshing citrusy drinks for a summer wedding or cozy spiced drinks for fall.
For your garden-party wedding, here’s a signature drink recipe for one of Ashley’s favorite summer sips:
Strawberry Fields
1.75 oz vodka (*omit to make it a mocktail)
1 oz strawberry syrup
1 oz lime juice
1 oz watermelon juice
2 oz soda water
Strawberry Fields Signature Cocktail Recipe // Photograph by Kendra Lauck
At the end of the day, your wedding is about having fun and celebrating love.
Your signature drink doesn’t have to have a cute name or be something fancy and obscure. Just choose a drink you enjoy and actually want to be sippin’ on your wedding day!
HappiLily Events plans crazy-fun weddings for couples in Minnesota and Wisconsin. We specialize in making each wedding day as unique as it is memorable with thoughtful details and personal touches.
Piccadilly Pours mobile bartending service
For all of your bartending needs and help customizing signature drinks, contact Piccadilly Pours.
