Wedding Drinks: High Spirits

Add a chic twist to your reception with a signature cocktail menu. Let these delicious ideas tempt your taste buds...

Amidst deliberating over the table plans, the frosting for the cupcakes and those other all-important components to your wedding day, it's easy to neglect that essential ingredient for a good party: the drinks.


Wedding drinks Cornwall

It shouldn't come down to a hasty decision concerning the ratio of bottles of red versus bottles of white. The drinks menu is a fabulous way of personalising your wedding, whether you choose drinks significant to you as a couple or drinks that enhance your theme or colour scheme.

And, in the luscious and heady world of libations, the cocktail is the ultimate showstopper. The sleek glasses, the punchy colours, the tantalising garnish - the cocktail is seductive, delectable and oh so stylish.

Whether you choose to serve cocktails during the drinks reception, hire a specialised cocktail bar for the evening party - or both, you can guarantee your guests will thank you for it. Catering company About Taste has recently launched a cocktail service, having found an increasing number of their clients wish to offer their guests something more exciting than the usual staples.

The company is passionate about tailoring their drinks to the tastes of each couple. "We have created some really elegant cocktails for after the ceremony, some fun and funky cocktails for the evening party and festive cocktails with a twist for celebrations at different times of the year," comments Rob Conlay. The service extends to tailor made hen and stag parties, whereby groups can enjoy making - and drinking - their cocktails in the comfort of their own home.


Wedding drinks Cornwall

THE MENU
Signature cocktails are a huge trend, and designing your very own cocktail menu promises to be one of the best aspects of planning your wedding. In terms of the colour, name, taste and presentation, the sky's the limit.

But where to start? First of all, decide how you would like to personalise your cocktails. You might simply decide to opt for a menu of your favourite concoctions - perhaps the cocktails that evoke memories of a dreamy beach holiday or your favourite tipples for a night out.

Or maybe you'll go for the colour option. After all, almost any colour can be created with the right mixture of ingredients, making for an individual drink that blends beautifully with your flowers and decor.

If you're throwing a themed party, the cocktail menu is a fabulous opportunity to flex your creative muscle - not to mention your taste buds. For a vintage wedding, serve the tipples of the era: think Manhattans and Sidecars for a '40s theme, Vodka Martinis and Tom Collins for the '50s, and Screwdrivers, Cuba Libres and Bloody Marys for a '60s 'Mad Men' inspired menu.


Wedding drinks Cornwall

Beach themed weddings lend themselves to tropical tastes - coconut and passion fruit flavours and sharp, zesty Mojitos are perfect for creating a laidback vibe, while Peach Bellinis and Lavender Martini cocktails are a chic option for an English country wedding.

This brings us onto seasonality. Rob has devised some tantalising cocktails inspired by the time of year. For spring, he suggests Elderflower and Lemon Collins, which blends St Germain Elderflower liqueur, Limoncello and Hendrick's Gin topped with lemon juice, gourmet syrup and soda water. Summer is the season to revel in fruity flavours so opt for a tipple with a Cornish flavour: Cornish Strawberry Crush is a mixture of Bacardi Superior, Crème de Fraise and lemon juice blitzed with ice and an abundance of fresh Cornish strawberries.

As the days grow shorter and the leaves turn shades of burnished red and gold, serve an autumn-inspired Apple Bramble: Tanqueray Gin, Cornish Apple Schnapps, Crème de Mure and lemon topped with Cornish Orchards apple juice. And, for winter, be inspired by the rich velvety flavours of mint, vanilla and chocolate. Candy Cane Martini is a mouthwatering mix of Absolut Vanilla, Peppermint schnapps and White Crème de Cacao shaken and strained into a chilled Martini glass rimmed with crushed candy cane. Garnish the cocktail with a small candy cane, which will give the liquid a pink tinge as it dissolves.


Wedding drinks Cornwall

Your passions are a further source of inspiration. Love chocolate? Then create the ultimate craveable cocktail with a chocolatey-vodka concoction. Fans of 'Twilight' might go for blood-red potions of cranberries, grapes and vodka with names such as 'Vampire's Kiss', while music fans might design cocktails after classic albums, such as a Lemon Vodka cocktail for Elton John's 'Goodbye Yellow Brick Road', a Blue Curacao blend for Madonna's 'True Blue' or a Black Martini for AC/DC's 'Back in Black'.

THE NAME GAME
Now comes the fun bit - coming up with a name for your cocktail. Even if you choose to serve established cocktails, you might decide to give the name a personalised twist. Choose a title inspired by your names, personalities, interests or favourite places. Alternatively, opt for romantic titles such as 'Marital Bliss', 'True Love' and 'Ever After', which couldn't be more perfect for the occasion.

GET THE LOOK
The aesthetics of a cocktail are as important as the taste. Think about how you can express your theme via the glasses; think antique glasses for a vintage party or recycled jam jars for an eco celebration. Then consider how you're going to garnish the drinks; it might be your favourite fruit, a flower used in your bouquet, a chic cocktail stirrer or a miniature flag with a message. Colourful accents such as charms, ribbons or stripy retro straws add a fun twist while enhancing your theme. For a contemporary touch, you might serve each guest a selection of mini cocktails in shot glasses, which is sure to be a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.


Wedding drinks Cornwall

Classic Classic
Grand Marnier and Angostura Bitters topped up with Champagne

Berry Collins
Muddled Cornish raspberries and blueberries with Hendrick's Gin and lemon juice, topped with soda water

South West Cooler
Layered Midori, peach schnapps and Wyborowa vodka mixed with fresh orange and cranberry juice

Ritz Fizz
Amaretto and Blue Curacao topped with champagne

Tequila Sunrise
Mixed tequila and fresh orange juice layered with Grenadine

The 'Something Blue'
Wyborowa vodka, Peach schnapps and Blue Curacao shaken with ice and strained

Raspberry Mojito
Muddled mint, lime and Cornish raspberries mixed with Havana Club rum and topped with soda water
 

Words Rebecca Matthews

Photography Ben Photography

Copyright WED Magazine 2011