Rhiannon Hendricks
Planning a wedding reception can be a daunting task, especially when it comes to deciding what food and drinks to serve. A cocktail-style wedding reception is a great option for couples who want a more relaxed and informal atmosphere, allowing guests to mingle and interact freely. This style of reception usually includes heavy passed hors d'oeuvres, food stations, and a variety of drinks. When it comes to drinks, couples can choose to serve beer, wine, signature cocktails, or a combination of these options. Planning the right amount of food and drinks and deciding whether to hire a caterer are also important considerations for couples planning a cocktail-style wedding reception.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type | Cocktail-style wedding reception |
| Atmosphere | Relaxed and informal |
| Food | Hors d'oeuvres, heavy passed bites, food stations, raw bar, cheese display |
| Drinks | Beer, wine, cocktails, champagne, spirits |
| Number of drinks | 2 drinks per person for the first hour, 1 per hour after that |
| Signature drinks | Memorable, inspired by the couple's love story, first date, favourite drink, movie, activity, location, hometown or family background |
| Budget | Cost-effective, shorter reception, no lengthy dinner service |
| Venue | Cocktail tables, round tables, lounge areas |
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What You'll Learn
Hors d'oeuvres and food stations
Hors d'oeuvres:
- When planning your hors d'oeuvres, aim for a variety of options with different tastes and textures. This will create a satisfying dining experience for your guests.
- For a cocktail reception lasting 2 to 4 hours, offer 8 to 12 pieces per person. If your reception includes dinner time, ensure there is enough food to fill your guests.
- If you want to serve only light hors d'oeuvres, you can plan your reception at a time other than a typical meal time.
- Hors d'oeuvres should be easy to eat in one or two bites, allowing guests to enjoy them while holding a cocktail.
- Examples of hors d'oeuvres that fit the bill include small sandwiches, skewers, mini quiches, or bite-sized desserts.
Food Stations:
- Food stations can be a great addition to passed hors d'oeuvres, allowing guests to help themselves and eat at their own pace.
- Consider a raw bar, a cheese display, or a charcuterie station.
- For a more interactive experience, you could have a build-your-own station, such as a taco bar, a pasta bar, or a salad bar.
- If you're looking for something more substantial, a food truck or a live cooking station can be a unique and memorable option.
- Ensure you have enough food stations or a sufficient quantity of food to avoid long lines and waiting times.
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Signature cocktails
A cocktail-style wedding reception is a great way to save money and promote a relaxed and informal atmosphere, allowing guests to mingle and interact freely. When it comes to alcohol, you could provide a full bar, champagne, wine, and a signature cocktail.
A signature cocktail is a creative way to serve liquor without paying for an unlimited open bar. It can also be a fun way to incorporate your personalities and interests. For example, you could model your signature cocktail after your favourite drink, or a drink that holds a special meaning for you as a couple.
If you want to save money, you could offer a limited bar with beer, wine, and one or two signature cocktails. A signature cocktail is easier to serve, so you won't need as many bartenders. You could even mix the cocktail ahead of time and pour it when your guests order, or place it out with the wine and beer.
If you're looking for inspiration, vodka cocktails make fantastic wedding reception drinks. Vodka's neutral flavour means it can pair perfectly with almost anything. For a summer wedding, try a classic fruity cocktail, built in a highball glass with vodka, peach schnapps, orange juice, and cranberry juice. For a chic city wedding, you can't go wrong with a Cosmo. For something a little different, try a pimped-out prosecco: place vodka and cranberry juice in a rocks glass with ice, stir, then top with sparkling wine and garnish with a lemon twist.
Remember, it's important to ensure your guests don't get too intoxicated too early, so you might want to hold off on serving hard liquor.
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Beer and wine
Typically, couples who opt for beer and wine will offer a red and a white wine option, and a domestic and imported beer option. This provides guests with variety and keeps them happy, even when the choice of alcohol is limited.
If you are planning a wedding in the summer or a warmer climate, you will likely need more white wine and beer. A ratio of 75% wine to 25% beer is a safe option, but you can adjust this to suit your guests' preferences. You can also add a signature cocktail to the mix, which is a great way to serve liquor without breaking the bank. Many couples offer a free signature cocktail at a cash bar, and it can be a fun way to incorporate your personality as a couple into the wedding.
When it comes to quantities, a case of wine contains 12 bottles, and a case of beer contains 24 bottles or cans. You can use an alcohol calculator to determine how much alcohol to buy based on the wedding size, event duration, and servings per bottle.
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Non-alcoholic drinks
There are many non-alcoholic drinks that you can serve at a cocktail wedding reception. Here are some ideas:
Mocktails are a sophisticated and elegant option that can be made from a blend of non-alcoholic drinks, syrups, juices, fruits, or cream. They can be served in pretty glassware to elevate the drinking experience. You can also set up a self-serve station with juices, sparkling water, and syrups as a base, allowing guests to customise their drinks.
For a rustic or chic wedding, kombucha is a perfect complement, offering various flavours for your guests to choose from. It can be served in bottles or you can hire a kombucha mixologist to create unique blends. Coconut water served from freshly shucked coconuts is another excellent option for a beach or tropical wedding.
If you're looking for a warm and cosy option, especially during the winter months, a hot chocolate bar will be a delightful treat for your guests. You can also offer a variety of teas, including herbal teas that reflect your culture, and coffee with flavoured syrups.
Other non-alcoholic drink ideas include fresh-squeezed fruit juice, lemonade, flavoured water, non-alcoholic beers and wines, milkshakes, and sodas such as cola, ginger beer, and lemonade.
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Budgeting for drinks
A cocktail-style wedding reception can be a great way to save money. If you're trying to save on wedding catering, you can strategically time your wedding reception to end before dinner or begin after dinner. Since your guests won't arrive hungry, you can offer light appetizers and cocktails.
If your reception lasts 2 to 4 hours, plan to offer 8 to 12 pieces of food per person. If you're inviting many guests to your wedding and want to offer a full bar, it's best to work with a wedding caterer. They will be able to provide permits and trained bartenders, as well as a fully-stocked bar.
Most wedding caterers will provide an open bar with one of two payment options. Some caterers will charge a set price per person, and you'll pay based on the size of your guest list. Other wedding caterers will have bartenders keep track of each cocktail served. At the end of the night, you'll pay for the drinks your guests ordered.
A less expensive option for cocktail wedding receptions is to offer a limited bar. At a limited bar, you can offer beer, wine, and one or two signature drinks. A signature cocktail is easier to serve, so you won't need as many bartenders. If you're doing it yourself, the cocktail can be mixed ahead of time in pitchers or dispensers.
The usual advice is to allow for 2 drinks per person for the first hour of your drinks reception, then 1 drink per hour after that. If you're serving drinks for the first 2 hours of your reception, you should allow for 3 cocktails per person. If you're serving a wedding breakfast, allow half a bottle of wine per person, with the option of adding a glass of fizz for toasts.
If you want to avoid paying for an unlimited open bar, you can offer a signature drink. One popular compromise is to allow an open bar for beer and wine with your signature cocktail as the third option, accompanied by an optional cash bar for any other liquor-based drinks.
Remember, it's your job as the host to ensure your guests are well taken care of. It's important to find a balance between showing your guests a good time and ensuring the event isn't derailed by an alcohol-fuelled scene.
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Frequently asked questions
A cocktail wedding reception is a more relaxed and informal gathering that allows guests to mingle and interact freely. It usually involves heavy passed hors d'oeuvres with food stations, allowing guests to eat when and what they want.
It is entirely up to the couple to decide what drinks to serve at their wedding. Beer and wine are common choices, as they are more cost-friendly than hard liquor. However, you may also want to offer a signature cocktail or two, which can be a fun way to incorporate your personality as a couple.
The usual advice is to allow 2 drinks per person for the first hour of your drinks reception, then 1 drink per hour after that. If you are serving food during a meal time, you will need to ensure there is enough food to fill your guests.
Passed bites and food stations are a great way to allow guests to graze throughout the reception. A raw bar or a display of cheeses are good options. If you are serving food during a meal time, you will need to provide enough food to fill your guests, which could be around 8 to 12 pieces per person.
A cocktail wedding reception can be a budget-friendly option, as they are typically shorter and do not involve a lengthy dinner service. They can also be more fun and casual, allowing the couple to spend more time with their guests.
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