Don't you just love a good cocktail? I sure do. More so than a glass of wine or anything else. I especially love fruit cocktails. Not the slushy daiquiri kind but something like a Lemon Drop, Pomegranate Martini, or Mojito will do.
Anyway, I digress. Today's blog post is about signature cocktails for weddings. Super popular and multi-functional. Often times a signature cocktail can disguise a lower bar budget. Serve a select amount of beer and wine and one signature cocktail. It's a delicious add-on and you only have to buy the ingredients for that cocktail vs. a fully stocked bar.
A signature cocktail can also be apart of the overall look and feel of a wedding. A Gatsby theme wouldn't be complete with some sort of Champagne cocktail in a vintage Champagne Coupe.
Another fun idea is to use your cocktail as a place or escort card. You can arrange them in a fun decorative way near the entrance of your reception area. This is a great way to start the festivities and especially handy if your timeline has toasts and speeches up first.
Remember to try your cocktail options first. Either at home or have your bartender host a tasting. That way you can talk through your options, the recipe and discuss a name and how to serve your drink.
Below I have put together a few ideas for springtime signature drinks. It includes the recipe, the instructions, a fun way to display or serve your cocktail, and wedding-themed name ideas. Enjoy!
The Garden Rose
Courtasy of VOLCAN DE MI TIERRA - From Gitano Jungle Room in NYC
This sweet cocktail tastes good and looks good.
Ingredients
1 oz Volcan de mi Tierra Blanco (Tequila)
.75 oz St Germain
.75 oz simple syrup
.75 oz lemon juice
4 shakes rose water
1 muddled strawberry
Instructions
Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a coupe glass. Top with cava and garnish with mixed dried flowers
Serve in a pretty tumbler or Champagne coupe
Potential wedding cocktail names:
* Roses are Red
* Kiss from a Rose
Classic Whiskey Smash
The whiskey smash is a classic cocktail with a bright flavor. The recipe comes from "Professor" Jerry Thomas' 1887 book, "Bar-Tenders Guide," though drinkers likely enjoyed it before his time. Even after so many years, it remains a fantastic drink and an excellent option for drinkers who are new to whiskey.
Ingredients
5 to 8 leaves spearmint (to taste)
1/4 lemon (cut into 3 pieces)
1-ounce simple syrup
2 ounces bourbon whiskey
Garnish: mint sprig
Instructions
Gather the ingredients.
In a cocktail shaker, add the mint and lemon.
Muddle thoroughly to release the juices and oils.
Add simple syrup, whiskey, and fill the shaker with ice.
Shake vigorously for 30 seconds.
Strain into an old-fashioned glass filled with crushed ice.
Garnish with a mint sprig. Serve and enjoy.
Serve in a tumbler/old fashioned glass
Potential wedding cocktail names:
* The Golden Groom
* Mint to be Whiskey
Bees Knees - Great budget option!
Courtesy of Liquor.com
The Bee’s Kees is a simple extension of the classic Gin Sour (gin, lemon, sugar) that features honey instead of sugar. The honey creates a richer drink, and it may have been employed to mask the taste of subpar gin, which was prevalent at the time.
Fortunately, the gin market features hundreds of excellent bottles today, so you can enjoy the ingredients at their best. Using a London Dry gin will put more emphasis on the juniper, while a more modern gin imbued with citrus and florals will bring out the lemon and honey notes of the cocktail. Pick whichever gin suits your tastes, as the gin is front-and-center in this drink.
Ingredients
2 ounces gin
3/4 ounce lemon juice, freshly squeezed
1/2 ounce honey syrup
Garnish: lemon twist
Instructions
Add gin, lemon juice, and honey syrup into a shaker with ice and shake until well-chilled.
Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
Garnish with a lemon twist.
Serve in a cocktail glass, champagne coupe or old fashioned tumbler
Potential wedding cocktail names:
* Honey I Do
* Lucky in Love
Sparkling Strawberry Rosé Cocktail
The sparkling strawberry rosé recipe features strawberry vodka and a sparkling blush wine in a fun and fruity cocktail. You will also find a few surprises inside this delightful pink drink, which can be made by the glass or the pitcher.
To complement the wine and vodka, a hint of pear and a touch of basil are added. The wine gives it a nice, light effervescence and the other ingredients add to the complexity of flavors that are sure to tantalize your taste buds.
Ingredients
For the Strawberry Vodka:
1 1/2 cup strawberries (fresh; rinsed, sliced)
1 750ml bottle vodka
Or grab a good quality strawberry vodka from your liquor store
Optional: 2 tablespoons simple syrup
For the Basil Simple Syrup:
1 cup sugar (white granulated)
1 cup water
1/2 cup basil leaves (rinsed)
For the Punch:
1 1/2 ounces strawberry vodka
3/4 ounce pear nectar
1/2 ounce lemon juice (fresh)
1/2 ounce basil simple syrup
2 ounces sparkling rosé wine (or enough to fill)
Garnish: basil leaf
Garnish: strawberry (or a variety of seasonal fruits)
Instructions
Make the Strawberry Vodka
Gather the ingredients.
Wash and remove the stems of about 1 1/2 cups of strawberries. Cut into two or three large slices per berry.
Add the berries to a wide-mouthed infusion jar and fill with vodka. If you like, add 2 tablespoons of simple syrup. Shake well and store in a cool, dark place.
Give the infusion a good shake once or twice a day. Do a taste test after five days and continue the infusion until it reaches your ideal flavor (it may take up to 14 days).
Once done, strain out the strawberries and bottle with a tight-sealing lid (the original vodka bottle works great).
Make the Basil Simple Syrup
In a saucepan, add equal parts sugar and water (1 cup each is a good batch, though you can make more—increase the basil accordingly).
Bring to a boil while stirring to dissolve the sugar.
Add about 1/2 cup rinsed basil leaves, cover, and simmer for about 15 minutes.
Remove from the heat, keep covered, and allow it to infuse and cool (about an hour). Once cool, strain out the basil and bottle in a glass jar or bottle with a tight seal. The basil syrup should be stored in the refrigerator and will be good for about three weeks.
Make the Sparkling Strawberry Rosé Cocktail
Pour the vodka, pear nectar, lemon juice, and basil syrup into a wine glass filled with ice.
Stir well.
Top with sparkling wine.
Garnish with a basil leaf and strawberry or your choice of seasonal fruits.
Serve and enjoy!
Tips
A 1-quart mason jar will fit a full 750ml (25-ounce) bottle of vodka. The jar holds 32 ounces, so this extra space should be a perfect allowance for the berries.
Strawberry vodka, just like any other vodka infusion, and can be done with vodka and fresh strawberries alone. Many people have found that adding a little sweetener helps with this particular flavor (technically making it a liqueur). Instead of simple syrup, you can use 1 or 2 tablespoons of sugar. Shake it until the sugar dissolves and shake more thoroughly throughout the infusion.
Unsweetened, the strawberry vodka has a shelf-life like any other liquor but is best when enjoyed within a few months. If you add sugar, store it in the refrigerator for up to two months.
Serve in Pitcher or large beverage dispenser. Prepare glasses with garnish next to the dispenser. All you guest need to do is pour and enjoy!
Potential wedding cocktail names:
* Be Mine Wine
* Devotion Potion
How to come up with a name for your signature cocktail?
Use a clever pun
Incorporate wedding words
Use your wedding location
Incorporate the season
Make it personal
Tie in your theme or color pallet
A few fun examples
Bloody Marry Me
Love Potion
Blushing Bride
Be Mine Wine
I Do Brew
The Perfect Pear
Something Blue
Pretty in Pink
Matrimony Martini
About Thyme
Drunk in Love
Happy Planning!
