Spread Love Events

Cheers to summer! While the sun is touch and go here in Vancouver B.C., summer is too short to wait to serve up those sunny cocktails. We rounded up a few favourites below. Why not kick off the weekend by testing out few recipes for the big day?

Adding a signature cocktail (or two) to your bar menu is a fun personal detail for a wedding cocktail reception. Pick a delicious cocktail that stars your favorite liquor and name it after a significant place you’ve been together or the year you met. Can’t decide? Choose a Mr and a Mrs cocktail.

1. Gin and Ginger 2. Lemon-Thyme Soda  3. Ginger Basil Grapefruit Spritzer 4. Pink Lemonade with Cucumber

5. Elderflower Champagne Cocktail 6. Grapefruit and Mint Mojito  7. Grapefruit, Thyme and Gin Soda 8. Lillet Rose Spring Cocktail

9. Blackberry Smash 10. Sprigs of rosemary and blackberries make for a nice garnish!

Tips on choosing a signature cocktail:

Keep it neutral. The colour of your signature cocktail need not perfectly match your wedding colours (as an overly sweet bright blue coloured martini might). Instead, choose a beverage based on your favourite liquor.

Add some style to your signature cocktails with unique glassware, garnishes and serving trays. Drink flags, herbs and berries and fabulous trays (like the custom chevron ones we made for this wedding) offer a chance to create visual impact.

Sample the signature cocktails before the wedding day, complete with all the fixings, so you know just how they will be served.  It won’t be difficult to find a volunteer for this wedding task!

Finally, when selecting a cocktail choose something you love that is also sure to be crowd pleaser. Consider the weather, time of day, and variety of guests.

Budget Tip: Choosing a signature cocktail, served along side beer, wine and champagne, rather than a full bar, can help reduce your bar bill.  Try limiting your bar during the cocktail reception and you could also prevent “over indulgence” early in the evening. Then add a full bar in the evening as the dancing get’s started.

Planning Tip: Don’t miss out. If you’re planning on having wedding party photos taken during the cocktail reception ask that a tray of signature cocktails be set aside for the wedding party or better yet, have some pre-bottled and placed in a picnic basket ready to be enjoyed between photos. Cheers!