As a couple, you want your wedding day to be perfect, from a well-fitting dress to a stunning venue. It should be the memorable day you’ve dreamed of and that definitely includes having a bar stocked with wine.
Whether you are planning for a party of 20 or 200, figuring out which wines to serve, how much to serve, and how much it will all cost is a daunting task. We have some helpful tips to make the wine selection an easy part of your planning.
Red, White, and Sparkling
You should absolutely serve a white and red wine if the reception includes a meal or appetizers. Our white wine picks include the ever popular Chardonnay, being the world’s favorite white wine you can’t go wrong. And Sauvignon Blanc, it’s a versatile white that goes great with seafood, chicken, and vegetables. Our red wine picks include Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir. Cabernet is always a hit with red wine drinkers and goes well with hearty meats. Unfortunately a good Cabernet can be rather expensive, so a Pinot Noir is great alternative. It’s a softer red and more versatile when it comes to pairing with food. Now when it comes to the bubbly, if you want to save money steer clear from Champagne and try an Italian Processco from the Veneto region. Its refreshing and would be great for the big toast. If you want to pair the bubbly with the wedding cake, go with a ‘demi-sec’ bubbly. It has enough sweetness to stand up to the sweet dessert.
How Much to Serve
It’s always better to have too much wine than not enough. You don’t want guests grumbling if it runs out before being done with dinner. You should know that a standard 750-ml wine bottle holds 25 ounces, so it’ll serve five glasses filled at five ounces each. For sparkling wine, being served in flutes, you’ll get four ounces in each glass serving 6 per bottle. Now how much wine will your guests consume? Caterers assume each guest will consume one-half bottle- 2 glasses- every two hours. You can come up with a rough average based on how long your party will last. If plan to have a four hour party then plan on one bottle per person. Don’t worry, it might seem like a lot, but there are other beverages and not every one drinks wine (Shocking, I know).
Procuring the Bottles
The amount you’ll pay for wine depends on the venue you choose and the arrangements you make with them. Many hotel, clubs, and restaurants will just offer what is available in their bars. But if those aren’t appealing and you want a specific wine or bubbly, you can ask them to special order it for you. (Attached with a special fee too!) Now if the reception is taking place in a independent hall, you can usually bring your own cases of wine. This will usually lower your alcohol costs, but beware you might be charged a corkage fee per bottle. The fee covers the staff opening and pouring the wine, and makes up for some of the income lost since you didn’t buy wine from them. If you are able to bring your own cases, check out mywinedeal.com.
Whether you are looking for great wines to go with your menu or the best bubbly for the toasts, options are plentiful to fit your budget or palate.
