One of the biggest expenses for a wedding reception is an open bar. Costs can spiral out of control pretty fast, since most venues charge you for every bottle that is opened, even if it was used for just one drink. If you are handling the bar details yourself, it can be an overwhelming task and expensive to stock it, hire a bartender, and the like.

One way to save money on the alcoholic beverages is to offer just wine and beer. But if you want to crank it up a notch and “wow” your guests, you may want to serve one or two signature wedding cocktails, either with or without the beer and wine option. And with an open bar you may be tempted to buy premium brands of alcohol but if serving a pre-mixed signature cocktail, you can get way with more moderately priced brands.

Even if you are having an open bar, serving a signature cocktail can still be a fun addition.

Sometimes both the bride and groom choose a cocktail as their “signature”.  Couples even incorporate a sign to announce the choices, such as this one:

There is really no end to the possibilities available when choosing a wedding cocktail. In this post, I’ll show you some options. Recipes are included in the link underneath each photo.

If your wedding is in winter or autumn, you can serve a drink that coordinates with the season, such as the Candy Cane Martini and S’Mores Martini shown below:

Recipe

Recipe

For a wedding that is on or near Memorial Day or Fourth of July a Fireworks Daiquiri is an impressive choice:

Recipe

For spring and summer weddings, a Blow-Pop Martini or Strawberry Lemonade Sparkler is a welcomed treat:
Recipe

Recipe

You can also choose a cocktail in your wedding color(s) such as the Sparkling Shamrock below that will coordinate with your Lime Green wedding color:

Recipe

Or a Blue Wave to match your Teal and Fuchsia colors:

Recipe

And of course you can never go wrong with Champagne.  And there are some delicious sparkling wines available for a fraction of the cost of Champagne.

You may want to choose Pink Champagne (or sparkling pink wine)  Here’s an article to help with your choice:
The Best Sparkling Pink Wine for Under $20

Whichever signature cocktail you choose, your guests will surely be impressed and will toast to your creativity!
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For more signature wedding cocktail ideas from EW, see our Pinterest board:
Wedding Cocktails on Pinterest

Photo Sources:
Signature Cocktails Sign: Cathy’s Concepts; Candy Cane Martini: Q’s Tasty Concoctions; The S’mores Martini: Cheeky Chic; Fireworks Red, White and Blue Daiquiris: Food Network; Blow Pop Martini Cocktails: tablespoon; Strawberry Lemonade Sparkler: Rippee Photography; Sparkling Shamrock Champagne Cocktail: Formal Fringe;  Lime Green Collage: Wirken Photography, The Culinary Chronicles, Jose Villa Wedding Photography, Formal Fringe, Sweet and Saucy Shop, Martha Stewart Weddings; Le Blue Wave: LILA Photo; Teal & Fuchsia Collage: Cindy & Saylor, Photography by Vanessa, Bradley James Photography, Abby Jiu Photography, Olofson Design, Ivy Studios Photo; Gold-Rimmed Glasses of Champagne: Kristyn Hogan Photography