What’s the must have wine for a bride and groom’s perfect day? Well, champagne or prosecco are good choices for the toast, but there are plenty of other choices away from the old favourites that generally include merlot and sauvignon blanc.
Of course, it does depend largely on the tastes and budget of the bride and groom, as well as the kind of event it’s going to be. The age group invited, and the size of the wedding also affects what you choose for your wedding wines.
Wedding wines don’t have to be boring
A smaller wedding of around 40 guests is always going to be easier to cater for in terms of wine than a bigger bash for 200. It’s also worth considering the kind of menu you’re offering. Many of today’s weddings offer a couple of different meals. For example, an evening buffet after the main wedding breakfast is served earlier in the day. Things like hog roasts and barbecues are increasingly popular too.
Much of the time, it’s about choosing what you enjoy and what you would normally want to drink. But if there’s any event worth splashing out a bit for, or making a statement, it’s a wedding.
Play it safe or take a chance?
The main decisions when it comes to choosing wedding wines is whether to play it safe or whether to take a bit of a risk. Safe would mean something like a mid-priced prosecco for toasts, along with a decent Chilean merlot and a cab sauv to go with the meal.
And while there is something to be said for getting something in that most people will be happy with, there’s nothing wrong with taking a few risks with wedding wines.
If possible, it can add a bit of interest to your wedding drinks menu if you ‘drink local’. This could mean sourcing wine from local vineyards, wineries, or beer from breweries. There are so many smaller, artisan breweries and vineyards across the UK now that there is plenty of choice. And if you’re having a destination wedding, even better.
Depending on your wedding venue, drinking local could net you something really special. For example, if you’re getting wed in the south of England, definitely get some English sparkling wine in instead of champagne or prosecco.
Choose wines you enjoy
For most people choosing wedding wines, it’s not just about getting nice wine, but also keeping the costs down. And while caterers or wedding organisers will always try and persuade you to take on their wine choices, it’s worth checking out whether you can similar wines for less money elsewhere.
However the wine is sourced, remember that it’s only a part of the big day. No-one is going to judge a wedding on whether the wine isn’t their favourite. As long as you get some decent tasting wine, people will be happy.
If you want to enjoy a really special, and very on-brand fizz, go for Bride Valley Brut Reserve. It’s from Dorset and is elegantly light, and with a name like that, what bride could resist? For a summer wedding, you can’t beat a delicate, fragrant rose, like Moonlight & Roses, which is a Coteaux d’Aix en Provence Rose 2018. It’s another romantically named, and stylishly packaged wine, with the classic flavours of a pale Provencal rose.
