From welcome drinks to the big toast, plenty of wine is flowing at an average wedding. So even if you know a bit about vino, and especially if you don’t, choosing wine for a room full of friends and family can be a daunting task! Red or white? Will it match the menu? Do we need real sparking wine? How much do we buy? Will they like it?! These are probably some of the questions running through your head as you scour the recommended wine lists. But choosing your wedding wine doesn’t have to be that stressful, and here are a few tips for getting it right.
Consider the Season
A good place to start, as with much of your wedding planning, is to think about the season and likely weather for your event. If you’re having a spring or summer wedding, especially in the daytime or outdoors, you probably don’t want to serve anything too heavy. Instead, your guests will appreciate crisp and refreshing white wines, but also rosés and even lighter reds like a chilled Beaujolais. If you’re holding an evening winter event, you may get through more red than white and can opt for something slightly richer and full-bodied.
Match Your Menu
Your wedding menu may also help to narrow down your choices. The traditional rule ‘white with fish, red with meat,’ is a good starting point, but you don’t have to be too strict about it! A light red goes well with salmon or tuna, for instance, and the same goes for a white wine paired with a meat such as pork. Chicken, depending on how it is prepared, can go happily with either. To find out how to get the best out of your menu with wine pairings, simply speak to your caterer. Many will be more than happy to make suggestions to match your meal.
Pick a Crowdpleaser
Regardless of the season or menu, the best wine for a wedding is one that is easy and enjoyable to drink – before, during, and after dinner, perhaps while dancing. So it’s best to opt for bottles with broad appeal. Even if you and your partner are oenophiles, now is not the time to try out anything too quirky or adventurous on your unexpecting guests! Instead, keep those for the smaller crowd at dinner the night before. When choosing a wedding wine, also pay attention to the alcohol content so people don’t fall asleep before the speeches!
One White and One Red
To keep it simple, many wine experts suggest just one white and one red wine for a wedding, and certainly no more than two of each. For options that suit all, go for a white wine that’s light and refreshing (like a sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio), and a red that’s a little bit on the crisp and fruity side (like a pinot noir) since both can go well with a variety of food. If you’re having a summer outdoor wedding, rosé makes a fun alternative to red and it matches a variety of food. It will also look amazing on the table and in your photographs!
Bring Out the Bubbly!
Most weddings feature a glass of bubbles. But just because you want a sparkling wine toast doesn’t mean you have to serve sparkling wine. True sparkling wine can only be made in a specific region of France under strict requirements, so it can get pricey for a big wedding. More wallet-friendly options include Spanish Cava or French Crémant, which are made using the same method as sparkling wine so can be just as delicious! Prosecco or a sparkling rosé also make fun, if less refined, bubbles and especially suit summer events.
Don’t Run Short
Whatever wine you go for, you don’t want to run out! It’s better to overstock, plus bear in mind that as long as you don’t open the bottles, they can often be sold back to the caterer or taken home to enjoy later! If your guest list has lots of teetotallers, new parents, or children, you can go lighter on the alcohol. Whereas if you’re one of the first in your friendship group to get hitched, you might want to up the quota!
Bring Your Own Wine?
Rather than picking from a caterer’s wine list, many couples decide to buy their own wine for their wedding. This option can be a lot cheaper per bottle and gives you a greater variety of wines to choose from, but just bear in mind that your venue may charge you up to $15 corkage per bottle. In general, the more expensive the bottle, the larger the savings when you buy it yourself and pay for corkage. So if you plan to serve wines priced below $15, it’s probably more economical to use the caterer’s list rather than do BYO.
Make It Personal
Your wine choice also offers another opportunity to personalize your wedding! For example, you could serve the wine that you had on your first date, favorite vacation, or a variety from your upcoming honeymoon destination. If you’re getting married in a wine-producing area, it makes sense to serve local wine, and it will be cheaper too! But if your family are from overseas, it’s a nice idea to pick a wine from where they come from. To highlight any personal touches, you could add a note to your menu, or even create your own custom wine label.
Finally, remember that you’ll be drinking the wine so pick something you like as well! Sometimes the best option is to pick a wine that you already know and drink together, whether that’s the one you crack open on Friday nights or your go-to bottle for a barbeque. Cheers!
Matilda is Marketing Manager in the International Team, bringing Zazzle to customers everywhere from Sydney to Stockholm.
