For some people, it seems obvious that the choice of the type of wine for your wedding reception is just as important as your food choices. For others, selecting the right kind of wines might seem like it’s not that big of a deal. Especially if you’re not much of a wine drinker yourself. But if you choose to serve wine on your wedding day, knowing a bit about your reds and whites will help impress your guests (especially if you’ll have some wine experts as guests!), ensure they have a good time and that all the food and beverages complement each other perfectly.

What Makes A Good Wine

You want to make sure you’re choosing a great wine for your wedding day. If any of your guests are wine experts, they’ll be very impressed if you choose a great wine. Plus, you want your wedding day to be perfect, and the wine choice will affect that.

There are a few things to consider when choosing your wine. First of all, personal preference. You might only like white wines, but you need to give your guests a choice as they might only like red! Generally, you’ll want to have at least one of each. You also want to think about acidity and tannin.

Then think about the time of day, time of year, and the food that you’re serving. A winter wedding, where you’re all cozy inside a lodge will most likely suit a warm red wine. A summer wedding outside in the sunshine is going to suit a light white. This is not to say that you shouldn’t have choices available, but it will most likely influence your guests’ selection. I know I’m more likely to pick a red at a winter wedding, but can’t pass up a pinot grigio at a summer wedding.

Wine Recommendations

Also, discuss with your caterer what they would recommend. As they are writing your menu, they will also most likely have advice on your wine matches. Whether you’re serving beef and fish, or chicken and lamb, you’ll want to make sure that you have the right wines to drink alongside all of your mains. Having a greed wine to go with your meals will really make your wedding an amazing experience for your guests - while it might not seem like a very important thing, details like that, knowing which wine compliments your meals the best, really do add up and make your wedding even more special for your guests. Not sure what food you’re going to be serving on your wedding day? It can be a good idea to start with the food before moving on to your beverage selection. Check out this post for ideas on the best food ideas for weddings. You’ll also want to discuss your wine selection with your caterer as often they will be providing your wine too. You’ll want to see what options they have available, so you can choose a great wine.

Temperature isn’t the only thing that affects wine selection. You also need to consider the flow of your wedding. Are you having a long break between the ceremony and the wedding reception that would suit sparkling wine? Will there be a cocktail hour? Make sure your drink choice perfectly fits your wedding, and the whole schedule. You want to anticipate as much as possible when your guests are going to be in the mood for a glass of wine. You’ll also want to discuss how they charge for wine, is it per bottle or will you be refunded if there are bottles of wine left over at the end of the night? What is their corkage fee?

Below are some different types of wine and some considerations to make when making your final selection. Remember, you’ll be drinking this wine too so don’t just purchase options that you’ve been told are “right”. You want to make sure you’re happy with your selection. Maybe host a tasting at home with your beloved with a few different bottles and see what you like. You might end up expanding your palette beyond your usual favorites.

Best Wine Choices For Weddings

Pinot Noir

A perfect choice for winter weddings. This light red wine is delicate and highly drinkable. Works well with weddings from fall through to early spring. If you’re serving beef on your menu, definitely consider adding pinot noir to your wine list. However, as it’s a lighter red, it will work with most meals. This can be a key differentiator as you’re not giving your guests endless choices, you want to ensure that their meal pairs well with their choice of wine. Most red wine drinkers will happily drink pinot noir with their meals.

Sauvignon Blanc

Generally, you’ll be picking just one white and one red for your wedding, and a sauvignon blanc is a great way to go. It’s a great light refreshing option that will appeal to most of your guests that like to drink a glass of white wine. This wine pairs well with cheese, chicken, oysters, seafood and vegetables. A sauvignon blanc is a simple wine that most people will recognize and like, although there will always be some people that prefer something that’s not on the menu. Remember, you’re not here to create a menu that will please everyone.

Cabernet Sauvignon

If you’re looking for a red that’s a little more full-bodied, you can’t go past a cabernet sauvignon. It’s one of the most well-known red varieties in the world, so your guests will feel familiar with it. Because it is a bold and assertive wine, you need to make sure your meal choices won’t be overwhelmed by the wine. If you’re looking at lamb or steak, definitely consider adding a cabernet sauvignon to your wine list.

Pinot Grigio

A sister wine of pinot gris. Works well at summer weddings where it is warm outside and this chilled wine will help cool your guests down. But even at winter weddings you’re likely to have some guests that will prefer a white so consider adding this to your menu no matter the weather. This light, juicy wine works well with chicken, seafood and canapes. A pinot grigio can be a good alternative if you’re not a fan of sauvignon blanc as it is still a highly drinkable wine that is mostly loved. I’m sure there are some chardonnay drinkers out there that will disagree however!

Sparkling wine

You most likely want to include sparkling wine for a champagne toast as one of your wedding wines. If your budget doesn’t stretch to champagne for everyone, have a look at prosecco. It’s a light, Italian fizz that can work well as a welcome drink, for toasts and pairs well with most canapes. Some guests will choose a glass of this as part of the reception or cocktail hour before settling down to a still wine afterwards. Your budget may stretch to champagne for your bridal party, so don’t be afraid to have the good stuff on your table and a perfectly good sparkling for your guests.