10 Wedding Drink Menu Ideas
Wedding planning is such an exciting time. If you’re like many, you’ve probably already gone down the rabbit hole on Pinterest, created vision boards, and pinned all of your favorite wedding ideas to fit whatever theme you’re dreaming up and to get inspiration for a certain aesthetic. I mean, that’s part of the fun, right?!
However as exciting as it can be, wedding planning can also duly be a bit stressful. Planning up to the tiniest details can feel overwhelming at times, especially when you don’t know what you might be forgetting and you’re wondering how you’re going to be able to pull it all together within a certain budget.
Personalizing the small details can have a huge impact on the overall vibe of your wedding and reception. The wedding drink menus are no exception. Wedding drink menus not only tell the guests what drinks are available, but they can also help set the mood for the occasion.
If you’re in the process of planning out the tiniest details for your wedding, today I’m sharing a round-up of wedding drink menu ideas you can use as inspo for your big day.
10 Wedding Drink Menu Ideas
The Wedding Drinks
The Drink Options
Before we dive into talking about how to make your wedding drink menus, let’s first discuss some of the most popular drinks to serve at a wedding. Afterall, you want to make sure you’re being inclusive and have a little something for everyone to enjoy on your list. Some popular drink options you can usually find at most weddings are wine, beer , non alcoholic drinks, and cocktails.
When determining how much of each option to get, the breakdown should look like this: about 50% of the drink selection should be wine, 20% beer, 20% cocktails, and 10% of the selection should be non alcoholic drink options like juice, coffee or tea.
Also, when it comes to cocktails, the sky's the limit. However to make sure nothing goes to waste, here’s a list of the top 10 popular cocktails that work great for weddings no matter the time of year:
Moscow Mule - which is a mix of Vodka, ginger beer, and lime juice
Aperol Spritz - which is Aperol, Prosecco, and club soda
Dirty Martini - which has Vodka or gin, dry vermouth, and olive brine
Cosmopolitan - which is Vodka, triple sec, cranberry juice, and lime juice
Mojito - which is made up of Rum, mint leaves, sugar, lime juice, and club soda
Negroni - which has Gin, Campari, and sweet vermouth
Whiskey Sour - which is Whiskey, lemon juice, and simple syrup
Old Fashioned - which is Whiskey, bitters, sugar, and orange peel
Margarita - which is just Tequila, triple sec, and lime juice
Sangria - which is just Red or white wine with fruit and sometimes Brandy
This quick list should help get you started when trying to finalize what options to present for your wedding drink menu and what to serve at the wedding bar.
Simple wedding drink menu
A simple wedding drink menu would include the main categories of beverage options like wine, beer, coffee, juice, or tea. It’s a good idea to consider allergens or other dietary restrictions so you can point out on the menu which options are gluten-free for example. The point of the wedding drink menu is simply just to let your guests know what’s available and what they can have to choose from. It’s a good idea to have one or two options per category and go into detail if there are any dietary restrictions that would be necessary to know.
Wedding signature drink menu
Depending on the couple, you might also want to incorporate signature drinks to your wedding drink menu. A signature drink adds a special touch to the wedding bar. You can add a twist to an old classic and rename it or create a custom cocktail from scratch using a simple and delicious recipe of your very own.
Just keep in mind that some people might think it’s pretentious, so if you do create your own signature drink, be sure to also have basic options like wine, beer, juice and water for everyone to enjoy on your list.
The Displays
The Font
Make sure the font is easy to read. Include enough spacing between each option. Make the different drink options in a “Heading” with the details of the drink in “paragraph or normal” text.
Popular options for weddings usually include serif, sans serif and wedding script fonts (including calligraphy fonts). There are so many options to choose from when it comes to font. The best bet is to work with a graphic designer on the design or start from a template that’s pre-made to make sure that whatever you go with is legible and elegant for your big day.
Cardstock
For a more minimalist look, stick to black font against a white cardstock. You can also border it with a gold frame for a more sophisticated and elegant take. For a seasonal touch, opt to incorporate more color either with the paper color, the frame, or with floral arrangements nearby. Cardstock comes in many different colors and textures. You can go to your local store like Office Depot or Office Max to discover which paper would work best for your wedding bar menu ideas.
Acrylic sign
Display your wedding drink menu in style by having it printed on an acrylic signage. If you have a cricket, you can purchase plastic signs from Amazon and apply your own text or have the printing done for you at a local shop.
Wooden sign
There are a lot of different sites around to get a custom sign printed on wood. This works well for weddings with a more rustic theme or even a jungle, safari, or beach theme. You can even incorporate wood through the frames, if you aren’t able to find a wood sign that works for your vision.
Fun shapes
It’s so on trend to see Wedding bar menu signs in funky shapes like semi-circles, circles, or some other design. Don’t be afraid to shake things up with this simple tweak to any design. Adding shapes work great for modern weddings and semi circles add a bit of elegance and class.
Frames
One of the easiest ways to border your wedding drink menu is to simply frame it! If you’re going to DIY your wedding bar menu, print the menu right from your home, then you can purchase frames in bulk or thrift them at consignment shops for antique finds. For almost any wedding, especially a traditional one, you can choose black or white frames or you can opt for mixed metal frames depending on your wedding theme, colors, and other accents.
Fabric
Nix the frame and opt instead to attach the cardstock menu onto fabric prints. This is a funky way to add a bit more personality if your wedding is more whimsical or another way to incorporate the wedding theme like glittery gold lace, zebra print, floral, the sky is the limit.
Lighting
If you’re having a wedding in the evening or at night, a fun twist you might want to incorporate at your wedding to wow your guests would be to have your drink menu displayed on a sign with neon lights! This is such a fun way to add a bit more fun and flare to your wedding day, especially if your wedding reception will be in a dimly lit space.
Wedding Drink Menu Template
Creating wedding bar menu signs don’t have to be a complicated task. They add a nice touch to any event, especially a wedding cocktail hour or reception. If you need help crafting your very own wedding drink menu, check out this template for wedding drink menu ideas to help get you started!
You might also like these wedding drink station ideas.