You’ve chosen your selection of Minnesota-made craft beers. You’ve got your reds, whites, and bubbles on order. Now, you need to figure out exactly what else “open bar” includes. Enter the batched cocktail…
Whether you’re getting married at an industrial chic loft, a lakefront retreat, or your own backyard, batched cocktails are a phenomenal and elegant way to celebrate the season, add unique personalized offerings to your menu, and save yourselves a fortune on bar tabs.
Batched bevies also have the advantage of being on-demand for your guests, meaning no one will have to wait in line for their refill… If you have a late-summer or fall wedding approaching, you’re in luck; the cornucopia of the harvest extends to cocktails, too.
These recipes celebrate the season and are pretty enough to add to your wedding ambiance, all for a fraction of the price of a traditional open bar. Since it’s your wedding, don’t forget to get creative coming up with your own love-inspired names for these stunning signature drinks.
All recipes are scaled to prepare 25 servings.
Tequila:
This recipe comes from St. Germain and is said to be inspired by Harry and Meghan’s Royal Wedding. If it’s elegant enough for them…
Whiskey
This statement-making apple butter and cinnamon cocktail is spicy enough for fall, but because it’s served cold, it’s refreshing enough for summer.
Plus, the fig garnishes look like little hearts in the glass. How romantic.
Photo Credit: HowSweetEats
Rum
Fruit teas are served at botanical gardens and cafes across the American south because they are just so simple and so refreshing. They offer maximum flexibility since homemade sweet tea and fruit juice are the only necessary components. Tweak it to your taste and enjoy the effortless sophistication inherent to tea-based cocktails.
Vodka
It’s hard to find a more wedding-appropriate drink than one that features rose, lemon, and honey. Rose gives a quintessential late-summer nose to this gorgeous libation, and if you omit the vodka, this one is just as beautiful as a mocktail.
Gin
This gin cocktail is inspired by the classic French 75, but tastes decidedly seasonal thanks to the blueberries and sage. It also brings an incredible saturated hue to your late-season vibe.
LIGHTER OFFERINGS
Pimm’s Cup
If you haven’t tried Pimm’s, you should.
It’s an English garden party classic, but it’s also spicy enough to transition well into fall.
This botanical concoction also offers a glorious amber color that looks right at home on a summer or fall evening.
Wine Based:
This is not to be confused with ordinary sangria.
The vanilla gives this libation a deeper, more autumnal edge, while the sparkling wine keeps it upscale and festive enough for a wedding.
Lemonades:
The beauty of lemonade is that it’s delicious without booze, which means you can make it as weak as you want without anyone complaining. This makes it a perfect lighter offering for a wedding. To elevate lemonade into something wedding-worthy, give it a unique spin…
And just like original lemonade, these versions are gorgeous sans alcohol, too. Just add soda water and any fruits or herbs of your choosing to your lemonade for a mocktail that is certain to feel just as special as its boozy counterparts.