The bride and groom might be the stars of the show - but the food and drink play a crucial supporting role at every wedding. And, while so many couples invest hours debating the merits of the scallops over the chicken pâte or the red wine jus over the lemon and parsley sauce, a crucial element of this heavenly fusion of flavours - the drinks - is often overlooked.
So we implore you: don't pump your guests full of gag-inducing wine and cheap lager. Treat them to a decent tipple. Granted, the budget is a crucial factor in choosing your drinks menu so - before you splurge all your cash and find yourself left with a few meagre quid to buy some bargain-basement booze - ensure you allocate a substantial figure for the drinks at an early stage.
Consider how you would like to breakdown the costs of your drinks menu - for example, do you want to splash out on something special for the toast and opt for an economical option for the drinks reception? Ensure you do your research to secure good value for money. "Really think hard about the budget and what you get for your pound," advises Nigel Ede of Experience Wine. "Very little wine now appears at £5 per bottle and approximately 67% of this price goes towards the tax and duty element. If you increase your spend to £6 per bottle, then the duty and tax element is down to about 58% and you've increased your spend on the actual wine element by 50%! I'm not saying that there are not drinkable wines around the £5 mark, but if you can afford to spend a little more it will pay off hugely in the quality you are drinking."
So pour a little thought into your budget and choose some tasty wines and refreshing drinks accordingly. A taste bud-tickling reception begins here.
THE DRINKS RECEPTION
The ceremony is over; the vows have been taken; your mother has mopped the tears from her eyes. Now comes the time for your guests to mingle, pose for photographs, wow over each other's frocks and fascinators and - perhaps foremost in their minds - enjoy a drink. "Sparkling wine or Pimm's is the tradition here, but I feel you can be inventive and put your own twist on your reception drink," says Nigel.
Think carefully how to incorporate that personalised flavour. It might be a wild hibiscus flower placed in each glass of sparkling wine, which infuses the liquid with a hint of pink and faint taste of raspberry - perfect for a pink themed wedding. Fruit punch and pink lemonade served from Mason jar drink dispensers creates a country fete vibe, while mead fizz makes a sweet and satisfying tipple for a Cornish celebration. You might even go for a bespoke cocktail menu for a lip-smacking - and coolly creative - option. "Cocktails can be more refreshing on hot days, but I would keep an eye on the alcohol levels," Nigel warns. You might invent your own cocktails - imagine the fun you'll have experimenting - or you could rename classic cocktails based on your names, venue or theme of your wedding. If you've chosen a vintage theme, research the cocktails of the era, such as Bee's Knees for the '20s or Tom Collins for the '50s, or choose concoctions based on your colour scheme.
Ben Photography
THE WEDDING BREAKFAST
Now's the time to serve some carefully chosen wines to complement your menu. First things first: keep your order simple. It's easy to agonise over the percentage of red wine versus white wine drinkers amongst your guests, but a complicated order often leads to wastage and most wine merchants will offer a sale-or-return policy.
The food is the most important factor to consider. "If you are going for set courses, you can serve wines which will complement the dishes. Alternatively, if you are offering an assortment of dishes, you may wish to go for wines which are more flexible for a variety of foods," says Nigel. "This might sound a bit serious, but certain wines will complement certain dishes, whereas some wines can clash with certain dishes. I love Pinot Noir and I love horseradish - put the two together and it's like sucking on a rusty iron bar."
Don't blow your budget on gallons of wine without a tasting session first. "Choosing the wine for the day can be great fun. Everyone has slightly different tastes, so it's worthwhile inviting a few friends and family members around to taste the wines and getting an overall opinion. I would definitely sample the wines with similar food you are proposing on the day," says Nigel. An indulgent evening of food and wine in the company of your favourite people sounds like much more fun than agonising over the guest list, eh? The final decision concerning the wine, however, should be made by you and your fiance - not your wine aficionado father or sweet-toothed granny.
Remember to include some thirst-quenching and flavoursome liquid refreshment for non-drinking guests and children. "Some guests may try to pace themselves by switching to soft drinks during the day," says Nigel. "Fresh local apple juice is a favourite. Cornish Orchards' new lemonade is also a delicious idea for the table tops."
THE TOAST
You've listened, you've laughed and you've cried at the heartfelt and hilarious speeches. Now it's time to officially toast your union by raising a glass of something delectable - so crack open the statement sparkler. Champagne is the traditional and endlessly popular choice. "Champagne is lovely, but the costs are going up and up," Nigel comments. "I would advise against buying cheap champagne because it has champagne on the label. You are much better spending the same money on a top-end sparkling wine."
Consider striking a celebratory chord with a locally sourced flavour. "If you have the budget, Camel Valley Brut is a great local alternative to champagne: delicious, crisp clean fruit with refreshing notes. Polgoon Aval is another local favourite; this is apple-based but still produced in the champagne method," recommends Nigel. Don't leave the non-drinkers with yet another bland soft drink while everyone else sups on a decadent number. Choose a refreshing drink produced in Cornwall for that extra stamp of local identity: "Cornish Orchards' elderflower presse is a great non-alcoholic alternative for the toast," suggests Nigel.
THE EVENING RECEPTION
As night falls and the dance floor beckons, the drinks will be flowing as guests mingle at the bar, work the room and prepare to pull some serious shapes. So what are the best options for oiling those limbs? "It is very easy to get carried away with a huge variety of options, and again it is really down to your budget. I would definitely run with wine, but you could opt for a more economical option than the wedding breakfast wines," says Nigel. Go for quaffable, crowd-pleasing options.
For further liquid refreshment, again, look to the superb selection of local producers, from flavoursome ales from your favourite Cornish brewery served from the barrel to scrumptious ciders produced on the verdant slopes of the county. A cocktail bar serving a selection of simple and refreshing concoctions is sure to be a hit; you could even hire some expert mixologists for excellent drinks with a twist of entertainment thrown in.
Bottoms up!
CORNISH ORCHARDS
Treat your guests to a top Cornish tipple. Handmade in Duloe, Cornish Orchards' divine selection of drinks combines a range of homegrown apple varieties with lip-smacking flavour. From the crisp and fruity delights of Cornish Gold and the smooth mellow appeal of Farmhouse Cider to the rich berry notes of Blush Cider, there's a refreshing and quaffable option for all palates, while the elderflower presse and selection of apple juices make for luscious soft drink solutions. What's more, having recently undergone a rebrand, the colourful and contemporary bottles look as good as the contents taste. Why not gift your guests miniature bottles of cider or juice for a covetable, Cornish - and utterly delicious - wedding favour?
01503 269007 www.cornishorchards.co.uk
Experience Wine, Truro
01872 240058 www.experiencewine.co.uk
words Rebecca Matthews
Copyright WED Magazine 2012
