Make Sure Your Wedding Bar Is Properly Stocked–Here's Everything You Need To Know
Let’s face it, there are two main things that can make or break a wedding–food and drinks! You’ve got the catering covered, but do you know what drinks you’re serving yet? While it’s always an option to let your bartender select the wine, beer, and liquor, we highly recommend taking this VERY IMPORTANT matter into your own hands. First, your guests can enjoy a custom cocktail made just for you, then, with dinner, you can share with them that incredible red that you two had on your very first date, for toasts, a glass of your favorite bubbly, and top off the night with a glass of your favorite go-to nightcap. But how? All it takes is a trip to your local Total Wine & More!
One-Stop-Wedding-Shop
These days, weddings are all about the experience. Think wine pairings with dinner and special touches like surprising your dad with a glass of his favorite whiskey or your new hubby or wife with the cocktail you guys shared at that cool speakeasy you discovered together. For an experience like that, a custom drink menu is the only way to go. Talk to your caterer ahead of time to discuss what would pair well with the meal, then make your way to Total Wine & More, your one-stop-wedding-shop for all things drink-related. And, this isn’t their first rodeo! They have experts that work with couples and wedding planners to help you figure out exactly how much you should order of each bottle and even offer you samples along the way to make sure you’re 100% happy with your selections. Oh, and did we mention this is all complimentary?! So, one of these weekends, check one more thing off of your wedding planning to-do list and let the experts at Total Wine & More pour you a drink or two as you peruse their seriously impressive selection–you can even make a date out of it!
Design Your Own Wedding Cocktail Menu
The cocktail hour at your wedding is a great time to get a little creative and really add some personal touches to your wedding without having to do a lot of painstaking DIY crafts. A good cocktail hour should have a menu with 3-4 drinks. These drinks should be seasonally appropriate and be personalized in one way or another. We recommend each person in the couple create a drink based on their favorite cocktail with a signature twist and then at least one cocktail inspired by your wedding location/destination. Not sure how to put your spin on a classic? This is where the experts at Total Wine & More come in. They can make recommendations on everything from the cocktail recipe itself to the glass to serve it in and what would make a great garnish. They also have cocktail recipes on their website that you can play with ahead of time to figure out which direction you want to go. Now, all that’s left is to name it! For your couple’s cocktails, nicknames and inside jokes that only your guests will get are always a great place to start. Simply add that to the name of the cocktail your drink is inspired by and there you have it. The destination-based cocktail is simple, just think of the most popular drink in your area. Are you getting married in Cabo? Well, then a twist on the Paloma is a no-brainer. Voila! You’ve got a custom cocktail menu and you didn’t even have to hire a pricey mixologist.
Return What You Don’t Drink
Not only does stocking your own bar give you and your guests a customized experience, it can save you a ton of money! When you purchase your beer, wine, and liquor through your venue or bartender, you’re also paying their markup. By going directly to Total Wine & More, you cut out the middleman and those crazy high markups. Plus, (and this is a big one!) you can return anything you don’t use! That’s right, so instead of spending a ton overestimating (because, let’s face it, it’s way better to overestimate when it comes to drinks) and letting it all go to waste at the end, you can simply load up the extra and return it for a full refund. But, we would recommend hanging onto a few bottles to break out on special occasions like anniversaries and birthdays.
Unbeatable Selection
It says it all in the name, Total Wine & More, but we need to stress how impressive their selection is! They stock over 8,000 wines, 2,500 beers, and 3,000 spirits! For wine, you can even shop by year, which is really fun! Imagine serving wine with your wedding dinner from the year that you first started dating? Come on! How romantic is that? If you’re looking for a more laid-back cocktail hour they also have kegs and beer from breweries local to your area! They also offer free pick up at their 200+ stores or, in some areas, you can even have it delivered, which is one less thing you have on your plate!
They Do More Than Just Weddings
Now that you’re in on one of the best-kept industry secrets, the possibilities are endless. Total Wine & More can help you stock the bar for any party that may come your way, and with a wedding on the horizon, there will be plenty of reasons to pop some bottles. From wine for your engagement party and champagne for your wedding shower to liquor for your bachelor or bachelorette party, it’s a good idea to start stocking up now.
