Raise a Glass with These Wedding Wines

 

Choosing the right wine for your wedding can be a bit more stressful than you may think. You want everyone to enjoy it, you don’t want to waste money on bottles people don’t drink, and you also want to ensure you have the right wine for the occasion. Here is a simple guide to make picking the right wine easier than ever. 

Whites 

For white wines, it is fairly easy to choose as you can simply opt for the fan-favorites. Much like sparkling rosé, champagne, and other popular wines, there are several white wines that your guests will enjoy, whether they love wine or only drink it occasionally. 

Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, and Riesling are all great options that can be paired with most dishes, and are also very easy to sip and enjoy throughout the wedding and reception. 

Reds

When it comes to red wines, you may need to be a bit more careful with your choices, as red wine tends to be the drink that divides most crowds, with many people possibly only liking one variant, or not liking red wine at all. 

Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, and a Shiraz are usually safe bets for red wine, but if you want a bit more variety, you can throw in a few bottles of Zinfandel and Grenache. 

Rosé

Rosé is another safe choice as it is typically quite light, not too sweet, and can be easily sipped on. While it isn’t the best for food pairing, as it is usually only drunk with desserts, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have it. 

Sparkling Rosé is also a great alternative to champagne, and can be used as a welcome drink, for toasts, as the “celebration drink,” etc. 

Champage

If you are on a tight budget, champagne is where you should spend a large chunk of your money. It is the ideal celebratory drink, it is perfect for toasting, and there will almost definitely not be a guest who wouldn’t love a glass. 

However, if champagne is out of your price range, prosecco is the next best thing. Additionally, you can get many different bottles of world-class prosecco that are as good as, or even better than, many champagnes. 

Choosing Wedding Wine

Now that you know a few of the best options, here are some tips for choosing wine to ensure you tick every box the wine needs to. 

Quantity 

First off, when it comes to quantity, there is one simple rule you can follow; a standard bottle of wine can serve approximately five glasses. Therefore, with that in mind, an easy equation that includes the number of guests you are having will tell you how many bottles you need. 

Pair with the Food

Serving wine with your food is a no-brainer, and the best step to take is to speak to the chef or caterer doing your food, and find out what wine they will think will work best with each dish. 

If you aren’t using a chef or caterer, a rule of thumb to use is that red wines go best with heartier, richer dishes, such as roasts, meats, etc. On the other hand, white wines work best with seafood, cream sauces, and some desserts; in short, heavier dishes go well with red wine, lighter dishes pair well with white wine. 

Season & Setting

Don’t ignore the season and setting for your wedding either when choosing wine. For instance, if you are having an outdoor Summer wedding on a hot day, not many guests will want glasses of heavy, rich red wine. 

On the other hand, a warming glass of red wine will work well for a cold Winter wedding. Therefore, pay attention to the weather and setting, and then buy your wine accordingly. 

Opt for Crowd Pleasers

There is really no need to opt for super-expensive or rare wines, as the typical crowd pleasers will leave all your guests happy. Chenin Blanc, Pinot Noir, Champagne, etc, all go down well no matter the event. 

This is one of those situations when doing what your guests expect is the right choice, and the easiest way to choose your wines. 

Have Some Variety

Finally, if you have the budget, you can mix it up a bit. Have a few bottles of some more unusual or unique wine available for your guests to try or for the real wine-lovers in the crowd to enjoy. However, this is definitely not a necessary step, but can be something you do if you have the budget for it. 

Spend Your Money Wisely

Unless you have a massive budget for alcohol, wine can be expensive. Therefore, choosing where to spend your money is important. A great route to take is to taste a few affordable but high-quality wines, and then spend more money on something like the champagne you will use for toasts. 

There are countless low-cost but amazing wines out there, and you can easily find a few that fit into your budget, and won’t break the bank if you want to buy a few cases. However, a world-class champagne or prosecco can be more expensive, and therefore, buy less of it, but splurge on the good stuff.