A summer wedding can be pretty tricky weather wise. You never know if it’s going to be too hot or too windy, if it’s going to rain or if the sun will shine on your big day. You may not be able to plan the weather for your wedding, but you can make sure the wine is just right. Here’s your wine guide for the perfect summer wedding.
You’ll Want Variety
Everyone has different taste preferences when it comes to wine. Because wine comes in a variety of sweet, dry, whites, reds, etc. you’ll want to make sure you have a variety at your wedding. You definitely don’t want to choose just one type of wine.
To make sure you choose a good variety, go wine tasting for your wedding. You taste the food before you choose it for your wedding, right? So why not make a fun day out of it and taste the wine you’ll pick for the wedding. Whether you go to a vineyard to purchase wine through the company, or you choose wine from the liquor store, taste the wine before you choose it for your wedding.
If you taste the wine first, it might give you a better idea if you have enough variety. You will definitely want at least one red and one white. Make sure you offer your guests sweet wine and dry wine. To be considerate of all wine drinkers, throw in a blush too so you know you’ve got the best variety planned for your wedding.
Think of Your Guest Count
Your total number of guests is going to determine how much wine you need. To calculate how much wine you need for your wedding, use the wedding alcohol calculator. It will break it down into how many drinks per person, how many bottles/cases you need and how much it costs per bottle.
Keep in mind not everyone at your wedding will drink the wine you offer. For a small wedding, consider how many people actually drink wine, versus beer or other alcoholic drinks. Obviously, you don’t need to account for anyone under the age of 21 in that number when you think of your total guests for calculating how much wine you need.
Another thing to keep in mind is how many drinks you want to provide each guest. When you’re calculating the total number of wine bottles you need, be sure to include that variety. You’ll want about 1/3 white wine in the count, and 1/3 red wine. The last portion would be your personal choice. Consider a rose or blush wine. This will cover all of the bases for wine drinkers at your wedding.
Base it on Your Menu
Wine experts always say to pair your wine with the proper food. Wine pairing is a great way to make sure your guests will have the best taste in wine for the meal they’re having. To be sure you get the best wine for your menu, follow a taste guide for wine pairing. For example, sweet wine goes well with a sweet dessert. So, you can even consider the type of cake and other desserts you’re having to pair with your wine.
In the midst of reds and whites, don’t forget about fruit wine! Fruit flavored wine is perfect for a summer wedding because it has that extra flavor burst to cool your guests down on a hot day.
No matter what type of wine you choose, consider this rule of thumb. Red wine is most often paired with meat, while white wine is most often paired with fish. Your guests may not know much about wine pairing, so whatever wine you choose for your menu will do.
Keep it Under Budget
Sticking to your budget is an important key to a successful wedding. Whatever you do, you don’t want to go over your budget for alcohol. You don’t want to serve your guests cheap wine, but you also don’t want to end up with 20 bottles of extra wine after your wedding.
Keep account for the number of guests, the number of bottles you need and that total price you’ll spend for your budget. In addition to regular wine, you’ll need to decide if you want a champagne toast. That will make your alcohol budget go up. Make sure you have enough bubbly for everyone to toast, but enough wine for everyone to have more than one glass.
Be Sure to Stock Your Favorite
Overall, it’s best to keep your guests happy. However, this is your big day. If you have a favorite type of wine and it’s affordable for your budget, make sure to have that in stock. If you plan on drinking wine at your wedding, your favorite wine is an absolute must have.
The truth is, there is no such thing as “the perfect wine for your wedding” because there are so many other factors that go into it. If you pair the wine with your meal, and provide a variety for your guests, you’ll be sure to have a great wine selection at your wedding.