Every party deserves its own signature cocktail. Many brides and grooms love to have a signature drink at their wedding because it is a great way to personalize the reception and let your personalities shine through. Work with your caterer to create the perfect cocktail, keeping in mind seasonal ingredients. Here are some of our favorite drinks for each season of the year:
Spring
Strawberry-Basil Margarita
Ingredients:
- 8 medium strawberries
- 6 basil leaves
- 1 oz. simple syrup (Make using ½ cup sugar and ½ cup water. Heat until sugar has dissolved and then cool. Refrigerate leftovers.)
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 3 oz. Reposado tequila
- 1 oz. orange liqueur such as Patron Citronge
- Additional strawberries, lime slices and basil leaves for garnish
Method:
Use a fresh strawberry to moisten the rim of your glass. Dip the rim in a combination of half salt/half sugar. In the glasses, muddle the strawberries, basil, simple syrup, lime juice and lemon juice. Fill glasses with ice. Add the remaining ingredients to a cocktail shaker and fill with ice. Shake vigorously and pour into the rimmed glass filled with fresh ice. Garnish each glass with a strawberry, lime slice and basil leaf.
Summer
Blackberry Whiskey Lemonade
Ingredients:For the Blackberry Simple Syrup:
- 12 oz. fresh blackberries
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup water
For the Blackberry Whiskey Lemonade:
- 2 oz. whiskey
- 2 oz. lemon juice
- 1 large rosemary sprig
- 1½ oz. blackberry simple syrup
Method:
For the Blackberry Simple Syrup:
Put the blackberries and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook for 20–30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until blackberries have softened and you have a thick syrup. Strain syrup through a mesh sieve to separate any seeds or lumps from the syrup. You can discard the leftover pulp or freeze it in ice cube trays for later use. Let syrup cool on the counter for 20 minutes or so before you make the drinks.
For the Blackberry Whiskey Lemonade:
Combine all ingredients in a large shaker and add a handful or two of ice cubes. Shake to combine and chill drinks. Pour over ice into glasses and serve. Lighten the drinks up a bit (and stretch them to serve more people!) by topping each drink off with a splash of tonic water or sparkling wine.
Fall
Apple Cider Bellini
Ingredients:
- Bottle of Prosecco DOC
- ¼ oz. fig-infused vodka/liquor
- ¾ cup apple cider
Method:
Pour a splash of the fig vodka into a shaker and add ¾ cup of cider to the mix. Shake to combine. Set out your champagne flutes, and pour the cider mixture about ¼ of the way into each glass. Top with Prosecco and serve. Really want to sweeten things up? Add a cinnamon-sugar rim made from powdered cinnamon and granulated sugar for a festive touch.
Winter
Grapefruit Pomegranate Punch
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons of pomegranate jewels
- 1 teaspoon of pomegranate molasses
- 4 oz. pomegranate juice
- 2 oz. grapefruit juice
- 1 tablespoon of simple syrup
- 1½ oz. vodka
- Grapefruit skin for garnish
Method:
In a cocktail shaker with ice, add pomegranate molasses, pomegranate juice, grapefruit juice, simple syrup and vodka. Shake to chill and pour over pomegranate jewels in a tall, thin glass. Garnish with curled grapefruit skin.
Mocktails
Non-Alcoholic Sangria
Serves 8Ingredients:
- 2 cups boiling water
- 2 black tea bags (or 2 teaspoons loose-leaf tea in an infuser; decaf tea is fine)
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- ½ cup sugar
- 3 cups pomegranate juice
- 1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
- 1 medium orange, sliced into thin rounds
- 1 medium lemon, sliced into thin rounds
- 1 medium lime, sliced into thin rounds
- 1 medium apple, cored and cut into ½-inch chunks
- 3 cups carbonated water
Method:
Pour the boiling water over tea bags and cinnamon sticks and steep for 5 minutes. Discard tea bags and stir in sugar to dissolve. In a large jar or pitcher, combine tea, cinnamon sticks, pomegranate juice, orange juice, orange, lemon, lime and apple. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour and preferably overnight. Just before serving, stir in carbonated water. Serve in glasses over ice.
Cranberry-Apple Cider Punch
Ingredients:
- 4 cups apple cider, chilled
- 2 cups cranberry juice cocktail, chilled
- 2 cups ginger ale, chilled
- 1 can (12 oz.) frozen orange juice concentrate
Method:
In a 4-quart container, combine cider, cranberry juice and orange juice concentrate. Refrigerate until serving time. Just before serving, pour punch into punch bowl and add chilled ginger ale. Garnish with frozen cranberries, apple and orange slices.
Ready to start planning your party? Schedule a consultation with one of our event managers today!
Robert Ryan Catering & Design plans and executes over 400 events each year, boasts a five-star rating on WeddingWire and has received WeddingWire’s Couple’s Choice/Bride’s Choice Award seven years in a row. Learn more about Robert Ryan Catering & Design and tour our venues. Subscribe to our e-newsletter for exclusive offers, up-to-date news and recipes from our executive chef.
