Signature Cocktails: Fun or Unnecessary?

I think that would be cool!

View Quoted Comment Same! I wasn't planning to do one at first, but my fiance actually requested that we both pick a signature drink, so we're going with it! Now I'm torn between like 3 favorites of mine as for what I'll choose for my recommendation, but I've got some time to think it over. What would you pick as your signature drink if you were pick one for your wedding?

I think they’re fun! Especially when they’re something interesting/unique (not just a common drink like a Jack & coke, etc), I’ve actually tried a few new drinks that way! Pretty sure we are going to do a signature drink. It’s one of my favorites, it’s unique, and it actually originated in the place we are having our destination wedding, so it fits perfectly. We plan to name it after our dog since he won’t be in attendance.

View Quoted Comment I've never attended a wedding that had them before, so they didn't come to mind when I was wedding planning, but since my fiance requested that we do them, I'm actually really excited to pick one! What are you going to pick for your drink? I love that you're going to name it after your dog, great way to honor him!

We’re doing signature drinks! His will be Malibu & Coke (his absolute favorite). Mine will be fresh squeezed strawberry lemonade with a mint garnish (I don’t drink alcohol). Still on the fence on buying cases of beer or a pony keg.

View Quoted Comment Strawberry lemonade is one of my favorites!! Very refreshing. Great choice! I've never had Malibu and Coke, but it sounds like a good mixed drink. I think you both picked good options! Thanks for sharing!

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They’ve been at several of the weddings I’ve been to during the past 5 years. I always think they’re cute I just don’t see a point in having a boring one everyone knows, because guests will order those anyway. Having a fun mixed drink people don’t typically drink, and giving it a cute name, is fun though! It’s helpful to the bartenders too- if there are interesting signature drinks, people are more likely to try them, and bartenders can make batches of them (instead of making tons of different drinks individually).
We are having a Sazerac Rum Swizzle as our signature drink to honor some of my closest friends who moved out of the country and likely won’t be able to make it to the wedding (and if they do, they’ll be stoked about the drink lol), and naming it after the puppy to include him. We may do a his & hers selection; if so, FH will likely do something with Absinthe since it’s what he drank all the time when stationed in Germany and it’s a popular liquor in New Orleans.

We had mint juleps as our signature drink because we got married on Derby Day! Our guests thought it was really fun.

They're completely unnecessary if there is a full open bar that covers all tastes. Not everyone likes the same drinks so if you pick your favorite and don't take anyone else into consideration, there's a big chance a majority may not like it, hence wasted alcohol and money.

I would say a good idea as I have read having signature cocktails rather than a full open bar is more cost effective plus a nice touch to the couple I feel.

We had a signature drink. We named it Party Over Thayer since Thayer as Thayer is my husband's last name. We wanted a drink that was red since red and black were our colors. Two of our friends are bartenders so we gave them the list of ingredients that we would have for drinks so my husband tried a bunch of different options before he decided on a red sangria. I don't drink alcohol so it didn't matter to me.

View Quoted Comment Good point about the bartenders making batches of the drink! That would be a time saver for sure. I've never heard of that drink before, so I looked it up, and WOW that sounds awesome! I love how personalized you guys made all the details for your wedding!

View Quoted Comment That sounds so fun! Great choice for a signature drink!

View Quoted Comment I agree that offering only a signature drink means that many people may not like it and it may go to waste! Although, I do wonder that if it were one of the only options, people may drink it anyway, since it's available? I guess I'm not really sure on what would happen in that scenario. We're planning to offer a full bar at our reception regardless, but in addition to that, my fiance really wants us each to pick a signature drink, but as more of a recommendation to guests, rather than it being the only option.

View Quoted Comment Love a theme!

View Quoted Comment Thanks! Postponing sure gives you a lot of time to think about details! 😂

We had them! They've become popular in my area (on top of an open bar). I like them because it usually gives a unique cocktail to try that I may not think of, same as when bars have menus of signature drinks. We had a his and hers. His was a whiskey punch and mine was a French 77 (champagne, elderflower liquor, and lemon juice). The drinks were a hit. I had people comment on how delicious the French 77 was even after the wedding. They wanted to know what was in it.

We skipped because at our DW we had only 15 guests and it was a full premium bar so guests could just get whatever they wanted.


At our local reception, only beer & wine could be served so no cocktail options.

Signature cocktails are fine if there are at least 3-4 other liquors plus mixers. I have been to too many weddings with them where they did save money on liquor, because so many people would not drink at all rather than have the signature cocktail, or because one or both had things they could not have, strawberry, kiwi, and chocolate, and worcestershire sauce ( anchovies) being big for allergies. A few years back martinis were all the rage. A few weddings too many of a choice of vodka or gin martinis, or wine ( allergic), and I got sick of drinking soda and started carrying a traveler bottle/ flask of rum or blended whiskey or a coffee liqueur to put in coffee or ice coffee. After about 20 such weddings in 4-5 years the trend was away from martinis, and just wine, and Signature cocktails. I don't carry liquor to weddings routinely any more. I don't not go to weddings with no alcohol, that is fine. It is being surrounded by people drinking and none for me that is irritating.

View Quoted Comment It does sounds like signature drinks are a good way to control alcohol costs if a full open bar is not in the budget! If there is a full open bar, do you think signature drinks are still a good idea in that scenario?