Have you successfully arranged everything about your wedding ceremony and you are now working on plotting out the flow? Get ready to celebrate, starting from the cocktail hour! Here are some tips hoping to inspire you for an atmospheric and personalized welcome drink hour at your wedding reception:
- Pre-dinner drinks and appetizers are a beautiful way to get the party started. Either you choose a signature cocktail or a non-alcoholic refreshing drink, this is a brilliant way to open your wedding reception and welcome your guests. A professional mixologist can advise you about the ingredients that may suit your taste or the unique presentations and cocktail menus that can be created especially for your event.
- Consider one-bite appetizers to be passed to the guests by waiters while they arrive at the reception area. Cocktail hour is the best time to serve unusual flavours, maybe local or more spicy finger food, as they come in mini sizes.
- Welcome drinks should not be chosen without being cohesive with the menu that follows. Therefore, it is a good opportunity to develop a food and drink concept, as well, according to what your overall wedding style will be. In addition, it is a great way to share with your friends and guests what you love as a couple.
- The cocktail hour usually coincides with the sunset, especially when having a summer wedding, so be sure that your guests have the chance to enjoy that beautiful view by having arranged a few lounge areas with sofas, low tables and comfortable armchairs. They will not only upgrade your event but also give guests the feeling that they can circulate freely and be comfortable.
- Consider music’s importance not only for the party time but also for the cocktail hour. Think again about your wedding concept and choose your playlist or book a live band that will add just the right touch to this special evening; a jazz ensemble, a saxophone player or a string quartet that can provide so much more than just plain background music, are highly recommended for an absolutely magical start of the evening!
- Modern couples tend to choose not to make a flashy official entrance to the reception but a more casual appearance with some personal contact and interaction with the guests. Blending into the wedding group and enjoying some cool time, nice chat and drinks with them, especially if the wedding is a destination one with guests travelling a long way to attend, it is a good opportunity to say hi and thank them for coming.
When deciding about the details, it is important to remember always that whatever you choose to do that evening, you should just be yourselves! The authentic version of you is a guarantee for a successful and fun event!
Photo Credits to Phosart; Destination Wedding at the Athens Riviera Planned With Care and Love by Style Concept.