You’ve booked your ideal dry hire venue, found the perfect caterer and chosen a menu that will wow even your most foodie guests, but how do you go about sourcing and selecting the right wine?

It’s unlikely that you have bottomless pockets and it’s likely that you’ll have very thirsty friends, but before you’re tempted by the first ‘3 for 2’ deal you see at Aldi, take a step back and give your wine selection some real consideration.

I’ve always felt that wine is 50% of any great meal. Choosing a wine that compliments the food can really raise the bar on any feast. And ensuring that your vino is gluggable for those who want to stick with it through the dancing is equally important.

Which style of wine do you prefer?

Let’s be honest - that treat bottle you’ve bought for a special birthday might be your perfect wine but it’s unlikely to work financially across 100+ guests. Take a look at your chosen menu and ask yourself a simple question - if we were 6 friends eating this down the pub, what would we choose to keep everyone happy and not break the bank? There’ll be styles that spring to mind immediately (Malbec with roast beef, Picpoul de Pinet with shell fish etc) but if you’re struggling, a simple tasting chart such as this one on the excellent Wine Folly site will give you a head start.

Meal wine or party wine?

When choosing your style of wine, remember that there’s more to your wedding reception than just the meal. Over the course of an 8 - 10 hour event the meal will be a couple of hours maximum. Choose a style that not only works well with your food but that goes down easily when your guests hit the dance floor. Think about the alcoholic strength of your wine too. A bruising Ozzie Chardonnay could well come in at 15% alcohol whilst a playful Vinho Verde will sit around 11%. That’s a huge difference on a boozy day.

Try before you buy

Sounds obvious doesn’t it? But you viewed your wedding venue, you sampled your menu, you scoured your photographer’s portfolio - why would you purchase 10+ cases of wine without tasting it first? If your supermarket deal really looks too good to miss but they don’t offer tastings, then purchasing a single bottle won’t break the bank. In an ideal world you should ask your wine merchant to set up a tasting of a selection of wines that you feel may work. Don’t be afraid to be clear on budget - any wine salesperson worth their salt will work with you to stick to budget. At The Wedding Arrangers we always accompany our clients on a wine tasting evening to help them pick their perfect drop.

Booze cruise

In previous years couples have made the most of our EU membership by nipping over to Calais in hired vans, returning laden with bargain booze. A combination of Corona Virus and Brexit have unfortunately put the brakes on this. If you were planning a booze cruise for a wedding set for 2020 which has now been postponed to 2021 it is very possible that, unless you can get to France this year and store the drinks, this won’t be an option. This cheesy BBC video says it all.

How much wine to buy for your wedding?

As a general rule of thumb, we would suggest half to three quarters of a bottle per person over the meal with extra (mainly white) for dancing. For every guest that knocks back a bottle and a half there’ll be another who sticks to beer. Trust us, this calculation works on every crowd. However, do consider other factors. A winter wedding in a cosy venue with a hearty meal will encourage more guests to ‘stick on the red’ rather than switching to G&Ts later. Similarly a roasting summer day with a light fish and salad oriented meal will mean that they’ll power through the rose.

Unlimited drinks from The Wedding Arrangers - stress free wedding bars

At The Wedding Arrangers we offer our clients an unlimited bar option. We promise that nothing* will run out and that we’ll keep the drinks flowing all night long - and this includes your wedding wine. To choose your wine we’ll accompany you on a tasting evening to find the perfect tipple. Our basic unlimited bar package costs less than a London pint per person per hour and includes the following:-

• 90 minutes of Cava or Prosecco (*the only drink that will run out. We can add more at a supplement though)

• Unlimited beers - usually a pale ale and a lager. Other beers also available.

• Unlimited red and white wine - we’ll help you choose the right match

• Rose if required

• Four standard spirits (served as single measures with mixer - shots available at a supplement)

• A wide selection of soft drinks

• Bar tenders

• A bar structure

• All standard glassware

• All drinks garnishes

• Ice

• Premium drinks and cocktails available at a supplement too - we have a great selection of Champagne if you fancy going to town?

Contact us today to talk about your wedding bar.

Food, music, booze

The government’s Eat Out to Help Out initiative kicked off this week and whilst this was initially seen by many as a boon for chain restaurants, lots of interesting independents have now joined the scheme. Use this postcode generator to find which of your local restaurants are involved, or check this list of London favourites.

Rose season is well and truly upon us. I enjoyed a delicious bottle of Arcades de Fontainebleau over a lovely lunch on the garden of the newly opened Clarence Tavern in Stoke Newington last Sunday - highly recommended.

Musically this fantastic BBC documentary covering the birth of London’s little discussed jazz-funk scene makes great nostalgic viewing.

Enjoy the sunshine - stay safe.

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