First of all, are you absolutely sure you want to get married? If so this article is for you!
Of course I am just kidding… Choosing wines for wedding is just like choosing a wedding dress in that it is something personal that should not be left for someone else to decide. It requires thought and planning like everything else for the big day and the right selection of wines can add an extra sparkle to the celebrations.
Having named the day, selected the venue and made the list of people to invite, there is only one thing of great importance to decide on…… the wine!!!
How much wine should you order? What type of wine should be ordered? How much should you pay? Be smart and do your homework, take some time to discover the wines you like as they will make a statement about the newly weds and whoever is paying for the event.
Here are some of the basics that you need to bear in mind. Firstly, fix a budget, it could be €50 or €500 per person, which has to cover the venue, food and the wine. In order to work out how much to spend on wine you need to know how much wine you are going to require. I tend to work on 1 bottle per 2.5 guests. So if there are 100 people buy 40 bottles.
The big day itself, is it a lunch or a dinner? Formal or casual? Which wines are best to be served by the glass for the cocktail? Which wines for the aperitifs, which are for main dish and for the desserts? How many bottles of red, white and sparkling?
If it is a summer event, held in the open air I would recommend a mix of 50% white, 25% red and 25% sparkling. However, if the event is in the autumn or winter and inside then I would change the mix to 50% red, 30% white and 20% sparkling. By the way if there is any wine left at the end make sure to take it home and enjoy it while recalling the special day.
Having decided on a budget for each bottle then I suggest you get some advice from a wine professional. There are so many good wines from which to choose.
When selecting the wines you need to take into consideration what is on the menu. This will involve having the pre-event lunch or dinner with the dishes that are going to be served to pair them with different wines to see which combinations work best for you. Also you can have some fun with your friends by organising a tasting of different wines and decide which you prefer for the big day.
To show a modern touch, don’t be afraid to include a Rosé, there are so many good rosés around and depending on the time of year, a rosé made from Garnacha could be a huge success.
Selecting a sparkling wine can be tricky. You can go for a well known brand, however, most people prefer a wine that is ‘off dry’ or semi sweet, such as a Moscato d’Asti.
The key is to know the wines and avoid any unpleasant surprises. Your guests will remember your wedding day for the delicious wines that you served during the event.
If you would like to find out more about to choose wines, drop me line!