The 7 Non-Alcoholic Drinks Every Wedding Needs
Wedding celebrations and alcohol consumption usually go hand in hand. Alcohol is, in fact, an integral part of a wedding, from the wine served with the wedding dinner to the champagne toast and reception drinks. However, a big change in alcohol consumption habits in the last couple of years has shaken up the wedding industry. This change is spearheaded by the millennials and Gen Zers, who are embracing the sober curious movement. Now you may be wondering – what exactly is the sober curious movement?
Being a part of the sober curious movement means choosing to be alcohol-free and sober for both physical and mental health benefits. However, sober curious individuals are not reforming alcoholics. They are just people who make the conscious decision not to drink alcohol, socially or otherwise. According to a 2020 report, it has been found that almost 23 percent of people falling in the 18-24 age group say they are teetotalers. Even the millennials who do drink a little alcohol, consider themselves to be mindful drinkers.
With the shift in alcohol consumption habits, alcohol-free or dry weddings have become very popular. These weddings are essentially shaking up the way we approach drinking. If you are planning to host an alcohol-free wedding, then this article is for you. In the following sections, we’ll explore some great non-alcoholic drinks you can include in your wedding celebrations.
Are alcohol-free weddings getting popular?
A lot of young couples these days are planning to go with an alcohol-free wedding. While some choose to do so because of financial, health, or religious reasons, others make the choice for their sober family members. Besides this, some couples simply don’t drink. Many wedding venues are also keeping temperance bars, which are essentially bars that don’t serve alcoholic drinks. Instead, these bars stick to some great non-alcoholic drinks, like the ones found on Better Rhodes.
Wedding industry experts believe that serving non-alcoholic drinks at weddings is something that is going to become very popular in the coming years. Many have already adopted the new trend, and brands are also taking note. The result is that numerous brands have come out with indulgent and delicious non-alcoholic drinks, like alternative wines, whiskeys, non-alcoholic beers, botanic spirits, and the likes. These drinks offer the same experience as alcoholic drinks, but without the booze. So all those sober (curious) couples who were previously worried about their champagne toasts and reception drinks now have a choice from a host of options. As more and more people join the sober curious movement, the trend of dry weddings is only set to increase further.
Why are People Choosing to Have Alcohol-Free Weddings?
There are many reasons why young couples are deciding not to go with alcoholic drinks at their wedding, however, the two major ones are –
- When the couple, their family, and most of their friends don’t drink, so they choose to respect everyone’s choices.
- When the couple belongs to a religion that doesn’t allow serving alcohol at weddings.
Some people don’t want the non-drinkers to feel left out, even though they themselves are not sober. In one such wedding, some of the guests of the couple were non-drinkers for medical reasons, so they decided to keep their wedding inclusive by not including alcoholic drinks. Sometimes, the couples and their family and friends are all non-drinkers, in which case it does not make sense to keep alcohol at their wedding. This can be beneficial financially too.
Besides the positive effect of alcohol-free weddings on the wedding budget, there are several other benefits of having a sober wedding. Many couples choose not to have alcohol at their wedding to avoid the fallout of drunk guests. Oftentimes, emotions are already heightened at weddings, and when drinks are thrown into the mix, it can lead to a disaster. There can be guests vomiting or starting fights. Serving alcohol at weddings can sometimes put a dampener on the merrymaking, and can also cause it to end early sometimes.
Another reason to keep alcohol-free weddings is for the safety and security of the wedding guests. Many guests who travel to the wedding venue from far, would benefit from being sober while driving back. What’s better is that keeping the wedding guests sober would make it easier to organize a fun post-wedding brunch, as they wouldn’t be reeling from the after-effects of alcohol. When it comes to alcohol-free weddings, there is no right or wrong reason to host one. What matters is the choice of the couple.
Great Non-Alcoholic Drink Ideas for Weddings
So, you’ve decided to keep a non-alcoholic wedding, but wondering what will happen to your wedding toast, reception drinks, and dinner wines? Up until a few years back, the only non-alcoholic drinks you could include on your wedding day were juices, lemonade, and sodas. The non-alcoholic alternative for champagne toast was orange juice in a flute glass, which didn’t really give the same feel. Thankfully, there are many non-alcoholic alternatives for popular wedding-day drinks these days, which means that you can offer a variety of beverages to your guests. Here are some non-alcoholic drinks every wedding needs –
1. On arrival non-alcoholic drinks for guests
Mocktails are great for lending an air of festivity to any celebration. At many weddings, the cocktails or mocktails are usually served immediately after the wedding ceremony, usually when the bride and groom get their photos taken. If you are hosting a dry wedding, there are many options for non-alcoholic spirits and mocktails these days that can be included in this part of the ceremony. Here are some of our recommendations for non-alcoholic cocktails for wedding guests on arrival –
1. Strawberry Bouquet Alcohol-Free Cocktail: This cocktail is a combination of Lyre’s Italian Spritz, White Cane Spirit, and Liquid Alchemist Strawberry, to which dehydrated rose petals and blood oranges are added. It’s a perfectly refreshing mocktail, especially for summer weddings.
2. Alcohol-Free Margarita: The Margarita mix uses the DHOS Orange Liqueur Alternative, Ritual Tequila Alternative, and dried fruit garnish to create an amazing non-alcoholic variant of the popular variant.
3. Chile Pomegranate Paloma: If you want to serve your guests a spicy twist on a classic tequila drink, then this is a great choice for you. This is made by combining Free Spirits Tequila and Limber and Co Real Grenadine.
Besides these three, there are many other great non-alcoholic cocktails mixes, like the Alternative Whiskey Cocktail, Better Spritz, and Lime, and Ginger Mule. There are some great options for pre-mixed non-alcoholic cocktails on Better Rhodes too.
2. Wine Alternatives for Sit-Down Dinner
Wine is an important part of weddings too. When you host the sit-down wedding dinner, you would naturally want to include some good wines that pair well with the food you’re offering. However, hosting a non-alcoholic wedding presents a challenge for choosing the right non-alcoholic alternative to serve with the food.
Up until a few years back, the state of alcohol-free wines offered by brands was pretty bad, to put it mildly. It was essentially watered-down grape juice, which was not the ideal combination for weddings. However, the revolution of non-alcoholic drinks has disrupted the wine industry too, as a result of which NA wines have come a long way. Many winemakers are following the traditional methods of making wine to make non-alcoholic alternatives, which are of excellent quality and taste. If you’re looking for wines to serve in your sit-down wedding dinner, here are some of our recommendations for wine alternatives –
3. Fre Merlot
4. For Bitter For Worse The Saskatoon
5. Lussory Premium Tempranillo
7. Luminara Non-Alcoholic Chardonnay
3. Non-Alcoholic Drinks for the Wedding Toast
The wedding toast is an important part of every wedding. The energy of the bubbles, the popping of corks, and the clinking of flutes is something of a tradition. With so many great champagnes and rose alternatives on offer today, couples holding a dry wedding don’t have to worry about this aspect anymore. There are many options for zero-alcohol rosés and sparkling wines which are made using state-of-the-art alcohol removal technology. These drinks will give you the same experience as the regular champagne without the booze. Our top recommendations for wedding toast drinks are –
1. Wolfer Spring in a Bottle: If you want an excellent dry rosé sparkling wine for your wedding toast, then this is a great choice. This vibrant and beautiful wine offers great acidity, which is balanced elegantly with the fruity taste. The bright rich rose color also looks sophisticated when poured into a glass.
2. V.I.B.E Gold NA Sparkling: Pouring out this sparkling wine from the sophisticated gold bottle will make for an exquisite wedding toast. The taste of this non-alcoholic bubbly is delicate and fresh, and it offers notes of pear, ripe orange, apricots, and peach.
3. Pierre Chavin- Le Petit Chavin Rose: If you don’t want to go with sparkling wines, choose this non-alcoholic rosé with bright reflections and a beautiful pink color. This wine is perfect for a summer day wedding, and a perfect accompaniment to appetizers too.
Look through the sparkling non-alcoholic wines and rosé wine alternatives on Better Rhodes, and choose one yourself.
4. Drinks for Hitting the Dance Floor
Who doesn’t like dancing at weddings? When the wedding band is belting out some great songs and classics, all you need is a great drink before hitting the dance floor. It’s a good idea to keep some non-alcoholic drinks for your guests for such an occasion. The great thing about non-alcoholic drinks is that they are really hydrating and refreshing. There are some excellent non-alcoholic spirits that can be used to make excellent alcohol-free drinks. Some of our recommendations are –
1. The Spirit of Tequila: This fiery non-alcoholic tequila alternative is made from functional ingredients and all natural flavors which will elevate the mood of your guests. This can be used for non-alcoholic cocktails like Tequila Sour, Classic Margarita, Mexican mule, and Paloma.
2. Monday Gin: A G&T is an excellent drink before your guests make their way to the dance floor. Use the Monday Gin, which is a non-alcoholic Gin alternative that boasts of a complex taste. This gin is vegan, keto and gluten free, and is made from all natural ingredients.
3. RumISH: Use this rum alternative to make some excellent daiquiris and mojitos. This rum is made from natural botanicals, and highlights a complex flavor of nutmeg, vanilla, and caramel.
4. Kentucky 74: If you’re offering alcohol-free cocktails to your guests, don’t forget to include a good whiskey alternative for those who don’t particularly enjoy cocktails. The Kentucky 74 is an alcohol-free bourbon whiskey that delivers high-quality taste and smooth finish.
Head on to Better Rhodes and explore some great alcohol free spirits and sophisticated mixers to create your own unique combination of alcohol-free cocktails.
5. Non-Alcoholic Beer
If you’re going to include alcohol-free cocktails and whiskeys, you can’t not include beers. There will certainly be some guests who will appreciate a good chilled non-alcoholic beer at a summer wedding. There are many different kinds of non-alcoholic beers you can offer your guests, from blondes to dark brews. However, it is a good idea to limit the NA beer selection to two or three options. It is best to choose NA beers that you know will be a crowd pleaser. Here are some of our recommendations for non-alcoholic craft beers –
2. Two Roots Enough Said Lager
3. Big Drop Brewing Pine Trail Pale
4. Bravus Brewing Raspberry Gose
5. Busty Lush She's Golden Blonde
Conclusion
With this, we’ve covered the various types of non-alcoholic beverages you can provide to your guests on your wedding day. By now, it must be amply evident that you do not need alcohol to make your wedding day more fun. With excellent options for non-alcoholic drinks flooding the market these days, it has become easier than ever to host an alcohol-free wedding. If you’re interested in checking out some other drink options, head on to Better Rhodes today!
References:
https://www.bridalguide.com/blogs/dry-wedding
https://www.theaisleguide.com/tips/8-tips-hosting-alcohol-free-wedding