When it comes to deciding whether you want to do an open bar reception or beer and wine only, I can say from experience, the weddings that incorporate signature drinks, are THE MOST FUN!

So in honor of National Cocktail Day, we decided to share the top 3 best ways to create THE MOST FUN AND UNIQUE BAR EXPERIENCE for your guests!

1) HIS AND HERS - Offering a cocktail for him and a cocktail for her is a GREAT way to go! Usually one partner has a specific drink they like and the other partner doesn’t care. It’s fun to show your ‘go-to drinks’ off to guests as they are the ones at your wedding and want to be a part of YOUR wedding day! So if everyone knows your husband only drinks whiskey gingers, then make that his signature drink! Don’t try to do something fancy just because you think that’s “too boring” because ultimately people will see through that, and then it won’t feel as genuine when people come up to order it. Greg the Groom’s friends know what Greg likes, so if his signature drink is a ‘Lavender Honey Gin Spritz’ (because you want it to look pretty) it won’t feel right. People want YOUR honest story. And this is such a simple and genuine way to do it.

2) ON BRAND - If you’re wanting to go a little more in depth and can’t decide on just 2 cocktails, then go with a FULL SPREAD OF COCKTAILS that match the theme with your wedding! Coming up with 3-4 different drinks, all with different alcohol bases makes it exciting for guests to come up to the bar and read about all their DIFFERENT OPTIONS! It is so fun to match the colors, flowers, and even glassware and napkins. It’s even more fun when each cocktail has a cute name so us bartenders can continue to share your story! Let’s say your mom is obsessed with sparkles and you want to show her some love on your big day, add a dash of edible fancy glitter to some champagne and give it a cute name for the amazing mother of the bride! The Sparkling Sharon is SO SHARON — and all your mom’s friends will LOVE seeing how she was included and most likely grab a few glasses and go take a picture with her! And BOOM — more memories made!

3) CLEAN & SIMPLE - This is a perfect option for those of you that want an OPEN BAR because your crew likes to party and or you just can’t decide on ONLY ONE DRINK to match your personality! Basically, your guests will see the all the different booze options behind the bar, because their nosy and excited, but still aren’t sure where to start! A cool way to go is to pick two of your crowd’s classic ‘going out’ drinks, and then put them on the drink menu displayed with funny names. Once they see your signature cocktails are a vodka soda and Coors light, they will love it and order it. Your grandma Sue will still be able to order her glass of chardonnay with one ice cube, your uncle Dave will still be able to order his whiskey neat no ice, your best friend from kindergarten who flew in from New York can still order her espresso martini. You and your partner, of course, will need to know your guests’ drink orders VERY well — because you will need to buy all the different alcohol each person likes, but again, this is such a great option for couples who want to throw a BIG PARTY!