How to choose wine for a wedding?

It’s one the most important days of your life so you want everything to be perfect but also it has to be in line with your budget. Your choice of wines fits into that statement perfectly but there is so much choice whether it be Pinot Noir at the rehearsal dinner or a sparking wine toast at the reception, there is a perfect bottle of wine for your special day.

While there is a lot of wisdom and guidance out there about fine wine, the most important thing is that the wine is part of the celebration, so don’t get too caught up in discussions of traditional pairings or rules. At the end of the day, the best wine to serve at a wedding is a wine that you and your guests will enjoy drinking.

That may be easier said than done as there is a lot to consider when it comes to logistics. Firstly, how much wine should you buy for a wedding? Is there a champagne alternative (especially English Sparkling wine)? You want to serve wine that will account for the different tastes of your guests, pair well with the menu, and fit the overall theme of the wedding. You also want to make sure you have enough for the evening.

What factors should you consider when considering the best wine to serve at your wedding? And which should you go with, according to your tastes and budget? Whether you are getting married at Stanlake Park or not, we can help you.

Tips on Choosing Your Wedding Wine Selection

While selecting a wine out at dinner is as simple as asking yourself which sounds the best (or which wine pairs best with your dish), choosing wine for a wedding is an entirely different proposition. There’s a lot more to take into account such as guests, food, and even theme, for example. Consider the following when making your own wedding wine choices.

Your wine selection should enhance your chosen wedding menu. We’ve all heard the wisdom that red wine goes with red meat, while white wine goes with chicken and fish. That’s not always true; there are many red wines and white wines that pair very well with all sorts of meals, so don’t feel bound by old-school convention. At the end of the day, you want to be drinking wine you enjoy.

At a minimum, you should have one red and one white wine. You want each of these to be wines that work in a variety of contexts. Think something like Stanlake Park’s Regatta, Bacchus or the Reserve. These are more mild white and red wines that won’t overpower the flavours of the hors d’oeuvres or food you are serving.

Ideally, you should try to choose your wines at the same time that you choose your menu. You could even taste how a glass of wine goes with different dishes. Otherwise, for the few months before placing your order, pay attention to different types of wines. Maybe buy a bottle of wine you don’t usually drink to see how it tastes. If you have a go-to favourite wine, then try drinking it with the type of entrée you’ll have at your wedding and see if you like the pair. There’s a lot of wine out there, so don’t be afraid to experiment.

Choose Wine That Fits Your Theme, Venue, and the Season

If you want to go beyond a red and a white, then try to find wines that pair with your wedding theme.  An obvious example is if you are getting married in a vineyard you must drink the wine from that vineyard otherwise you may as well be getting married anywhere.  You should also make sure there’s plenty of sparkling wine for toasts so work out how many toasts there will be. 

Also think about the kind of wedding you’re hosting, as well as the time of year. A summer wedding, for example, should have plenty of white wine. For brunch weddings, consider offering rosé, which is a longstanding popular choice for spring. For a winter wedding or an indoor wedding, lean more heavily on red wine. You want the wedding wine to fit the ceremony atmosphere in general.

How Many Bottles Will We Need

Nobody wants to run out of wine at their wedding. That said, you also don’t want to lug multiple unopened cases of wine home that night either.

About half a bottle per guest is generally a good rule of thumb. If you’re having a smaller wedding with fifty or so guests, you can tailor this more specifically to your knowledge of how many guests will drink heavily or lightly. The thought here is that guests will be drinking wine at the cocktail hour and then might have one or two glasses with their meal, which could mean three glasses per guest. That’s a lot of wine!

Some other factors to consider include the time of day of your wedding, the age of your guests, and how many hours your event will be. If most of your guests are under 40 (but over 18), chances are they might drink more heavily. At evening weddings, unsurprisingly, guests often consume more wine than they do at morning weddings. Likewise, a wedding that lasts six hours requires more wine than a wedding that lasts four hours. Therefore, start with half a bottle per guest, then round up or down based on your knowledge of the event and the guests.

The proportions also matter. For indoor weddings, about 50 percent of your wine should be red, 40 percent white, and then the rest enough sparkling wine to cover a toast (divide your guests by about eight to decide how many bottles). At outdoor weddings, guests tend to opt for more white or rosé as well, so that will change your proportions, too.

Buying wine for your wedding can be a nervy process. While wanting to serve the best wedding wine for your affair, you also want to make sure you purchase the right amount and stay on budget. Keep these guidelines, tips, and recommendations in mind as you navigate this area of your wedding menu and you and your guests are sure to enjoy. And remember that our team will be happy to assist you with tasting or purchases of Stanlake Park wines for your wedding, even if you have chosen another venue.

Hopefully, you can plan your wedding wines with confidence so let’s raise a toast to the bride and groom, congratulations.

Looking for a wedding venue? Have a look at our unique vineyard weddings.