The champagne toast is a beautiful moment that unites all of your wedding guests.
Our best advice, is to take a mental picture as you witness all of your loved ones raise a glass to wish you and your husband a lifetime of happiness.
Although champagne is traditionally the drink of choice for the toast, is it time for the glass of bubbly to step aside?
The beauty of modern weddings is that you’re no longer limited by convention. You can celebrate your special day however you feel most appropriate.
So, with that in mind, check out these fun alternatives to the typical champagne toast.
1. Have You Considered Serving Guests a Signature Cocktail?
Recently, it’s become fashionable to put your stamp on your special day with a signature cocktail.
If this is something you’re already considering, perhaps your chosen cocktail could be used for the toast?
You could arrange for your caterers to prepare pitchers of it in advance. That way they’ll be readily available to pour when you want to start your toast.
Here’s our advice on how to select your signature cocktail;
- Consider when you’re getting married. If you’re hosting a summer wedding, then you could include summer fruits like watermelon or strawberries. This is a thoughtful touch. Or, perhaps a floral infusion might be more your style. Lavender and rose flavored drinks work really well for spring weddings.
- Do you have a wedding color? If so, it makes sense for your signature cocktail to compliment your chosen theme. For example, if you’re going for pink then a cosmopolitan or a strawberry mojito would look fabulous!
- What are your thoughts on presentation and accessories? If you’ve seen some straws, special glasses, or pretty stirrers, that you think would add something special to your reception- factor that in when you’re selecting your cocktail. Steer towards a drink that would allow you to put this gorgeous gear to good use.
2. Are You Hosting a Winter Themed Wedding?
If you’re hosting a winter themed wedding, you should consider serving guests mulled wine or cider.
This is a perfect winter warmer and an ideal way to round off your theme. This is the sort of small touch that your guests are bound to be impressed by.
You could perhaps serve these drinks in gorgeous glass mugs and add a stick of cinnamon. This is an easy way to beautifully present a mulled toast.
3. Do You Want to Avoid Offering Alcohol for the Toast?
If you’re looking for an alcohol- free champagne alternative, then sparkling white grape juice offers an elegant solution.
It looks just like champagne, and tastes great!
Or, have you considered serving guests sparkling cider?
This is a classy take on a glass of bubbly. However, it’s non-alcoholic and based on apples.
As we’ve already alluded to, anything centered on cider is perfect for giving your wedding an autumnal edge.
These are also both brilliant alternatives if you’re planning a wedding on a tight budget.
4. Are Your Looking for Something More Rustic?
If that’s what you’re searching for, I have one word for you – beer.
This is a unique, yet suitable choice for an outdoor or, barn style wedding.
You should consider pouring servings of beer into tin beer mugs. This look is perfect for complimenting a shabby chic themed reception.
Perhaps you could also source an authentically brewed local ale. This is the perfect touch if you’re looking to flesh out the detailing of your rustic themed wedding. Alternatively, Guinness would work just as well.
5. Do You and Your Partner Have a Favorite Wine?
If you and your partner have a favorite wine, then it’s a lovely idea to incorporate it into your special day.
Your wedding day is about celebrating togetherness with your partner alongside your loved ones. What better way to do this than by serving something you both mutually love?!
Couple this with personalized name tags hanging from your guest’s glasses, and you’ve got yourself a fabulously unique champagne toast alternative.
6. Are You Looking for Something That Screams Summer?
Pimms and lemonade is a gorgeous drink to serve at a summer wedding.
When you add an assortment of fruit, mint leaves, and cucumber to this cocktail, it can look pretty impressive!
Perhaps you could have colorful jugs or punch bowls filled with Pimms and lemonade and dot them around your reception. This would be a delightful spectacle for your guests and very easy to organize.
Team this simple cocktail with a cute glass and a swizzle stick, and you’ve got yourself a summer sensation.
7. Are You Planning a Festival Wedding?
If you’re planning a festival wedding, then shots are an excellent alternative to the champagne toast.
Find some mini shot glasses and have pre-poured servings of your favorite spirit ready for your caterers to hand out to your guests.
This is probably the most controversial alternative, but if that’s your style – do it. It’s your day and don’t forget it!
8. Are You Still Set on Serving Champagne?
If these changes seem too radical, then you might like the sound of our next suggestion.
This involves serving the traditional champagne toast. However, you could add garnish to decorate your guest’s drinks.
Perhaps you could consider adding a few frozen raspberries into the champagne to keep it fresh?
Or, maybe place mini fruit skewers either on top or inside of your champagne flutes?
To achieve this look all you need is a cocktail stick and a couple of pieces of chopped fruit. Skewer the fruit onto the cocktail stick and space them out so that it’s pleasing to the eye.
Just like the above-mentioned cocktails, you could consider using seasonal fruits. This thoughtful touch is bound to impress your guests.
We hope this blog post’s fuelled you with inspiration for your own champagne toast. Let us know in the comments if you’ve considered using an alternative to champagne; we’d love to hear from you!
Happy planning!
Rosie Greaves – Freelance writer, and wedding and relationships expert.
Leave a Reply