Choosing the wines for your wedding can feel daunting—you want your guests to enjoy every sip. However, with the right guidance, selecting wines can become one of the most enjoyable parts of your wedding planning. Here’s how to make the process smooth and fun.

What style shall I go for?

When selecting wines, consider the location, venue, and season of your wedding. For a summer wedding with high temperatures, avoid full-bodied reds or heavily oaked Chardonnays. Instead, opt for a lighter red, such as an elegant Burgundy or a Loire red, and a crisp, refreshing white like Gavi, Lugana, Soave, or Roero Arneis.

Having a chilled rosé available is also a great idea. While not everyone loves rosé, it’s a wonderful addition to a summer wedding. Plan to order fewer bottles of rosé than white and red wines.

Decide whether you want to serve a different wine for each course or choose one red and one white wine for the entire meal.

Sparkling or Champagne?

Weddings are a celebration, and memorable moments call for Champagne. We recommend a Brut Champagne that can be served with or without food. Champagne Thiénot Brut is an elegant, fresh, and fruity Champagne, perfect for your reception.

Depending on your budget, you might choose to serve Champagne for the reception and speeches or just for toasts. For a tighter budget, consider a sparkling alternative like a Vouvray from the Loire, made by the traditional method – that means it is bottle fermented, with the regular riddling of the bottles, unlike the cheaper sparkling wines, which are bottled and sold straightaway in an open tank. They haven’t got Champagne’s strict rules, requiring minimum cellar ageing, but it is still a longer process than the Prosecco (Charmat) method – It offers excellent quality without the Champagne price tag.

Wedding themes

Your wedding wines should complement the overall theme and timing of your wedding. For summer weddings, avoid heavy reds in high heat. For winter or near-Christmas weddings, consider fuller-bodied wines and perhaps add port and cheeses for a festive touch.

Food and wine pairing

Couples usually decide on the menu first and then pair wines accordingly, but we can also recommend dishes to complement your chosen wines. If your venue is flexible with the menu, wine pairing can be a lot of fun.

You don’t have to stick to tradition; a light red like Valpolicella, Chinon, or Nicolas de Bourgueil from the Loire, or a Portuguese red, can pair beautifully with delicate fish such as cod or seabass.

What’s the ideal number of bottles?

As a general rule, plan for six small (125ml) glasses per bottle. If the wine is poured by the venue staff, they will stick to the measures. If bottles are left on the tables, expect more generous pours.

Multiply the number of guests by the number of glasses to determine the quantity needed. You’ll generally need more wine and Champagne at the reception and a bit less during the meal. Allow three glasses of Champagne per guest at the reception and additional glasses for toasts. Some guests drink less, and others drink more, so it’s a good balance.

Make sure you add a glass for the toasts (or two depending on your budget) – it will be a good idea to calculate this separately and put the bubbles securely away in the fridge venue, so it’s not mixed up with the reception stocks – be clear with the staff venue what you want them to bring out and mark the wine cases. The last thing you want is no bubbles when the speech starts!

For meals, if serving different wines per course, plan for two glasses per guest per course. If serving one white and one red throughout the meal, plan for four glasses per person.

We can help you calculate the right quantities so you can confidently order the correct number of bottles. We understand how wedding expenses can quickly escalate, and we’re committed to helping you stay within your budget. Remember, it is better to have wine left over than your guests going thirsty. It’s your wedding day! You can take the wine home, so it’s never wasted.

Large formats

We can’t recommend enough having magnums for special occasions. They not only enhance the quality of the wine but also add a special touch to your wedding. Although they cost a little more than two bottles, the reaction from your guests will be priceless.

Get in touch

Choosing the perfect wines for your wedding should be a delightful experience, and we are here to help you every step of the way. To thank you for visiting our website and reading our blog, we are offering a 10% discount on our wines for sampling before your big day. Use the discount code WEDDING10 at checkout to enjoy this offer.

Sampling our wines will give you a better idea of what will best complement your celebration. Once you’ve made your selections, we can discuss a customised pricing plan that suits your wedding budget.

For more information and expert advice, email [email protected]. We look forward to helping make your wedding day truly unforgettable!