38 Wedding Reception Signature Cocktail Ideas for a Summer Wedding

38 Wedding Reception Signature Cocktail Ideas for a Summer Wedding

Get into the summer spirits.

By Allyson Dickman

•   Updated on 05/05/21

Whether your summer nuptials are happening inside or outside, you’ll want to keep your guests cool and refreshed with a top-notch signature cocktail that captures the flavors and feeling of summer. Of course, your wedding details are up to your taste (and your soon-to-be spouse’s), but remember this: Your signature cocktails can set the tone of your wedding just as much as the reception decor, music, and food.

Can’t you just picture it? Your guests mingling in their best wedding-ready summer attire, beneath twinkling lights and floral arrangements, sipping on something slushy or fruity or both. The scene has all the makings of a beautiful summer wedding that your guests will never forget.

The best part about choosing a specialty cocktail for the night is you don’t have to pick just one. If you love tequila but your spouse is more into rum, combine your tastes with a cocktail made for each of you, then give your signature drinks a fun name. Our list below has a great mix, with flavor profiles ranging from unexpected to classic.

You’ll likely only decide on a couple of cocktails—unless you’re dreaming up a cocktail-centric reception—so try some of these at home before you talk to your caterer or bartender about what you want. Whichever signature cocktails make the final cut, the guests will definitely be happy—who doesn’t enjoy a good drink to celebrate love and happiness?How to Name Your Signature Wedding Cocktail01of 38

Coconut Margarita

Even if your wedding isn’t beachside, your guests will be feeling all of the ocean vibes with this creamy take on a margarita. Made with coconut milk and water, it gets its kick from tequila blanco and triple sec, and its tang comes courtesy of a fresh squeezed lime.

Get the recipe.02of 38

Spring Is In the Air

A simple cocktail deserves an elegant presentation. This recipe from St. Germain is easy on the palate—and on the eyes.

To make, you’ll need the below ingredients:

• 1 oz. Bombay Sapphire Gin
• 0.75 oz. St. Germain French Elderflower Liqueur
• 0.75 oz. Martini Ambratto
• 2 dashes orange blossom salive solution
• Basil or basil flower for garnish

Directions: Combine all ingredients in a rocks glass with a single jumbo ice cube.03of 38

St. Germain Prosecco

If you love elderflower and want it to shine a bit more, try this stripped-down cocktail from St. Germain.

To make, you’ll need the below ingredients:

• 1/2 part Santa Margherita Prosecco Superiore DOCG
• 1/2 part St. Germain French Elderflower Liqueur
• 2-3 drops Angostura Bitters per glass
• Lemon slices as garnish

Directions: Pour St. Germain into wine glasses, add drops of Angostura Bitters. Top with Santa Margherita Prosecco Superiore. Garnish with a lemon slice.04of 38

Sparkling Summer Peach

Even if you’re not usually a fan of vodka, the mellow fruit flavors in this drink might change your mind. Pineapple and lime juices come together for a bright, sweet, and slightly tangy addition to the peach-infused recipe from Beautiful Booze.

To make, you’ll need the below ingredients:

• 2 oz. Seagram’s Peach Vodka
• 1 oz. pineapple juice
• 1 oz. lime juice
• Sparkling wine, to top

Directions: Add all ingredients except sparkling wine into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake hard to chill and combine ingredients. Strain into your glass. Top with sparkling wine. Garnish and enjoy.05of 38

Raspberry Limoncello Prosecco

Don’t worry about the summer heat getting your guests down. With this fizzy sipper they’ll cool off, and be ready to party, in no time. All your bartender needs for this cocktail is Prosecco, limoncello, frozen raspberries, and some refreshing sprigs of mint.

Get the recipe.https://f2c888945e8d4659c848a49d9abac07a.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-38/html/container.html06of 38

The Royal Wedding

While most of our favorite royal nuptials tend to happen just before summer begins, this royal wedding-inspired recipe from St. Germain lets you bask in regal glory all year round.

To make, you’ll need the below ingredients:

• 1 oz. Cazadores Blanco Tequila
• 1 oz. Kaffir lime infused St. Germain French Elderflower Liqueur
• 0.75 oz. Noilly Dry
• 0.25 oz. of fresh lime juice
• 5 dashes chartreuse
• Kaffir lime leaf for garnish

Directions: Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker and shake lightly. Pour into a coupette and garnish with kaffir lime leaf.https://f2c888945e8d4659c848a49d9abac07a.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-38/html/container.html07of 38

Corralejo Tequila Tiki

Banana syrup may sound like an unlikely pairing for tequila, but its sweetness is tempered by sour lime juice and rounded out by bitters. This recipe from Beautiful Booze is simple but the flavor profile is complex in the best way.

To make, you’ll need the below ingredients:

• 2 oz. Corralejo Silver Tequila
• 1 oz. lime juice
• 1 oz. banana syrup
• 5 dashes of aromatic bitters

Directions: Crush ice ahead of time. Add all ingredients except bitters into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake hard to chill and combine ingredients. Strain into your glass over crushed ice. Top with bitters. Garnish and enjoy.https://f2c888945e8d4659c848a49d9abac07a.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-38/html/container.html08of 38

Blackberry Whiskey Lemonade

Nothing says summer like a fresh glass of lemonade. But nothing says summer wedding like a blackberry and whiskey version of the season’s classic. You can serve this cocktail made-to-order in mason jars, or have large pitchers on hand for quick pouring.

Get the recipe.https://f2c888945e8d4659c848a49d9abac07a.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-38/html/container.html09of 38

I Do

The subtle orange tinge of this cocktail from St. Germain is a perfect backdrop for deep, burnt orange and burgundy floral garnishes. Of course, a sprig of baby’s breath—or any other delicate flower—would be just as stunning.

To make, you’ll need the below ingredients:

• 2.5 oz. Beeswax Dewars 12
• 0.75 oz. St. Germain French Elderflower Liqueur
• 2 dashes Angostura Bitters
• Orange twist and nasturtium flowers for garnish

Directions: Combine all ingredients in a rocks glass with a single jumbo ice cube. Garnish with an orange twist and nasturtium flowers for a pop of color.10of 38

Strawberry Basil Paloma

A traditional Paloma combines three parts grapefruit soda and one part tequila. This fruitier update from Beautiful Booze brings agave syrup and strawberries into the mix for added sweetness, and balances it with vegetal notes from the basil leaves.

To make, you’ll need the below ingredients:

• 2 oz. Los Arangos Reposado Tequila
• 1 oz. grapefruit juice
• 0.5 oz. agave syrup
• 2 chopped strawberries
• 5 basil leaves
• Soda, to top
• Smoked sea salt, to rim

Directions: Rim your glass with smoked sea salt. Combine all ingredients except soda in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake to chill and combine ingredients. Fine strain into a hi-ball glass over fresh ice. Top with soda. Garnish and enjoy.11of 38

Bourbon Peach Sweet Tea

Throwing a southern wedding? Go classic with a good ol’ glass of sweet tea, sweetened even more with peach preserves and lemon juice. And of course, spike it with bourbon.

Get the recipe.12of 38

St. Germain Spritz

This classic is so simple but oh-so perfect. The recipe is foolproof, so this cocktail will always taste just right.

To make, you’ll need the below ingredients:

• 2 parts Martini & Rossi Prosecco
• 1.5 parts St. Germain French Elderflower Liqueur
• 2 parts club soda

Directions: Fill a tall collins glass with ice. Add Martini & Rossi first, then St. Germain, followed by club soda (the order is essential). Stir completely and garnish with a lemon twist.13of 38

Rum Orange Swizzle

Orange you so happy you just tied the knot? Your guests sure will be once they’ve had a sip of this wedding cocktail. It’s made with summer’s booze of choice, rum, and stirred with fresh squeezed orange juice, a sugar cube, maraschino liquor, and bitters. Don’t forget the cherry on top.

Get the recipe.14of 38

Italian Sling

A classic Gin Sling (which dates all the way back to the 1930s) contains lemon juice, cherry juice, dry gin, and club soda. This twist from Malfy Gin adds simple syrup, vermouth, and bitters—almost like a cross between the OG Sling and a Negroni, another summer staple.

To make, you’ll need the below ingredients:

• 1.5 oz. Malfy Gin
• 1 oz. Cinzano Rosso Vermouth
• 0.75 oz. fresh lemon juice
• 1 oz. simple syrup
• 2 dashes Angostura Bitters
• Club soda

Directions: Combine all ingredients in a highball glass with a single jumbo ice cube.15of 38

Grapefruit Ginger Spiced Rum Punch

Big batch cocktails can be a lifesaver when it comes down to time and money at your wedding. Consider this sweet, tart, and subtly spicy summer punch for yours. It gets its fizz from ginger beer and sparkling wine, and its tang from a fresh squeezed grapefruit.

Get the recipe.16of 38

Blueberry Ginger Mule

A Moscow Mule practically screams ‘summer’—a bright cocktail inside a frosty copper mug, keeping everything cool in the summer heat. This recipe from Deep Eddy Vodka uses lemon-infused vodka and a homemade blueberry cordial. Yum!

To make, you’ll need the below ingredients:

• 1 oz. Deep Eddy Lemon Vodka
• 1 oz. Deep Eddy Straight Vodka
• 2 oz. blueberry cordial*
• Goya Ginger Beer

Directions: Combine all ingredients in a copper mug filled with crushed ice.

Blueberry Cordial Ingredients:

• 1 lb. frozen blueberries
• Zest and juice of 1 lemon and 1 orange
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1/4 cup white vinegar

Directions: Combine all ingredients in saucepan over medium heat until sugar is dissolved and blueberries burst. Cool and strain.17of 38

Woodford Spire

Bourbon lovers, this one’s for you. It doesn’t get much simpler than this Woodford Reserve recipe. Cranberry lemonade with your favorite spirit—can’t you just see yourself sitting on a porch swing and sipping this as the midsummer sun goes down?

To make, you’ll need the below ingredients:

• 1.5 oz. Woodford Reserve Bourbon
• 2 oz. lemonade
• 1 oz. cranberry
• Lemon twist garnish

Directions: Combine all ingredients in a highball glass with a single jumbo ice cube or copper cup filled with crushed ice.18of 38

Don’t Worry About It

Gamble Scrantom of Bar Biscay in Chicago dreamt up this beautiful concoction. Rose ale and honey add floral notes that are balanced by bitters and a salty rim. It’ll look pretty in pictures and you’ll probably want to go back for another round.

To make, you’ll need the below ingredients:

• 1.5 oz. Novo Fogo Tanager
• 0.5 oz. Neisson Rhum Agricole Blanc
• 0.5 oz. lime juice
• 0.75 oz. honey syrup
• 3 drops Hellfire Bitters
• Forbidden Root Sparkling Rose Ale, to top
• Guajillo and salt rim

Directions: Combine all ingredients in a highball glass with a few large ice cubes.19of 38

Strawberry Mamie Taylor

Who says a scotch whiskey drink can’t be fruity? Strawberry puree gives this cocktail from Curich|Weiss a frothy finish, and the ginger cuts the sweetness. Whip this up just in time for strawberry season.

To make, you’ll need the below ingredients:

• 2 parts Monkey Shoulder
• 1/2 part lemon juice
• 3/4 part ginger syrup
• 1/4 part strawberry puree
• Soda water, to top

Directions: Shake all ingredients together, pour into a highball glass with a few ice cubes, then top with soda.20of 38

Lobo Negro

Blackberries and ginger isn’t exactly a classic flavor combo, but they balance each other out to be a delicious base for smoky mezcal and tart lime juice. This recipe from Curich|Weiss is the perfect use for ripe summer berries.

To make, you’ll need the below ingredients:

• 2 parts Montelobos Mezcal
• 3/4 part ginger syrup
• 1 part fresh lime juice
• 4 blackberries for muddling and 3 blackberries for garnish

Directions: Add blackberries to a cocktail shaker and muddle. Combine the rest of the ingredients and shake well to mix. Strain over fresh ice into a rocks glass. Garnish with three blackberries on a pick.21of 38

Ancho Verde Margarita

A well-made classic margarita is a good go-to any time of year, but summertime practically calls for that perfect balance of sweet, sour, and salty.

To make, you’ll need the below ingredients:

• 1 part Milagro Silver Tequila
• 1 part Ancho Reyes Verde
• 1 part fresh lime juice
• 1/3 part agave nectar

Directions: Combine all ingredients in a shaker, add ice, shake hard and strain over fresh ice into a rocks glass with half of the rim salted. Garnish with a lime wheel.22of 38

Little Devil

Maple syrup usually pairs well with fall flavors, but in this case, it adds a richer sweetness to the citrusy base of this vodka cocktail. Soda water adds a few bubbles to make it feel even more festive.

To make, you’ll need the below ingredients:

• 1.75 oz. Reyka Vodka
• 0.75 oz. fresh lemon juice
• 0.75 oz. maple syrup B grade
• 0.75 oz. Ancho Reyes
• Soda water, to top

Directions: Combine all ingredients together in cocktail shaker. Shake, strain, and serve.23of 38

Highland Sour

A frothy egg white elevates any cocktail, and this sour is no different. It’s super versatile, allowing you to spike with scotch or mezcal, and giving you the choice of orange or strawberry preserves. Just another way to customize every detail of your wedding.

To make, you’ll need the below ingredients:

• 1 part Drambuie
• 1/2 part Blended Scotch or Mezcal
• 1/2 part Cynar
• 1/4 part lemon juice
• 1 part Chameleon Mexican Coffee
• 0.5 tsp. preserves, orange or strawberry
• 3/4 part or 1 egg white
• Dash of Angostura Bitters for garnish

Directions: Combine with ice, shake, double strain, and serve. Garnish with dash of Angostura Bitters.24of 38

Hudson Valley Cooler

This Curich|Weiss recipe is a great cocktail because it will transition so easily from summer to fall—the citrus feels summery and the apple cider is true to autumn, so you can carry this drink through multiple seasons.

To make, you’ll need the below ingredients:

• 2 parts Hudson Maple Cask Rye
• 1⁄2 part fresh lemon juice
• 1⁄4 part real maple syrup
• 2 parts fresh apple cider
• Apple slices for garnish

Directions: Add lemon juice, maple syrup, and Maple Cask Rye to a shaker with ice and shake briefly to combine and chill. Strain over fresh ice cubes into a rocks glass and top with apple cider. Stir to combine and garnish with apple slices.25of 38

Flor de Caña Piña Colada

This Curich|Weiss recipe is a classic piña colada in all its glory: Mix rum, pineapple juice, and coconut cream with crushed ice for blended bliss in a glass. For a tropical destination wedding, this is what guests will be craving.

To make, you’ll need the below ingredients:

• 2 1/2 parts Flor de Caña 7 Rum
• 3 parts pineapple juice
• 1 part coconut cream
• Pineapple wedge for garnish

Directions: Combine the FDC 7, pineapple juice, and coconut cream in a blender. Add a cup of crushed ice and blend on high until smooth. Pour into a tall glass and garnish with a pineapple wedge.26of 38

Champagne Cobbler

Another simple drink, this will make a lot of folks happy. Champagne (or a less-expensive bubbly like Prosecco), fresh citrus, and simple syrup are all you need.

To make, you’ll need the below ingredients:

• 0.5 oz. simple syrup
• Orange twist
• Lemon twist
• Champagne
• Peychaud’s Bitters
• Mint and berries for garnish

Directions: Combine simple syrup, oils from citrus twists, and citrus twists into a pint glass. Add crushed ice up to about 1/2 inch below the rim of the glass. Fill glass with Champagne and stir with a swizzle stick. Add a thin layer of crushed ice and add several dashes of Peychaud’s to create a layered color effect. Top with more crushed ice and garnish with mint sprig and fresh berries.27of 38

Tropical Negroni

Whatever you think a negroni should taste like, forget it for a second and check out this drink. It’s got the vermouth and Campari, but swaps in rum (or tequila) where the gin would usually be. Then it balances this boozy beverage with strawberry simple syrup and pineapple juice. The pineapple “glass” is a nice touch but not necessary—especially considering your guests will likely go back for seconds and thirds.

Get the recipe.28of 38

Equinox Vibes

Ross, master mixer at Perfect Pour, promises that even lifelong gin deniers will question their rationale after sipping this drink. Juniper, lemongrass, and citrus notes meld beautifully into what Ross calls “a no-brainer for any summertime shindig.”

To make, you’ll need the below ingredients:

• 1 oz. pineapple juice
• 1 oz. lemon juice
• 0.75 oz. lemongrass syrup
• 0.5 oz. Aperol Aperitivo
• 1.5 oz. Royal Dock Navy Strength Gin
• 0.5 oz. Peychaud’s Bitters

Directions: Combine all ingredients, except the bitters, in a shaker. Shake and strain over crushed ice. Add several dashes of Peychaud’s Bitters to create a solid band of color at the top of the cocktail.29of 38

Summer Bouquet

The name and look of this cocktail by Beautiful Booze is enough to catch the eye, but the details might help convince you to serve it at your wedding. Practically speaking, it can be made in large quantities. Just add ice to a beverage dispenser and voila! Self-serve. In case you want to keep things controlled behind the bar, the bartender can garnish with mini-bouquets of your choice. Hint: Consider edible flowers similar to the bridal party bouquets.

To make, you’ll need the below ingredients:

• 1.5 oz. White Port
• 1 oz. Green Chartreuse
• 0.75 oz. honeysuckle simple syrup

Directions: Combine ingredients in a mixing glass with ice. Stir gently for 30 seconds to chill and slightly dilute. Strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice. Garnish with a mini bouquet made from a lime rind wrapped around leafy greens and a fresh flower.30of 38

Peach Nectar Ginger Beer

Peaches are in their peak during the summer, so capitalize on the sweetness of the fruit then temper it with craft ginger beer for this refreshing treat by Brooklyn Crafted.

To make, you’ll need the below ingredients:

• 1.5 oz. Handcrafted Peach Vodka
• 3.5 oz. Brooklyn Crafted Ginger Beer Mini in Mango
• Sliced fresh peaches

Directions: Combine all ingredients in a glass filled with ice and sliced peaches, and stir.31of 38

Bolivian Pisco Ginger Beer Mojito

Pisco is a lightly-colored brandy made in Peru and Chile using fermented grape juice. In this drink by Brooklyn Crafted, Pisco is paired with the ingredients of a classic mojito, then topped with ginger beer for a tasty twist.

To make, you’ll need the below ingredients:

• Lime
• Mint leaves
• 1 sugar cube
• 1.5 oz. Pisco
• Brooklyn Crafted Extra Spicy Ginger Beer

Directions: Muddle lime, mint leaves, and sugar cube. Add juice from one half a lime and Pisco. Top with Brooklyn Crafted Ginger Beer.32of 38

Strawberry Basil Mule

What’s better than a classic Moscow Mule? One that amps up the flavor with basil and fresh strawberries. Drink this cocktail by Brooklyn Crafted all summer and you’ll be craving it the rest of the year.

To make, you’ll need the below ingredients:

• 8 strawberries
• Half a lime
• Basil sprig
• 1.5 oz. premium vodka
• 3.5 oz. Brooklyn Crafted Ginger Beer Mini in Lemon & Lime

Directions: Muddle fresh strawberries (roughly six), two lime wedges, and basil in a copper mule mug. Top with ice, vodka, and Brooklyn Crafted Ginger Beer. Garnish with remaining strawberries, lime wedge, and basil leaves.33of 38

Diablo

Crème de cassis, a black currant liqueur, gives this drink by Bruce Cost Ginger Ale a syrupy base that balances perfectly with the slight saltiness of the tequila and tartness of the lime juice. Ginger ale marries the flavors beautifully.

To make, you’ll need the below ingredients:

• 0.75 oz. lime juice
• 0.5 oz. crème de cassis
• 1.5 oz. El Tesoro Reposado Tequila
• 4 oz. Bruce Cost Ginger Ale Original

Directions: Combine all ingredients in a glass filled with ice and stir.34of 38

Sparkling Punch

Doesn’t this just look like a summer cocktail? It’s got the bonafide summertime wine—rosé—and fresh strawberries, thinly sliced to add extra color and flavor. Limoncello is an unexpected but yummy addition to this Santa Margherita recipe.

To make, you’ll need the below ingredients:

• 1 750-ml bottle chilled Santa Margherita Sparkling Rosé
• 3/4 cup limoncello
• 1 cup fresh raspberries
• 1 cup quartered fresh strawberries
• 1 medium lemon, thinly sliced, seeds removed

Directions: In a large pitcher, combine the limoncello, raspberries, and strawberries. Top with the chilled rosé champagne and stir in half of the lemon wheels. Pour into old-fashioned glasses with ice. Place fruit in each glass and garnish with a lemon wheel. Ensure each glass contains fresh berries.35of 38

Cucumber, Lime & Basil Prosecco Spritzer

This Santa Margherita recipe is for the summer sippers who don’t want something too sweet. Cucumber and basil have distinctly vegetal flavor, so the only sweetness comes from the Prosecco.

To make, you’ll need the below ingredients:

• 1 lime, juiced
• 4 basil leaves
• 4 cucumber slices
• Santa Margherita Prosecco Superiore DOCG, to top

Directions: Muddle lime juice, basil, and cucumber in a shaker glass. (For extra flavor infusion, allow mixture to marinate in the fridge for at least one hour.) Add ice and shake mixture. Strain the juice only (about 0.5 oz.) into a Prosecco glass. Top with Santa Margherita Prosecco Superiore DOCG and garnish with a basil leaf and cucumber slice.36of 38

Sparkling Raspberry Lemonade

When looking for fresh summer produce for this yummy cocktail, don’t forget about raspberries. They’re small but pack a sweet punch that’s heightened by the lemon and sugar in this Santa Margherita cocktail.

To make, you’ll need the below ingredients:

• 1 bottle Santa Margherita Prosecco Superiore DOCG
• 1/8 cup sugar
• 1/8 cup lemon juice
• 0.5 tbsp. lemon rind, grated
• 1 cup raspberries, muddled

Directions: Combine sugar and juice in a small saucepan, bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 1 minute, stirring until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat. Stir in lemon rind and 1⁄2 cup of mashed raspberries. Combine mixture and Santa Margherita Prosecco Superiore in pitcher. Sprinkle remaining lemon rind and raspberries among the glasses.37of 38

Ginger Sage

Sage and ginger might sound more appropriate for cooking than for mixing up signature cocktails, but that’s what makes this Santa Margherita recipe special. It’s a little sweet and subtly fruity, and your guests will never see this flavor combo coming.

To make, you’ll need the below ingredients:

• 1 bottle of Santa Margherita Prosecco Superiore DOCG
• Simple syrup
• 1 cup honey
• 3 cups water
• 2 whole pears, peeled, cored, and diced
• 1 large piece of ginger, peeled and diced
• 20 fresh sage leaves (plus more for garnish)

Directions: In a saucepan combine the honey and water over medium heat and bring to a light boil. Turn the heat down to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the honey has dissolved completely. Add the pears, ginger, and sage leaves. Simmer, stirring occasionally until the mixture has reduced by 1/3 (about 15-20 minutes). Remove from heat and let the mixture steep for an additional 10 minutes. Strain the syrup into a large canning jar or thick glass bowl. Discard the ginger and sage leaves. Place a few pieces of the cooked pear into each stemless wine glass followed by 2 tbsps. of the simple syrup. Add Santa Margherita Prosecco Superiore and serve.38of 38

Sparkling Hibiscus

The best kind of edible flower is one that gives a pop of fresh flavor. The hibiscus syrup in this Santa Margherita cocktail gives it a not-too-sweet base for the Prosecco. As an added bonus, a single hibiscus bloom rests at the bottom of the glass, making this cocktail truly insta-worthy.

To make, you’ll need the below ingredients:

• Santa Margherita Prosecco Superiore
• Whole hibiscus flowers, packed in syrup
• 8 tsps. of hibiscus syrup used to pack the flowers

Directions: Place a whole hibiscus flower in the bottom of each glass. Fill glasses with Santa Margherita Prosecco Superiore to 3⁄4 of the rim. Carefully spoon 2 tsps. of the hibiscus syrup down the interior side of every glass.