A Shot of Celebration

When you’re in the spotlight all day, it pays to have a plan for enjoying a drink at your reception

By Carley Ribet
CTW Features

As the bride and groom on the big day, with all the planning behind you, you might want to clink your glass in a toast or three and celebrate your wedding. And while that’s all well and good, setting some boundaries on your alcohol intake might be a good idea in order to avoid embarrassing slip-ups, photos and the like.

So where exactly is the equilibrium between getting smashed and just having a smashing good time? According to Liz Scott, author of “Zero Proof Cocktails” (Ten Speed, 2009), says that the amount you drink at your wedding reception is a decision for each couple to make. “It’s certainly a personal call,” she says. “It’s always good to at least look nice for photos. You don’t want to look red-eyed.”

Additionally, Scott adds that when drinking may lead to snafus with guests. “When we drink we tend to forget things, and there will be certain people we want to thank for coming, or to personally say hi to. If you don’t drink, it keeps you more alert,” she says.

Rachel Munro, a wedding coordinator and owner of Bridal By the Sea in Newport, N.C., has a straightforward formula that she recommends if the bride and groom want to have a celebratory drink or few: “The typical reception lasts anywhere between four and five hours. Based on that, they should not drink more than four drinks throughout the evening.”

Additionally, Munro suggests that although more than one drink is acceptable, you should stick to one type of drink. It doesn’t matter whether you have beer, wine or a mixed drink, just that you stick to one type.

“That’s a personal choice,” Munro says. “Some people do better with mixed drinks. Whatever it is though, as long as they stick to the same thing, that’s what matters. Stick with whatever you started with. That’s a good rule of thumb.”

At your wedding, it’s also important to remember to stay hydrated.

“Most brides, when they get nervous get dehydrated, so we like to make sure that there is ample amount of water or tea to balance out the alcohol that is being served,” adds Munro.

One way to make sure this is taken care of is to ask the bartender to create a non-alcoholic selection of beverages. “If it’s an open bar, it’s appropriate to request that you’d like to have a good offering of alcohol-free beverages that go beyond the kind of things you can get in a vending machine,” says Scott. “Sometimes bartenders have clever ideas or they offer something that is festive and fun that non-drinkers normally wouldn’t find.”

Though each bride and groom must decide for themselves what is appropriate, making sure to not embarrass yourself on your big day should be the priority.

“Most brides and grooms are not as young as they used to be” Munro says. “They usually know how to avoid hangovers and embarrassing situations. Take it down a little bit for your wedding. The worst thing would be for you too look back at pictures and not even remember what you were doing.”

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