Getting married is one of the most important things we will ever do in life. It is natural that those who have decided to tie the knot will want everything to be just perfect; but as anyone who has ever
organised a wedding will know, it can be something of a minefield.
According to a 2018 survey, the average cost of a wedding in the UK is now a whopping £30,355. On the other hand, a great shindig can be had for as little as £1,000. Many of the larger chain hotels have packages on offer that include wine, although this is likely to be restricted to ‘house’ wines.
Short of eloping or paying through the nose for a ‘professional’ party planner, most of us will have a mix and match approach to how things are organised. Focusing on your budget, and how many guests you will want to attend, will help to concentrate the mind, whether paying for the wedding yourself, or getting mum and dad or your mates to chip in.
What is most important to you; having friends and family on hand to celebrate, or a bit of one-upmanship and a wedding that makes the headlines?
Some of the very best weddings I have attended have been of the ‘homemade’ variety, with friends and relatives all contributing in some way; which can give a really personal flavour to a memorable occasion.
For me, for such a special occasion, it really has to be bubbly. Many of us choose to opt for Champagne, but nowadays Prosecco or Cava, or even better, one of our own homegrown award-winning sparkling wines, remain popular for those with an eye to the cost. Half a glass is sufficient for the toast itself, so one standard sized bottle will serve seven to nine people.
If your wedding venue is providing the booze, then expect a mark-up of 300% on the price you would pay in your local supermarket or wine merchant.
With the market for weddings being highly competitive, you should be able to negotiate an ‘all-in’ deal which will help to keep the cost down.
Assuming that you know your guests’ preferences, it may well be that they prefer beer, cocktails or other drinks. Also allow for non-drinkers, youngsters and the elderly who will consume less, in theory at least.
For wine enthusiasts, it can be more cost effective to purchase your own wines, and a quick trip across the Channel, the outcome of Brexit aside, can be a great way to cut costs. If supplying your own alcohol, you will usually need to factor in fees for corkage, which can be as much as £15 per bottle, but can still save a significant amount of money.
The site www.moneysavingexpert.com have a link to their own Wine Discount Finder which will help you to search for discounted offers. Also worth checking, is the wine section of shopping comparison site www.mysupermarket.co.uk.
Many wine merchants offer a ‘sale or return’ policy, allowing you to return any unopened bottles, along with free glass hire if required.
Personalised ‘wedding’ wine labels, available from several sites at around 50p, can be a good way of offering less expensive wine without your guests feeling that you are doing things on the cheap.
The timing of your wedding and the style of food served can also have a big impact on what alcohol you choose to serve, and how much. When calculating quantities, allow around 1⁄2 bottle per person.
More booze will be required for a reception that leads onto a full-blown evening meal and post-nuptial party rather than a lunchtime wedding, or even a summer-time afternoon tea, where Pimm’s could be just the job.
For most of us, finding an easy to drink and inexpensive wine is most important, in which case I would tend to stick to a red Côtes du Rhône Village, a white Muscadet Sèvre et Maine sur Lie and something along the lines of a Crémant from Burgundy or Alsace, all of which will can be found for under £7 a bottle, even less if you catch them on promotion.
Above all, remember that the best wines are the ones that you drink with friends.
ARTICLE FEATURED IN SOMERSET LIVING - FEB 19
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