Follow Your Herts & Beds Wedding Magazine on Facebook

VISIT SITE

Submit your wedding to be featured in Your Herts & Beds Wedding Magazine

VISIT SITE

Subscribe to Your Herts & Beds Wedding Magazine for free

VISIT SITE

Alternative Stretch Tents

VISIT SITE

Launching... The Wedding Cocktail Collection

Launching... The Wedding Cocktail Collection: Image 1

Gordon's London Dry Gin, Baileys, Tanqueray and Johnnie Walker, have partnered with the top names in the wedding industry to produce a beautiful new guide to the wedding trends of 2019, ready to inspire brides and grooms and make sure every wedding has delicious cocktails and food pairings that deliver the ultimate WOW factor.

Wedding Planner, Katria Otter has said: “Over the past few years weddings have evolved at a dramatic rate and whilst some trends come and go, others remain and soar in popularity. One consistent factor is the importance couples now place on food and drink and how carefully considered and intrinsically tied these are into an overall wedding vibe or style.”

Our wedding industry experts include wedding planner extraordinaire, Katrina Otter; trend-setting stylist Emma Harris; chef and broadcaster Rachel Khoo; and award-winning drinks specialists Sweet & Chilli. The experts have used their collective experience to inspire with THE big trends of the coming year, in food, drink & styling for the big day.

The collection has unveiled four key trends and released a bespoke portfolio of cocktails that perfectly complement each theme and have been specifically designed to work pre and post-wedding feast. Think creative cocktails that are brilliant alternatives to traditional welcome drinks, paired with tasty canapes and starters, and after-dinner cocktails that work perfectly with an array of desserts, and end-of-the-night cheese boards. Cheers to exciting and fun cocktails to make weddings even more unique through delicious food & drink.

The Trends:
1. The Celebration of Vegetarian and Vegan Food
With the growing rise in popularity of vegetarianism and veganism, it's no surprise that the wedding industry has followed suit, with a matching explosion of creative new vegetarian and vegan menus. Our wedding creative experts have come up with intentionally unexpected and exciting cocktails and vegan dishes, to surprise guests with a menu that is both fun and indulgent. With a rainbow of palettes reflected in the decor, this creates surprising twists and flair to this trend.

Perfect accompaniments to vegetarian and vegan dishes:
Pre-dinner Gordon's Lemon & Grapefruit Cooler: Perfect for a self-serve welcome drinks station on arrival to get your guests talking, Gordon's London Dry Gin is accompanied by lemon and grapefruit juice, with sugar and soda water stirred through to give a refreshing taste. Simply add some lemon and grapefruit wheels to serve an aesthetically beautiful cocktail. 
Pair with: Mini vegan mac and cheese. 

Pre-dinner Tanqueray Gin Floral martini: Tanqueray London Dry Gin and elderflower cordial are stirred together with Bergamot Liqueur and garnished with white flowers for an elegant welcome drink. 
Pair with: Vegan fritters. 

Post-dinner Baileys Almande Flat White martini: For the perfect vegan flat white, all you need to do is pair Baileys Almande with Smirnoff Vodka and espresso to create this delicious post-dinner treat. 
Pair with: Vegan doughnuts and profiteroles, combined with vegan dark chocolate or caramel sauce for dipping.

Post-dinner Johnnie Walker Noisette Sour: Johnnie Walker Black Label is accompanied by hazelnut liqueur, lemon and aquafaba (the vegan alternative to egg white), giving you the perfect twist on a whisky sour, complete with its iconic foam. Garnish it with a sprinkling of ground nutmeg and serve alongside dessert for a post-dinner drink.
Pair with: Dark chocolate vegan mud cakes with seasonal berries (from The Little Swedish Kitchen cookbook by Rachel Khoo).

2. Personal Gestures:
Carefully considered and creatively playful personal gestures have always been a key wedding feature. More than ever, couples are looking for ways to treat their guests to thoughtful favours and subtle gestures - think signature and personalised cocktails, create your own thank-yous, and an assortment of homemade treats and feasts.

Personalised drinks, and food pairing ideas:
Pre-dinner Gordon's Tea Punch: Use Gordon's London Dry Gin to give your guests the chance to make their own perfect gin cocktail with their favourite garnishes. Combine Gordon's London Dry Gin with Jasmine tea, high-quality apple juice and all-spice to create the perfect punch, served over a large block of ice in a large punchbowl. For ultimate personalisation, or go one step further and create a DIY garnish station for guests to have some fun with, We'd recommend citrus fruits, a choice of herbs, and even edible flowers.
Pair with: Pork pies with pastry hearts on top.

Pre-dinner Tanqueray Gin Strawberry Negroni: For this slightly sweeter pre-dinner version of a classic Negroni, combine Tanqueray London Dry Gin, Belsazar Red Vermouth and bitters with Strawberry syrup. Top tip - make enough for 2 serves and pour into mini bottles, label with the names of pairs of wedding guests, and serve in an ice bucket in the middle of each table & encourage your guests to share.
Pair with: King Prawn cocktails

Post-dinner Baileys Wedding Treat Bar: Present an array of your favourite sweet treat toppings such as pretzels, marshmallows and whipped cream to allow guests the opportunity to personalise their after-dinner hot drinks as part of a help yourself 'Treat Bar'. Add Baileys Original Irish Cream to indulgent, quality hot chocolate or coffee to create a hot chocolate with a twist.
Pair with: Indulgent toppings such as marshmallows, chocolate brownies, pretzels, popcorn and whipped cream.

Post-dinner Johnnie Walker Whisky, complete with a personalised label: What better way to treat your guests than by giving them a personalised bottle of your favourite whisky? To commemorate the special day, the bride and groom can create their very own personalised label on their whisky to share with loved ones, or makes a thoughtful, unique wedding gift. 
Pair with: Cheeseboard selection.

3. Minimalist Boho and Earthy Vibes:
Minimalistic styling combined with warm and inviting tones and earthy neutrals, join local and seasonal food offerings, and classic drinks with added garnish or infusions for a twist.

Minimalist, Boho and Earthy drinks, and food pairing ideas:
Pre-dinner Gordon's Floral Rhubarb Fizz: Fizzy, pink and floral, Gordon's Premium Pink Distilled Gin joins rhubarb syrup and tonic in a trend-hitting cocktail, ready to be batched into jugs with lots of ice and elegant, seasonal edible flowers. This cocktail will add a subtle pop of colour to the neutral tones of this minimalist trend.
Pair with: Antipasti sharing platter with bread, olives, sundried tomatoes.

Pre-dinner Tanqueray Gin Marmalade Punch: For this juicy sharing drink, mix Tanqueray Flor de Sevilla Gin with a good quality marmalade, lemon juice and soda. Add plenty of ice and garnish with wheels of dehydrated orange. A perfect alternative to a traditional welcome drink, that can be batched on mass and served in large jugs for guests to help themselves upon arrival.
Pair with: Wholemeal spiced paprika iced gems with avocado cream (from Rachel Khoo's Kitchen Notebook cookbook by Rachel Khoo).

Post-dinner Baileys Salted Caramel martini: For this rich, stirred down drink, build and shake Baileys Original Irish Cream, cream and salted caramel sauce and serve in a martini glass, for an indulgent twist on a classic cocktail. For the ultimate upgrade and photo-worthy look, dip the rim of the martini class into dark chocolate and coat with chopped pistachios before it dries - treating up at the end of the night has never been so easy and delicious.
Pair with: Selection of colourful truffles.

Post-dinner Johnnie Walker Long Violet: Lavender honey is added to Johnnie Walker Black Label for this gorgeous floral drink. Simply balance with some lemon and sugar, pour over ice and top with soda. As dried flowers feature throughout this trend, garnish your Johnnie Walker Long Violet with a sprig of lavender to help bring this trend to life further through the drinks.
Pair with: Mini creme brulee infused with lavender (from The Little Paris Kitchen cookbook by Rachel Khoo).

4. Fall, foliage and foraging:
Richly elegant, dramatic and intensely autumnal tones are hot for 2019. Dark plum vines, dramatic foliage, beautiful blooms and an abundance of tumbling fruit displays.

Fall, foliage and foraging drinks, and food pairing ideas:
Pre-dinner Gordon's Fruit and Leaf: Gordon's Sloe Gin is accompanied by freshly pressed apple juice and prosecco, and brought to life with a vibrant lime leaf garnish, delicately pinned to the glass to add an aromatic scent and added elegance to the appearance. Serve to guests on arrival, as a new, on-trend alternative to prosecco or champagne.
Pair with: Mini goats cheese, fig and rosemary tarts.

Pre-dinner Tanqueray Gin Green Tea Highball: To bring out the deep colouring of this fall drink, the on-trend flavour of matcha green tea is added to Tanqueray London Dry Gin - vibrant in colour and earthy in taste. The sweetness comes through with the addition of pineapple juice, lemon, sugar and soda. Garnish with a pineapple leaf for a simple yet sophisticated garnish.
Pair with: Blackberry and beetroot burrata bowl (from Rachel Khoo's website www.rachelkhoo.com).

Post-dinner Baileys Forest Chocolate: Create your own indulgent dessert station to really wow your guests, and pair with a decadent after-dinner drink. Try smooth and velvety Baileys Chocolat Luxe blended with creamy hot chocolate and cherry liqueur, for a sumptuous hot drink that perfectly pairs with rich desserts. Simply garnish with a melted chocolate rim and dried cherry pieces.
Pair with: Black Forest gateau with cherries.

Post-dinner Johnnie Walker Ginger Fig: For this long, spicy post-dinner cocktail, Johnnie Walker Black Label is combined with fig syrup, lemon and ginger ale, with half a fig placed on top to garnish. The flavours of fig and ginger pair perfectly with the post-dinner cheese board.
Pair with: Cheeseboard selection.

Wedding Planner Katrina Otter, has continued: “The menus and drinks offered to guests now also closely reflect the couple getting married – who they are, where they live, their values, their tastes and preferences. With on-trend cocktail inspiration, carefully selected food pairings and styling tips, weddings are about to taste delicious and look the part too.”

About Diageo Diageo is a global leader in beverage alcohol with an outstanding collection of brands across spirits, beer and wine categories. These brands include Johnnie Walker, Crown Royal, J&B, Buchanan's, Windsor, Smirnoff, Cîroc and Ketel One vodkas, Captain Morgan, Baileys, Don Julio, Tanqueray and Guinness. For more information about Diageo, our people, our brands, and performance, visit us at www.diageo.com

You may also be interested in

Five things that mean more to love than Valentine's gifts (and are free)

Five things that mean more to love than Valentine's gifts (and are free)

Dr Rachel Taylor is a neuropsychologist, podcast host and founder of...

READ ARTICLE

5 ways to get your pooch involved in your wedding

5 ways to get your pooch involved in your wedding

Planning a wedding is a whirlwind of nerves and excitement, and if you have a dog, you might want...

READ ARTICLE

Berkshire's Strictly Eventful on hand at CWE's Signature Wedding Show

Berkshire's Strictly Eventful on hand at CWE's Signature Wedding Show

Berkshire's Strictly Eventful is attending Country Wedding Events' Signature...

READ ARTICLE

How to create a bespoke drinks menu for your wedding

How to create a bespoke drinks menu for your wedding

Your wedding should be as personalised, luxurious and enjoyable as possible, and the drinks menu...

READ ARTICLE