Wedding Mocktails: Reception Drinks and Serving Quantities

Wedding mocktails should pour quickly and taste good without elaborate decoration. A clear chilled base is particularly useful for a reception.

A practical recipe

For ten small reception drinks, combine 400 ml white grape juice, 100 ml lemon juice and 100 ml elderflower cordial. Add 1 litre soda when serving. This gives 1.6 litres, or ten servings of 160 ml liquid. Garnish with a thin cucumber slice.

Plan the preparation

This quantity covers one reception drink per person, not the event’s total beverage requirement. Agree on glass size, refills and refrigeration with the service team. Clearly identifying the non-alcoholic serve helps distinguish similar-looking drinks.

Flavour and variations

Offer a few clearly different choices, such as floral and bitter, rather than many at once. Reduce cordial for a less sweet version and test the base beforehand. Avoid fruit pieces that can clog a drinks dispenser.

Preparation and serving

Chill the ingredients before mixing. Keep the juice base and sparkling ingredients separate until serving. Put ice in individual glasses where possible so a large pitcher does not dilute throughout the event. Stir any fruit-purée base before dividing it between glasses.

Make a small trial serving first. Juices, nectars and sodas vary in sweetness; once the ratio works, scale it up. Record the final quantities so the next pitcher tastes consistent.

Common question

Can I garnish the glasses beforehand? For a short wait, yes. Add ice and bubbles as late as practical to prevent dilution and flatness.

Compare the Hugo mocktail and aperitif guide .

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• Mocktails
• Recipes