Alcoholic & Non-Alcoholic Wedding Drink Station Ideas
Two champagne glasses on a wood table with a sign. Image by Kadarius Seegars.
The drinks you offer at your wedding celebration are almost as important as the food! After all, guests will be parched from cheering your first kiss and showing their best moves on the dance floor.
When planning your wedding, you’ll need to decide if you will serve alcohol and how your guests will access non-alcoholic beverages. The most efficient, cost-effective way to do this is by creating drink stations throughout your wedding venue.
Not only will you be able to customize your offerings to match your theme and reflect the unique aspects of your relationship, but guests will enjoy being able to easily access their drink of choice with some fun wedding drink decorations to top them off!
Here are some ideas for alcoholic and non-alcoholic wedding drink stations and how you can elevate their design to create an experience your guests won’t soon forget!
Alcoholic Wedding Drink Station Ideas
Tropical Tiki Bar
If you’re getting married in the summertime or on a beach, a tropical tiki bar is the perfect addition to your drink station line up! Choose two or three fun cocktails, like Sex on the Beach or Malibu Seabreeze so guests can live it up in the sand.
Don’t forget fun tiki-themed decor to tie the whole theme together. Leis, coconuts, and tiny umbrellas will really make a big impact!
Elegant Champagne Tower
A bride and groom pouring over a champagne glass tower. Image by Level Events.
Want your wedding to exude class and elegance? Then offer an eye-catching champagne tower as a drinks station.
Not only is the bubbly beverage a crowd favorite, but the stack of champagne glasses will look great on a table and make it easy for your guests to serve themselves!
Mimosa Bar
Mimosas are a popular brunch beverage, but this fruity drink works well any time of day! Offer guests a selection of champagne and multiple juices to choose from.
To take the mimosas to the next level, offer fun fruity add-ins, like pomegranate seeds, orange slices, or rosemary sprigs. Guests can mix their own drink based on their favorite combos. Bonus: alcohol-free guests can make custom juices!
Sangria Station
An indoor sangria bar with cups of fruit. Image by Pizzazerie.
Sangria is a mixed drink with Spanish origins. It’s made with red or white wine mixed with sparkling water and various fruits.
Offer several unique sangria blends in a variety of colors. This will make your drink station pop and give your guests lots of options. Be sure to include white sangria so guests in light colors won’t stain their clothes!
Drink Around The World
Channel the Disney World: Epcot “Drink Around the World” trend and create a drink station that includes popular alcoholic beverages from around the world. They can be bottled, canned, or served fresh. For example, offer Italian wine, a tequila cocktail for Mexico, and a mixed Vodka drink for Russia!
Include the country’s flag and a brief description of each drink. You can customize your choices to include countries that are significant to your family or ones you’ve visited as a couple!
Wine Lover’s Table
It’s always a good time for wine! This is an easy way to offer your guests alcohol while curbing your budget. Hit up Costco or another discount store and load your cart with your favorite wine or some crowd favorites.
You can also choose wines that are meaningful to you, like ones bottled in the state where you met your future spouse! Look on Etsy for some custom wine labels to tie in your wedding theme.
Bellini Bar
An outdoor bellini bar with wooden barrels. Image by Julia Eskin.
A mix of prosecco and fruit puree, bellinis are delicious, refreshing Italian drinks perfect for a warm weather wedding. They are traditionally made with peach puree, giving them a bright orange hue that looks gorgeous with natural earth tones.
You can offer a make-your-own bellini station or choose one blend to serve your guests.
DIY Drink Stations
Whether you own a budget or just love decorating, there are lots of ways you can make your drink stations both attractive and functional. If you’re planning on setting up a food buffet table display, you can also coordinate the designs and style of your drink station with it.
Use decor that matches the rest of your wedding theme, such as foliage, flowers, and table linens. Use trays and platforms to organize your offerings. You can easily thrift gorgeous decor or go minimalist.
To make your drink station functional, place glasses on both sides of your table. Offer multiple vessels or bottles so more than one guest can create a drink at any given time. Clearly label everything using a fun mini chalkboard or printed signs. This will ensure guests get exactly what they want!
Non-Alcoholic Wedding Drink Station Ideas
Infused Water
A table with jars of infused water and floral decor. Image by Belle the Magazine.
Keep your guests hydrated in style with refreshing infused water combinations. From cucumber mint to strawberry lemonade, these light beverages are perfect for all ages and hit the spot on a hot summer day or after a few songs on the dance floor!
You can buy or rent large serving stations and label each beverage with a classy sign. Guests will bring up their glass and fill it up, making it a quick and easy drink station option!
Flavored Ice Teas
Freshly brewed ice tea is a great treat, especially when there's some fresh fruit to punch up the flavor! Creating an ice tea bar is also easy to DIY. You can brew the tea yourself overnight and add extra ice when you set up!
Since this drink is so budget friendly, you can splurge on other areas of your drink table, like fresh honey and ripe berries! Don’t forget to set out some paper straws and mint!
Lemonade Bar
An outdoor lemonade bar setup. Image by Alex Daynes.
Much like ice tea, lemonade is a surefire crowd pleaser and incredibly affordable. Add a fun twist by offering flavored syrups to customize each frosty glass, in addition to fresh fruits.
Add a fun sign that directs guests on how to mix the perfect glass of lemonade. Looking to really make a statement? Opt for a limeade bar instead!
Soda Station
If you and your spouse are fans of the classics, offer a fun soda bar at your wedding reception. You can stick with traditional Coca Cola and offer fun flavored syrups for guests to use. Or stock up on different types of soda to keep at your drink station.
This is a budget friendly, low prep option paired well with a BBQ buffet table or comfort food menu.
Vintage Pop
If you like the idea of soda but are going for elegance, have your guests mix their own vintage sodas. Using a variety of syrups and fizzy club soda, they can create fun drinks. Post classic recipes or encourage guests to create their own masterpiece!
Fresh Juice Bar
An outdoor juice bar with jugs of fresh juice and floral decor. Image by I Do Catering.
Juice isn’t just for kids. It’s a refreshing treat. Go classic with orange, apple, and grape or get creative with unique flavors and combinations. For example, mix honeydew with lime or mango with pineapple for a tropical treat.
Coffee and Tea Table
Create a station with freshly brewed coffee, hot water, and a variety of tea bags. Add lemon wedges, honey, creamer, and other traditional mix-ins so everyone can create the right beverage for them. This is a great option for an afternoon or winter wedding.
Consider including some fun items, like chocolate stirring spoons or rock candy sticks to add a creative and fun twist on stirring the hot beverages!
Creative Non-Alcoholic Alternatives
When crafting the perfect non-alcoholic drink table, color is key! Opt for drinks and ingredients that are bright and colorful. You can coordinate these shades with your wedding theme to really elevate the presentation.
You can also make drinks more visually appealing by using creative vessels. Mason jars, champagne flutes, or even colorful cups can set the tone and make the beverages enticing.
Enhancing Your Drink Station with Decor and Details
A wooden stand on an outdoor table with drink glasses on top. Image by Idea Stand.
Decor Ideas
Stop your guests in their tracks by using creative decor to elevate the drink station’s appearance. Flowers, foliage, and fruit will add color and tie in your wedding theme. Unique dispensers, like fluted jugs, spouted beverage containers, and other vessels will really set the station apart.
Don’t forget to include interesting lighting, like fairy lights, as well as signage to enhance the drink stations visibility and appeal.
Not only will signs and lights make your table look pulled together, but they will offer key information and help guests find beverages when they need them most!
Budget and Planning Details
To keep the drinks flowing all night, make sure you budget and plan accordingly. Assume each guest will drink one beverage per hour or roughly five drinks throughout the event for alcoholic beverages. Of course, some guests will drink more while others not at all, so it should all even out.
To determine the cost, you’ll need this estimate and multiply it by your guest list and how long your wedding will last. You can do some online research or source ingredients at discount stores to cut costs.
Remember to plan enough drinks to keep everyone hydrated. You’ll need non alcoholic beverages and water options for everyone as well. Check with your venue to see if they offer any of these with your contract.
Conclusion
Putting the right drink table together is easier than it looks, especially when you are already in the creative process of planning a wedding!
Take the time to plan interesting drink stations your guests can utilize throughout the night. Stay true to your vision and your taste. Before long, you’ll be sipping your favorite beverages as you celebrate your wedding with your friends and family!