And if you prefer to read, here's the summary of the podcast episode!

Let’s start this blog off by addressing what makes a cocktail seasonal in the first place?

• You want to check out which ingredients are not only local but also in season to your area. Trust me this makes all the difference when making mouthwatering cocktails that will give your guests a taste of the destination.
• You want a drink that embodies the essence of your season. Now, i know this sounds a little weird, and while i'm all for a wild card moment, there's just something about – hot chocolate for example – that perfectly encapsulates the winter and holiday season, and immediately puts me in a festive mood. Hot cocoa wouldn’t make sense in July. The same thing applies to your wedding cocktails.  Let’s choose drinks that are festive for the season and also remind guests of you. 

So on to the cocktails! 

SPRING

Now, the first wedding that comes to mind that had the COOLEST spring drinks, was Holly and Dan, (who I also interviewed in Episode 55, be sure to check it out.) They had drinks that were a little off the beaten path – The Udon, and the Kismet – which were named at their cat Udon and Kismet, the town where they met. Kismet also means “fate,” which was a nice homage to their story, too.  Also, I am going to include a photo of their custom menu in the show notes. YOu have to check it out. IT’s so pretty.

The Udon, aka the tart cherry smash 

• 2 oz. El dorado rum 
• 0.5 oz Red jacket orchards tart cherry – Red Jacket is a local orchard here in Upstate NY but they also have different juices
• Lime wedge for garnish 
• Sprig of Mint

Kismet 

Essentially, this is just a cucumber gin and tonic. This is one you simply can’t mess up lol because the ingredients quite literally just include:

• 1.5 oz Seneca Drums gin – Seneca Drums is a local distillery here in upstate NY, so if there’s a local distillery near you, this would be a great opportunity to incorporate a local flavor
• ⅔ cup of Tonic Water
• Cucumber slice
• 1 tbsp Lime juice

Both of these were a hit at the wedding. They were perfect for late spring and early summer when it starts to get warm. They’re both also very refreshing with the cherry and mint in the Tart Cherry Smash and the cucumber in the cucumber gin and tonic.

And now, on to summer.

SUMMER

Nothing screams summer more than bubbles and fruit.  The two drinks that are always crowd pleasers, and often at my events are an Aperol spritz and a Paloma. 

Aperol Spritz

Originally from the shores of Italy, the Aperol Spritz is best served chilled and is an amazing palate cleanser for between meals. I always find this drink incredibly refreshing, and the club soda definitely offers some bubbly dilution to what tends to be a bit more of a bitter drink. Classically, an aperol spritz will include:  

• 3 oz Aperol
• 3 oz Prosecco (i usually prefer dry) 
• A splash of Club Soda
• Slice of Orange

And really, anything with prosecco makes me happy. This is a nice light drink that’s great for quenching your thirst on a hot day.

Paloma

This is a super easy yet scrumptious drink that is a tequila lover’s dream. If I had to pick one liquor, I’d have to say Tequila is one of my favorites because it’s in so many drinks that I love. 

Also, there’s something about a salt rim and squirt of fresh grapefruit and I feel like I’m on vacation. Plus, I love the color of this drink – so fun and vibrant.  You can also make this one a little stronger if you have that type of crowd haha. 

Paloma Recipe

• ¼ cup fresh grapefruit juice
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• ¼ cup mescal or tequila
• ¼ cup club soda
• Add 1 grapefruit wedge as a garnish

You can go heavier on the tequila or the club soda, depending on how strong you want it. 

FALL

You can go in a lot of different directions with fall because of the season. We have our basic PSL drinkers out there, but we also have apple picking season here in New York. For Fall, the wedding that jumps out to me with some of the best seasonal fall drinks, was Amanda and Tim’s Wedding at the Country club of Rochester.  Amanda LOVED pumpkin spiced lattes, so for their wedding, we served spiked pumpkin spice lattes. We had cute little coffee cups that were all labeled with each guest’s name and their table number. Then later on after dinner, they got to enjoy their spiked PSL as part of their dessert or while they were on the dance floor. 

Spiked Pumpkin Spiced Latte 

As a Starbucks lover, I was thrilled for this one :). 

In the spiked Pumpkin spice latte, we have

• 8 oz strong brewed coffee
• 1/2 oz. vanilla vodka
• 1/2 oz. cinnamon vodka
• Pumpkin creamer to taste
• Whipped cream and cinnamon for topping.  

Another recipe I recently tried at a tasting, and what we will be serving this October is the easy, bourbon apple cider cocktail.  Again, what's more fall than pumpkins spiced lattes and apple cider, for your wedding signature cocktail? As long as you’re over 21.

Plus, as I mentioned before, apples are seasonal for fall, especially in upstate NY, which makes the flavor of your wedding signature cocktail that much better.

Bourbon Apple Cider Cocktail

• 3 ounces apple cider
•  2 ounces bourbon
•  1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
•  2 ounces ginger beer or ginger ale
•  apple slice, thyme sprig and cinnamon stick for garnish
  

  Image Source: https://www.mom4real.com/bourbon-apple-cider-cocktail/

Now, I will drink bourbon, but I think I had a little too much Jack Daniels one night in college so I kinda stopped. BUT I still really loved this drink which goes down really smoothly. 

WINTER

Winter has a lot of things going for it – you’ve got cranberries, Thanksgiving, egg nog, so many fun ingredients to chose from!

The Krampus Beach Bourbon

The first drink we have for your winter wedding signature cocktail is called the Krampus, which is named after a mythical creature that originated in central European popular legend. He’s a half-goat, half-demon monster that punishes misbehaving children at Christmastime. He is the devilish companion of St. Nicholas. The Krampus name derives from the German word Krampen, which means “claw.”

I first had this drink many years ago at a holiday party and it was so good and also very easy to drink. It’s basically a Peach Bourbon Cocktail.

Krampus Peach Bourbon Recipe:

• 1 ounce* peach schnapps
• 2 ounces bourbon
• 1 ½ ounces fresh squeezed orange juice (from 1 orange, or no sugar added purchased juice)*
• Ice, for serving (try clear ice)
• For the garnish: fresh peach slice, fresh mint sprig

This next one is definitely made for keeping your guests up late and on the dance floor.

Spiked Espresso Martini

We served these at a rehearsal dinner and I couldn’t believe how many they drank! Nothing like a spiked espresso martini to add some pizzazz. 

Spiked Espresso Martini Recipe:

• 1.5 ounces vodka
• 0.5 ounce chocolate liqueur
• 1 ounce cold brew
• 0.5 ounce Kahlua
• 0.25 ounce simple syrup
• 0.25 ounce Vanille de Madagascar
• 2 dashes of chocolate bitters
• Garnish with coffee beans