“I drink too much. The last time I gave a urine sample it had an olive in it.”

Oh Rodney Dangerfield, how I adore you so. I have to say that I am not nearly as dedicated as he is to spirits, wines, and beers, but honestly? Who doesn't like to celebrate with a glass of champagne or start a party off with a much needed cocktail. Its in fact the sadly underused cocktail hour that brings us to our topic today: How to make a cocktail hour work with a wedding and why its great to have one.

The imbibing of alcohol in order to celebrate a conquest, a ritual or better yet, a wedding is something that goes far back in time before Emily Post or Miss Manners were even a thought. The use of drink to elevate our spirits is something that didn't really become a part of the household consciousness until the 1940s and 50s though, with every household adult couple having usually a happy hour to enjoy with other adult couples in the neighborhood. The cocktail hour is thus an institution that has now mutated its way into the wedding sphere as a great way to start up the night.

 

Not to be underestimated is the important role alcohol has served in enhancing the enjoyment and quality of life. It can serve as a social lubricant, can provide entertainment, can facilitate relaxation, can provide pharmacological pleasure and can enhance the flavors of food (Gastineau et al., 1979, p. xx)1

Why have a cocktail hour? Well if you are anything like me, I love conversation. A little bit of liquid courage can encourage many a person to open up and socialize. With new settings and family members under one roof, I can see why one might find it a good idea to push some libations their way to ease the tension of new surroundings. That said. you can totally make do without a full spread cocktail hour- in fact, I highly suggest limiting alcohol during this brief period and only going for 1 or 2 signature drinks. That way you can control the level of drinking during this on set, as well as have a better idea of the costs involved in making each drink and thus control the budget for this portion a lot better. With that comes, however, the finding of that one perfect cocktail that will hopefully appeal to most of your guests....not an easy task

What does it take to make a good cocktail? Well, that depends on the person. For me, cocktails are for the summer, and with summer comes fruit, clean and easy mixes and classics. In the summer you want something that hits your mouth and makes you want to cool down, take it easy, and feel at ease. Citrus drinks are therefore of course an obvious choice, but so are herbals with clear liquors. So without further ado, let me share with you some of my inspirational mixes for what I hope will lead to S and Me finding the right combo for our choice of a signature drink for cocktail hour.

To follow the rabbit hole and get to make one yourself, click on the picture of the drink

Traditionally, a Mojito is not very strong (c.10% abv) and made of five ingredients: white rum, sugar (traditionally sugar cane juice), lime juice, sparkling water and mint. The original Cuban recipe uses spearmint or yerba buena, a mint variety very popular on the island.^[1][2] Its combination of sweetness, refreshing citrus and mint flavors are intended to complement the potent kick of the rum, and have made this clear highball a popular summer drink.^[3][4]

Bella`s Take: This is one of my all time favorite drinks- if made perfectly it will awaken ones palette and also cool you down in the best way. I also like its southern counterpart, the Mint Julep.

The Sidecar is a classic cocktail traditionally made with cognac, orange liqueur (Cointreau, Grand Marnier or another triple sec), and lemon juice. In its ingredients, the drink is perhaps most closely related to the older Brandy Daisy, which differs both in presentation and in proportions of its components.

Bella's take: A bit of a pricey cocktail, especially with the mix of cognac as the major component, but I know this is a favorite among a lot of guys, and less of a supposedly "girly" drink than some. Again with the inclusion of a citrus element it makes it a great starting point for a cocktail.

Daiquiri ( /ˈdækəriː/; Spanish: daiquirí [dajkiˈɾi]) is a family of cocktails whose main ingredients are rum, lime juice, and sugar or other sweetener.^[1] There are several versions, but those that gained international fame are the ones made in the El Floridita bar^[2] in Havana, Cuba.

Bella's Take: A little more on the fruity side rather on the liquor side, a daiquiri is the essential inclusion of any person's summer arsenal when it comes to fruity summer drinks! I personally enjoy the strawberry over the lime, but honestly? I think they require too much prep time and seem just too girly to please a large crowd, and thus is less of a contender than the others.

Sangria (Spanish: Sangría) is a wine punch typical of Spain and Portugal. It normally consists of wine, chopped fruit, a sweetener, and a small amount of added brandy. In the case of fruits, they are chopped or sliced such as orange, lemon, lime, apple, peach, melon, berries, pineapple, grape and mango.

Bella's Take: Sangria is one of those mixes that has millions upon millions of ways of prepping it. I have had white wine, red wine, white rum sangrias, and all I can say is that they have pleased many a person. This is definitely one of the mixes I enjoy the most because its unpredictable how one batch will turn out compared to another. That said it makes it a bit risky finding just the right one for a large crowd.

So with that in mind, gentle readers, what do you think of the often trendy, yet still a classic of the cocktail hour? In addition to this, which drink would YOU have as a guest at a wedding, of the ones above? Vote in the comments for your favorite drink or tell me about your own favorite cocktails, and maybe just maybe you might be the inspiration for our signature drink at the wedding!

Since I always like to leave people with a smile, heres a video of Rodney doing what he always did best- giving people a laugh!

Until next time gentle readers,

Cheers,
Bella
***descriptions taken from Wikipedia***