People who go to a nightclub, dive bar, or neighborhood bar don't often ask for a call drink. For instance, Shea says that he's worked at places in the Pacific Northwest where the well vodka was a cheap local brand such as Monarch or Baron Rothschild.

At Dirty Frank's , a legendary dive bar in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, that dates back to the Prohibition era, the inexpensive well liquor is part of the appeal. The well vodka, for instance, is Vladimir, and the well tequila is Montezuma. And the gin, rum, and whiskey are all Bankers Club. An Italian program would feature different brands than an American program, and an American program would diverge from a French program, and so on.

More broadly, Nadel said that NoHo Hospitality Group opts for "very, very high quality versions of versatile, kind of archetypal examples of each spirit. At The Dutch , an American restaurant that the group operates in New York City, the well would feature a domestic take on London dry gin, like a version offered by the Brooklyn-based New York Distilling Company.

Since the quality of well liquor fluctuates from bar to bar, Nadel advises guests not to have reservations about requesting their preferred alcohol. Follow INSIDER on Facebook. Read next. Close icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'.

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List of Partners vendors. Kick off the celebration with these refreshing drinks and satisfying snacks. Just like any other successful party, food and drinks are a focal point at wedding celebrations.

Guests will often find themselves eating and drinking throughout the event, which usually looks like appetizers and signature beverages at cocktail hour , a main meal with multiple courses—topped off with a slice of wedding cake—at the reception, and sometimes late-night snacks at the after-party.

However, hosting a pre-ceremony cocktail hour is a considerate gesture that enhances the guest experience by creating a comfortable and welcoming environment for your loved ones.

Setting up an assortment of appetizers and beverages will help break the ice by encouraging the crowd to mix and mingle while partaking in a shared experience. Likewise, if your friends and family are traveling from out of town, some of them might not have time to grab a bite before heading to your venue.

A spread of snacks onsite will keep hunger at bay for the vow swap and help tide them over until the main cocktail hour and larger reception meal. For warm-weather weddings in the great outdoors, sipping a chilled drink or taking a bite of a refreshing snack before you tie the knot will keep guests cool, to boot.

Opting to include a pre-ceremony cocktail hour is also an opportunity to reinforce your aesthetic. Set up a mobile bar cart decorated with vibrant flowers at garden weddings, or denote a table of treats with a lucite sign for modern affairs.

You can also honor your venue location by incorporating local ingredients, such as coconut water at tropical bashes on the beach or slices of citrus fruit at a soirée in Florida. Keep scrolling for more tasty drink and snack ideas to serve at your pre-ceremony cocktail hour that your guests will love.

Photo by KT Crabb Photography. Although champagne is commonly served during toasts at the reception, why not get the party started a bit earlier? Pouring coupes of this boozy beverage ahead of your ceremony will create the right ambiance and get your guests excited for the moment you and your partner become newlyweds.

Chips and dips are a go-to party appetizer for a reason. The combination of a crunchy and salty snack with a dollop of creamy guacamole is undeniably tasty, low-maintenance, and crowd-pleasing. Instead of whipping up a huge batch of the spread, consider a single-serve alternative, which is easier to grab and far more sanitary.

Photo by Karena Dixon Photography. Charcuterie boards have been a trending party appetizer for years now. Photo by Hannah Forsberg. With floral arrangements at each table, the drink display certainly made an impression. Photo by Amber Gress Photography.

Another flavorful bite for warmer seasons or climates is a lobster roll. This seafood-stuffed snack makes an ideal accompaniment to coastal ceremonies , especially in Maine, which is known for lobster. Instead of a full-sized sandwich, which makes it difficult for your guests to talk between mouthfuls, serve miniature versions.

Rosé is a delicious drink that will bring the energy ahead of your ceremony and double as décor. To really go all out, serve coupes of the sparkling wine with coasters featuring a photo of you and your partner, like Taylor Moskowitz and Vlad Popik did at their wedding in New York.

You can also get creative with the flavors, like a slushy Frosé or a Rosé-infused cocktail. We love this option for casual backyard bashes. Photo by Jenny Fu Studio. Nothing says summer like freshly squeezed lemonade.

Put a signature twist on it with fresh infusions like lavender, berry, and mint. You'll Need: Fresh lemonade, fresh herbs, fresh fruit, ice, and glasses. On the rocks with salt? Frozen and topped with beer?

There are plenty of ways to enjoy a margarita. Let guests do their own thing with a make-it-mine margarita drink station idea. You'll Need: Classic margaritas we like to have a pitcher on ice and a pitcher of frozen , fresh lime wedges, coarse salt, beer, stirring sticks, and glasses.

Bonus points for a sombrero. Winter is the perfect time to party! Celebrate the season with a hot cocoa station complete with homemade marshmallows! You'll Need: Homemade hot chocolate , marshmallows, whipped cream, stirring sticks, and insulated cups or mugs. Stock your drink station with premixed drinks and take the guesswork out of entertaining.

Here, we used a variety of drinks, including purchased lemonade, mojitos, and citrus-berry punch. You'll Need: Large drink dispensers, the cocktail of your choice, purchased lemonade, glasses, and straws. It's ok to spike the punch!

Get the party started with a big bowl of punch. Here, we whipped up a boozy mint julep punch—1 cup bourbon, 2 cups mint simple syrup, and 4 cups chilled club soda over ice.

You'll Need: A punch recipe of your choice, punch bowl, cups, and napkins. Pitchers make the party! These four pitcher cocktail recipes are big-batch and ready in less than 15 minutes—perfect for impromptu entertaining!

You'll Need: A pitcher cocktail recipe, ice, and glasses. This is as easy as it gets! Please the beer-lovers in your life with an icy bucket of chilled craft brews. Or, try mixing up a festive beer cocktail. You'll Need: A large drink bucket, ice, a variety of craft beers, and glasses.

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List of Partners vendors. Kick off the celebration with these refreshing drinks and satisfying snacks. Just like any other successful party, food and drinks are a focal point at wedding celebrations.

Guests will often find themselves eating and drinking throughout the event, which usually looks like appetizers and signature beverages at cocktail hour , a main meal with multiple courses—topped off with a slice of wedding cake—at the reception, and sometimes late-night snacks at the after-party.

However, hosting a pre-ceremony cocktail hour is a considerate gesture that enhances the guest experience by creating a comfortable and welcoming environment for your loved ones. Setting up an assortment of appetizers and beverages will help break the ice by encouraging the crowd to mix and mingle while partaking in a shared experience.

Likewise, if your friends and family are traveling from out of town, some of them might not have time to grab a bite before heading to your venue.

A spread of snacks onsite will keep hunger at bay for the vow swap and help tide them over until the main cocktail hour and larger reception meal. For warm-weather weddings in the great outdoors, sipping a chilled drink or taking a bite of a refreshing snack before you tie the knot will keep guests cool, to boot.

Opting to include a pre-ceremony cocktail hour is also an opportunity to reinforce your aesthetic. Set up a mobile bar cart decorated with vibrant flowers at garden weddings, or denote a table of treats with a lucite sign for modern affairs. You can also honor your venue location by incorporating local ingredients, such as coconut water at tropical bashes on the beach or slices of citrus fruit at a soirée in Florida.

Keep scrolling for more tasty drink and snack ideas to serve at your pre-ceremony cocktail hour that your guests will love. Photo by KT Crabb Photography. Although champagne is commonly served during toasts at the reception, why not get the party started a bit earlier?

Pouring coupes of this boozy beverage ahead of your ceremony will create the right ambiance and get your guests excited for the moment you and your partner become newlyweds. Chips and dips are a go-to party appetizer for a reason.

The combination of a crunchy and salty snack with a dollop of creamy guacamole is undeniably tasty, low-maintenance, and crowd-pleasing. Instead of whipping up a huge batch of the spread, consider a single-serve alternative, which is easier to grab and far more sanitary.

Photo by Karena Dixon Photography. Charcuterie boards have been a trending party appetizer for years now. Photo by Hannah Forsberg. With floral arrangements at each table, the drink display certainly made an impression.

Photo by Amber Gress Photography. Another flavorful bite for warmer seasons or climates is a lobster roll. This seafood-stuffed snack makes an ideal accompaniment to coastal ceremonies , especially in Maine, which is known for lobster.

Instead of a full-sized sandwich, which makes it difficult for your guests to talk between mouthfuls, serve miniature versions. Rosé is a delicious drink that will bring the energy ahead of your ceremony and double as décor. To really go all out, serve coupes of the sparkling wine with coasters featuring a photo of you and your partner, like Taylor Moskowitz and Vlad Popik did at their wedding in New York.

You can also get creative with the flavors, like a slushy Frosé or a Rosé-infused cocktail. We love this option for casual backyard bashes.

Photo by Jenny Fu Studio. To feed your guests for your vow swap, consider serving quinoa shooters. This appetizer is loaded with protein and nutrients that will fuel your guests for a long day of festivities. Likewise, your vegan or vegetarian guests will appreciate this choice.

Serve these healthy snacks on spoons that match your aesthetic and color palette. Photo by Heather Anderson Photography. Popcorn is a nostalgic snack that calls up memories of snacking on the crunchy, buttery treat while sitting in a dark theater, watching a new movie unfold.

To recreate that exciting and comforting experience at your own wedding, pass out boxes of popcorn before you recite your promises. You can also use the containers to incorporate your joint monogram or display your wedding hashtag.

For a sweet pairing, combine with cotton candy. Photo by Lilly Red. If your festivities are taking place in the sunshine, the last thing you want is for your friends and family to become parched.

Before you make it official, hydrate your guests with coconut water. Open bars aren't really a thing here, variations on culture. Though I love the thought of signature cocktails for your guests.

I've never had Courvoisier, but this sounds like a good recipe to try it. This is such a great idea! The wedding cake vodka is very tasty, especially mixed with a diet cherry soda Like Zevia. That's our go to drink when we are camping.

I like the idea of beer and wine with one signature cocktail. The cocktail really opens up to introducing something new to your guests as you mentioned, and can also be tied into your theme as well with the signage and colors of the drink.

I love going to wedding receptions with a signature drink. It's always fun to see what they come up with. I like the recipe you have :. Like the theme signature cocktails idea. I drink anything, so I don't know what special drinks I would pick.

Different flavors of margaritas maybe. Aria H. This is a great idea for staying within budget at the bar. I also love that sign and idea at the top. What a great way to stay on budget when serving alcohol at a wedding.

I think that the drinks sound delicious and it is a good idea to just have signature drinks. It saves a lot of money!! I like the idea of creating a cocktail menu for the bar and creating a signature drink.

It's easier to stay simple.