Choosing the alcohol for a wedding is one of the big headaches and expenses for a wedding. What kind of problems can people run into?

“There’s under-supplying, over-supplying, having too much of something no one wants to drink and not enough of what they do, but generally, just the organisation and logistics is a lot of work. The Dan Murphy’s Wedding Planner is so helpful with alleviating some of that load. Even if you know exactly what you want, the team can assist in the bulk order and precise delivery. And if you are self-catering your reception and don’t know what you want, well, that’s what we do best!”

So let’s start with step one, setting a budget. What does curating your ideal wine list cost?

“The average Australian wedding costs $30k with 100 guests. About half of that goes to catering ($15k), and half of that, to alcohol, $7k. We usually recommend a starting cost of $5k, but it’s very adjustable because a bottle of wine can be cheap or very expensive. Regardless, supplying the alcohol yourself to your wedding is always going to be cheaper because you bypass the vendor markups.”

OK, so how do we divide the budget? What do we serve? And how much?

“Generally, it’s 40 percent beer, 60 percent wine and that’s divided into three parts, one part bubbles, one part white, one part red, but for a summer wedding you’d do less red. This really depends on your guests though. We can do the math, but it’s great if you can tell us if you have a lot of craft beer drinkers or if you’re big Champagne people — it’s not uncommon for half the wine budget to be allocated to bubbles. Lanson Black Label Champagne Brut is an ideal wedding Champagne, but if you have a smaller budget, Belvino Prosecco DOC is a great option. I love to add a rosé to the list, like the Miraval Studio Rosé, it’s a real crowd-pleaser, looks nice in the glasses and is easy to drink from the beginning to the end of the celebration. It’s also important to consider your menu. If it’s a cocktail style wedding with oysters and other seafood, a heavy red isn’t going to be right, but if it’s a sit down dinner with a family-style roast, a big Shiraz, like Cat Amongst The Pigeons Barossa Shiraz is exactly the thing. That wine is so great for events, we put it in a lot of weddings. This is the kind of stuff our team will ask you about to curate a drinks list that perfectly matches the occasion. We can also get stuff that aligns with the location or you as a couple, so you’re getting married in Tasmania, but the bride is from New Zealand? Let's do a Tasmanian sparkling and an NZ white, like the Marlborough Sounds Pinot Gris. They met in a Sydney pub? Serve a local pale ale like John Boston Pale Ale.”

What about wedding cocktails, they are quite popular. How do you make one that’s great?

“The wedding cocktail is often served as you enter the reception, so I think it’s nice to match the theme and colour scheme. If it’s a rustic romantic wedding, a margarita isn’t right. You’d be better with something like a mint julep. By far, aperol spritz is the most popular wedding cocktail, particularly in summer. Mojitos are lots of fun, and easy to drink. Amaretto sours are great for a black tie affair, and lots of people love an espresso martini.”

What conversations do you need to have with your venue about your wine list?

“While we’re on cocktails, you definitely need to consider the capabilities of the bar staff. How many and their skill level. It’s a lot easier to make 100 aperols than 100 espresso martinis. Not to mention, you need a coffee machine to do it right. Talk through what you want with the waitstaff supplier: if you want wine on the tables or only to be served, if a certain style is only to be served at a certain time etc. and see if they can manage it. It might be a matter of getting more staff or tweaking things a little, and it’s best to have those conversations long in advance rather than on the day. On the day you just want to enjoy yourselves.”

How do people get in touch with Dan's wedding planner service?

“Fill-in the quick questionnaire on the web page, and someone from the team will call you back to talk through your request. This initial consultation usually takes 30 minutes, and we go from there. We organise the delivery to all happen at once, usually directly to the venue at bump-in time, and are on hand anytime you need us.”

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How to plan a wedding-worthy wine list

How to plan a wedding-worthy wine list

Read time 5 Mins

Posted 13 Dec 2022

By
Alexandra Whiting

More white? Less red? Or the other way around? Our experts set the wedding wine story straight, so you can pull off the perfect pours from “I do” ‘til midnight.

Wedding planning is exciting, difficult and emotional, sometimes all at the same time. But there are services and people who make it easy. Like Alana Thorncraft, who leads the Dan Murphy’s Customer Events Team. Whether it’s Friday night work drinks or a gala with 300 guests, Alana can plan it so the cocktail served on entry seems to complement the sunlight and everyone has a full glass at exactly the moment an impromptu toast is made. So, who better to give advice on planning your wedding wine list? Whether it’s a backyard DIY party to remember, or a fancy affair where the drinks are as bespoke as the groom’s suit, here is everything you need to know to plan a drinks list that hits all the right notes.

Q.Choosing the alcohol for a wedding is one of the big headaches and expenses for a wedding. What kind of problems can people run into?: “There’s under-supplying, over-supplying, having too much of something no one wants to drink and not enough of what they do, but generally, just the organisation and logistics is a lot of work. The Dan Murphy’s Wedding Planner is so helpful with alleviating some of that load. Even if you know exactly what you want, the team can assist in the bulk order and precise delivery. And if you are self-catering your reception and don’t know what you want, well, that’s what we do best!”

Q.So let’s start with step one, setting a budget. What does curating your ideal wine list cost?: “The average Australian wedding costs $30k with 100 guests. About half of that goes to catering ($15k), and half of that, to alcohol, $7k. We usually recommend a starting cost of $5k, but it’s very adjustable because a bottle of wine can be cheap or very expensive. Regardless, supplying the alcohol yourself to your wedding is always going to be cheaper because you bypass the vendor markups.”

Q.OK, so how do we divide the budget? What do we serve? And how much?: “Generally, it’s 40 percent beer, 60 percent wine and that’s divided into three parts, one part bubbles, one part white, one part red, but for a summer wedding you’d do less red. This really depends on your guests though. We can do the math, but it’s great if you can tell us if you have a lot of craft beer drinkers or if you’re big Champagne people — it’s not uncommon for half the wine budget to be allocated to bubbles. Lanson Black Label Champagne Brut is an ideal wedding Champagne, but if you have a smaller budget, Belvino Prosecco DOC is a great option. I love to add a rosé to the list, like the Miraval Studio Rosé, it’s a real crowd-pleaser, looks nice in the glasses and is easy to drink from the beginning to the end of the celebration. It’s also important to consider your menu. If it’s a cocktail style wedding with oysters and other seafood, a heavy red isn’t going to be right, but if it’s a sit down dinner with a family-style roast, a big Shiraz, like Cat Amongst The Pigeons Barossa Shiraz is exactly the thing. That wine is so great for events, we put it in a lot of weddings. This is the kind of stuff our team will ask you about to curate a drinks list that perfectly matches the occasion. We can also get stuff that aligns with the location or you as a couple, so you’re getting married in Tasmania, but the bride is from New Zealand? Let's do a Tasmanian sparkling and an NZ white, like the Marlborough Sounds Pinot Gris. They met in a Sydney pub? Serve a local pale ale like John Boston Pale Ale.”

Q.What about wedding cocktails, they are quite popular. How do you make one that’s great?: “The wedding cocktail is often served as you enter the reception, so I think it’s nice to match the theme and colour scheme. If it’s a rustic romantic wedding, a margarita isn’t right. You’d be better with something like a mint julep. By far, aperol spritz is the most popular wedding cocktail, particularly in summer. Mojitos are lots of fun, and easy to drink. Amaretto sours are great for a black tie affair, and lots of people love an espresso martini.”

Q.What conversations do you need to have with your venue about your wine list?: “While we’re on cocktails, you definitely need to consider the capabilities of the bar staff. How many and their skill level. It’s a lot easier to make 100 aperols than 100 espresso martinis. Not to mention, you need a coffee machine to do it right. Talk through what you want with the waitstaff supplier: if you want wine on the tables or only to be served, if a certain style is only to be served at a certain time etc. and see if they can manage it. It might be a matter of getting more staff or tweaking things a little, and it’s best to have those conversations long in advance rather than on the day. On the day you just want to enjoy yourselves.”

Q.How do people get in touch with Dan's wedding planner service?: “Fill-in the quick questionnaire on the web page, and someone from the team will call you back to talk through your request. This initial consultation usually takes 30 minutes, and we go from there. We organise the delivery to all happen at once, usually directly to the venue at bump-in time, and are on hand anytime you need us.”