My colleague, Josey Miller, Sr. Editor of Love and Weddings at iVillage, learned about a unique product she thought brides should know about. So I asked her to write a post on it:

Blue Hawaiian! Red Fizz! Purple Monster! Isn’t there a more subtle—and elegant—way to incorporate your color scheme into your cocktail menu?

There is now.

I recently attended a press event for Cointreau at Daniel, one of the top restaurants in New York City, where head bartender Xavier walked me and Maggie through the complicated process of creating Cointreau Caviar, also known as Cointreau Pearls. Between the magnetic stirrers and the beakers, the method—known as Spherification—looked like seventh-grade science class, but the project was much more sophisticated and fun. Not only was the final product—Cointreau Pearls infused with strawberry, dancing around a glass of Champagne—delicious; it was also absolutely beautiful.

Their more “traditional” version of Cointreau Pearls involve flecks of 24K gold (yes, really). But bartenders could also potentially use practically any fruit, or even food coloring, for an unforgettable thematic effect. Drinks with Cointreau Caviar are currently only being served at the highest-end restaurant bars and lounges in London, Paris and NYC. But expect to see them at weddings—most likely starting at those where money is no object! —in the years to come.

--Josey Miller iVillage Love and Weddings Senior Editor and Author of Sex on My Desk

I got a press release featuring some delicious looking cocktails by VeeV vodka and I thought they would make great signature drinks for a summer wedding.  (You can change the names to reflect the drink or your theme.)   Remember if you make one, please let us know if you liked it!

 

Joie De VeeV

Ingredients:

• 2 oz. Veev
• 3 mint sprigs
• 2 strawberry slices
• 2 lime wedges
• Club soda

Directions:  Muddle 2 lime wedges, 2 strawberry slices and 3 mint sprigs in a mixing glass.  Add VeeV and ice in a cocktail shaker and shake.  Pour into a glass and top with club soda.

 

 

VeeV Eco Mojito

Ingredients:

• 2 oz VeeV
• 2 fresh lime wedges
• 3 fresh mint sprigs
• Club soda

 

Directions:  Muddle 2 lime wedges and 3 fresh mint sprigs in a mixing glass.  Add Veev and ice in a cocktail shaker and shake.  Pour into a glass and top with club soda and garnish with a fresh sprig of mint.

 

 

VeeV Global Cooler

Ingredients:

• 2 oz VeeV
• 3 pieces of basil
• 2 slices of cucumber
• .75 oz lemon juice
• 1 barspoon Agave Nectar

Directions:  Muddle 2 slices of cucumber and 3 basil leaves in a mixing glass.  Add VeeV, lemon juice, a barspoon of Agave Nectar and ice in a cocktail shaker and shake.  Pour into a chilled martini glass or a collins glass and top with soda and garnish with a floating cucumber.

 

For more recipes, visit VeeVLife.com.

 

 

 

My dad is a huge baseball fan.  More specifically, he’s a Yankee fan.  So when I received an invitation to attend the press party for the launch of Charity Wines for several Yankee and Mets players a few weeks ago I had to take my dad. 

 

While we enjoyed tasting the different wines – Jorge Posada’s Jorge Cabernet, Bobby Areu’s Abreu's Finest and Brian Schneider’s Schneider Schardonnay were three of the wines there – and the hors d’oeurves – they had pigs-in-a-blanket with a great deli mustard – we got to see and hear from the players affiliated with each wine.  The proceeds from each wine go to the respective player’s charity/foundation.

 

Anyway, I thought that these wines would make a great gift for your dad, groomsmen or even your groom if they're baseball fans.  They retail for $13.99 at local wine stores and there are 19 different wines, representing players from 6 teams:  Atlanta Braves, Baltimore Orioles, Boston Red Sox, Cincinnati Reds, New York Mets and New York Yankees.  If the men in your life aren’t baseball fans, there are wines supporting charities of players from the New Orleans Saints, Boston Bruins and the Miami Dolphins.

 

 

As I mentioned yesterday, I went to a Scotland Tourism event last month.  They served two signature drinks at the event – both made with Hendrick’s Gin.  Here are images of the two cocktails and the recipes to help you find the perfect signature drink(s) for your wedding:

 

Rosie Lee

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 oz Hendrick’s Gin
• 1 1/2 oz Lychee Juice
• 1/2 oz Rose Infused Simple Syrup
• 1/2 oz Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice
• 2 dashes Angostura Bitters

Directions:

Shake well and strain up into a cocktail glass over ice.

 

 

 

Cucumber Collins

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 oz Hendrick’s Gin
• 4 oz Cucumber Puree*

 Directions:  Shake and strain over ice in a tall glass

 

*To make cucumber puree, blend 1 cucumber with 3 oz freshly squeezed lemon juice and 4 oz simple syrup.

 

 

 

 

Both cocktails were created by Charlotte Voisey of Hendricks Gin Brand Champion

 

Enjoy!

 

While I write a lot about wedding cakes, you are not limited to serving just a tiered cake for dessert at your wedding.  Many couples choose one or two desserts to serve their guests, or they create a buffet where their guests can choose from a selection of decadent desserts.

 

I’m a chocoholic, but I realize that not everyone is.  I also know that some people don’t love cake, so at our wedding, in addition to serving Ron Ben-Israel’s delicious chocolate cake, I also served two desserts.  Guests received either a chocolate lava cake (too much chocolate?) or a warm apple crumble.  The dessert was served in a medley so one guest got the chocolate one and the guest to the left received the apple one.  This way couples could share the two of them.

 

At my sister’s wedding, her caterer set up a dessert buffet (known in the ‘80s as a Venetian Table).  There was everything from chocolate fondue with fruit and pretzels for dipping, cookies, bars, brownies, pies, an assortment of cakes and a selection of fruit.

 

Don’t feel that you are limited to only serving wedding cake or cupcakes at your reception.  If you love pies, serve a variety of your favorite pies.  Are cookies more your thing?  Create a cookie bar.  I’m sure you’ve seen a candy bar at weddings you've attended.  I’ve been to a dozen weddings with a candy bar.

 

Now after reading this post on desserts you’re probably asking yourself why there’s a picture of a hamburger above.  Well, that’s not a hamburger.  It’s actually a chocolate and vanilla cupcake decorated with marmalade and marzipan to look like a cupcake.

 

I don’t know how appropriate it is for a wedding reception.  I guess that would depend on your type of party.  But if you’re having a fun and festive rehearsal dinner – like a backyard BBQ – it might be the perfect dessert.

 

Here’s the recipe:

 

To make hamburgers:

1. Take vanilla cupcakes and sprinkle the top with sesame seeds.
2. Cut them in 1/2 to create the bun.
3. Cut chocolate cake in circles and lay on top of the bottom cup cake to create the meat layer.
4. The mustard is an apricot marmalade with yellow food color.
5. Use raspberry marmalade for the ketchup.
6. The mayonnaise is a dollop of butter cream.
7. The lettuce and tomatoes are made from marzipan with green and red food color.
8. To assemble, follow the same process as creating a real hamburger: bottom bun, chocolate cake, mustard, lettuce, tomato, ketchup, mayonnaise, and the top bun.

Basic Marzipan

• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1/8 tsp cream of tartar
• 4 cups ground almonds (or almond meal)
• 2 egg whites
• Powdered sugar

 

1. Sprinkle powdered sugar over a  wooden cutting board.
2. Fill your sink or a large bowl with cold water.
3. Place the sugar and 2/3 cup water in a saucepan and heat gently, stirring, until the sugar dissolves.
4. Add cream of tartar and turn up the heat. Bring to a boil and cover, boiling, for 3 minutes.
5. Uncover and boil until the temperature reaches 240 degrees on a candy thermometer.
6. Place the saucepan in the cold water, stirring the sugar mixture constantly until it becomes thick and creamy.
7. Stir in the ground almonds and the egg whites, the place back over low heat and stir for 2 minutes more until the mixture is thick.
8. Separate marzipan into separate containers and mix in food coloring.
9. Spoon the marzipan onto your cutting board, and turn it with a spatula until it cools down enough to touch.
10. Coat your hands in powdered sugar and begin to knead the marzipan, working it until it is smooth and pliant.
11. Your marzipan can now be cut or molded into shapes.
    

 

This dessert was created by Ned Archibald, the award-winning Executive Pastry Chef for Keystone Resort in Colorado.

 

Photo Credit:  Ric Stovall

So now that you’ve decided on a signature drink for your wedding, you have to name it.

 

At the wedding we went to in LA last October, the couple was inspired by their last name: Motia.  And they served Motia Mojitos.  But if you can’t think of a custom name that fits nicely with your name – last or first – create something fun or flirty. 

 

Last week I received a number of wedding named cocktails from SKYY Vodka.  I haven’t made the drinks at home so I can’t tell you which one’s my favorite, but I do like the names:

 

 

SKYY Wedding Bliss
-2 oz SKYY vodka
-3/4 oz Cinzano vermouth
-Lavender simple syrup
-Vanilla bean
-Chop a half vanilla bean in small pieces width wise and place in a cocktail shaker.  Add lavender syrup and muddle the vanilla bean; crushing the vanilla bean.  Fill the cocktail shaker with ice, add SKYY vodka and Cinzano.  Shake vigorously.  Strain into a martini glass and garnish with fresh flower and vanilla bean.
 
SKYY Father of the Bride
-2 oz SKYY vodka
-Fresh Mint
-Splash of Simple Syrup
-Muddle with simple syrup and ice in a highball glass.  
 
SKYY Blushing Bride
-2 oz SKYY vodka
-1 oz peach Schnapps
-Splash of cranberry juice
-Pour all ingredients into a shaker. Shake or strain into a martini glass.
 
SKYY Made With Honor
-1 3/4 oz SKYY vodka
-1/2 oz lime juice
-Ginger beer
-Lime/Lemon wedge for garnish
-Pour SKYY vodka and lime juice in highball glass with ice.  Top with ginger beer and garnish with lime or lemon wedge.
 
SKYY Proposal
-2 oz SKYY vodka
-1 oz triple sec
-Squeeze of fresh lime juice
-Splash of cranberry juice
-Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into a martini glass.  Garnish with a lime. 

 

 

Have you come up with anything creative for your wedding's signature drink?  We called the martinis at our wedding by their traditional names, though if we only chose one we might have used a custom name like,  Tavelin-tini.  Or maybe not.

 

 

 

I went to a press event the other day and they served two non-alcoholic drinks.  One was a cranberry something and the other was a mojito-type drink.  Now, I don’t drink so I never had a mojito before.  I thought this drink (without alcohol because it was the middle of the workday) was amazing.

 

While there were other great things I can’t wait to share with you from the event, I wanted to revisit the topic of signature drinks.

 

When planning your cocktail party, think about the fun things you would want there:

• An ethnic/regional band – klezmer, Dixieland
• Fun food – pigs-in-a-blanket, mini-egg rolls, popcorn shrimp
• Creative décor – bright colors, cocktail napkins with a phrase instead of just your names
• Activities – photo booth, crafting station for guest book

 

And for cocktails, you can have an open bar and still highlight a selection of drinks or a drink that you and your fiance want to have as your signature drink.  How do you pick a drink or group of drinks for your wedding?  Here are some tips:

 

1. If your wedding has a theme, look for drinks that fit the theme.  For example, my wedding was 1930s retro inspired so we had a martini bar.
2. Color.  Can you find drinks that fit your wedding palette?  The colors of our wedding were pink, pale green, white/ivory and lavender so I only served martinis that fit that color scheme – Cosmopolitans, Green Apple Martinis, Classic Martini, etc… I ended up buying about 6 bar/martini recipe books and visited a few bars to make sure the colors worked, but I do realize I was an insanely detail oriented bride.
3. Location.  Let your locale help pick your signature drink.  Getting hitched in Puerto Rico?  Find a cocktail with rum in it.  Mexico? Tequila.  California?  Choose a variety of wines made in Napa Valley.
4. Culture.  Where are you and your fiance from?  Is there a special drink that fits?  Are your French?  Maybe you want to only serve a selection of French wine or champagne. 
5. Or just choose your favorite cocktail.  It doesn’t have to match anything.  You can just have it because you like it.

The drink pictured above, Hibiscus Highball, is made with Tequila don Julio, so if you’re looking for a great party drink try this recipe at home first and then give it to your location or catering manager so the bartenders learn how to make it.

Ingredients:

9 ounces Tequila Don Julio Blanco

4 1/2 ounces Grand Marnier®

6 ounces hibiscus punch (*see below for recipe)

4 1/2 ounces pineapple juice

4 1/2 ounces orange juice

Citrus wheel for garnish

Pineapple fronds for garnish

Ice

Preparation:

1. Add Tequila Don Julio Blanco, Grand Marnier, hibiscus punch, pineapple juice and orange juice to pitcher.  Stir 30 times.
2. Add ice and stir 30 times.
3. Garnish with citrus wheels and pineapple fronds.
4. Pour contents evenly into 6 rocks glasses.

Ideal Serving Glass:

Rocks glass

 

 

Recipe for Hibiscus Punch

 

Ingredients:

1/2 cup dried hibiscus flowers
1/2 cup fine sugar
2 cinnamon sticks
2 cloves
1/2 cup all-spice

Preparation:
1. Steep dried hibiscus flowers, fine sugar, cinnamon sticks, cloves and all-spice in six cups warm
    water for a minimum of three hours.
2. Stir thoroughly. Then strain to serve.

Note: Can be prepared up to 24 hours in advance and refrigerated.

Click here for more wedding planning tips.

What do you think of this classy take on a pig-in-a-blanket? Newport Weddings blogger and wedding planner, Nancy Swiezy, came across this fancy version created by catering genius Peter Callahan of Callahan Catering.

I like it because it’s different, and even though it’s not the traditional PIB, smoked salmon is a popular hors d’oeuvre. And just because you serve this pigs-in-a-blanket recipe doesn’t mean you can’t serve the classic version, right?

Click here to find out how to make this fancy PIB for your cocktail hour.