TIPS FOR AN ECO CONSCIOUS COCKTAIL EXPERIENCE AT YOUR WEDDING

Wine and cocktails can help tell a meaningful story at your wedding – skip the basic bar package and get creative with these fun cocktail (and mocktail) making ideas. Whether it comes to stocking your wedding bar or just your bar cart at home – these tips will show you how to focus on buying local, sustainable, and low waste. We didn’t want to give you too many cool ideas, without trying them out first – so we collaborated with Cocktail Emporium in Toronto to make some fun and stylish creations with their products.

Tip 1: Find A Cool Cocktail Accessory Store In Your City & Experiment 

Skip the big box stores. Visit a cocktail speciality shop in your city and discover locally made glassware, coasters, and bitters. Employees at stores like this are usually quite versed in cocktail making, so they can help you navigate glassware shapes and suggest unique ideas. Browse the store looking for inspiration for your wedding bar. Buy a cocktail making kit on your way out as a cool date night activity. If you end up loving the cocktail you make together then make it your signature wedding cocktail – it makes a fun story to tell!

Tip 2: Thrift Shop For Bar Accessories & Avoid Fresh Flowers

Thrift shops have millions of tiny trinkets that make the perfect bar accessories. Pick out a few items that suit the vibe of your wedding and use them to decorate your bar. A lot of weddings have floral arrangements on the bar – an eco-friendly alternative would be to use a few potted plants or dried arrangements instead (something that will live on after the event). We love the cute dried arrangements from Thyme Studio.

Tip 3: Skip Straws & Use Bamboo Cocktail Pins 

When we say straws we mean ALL straws – plastic and paper. If your cocktail has a garnish then make sure to use sustainable bamboo cocktail pins

Tip 4: Use Dehydrated Fruit/Citrus Over Fresh 

Dehydrated fruit or citrus makes a great garnish and creates less waste than its fresh counterpart. Dehydrated fruit lasts four months to a year, whereas fresh fruit only lasts a few days after being cut and peeled fruits usually get tossed at the end of the night.

Tip 5: Buy Locally Made Spirits, Wine and Mixers

This is the important one! Choose to support locally wineries and distilleries in your region, and don’t forget to support local brands for your mixers too. For spirits we love suggesting Spirit of York – their gin is amazing! Drive down to Niagara for a selection of amazing wines – Two Sisters Vineyards is one of our favourites!

Check out the mocktail Will made with an ingredient kit from Cocktail Emporium: every ingredient was local, right down to the strawberry syrup.