Best Non-Alcoholic Beverages for a Wedding Reception: Delicious and Inclusive Options

Planning a wedding reception can be challenging, especially when it comes to choosing the perfect beverages to serve your guests. With so many people abstaining from alcohol for various reasons—be it religious, medical, or personal—it’s essential to offer non-alcoholic options.

From alcohol-free beers and elegantly infused waters to non-alcoholic versions of classic cocktails and unique mocktails, there are plenty of creative ways to ensure every guest can enjoy a delicious bev while celebrating your special day. Having plenty of equally attractive non-alcoholic beverages promotes an inclusive environment where everyone can raise a glass and toast to your happiness.

As someone who has gone nearly 500 days without booze yet still done plenty of entertaining, I can tell you incorporating non-alcoholic beverages into your wedding reception is easier than you might think. I’ve even been to a few weddings that have done this well. All it takes is a little creativity, thoughtful selections, and an open-minded approach to crafting a delicious and diverse menu that caters to everyone.

Here are some of my favorite non-alcoholic beverage ideas for a wedding reception based on weddings I’ve been to as well as my top alcohol-free choices.

Why Should You Offer Non-Alcoholic Beverages at Your Wedding—and What Kinds Are We Talking?

By putting just as much thought into your non-alcoholic beverage selection as your alcohol menu, you can make all of your guests feel included, whether they are sober, sober curious, or just want to moderate their drinking.

Not only that but designated drivers and underage guests alike need options to keep them hydrated and entertained throughout the festivities.

Classic Non-Alcoholic Drinks

Beyond flavored or sparkling water, soda, fruit juices, and kombucha are also popular options that can easily be incorporated into your wedding reception.

I’ve seen everything from classic root beers and lemon-lime sodas to more exotic fruit juices like passion fruit and mango. Incorporating various options, from cranberry and orange juice to grape and more, is an excellent way to add variety and cater to your guests’ preferences. You can serve these juices on their own or mix them together for creative and colorful punches.

Other classics include iced tea and lemonade, which can be served individually or together as a refreshing and alcohol-free “Arnold Palmer” mix.

Hot Beverages

Of course, coffee and hot tea are fantastic options as well (I’d even argue they’re obligatory). They’re great for serving after dinner or during brunch receptions, as well as for warming guests up in cooler climates. Hot chocolate and warm apple cider are also comforting additions to winter weddings.

Blended Drinks

Smoothies and milkshakes may require a tad more effort during preparation but can be delicious and unique offerings at a wedding reception. Make sure to have these prepped ahead of time so you don’t have loud blenders blaring in the middle of your reception.

On top of smoothies, I have seen drink stations with various fruit and yogurt options, allowing guests to create their own custom blends. This adds an experiential element that can make the wedding even more fun.

Alcohol Alternatives

If you want the appearance of alcoholic beverages without any alcohol, offering mocktails or alcohol-free beer and wine options can be a fantastic alternative.

I’ve even attended weddings that have created signature mocktails, giving guests a beverage experience uniquely tied to the bride and groom’s tastes. More on that below!

How to Pick the Right NA Drinks for the Occasion

When planning what drinks to serve at your wedding reception, it’s important to take into account the wedding venue, theme, and season.

Here are some drink ideas to get you started:

Themed Weddings

No theme wedding is complete without the right drink recipes to bring it all together. Here are just a few ways you can make drinks to match your theme:

• Fairytale – Whip up a signature elixir with botanical ingredients and edible flowers
• Hawaiian – Embrace fresh fruit juices and flavors like rum (yes, you can find non-alcoholic rum)
• Beachy – Create virgin daiquiris, piña coladas, and margaritas
• Winter Wonderland – Serve butter beer (Yes, like from Harry Potter!), warm mulled cider, or sparkling non-alcoholic wine

Warm Weather Weddings

For a summer wedding, it’s important to keep the drinks refreshing and light. I suggest offering:

• Bubbly, fruit-infused water, which not only quenches thirst but also adds a touch of elegance
• A soda station where guests can enjoy different types of fizzy drinks
• Unique lemonade concoctions, such as lavender or strawberry lemonade
• Non-alcoholic beers, white wines, and rosé

Cooler Climate Weddings

If your wedding is taking place during a colder time of year, you’ll want to make sure that your guests have options to keep them toasty.

Here are some fun ideas:

• Spiced hot chocolate with marshmallows
• Warm apple cider with cinnamon sticks
• DIY bar with teas, hot cocoa, espresso with toppings like whipped cream

By carefully considering the preferences and needs of your guests, as well as the nature of your event, you’ll be able to provide an assortment of non-alcoholic drinks that will make the occasion memorable and enjoyable for all.

Popular Mocktails for Wedding Receptions

Here are some popular non-alcoholic cocktails, AKA mocktails that can add a sophisticated touch to any wedding reception.

Virgin Margarita

I find the virgin margarita or a mocktail margarita to be a great option for a summertime wedding. It’s a blend of sparkling water, lime juice, orange juice, and a touch of agave syrup to replicate the flavors of a classic margarita, without the tequila.

Pro tip: Serve it in a salt-rimmed glass for an authentic presentation and if you want to make it more sophisticated, try adding Ritual Tequila Alternative.

Non-Alcoholic Moscow Mule

The Moscow mule is another popular concoction that can easily be converted into a mocktail. Known as the “Mocktail Mule,” simply mix together ginger beer, lime juice, simple syrup, and club soda, then garnish with a sprig of mint and serve over ice in a copper mug. 

If you want to make it real fancy, try this Ritual Gin Alternative Moscow Mule recipe.

Booze-Free Mojito

A non-alcoholic mojito offers the refreshing taste of mint and lime, perfect for sipping on throughout the reception. To create this beverage, muddle fresh mint leaves and lime wedges in a glass, add ice, and top with club soda or sparkling water. Add a hint of sugar to balance out the flavors.

Here’s a great NA mojito recipe.

Virgin Bellini and Mimosa

For fans of fruitier drinks, a virgin bellini or mimosa may be just the ticket. To create a bellini, mix peach puree or nectar with sparkling water or non-alcoholic sparkling wine. For a virgin mimosa, combine equal parts of orange juice and sparkling water or non-alcoholic sparkling wine.

Check out Surely Wine’s virgin mimosa and bellini recipe.

Mango Mule

A mango mule is a fun tropical twist on the classic Moscow mule. Just combine mango puree with fresh lime juice, simple syrup, and sparkling water. This vibrant, fruity drink will be a hit at a beach-themed wedding or any reception where guests want to feel like they’re on a tropical getaway.

If mango isn’t your thing, check out Seedlip’s NA spiced mule recipe.

Lavender Lemonade

Finally, a lavender lemonade can serve as an elegant and aromatic mocktail for a wedding. To make this delightful drink, prepare a simple syrup infused with lavender, then mix it with freshly squeezed lemon juice and water. The subtle floral notes add a touch of sophistication to this refreshing beverage.

I recommend this easy lavender lemonade recipe.

How to Make Your Own Signature Wedding Mocktail

Making your own signature mocktail at your wedding is a fun way to celebrate the day. Just like wedding planning, you can keep it simple, or you can make it extra sophisticated.

How to craft a mocktail (or cocktail, for that matter!):

1. Pick your non-alcoholic spirit or your base. Remember to keep your theme in mind and only pick something you love to drink.
2. Next, decide on what flavor pairing you want to have, like strawberry mango or lavender and lemon.
3. Then, add any bitters, juices, or syrups.
4. According to the flavors, think of what garnishes will make sense.
5. Last but not least, give it a name!

Tips to Remember:

If you’re having a black-tie wedding, for example, a classier cocktail sans the alcohol is a good idea. If you’re having, say, a luau theme, you might want to make a more tropical mocktail.

Think about what you and your partner love. Maybe you both always start your mornings with a banana smoothie together. Making a banana smoothie of sorts could be a cute way to commemorate that. 

Or maybe you and your partner met in a specific place, like, while on vacation in Spain, or your first date was at your local tapas restaurant. Making an alcohol-free sangria—or something else Spanish—is a silly way to share that story with your guests.

If you have no idea where to get started, I can recommend Dri/kit’s NA cocktail kits to give you some inspiration. It’ll get you in the mocktail-making mood so you can test out some concoctions leading up to your big day.

For some quick and easy ideas, check out this non-alcoholic cocktail starter guide.

Popular Alcohol-Free Wines, Beers, and Other Ready-to-Serve Drinks

Looking for some go-to alcohol-free wines and beers to offer?

Here are my recommendations:

• Gruvi Wine – It’s vegan and gluten-free to add even more options for your guests!

• Joyus – This female-founded brand has reds, whites and sparkling wine for all taste buds.

• Fre Alcohol-Removed Wine – I love all of the options that this one offers, from the Sauvignon Blanc to the Sparkling Brut.

• Heineken Non-Alcoholic 0.0 – If you’re looking for a standard beer brand everyone will recognize, Heineken has its own alcohol-free option.

• Athletic Brewing Sunset Stoke – For cheers-ing when the sun starts to set, this alcohol-free IPA is a great toaster.

• Grainwave Belgian-Style White – If you want to toss in a lighter beer option, like a Belgian white, this one hits—and the label is that “something blue.

• RationAle Beer – Another favorite NA-beer brand of mine is RationAle Brewing. They have a collection I frequent that comes with a Mexican Cerveza, Hazy IPA or West Coast IPA.

• HOP WTR – If non-alcoholic beer had a baby with adaptogenic sparkling water, the result would be the newest craze, hop water refreshers.

• Moment Adaptogen Drink – Pick any flavor from Moment, from the blueberry ginger to the blood orange ashwagandha. I’m a fan of all of them for refreshing and rejuvenating pick-me-ups to power people to party.

• De Soi Drinks – This foursome of non-alcoholic apéritifs–Golden Hour, Champignon Dreams, Purple Lune, and Tres Rosé—are beautifully branded boozeless beverages to add to your bar. 

Beverage Stations at Wedding Receptions

I recommend setting up beverage stations at your wedding reception to provide a variety of non-alcoholic options for your guests. Beverage stations can include water, soda, and other refreshing drinks that enhance the overall experience for everyone. They are also easy to customize according to your and your partner’s themes and preferences.

Here are some ideas.

Soda Station

One popular option for a beverage station is a soda station. This can include classic sodas, fizzy fruit drinks, or even a make-your-own soda bar with various flavored syrups. Soda stations can be particularly refreshing during summer weddings, and they offer a nostalgic touch to the celebration.

There are so many delicious new sodas to drink these days, from prebiotic ones like OLIPOP, to the craft soda brand, United Sodas of America with delicious flavors like white grape and lemon verbena.

Fruity Water Station

Another great addition to a beverage station is an aguas frecas or fruit-infused water station. Guests can enjoy the natural flavors of fruits and herbs, such as citrus, berries, and mint, blended with ice-cold water. This simple yet elegant option is perfect for outdoor and daytime weddings.

Mocktail Station

For a more interactive option, consider including an open bar-style station with non-alcoholic beverages. Guests can mix their own mocktails, using ingredients like non-alcoholic spirits, alcohol-free wine and beer, flavored sodas, sparkling water, fruit juices, and garnishes.

This option not only adds a fun, engaging element to your reception but also allows guests to enjoy their preferred flavors.

Garnishes and Extras for Non-Alcoholic Beverages

As Sans Bar founder, Chris Marshall, told me, “We drink with our eyes first.” When you create non-alcoholic beverages for your wedding reception, you should pay special attention to the presentation. Garnishes and extras play a key role in making these drinks visually appealing and adding an extra burst of flavor.

Fresh Raspberries

One of my go-to garnishes for my favorite drinks is fresh raspberries. These vibrant red gems not only add a pop of color to the drink but also give it a burst of natural sweetness. I love to use them as a garnish for mocktails, as they pair well with numerous flavors—from lemonades to fruity fizzes. You can simply drop a few raspberries into the glass, skewer them on a cocktail pick, or even freeze them to keep the drinks chilled.

Mint Leaves

Another fantastic garnish choice is mint leaves. Mint is known for its refreshing qualities, adding an invigorating aroma to any non-alcoholic drink. I often use mint leaves to garnish lemonades and iced teas, as well as any mocktails that feature citrus or berry flavors. You can either slap the leaves gently between your hands to release the aroma and drop them into the drink or artfully arrange them on top of crushed ice.

You can also chop and muddle them to intensify the flavor of your drink.

Sugar Rims

I also like to use extras such as sugar rims, as well. A sugar rim adds a sweet touch to a drink as well as visual appeal.

Edible Flowers

Edible flowers are a fun addition, especially for a summery wedding. If you have a more tropical-themed or -located wedding, flower garnishes add to the aesthetic of the big day. The best part about edible flowers is that they don’t only look beautiful; you can eat them.

Citrus Twists

Citrus twists take the presentation of non-alcoholic beverages to the next level. They offer a zesty accent to your beverages and serve as a beautiful garnish.

How to Choose Proper Glassware

Okay, maybe you know what you want to serve, but there’s one more thing left to consider: glassware. Choosing the proper glassware can elevate the entire experience.

When selecting glassware for the drinks menu, it’s essential to consider the overall aesthetic of the wedding.

If the theme leans towards elegant and refined, then crystal glassware can add a touch of class and up the ante of the whole affair. On the other hand, if the wedding is more casual or outdoors, the glassware can be more eclectic and whimsical.

Here are some options to keep in mind:

• Highball glasses – for serving water, iced tea, and lemonade
• Champagne flutes – for champagne and non-alcoholic sparkling drinks
• Wine glasses – for wine and spritzers
• Beer glasses – for regular and NA beer (although guests can also just drink from the can or the bottle)
• Mason jars – fun for serving juice, soda, etc and make a great addition for a rustic or outdoor wedding
• Copper mugs – mostly used for Moscow Mules, but you can use them for your virgin mule mixes, too
• Big Glass Dispensers – for serving flavored water, lemonade, or iced tea

Cheers to a Day You Won’t Forget

Your wedding is one of the most memorable moments of your life. Even for your loved ones, this day will stand out when they think of you.

To remember it even better, make sure to sip on these non-alcoholic drink options, even if you plan to drink alcohol. Pacing yourself by alternating booze with non-alcoholic drinks will help you stay present and enjoy every minute of this momentous occasion.

I know all of these ideas seem like a lot to remember! But don’t worry, that’s what Pinterest is for! If any of these ideas pique your interest, I suggest pinning this article so you can save it and come back to these ideas later.

So, what will your wedding drinks be? Let me know in the comments!