Choosing the perfect wedding wines sounds really exciting, don’t you think? But between deciding on the venue, the flowers and the seating plan, choosing the wine can feel like one more job on a very long list. The good news is, this guide is here to help reduce your wedding decision fatigue.
This wedding wine guide walks you through it all: which wines to pour, how much to order, and what suits the toast, the reception and the cake, so you can tick it off and get back to the other items on your to-do list.
How to Choose Wine for Your Wedding
A simple wine lineup goes a long way: one sparkling wine for the toast, two white wines (or a white and a rosé), and two red wines. Fewer wines, chosen well, keep things easy for you and still leave plenty of choice for your guests.
But before you get lost in tasting notes, start with a few simple questions:
- What’s on the menu? Having both red and white wine on offer usually covers most dishes, and your caterer can suggest matches if you’re unsure.
- What time of year is it? Summer weddings tend to call for more whites and lighter wines, while winter weddings lean towards red.
- Who’s coming? Crowd-pleasers beat anything too “out there”. You want something most people will be happy to sip.
- What do you two like drinking? Pick wines you actually love. If your venue is BYO, even better, because you get to choose exactly what goes in every glass.
How Much Wine Do You Need for a Wedding?
A handy rule of thumb is about one glass per guest, per hour. A standard 750ml bottle pours around five glasses (our guide to how many glasses are in a bottle has the maths), so a 100-guest, four-hour reception works out to roughly 80 bottles of still wine, split between white and red.
For the toast, one glass of sparkling each is usually enough. If you’re also pouring bubbles on arrival, some caterers plan for closer to two.
It’s always worth ordering a little extra. Running dry is much worse than having a few spare.
The Toast: Wedding Champagne and Prosecco
Sparkling is the classic way to kick things off, and the toast is a moment everyone remembers. Here’s how to choose between two crowd favourites.
The Best Champagne for Your Wedding
If you want to go traditional, Champagne is the one. A Brut from our Champagne collection is crisp and refined, and it goes beautifully with canapés like oysters and creamy cheeses. For something a touch more special, look for a Blanc de Blancs, which is made only from Chardonnay and valued for its elegance.
Wedding Prosecco
Prefer something lighter and fruitier? Prosecco is crisp and fruit-forward, with apple and pear flavours, and it’s often more affordable, which is handy when you’re pouring for a crowd. Browse our full sparkling wine collection for more options, or read our sparkling wine for beginners guide if you’re not sure where to begin.
The Reception: Good Wedding Wine for Every Guest
Once the toast is done, the reception wines carry the rest of the night. Go for easygoing styles that suit lots of tastes, so there’s something for everyone.
Wedding White Wine
White wine is a safe bet for canapés and lighter dishes. Pinot Gris is versatile with food and just as nice on its own, while Riesling brings fresh, zesty citrus that suits seafood, canapés and creamy or curry dishes.
Wedding Red Wine
For red wine, Shiraz is a fruit-driven, approachable choice that plenty of guests will happily drink. If you’d like a second red for variety, a Grenache blend such as a GSM (Grenache, Shiraz and Mourvèdre) is a lovely lighter option, with soft tannins and bright red fruit.
Wedding Rosé
Rosé is the in-between pour, and it’s great on a warm day. Go for a dry style: guests often assume rosé is sweet, and a crisp, dry one proves them wrong. It’s easy with food too, working well with seafood, summer salads and soft cheeses. Take a look at our rosé guide if you’re still stuck.
Not sure how to serve each style? Our serving temperature guide has you covered.
The Cake: Dessert Wine
A little something sweet is a lovely way to finish the night, and a small pour goes a long way, since dessert wines are meant to be sipped rather than gulped. A few easy matches:
- Light, fruity or lemony cake: try a Moscato or a late harvest Riesling.
- Rich chocolate cake: a tawny Port is made for it.
- Spiced or apple-based desserts: a Semillon is a lovely match.
Curious about Port and its fortified cousins? Our guide to fortified wine helps explain it for you.
Wedding Wine FAQs
What is the best wine for a wedding?
The best choice suits your menu, your guests and the season, and is something you both love. A sparkling, one or two whites (or a white and a rosé) and two reds covers most bases.
How many bottles of wine do I need for a wedding?
As a rough guide, plan for about one glass per guest per hour, with around five glasses in each bottle. Add a little extra for good measure.
Do I need both red and white wine for my wedding?
Having both options usually covers most menus. Lean more on white wine and rosé for a summer wedding, and more on red wine for a winter one.
Champagne or prosecco for the toast?
Either works. Champagne is the traditional choice, while prosecco is lighter, fruitier and often more affordable. It really comes down to what you both like.
Need a Hand With Your Wedding Wine?
Our weddings and events team can help you work out how much to order, suggest wines to suit your menu and deliver them to your venue. Just share your date, guest numbers, menu and budget, and you can even try a taster pack of your shortlist before you commit.
Explore our red wine, white wine, rosé, prosecco and dessert wine collections to help build your lineup. And if you have bottles left after the big day, our guide to how to store wine at home will help them last.
