25 Welcoming Winter Wedding Cocktail Ideas

Although the winter months are the darkest and coldest of the year, the season is full of warm scents and bright flavors. From aromatic herbs to vibrant citrus fruits, winter showcases some of the most fabulous flavor pairings of the year. Build an amazing bar menu by incorporating wedding cocktail ideas that highlight fresh, seasonal ingredients. Astonish friends and family with unique flavor combinations, brightly colored cocktails, and holiday-inspired hits.

This post explores twenty-five of our favorite winter wedding cocktail ideas. Whether you’re looking for a warm, spicy sipper or a cool and fruity signature cocktail, you’ll find the perfect beverage for your winter wedding in the list below.

WOW your guests with these winter wedding cocktail ideas

Warm winter wedding cocktail ideas

1. Mulled wine
Mulled wine tops our list as one of the most versatile winter cocktails in the world. Although specific ingredients may vary, the staple ingredients of any mulled wine recipe are typically dry red wine, brandy, orange slices, cranberries, and maple syrup or honey. This classy cocktail also features all your favorite winter spices: cinnamon sticks, cloves, and star anise. Served warm, the smell of fresh fruits and spices will fill the air at your winter wonderland wedding reception while mulled wine warms your guests.

2. Campfire cocktail
Baileys, chocolate sauce, and a graham cracker-covered rim are all components of this gorgeous winter cocktail. Whether served hot or cold, The Campfire Cocktail is no doubt delicious, but we recommend serving it warm to get the full effect. If you’re looking for a cozy signature cocktail that captures guest attention, top each sweet serving off with a toasted marshmallow before offering.

3. Pimm’s Winter Cup
Pimm’s No. 1 cup is a famous British cocktail made with Pimm’s, an herbal, citrusy gin-based liqueur. Pimm’s Winter Cup is Culinary Ginger’s winterized version of the traditional fan-favorite summer cocktail. The warm apple juice base, infused with caramel, cinnamon, and oranges, is the star of this winter wedding cocktail. Garnish Pimm’s Winter Cup with an apple slice and cinnamon before surprising wedding guests with this unique alternative to mulled wine and cider.

4. Mexican Hot Chocolate
A rich and creamy beverage, Mexican hot chocolate has a hint of spice, making it the ideal cocktail for cold winter nights. Flavors of tequila, cinnamon, and cayenne accent the warm chocolatey beverage, creating a smooth and spicy shooter your friends and family will love.

5. Liquor & Coffee Cart
Wake and warm winter wedding guests simultaneously with a stylish liquor and coffee cart. At your morning wedding or evening reception, set up a station that functions as both a coffee bar and cocktail bar. Offer boozy hot chocolate paired with Peppermint Schnapps or Bailey’s, or serve freshly brewed espresso martinis to provide tired partygoers a chic pick-me-up.

6. Hot Buttered Rum
Hot buttered rum is a classic winter beverage bursting with traditional fall flavors like cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove. Muddle butter, sugar, vanilla extract, and spices at the bottom of a mug or Irish coffee glass before adding rum and topping it all off with hot water. Give the drink a good stir, and garnish the buttery cocktail with a cinnamon stick and fresh apple slicing before offering a mug to warm winter wedding guests.

7. Hot Toddy
The Hot Toddy is a classic cocktail, perfect for a chilly winter wedding. One of the most affordable winter wedding cocktail ideas for engaged couples on a budget, you can make a Hot Toddy with various alcohols. Although toddies are traditionally made by pouring hot (boiling) water over a shot of bourbon, modern versions of the cocktail may include bourbon, rum, or brandy. After pouring the hot water over the liquor of choice, top the cocktail with lemon juice and honey before adding a cinnamon stick garnish.

Holiday-inspired winter wedding cocktails

8. Holly Jolly Christmas Citrus
Half-Baked Harvest hits it out of the park again with her citrusy, fizzy Holly Jolly Christmas Citrus cocktail recipe. In addition to freshly squeezed citrus fruit juice, this cocktail recipe calls for ginger beer, vodka, and St. Germain, an elderflower liqueur. Stir all the ingredients together and top with pomegranate seeds and an herb sprig for a simple, chic cocktail perfect for winter weddings. Mix the tasty seasonal cocktail in pitchers for fast and easy guest refreshers.

9. Pink Peppermint
If pink is a key component of your wedding’s color scheme, you’ll love the Pink Peppermint cocktail. Made with crème de cacao, vanilla simple syrup, candy cane vodka, and a drop of cream, the Pink Peppermint features crushed peppermint and a classic candy cane as garnish. Serve the Pink Peppermint in a cocktail glass or highball glass over crushed ice.

10. White Christmas Margarita
Whether you’re hosting an intimate, charming Christmas wedding or a glamorous holiday-themed celebration, the White Christmas Margarita will be a conversation point for your cherished guests. This eye-catching cocktail will stand out because, unlike most margaritas, it is white. In addition to lime juice, triple sec, and tequila, the three main ingredients in any margarita, this recipe from Weekend Craft calls for white cranberry juice.  Served with frozen cranberries, ice, and fresh rosemary, the White Christmas Margarita displays the season’s colors.

11. The Holiday
The Holiday is a chic cocktail made famous by Morton’s Steakhouse. Made with Ketel One vodka, Aperol, fresh lemon juice, and simple syrup, The Holiday is a shaken cocktail served in a champagne flute and topped with freshly whipped cream. Garnish with an edible rose petal to give this winter wedding cocktail an extra touch of romance.

12. White Chocolate Peppermint Martini
This smooth, creamy, holiday-themed cocktail is a lovely choice for late-fall and winter weddings. Putting a peppermint twist on the classic martini, Inspired by Charm’s recipe calls for vanilla vodka, white chocolate liqueur, half and half, crème de cacao, and peppermint schnapps. Garnish the rim of a martini glass with white chocolate syrup and crushed peppermint candy pieces. Add the ingredients to a shaker with ice before straining and pouring the cocktail into the deliciously decorated martini glass.

13. Holiday Cranberry Bourbon
If you’re looking for a signature cocktail that is festive, easy to make, and affordable to stock, consider crafting your own holiday-inspired bourbon cocktail. Draw inspiration from The Beauty Blotter’s recipe, and mix cranberry juice, ginger beer, and bourbon for an aesthetically pleasing and crowd-pleasing winter wedding cocktail. Drop fresh, whole cranberries on top and garnish with rosemary.

14. Cranberry-Apple Cider Christmas Punch
Made with cranberry juice, apple cider, frozen orange juice, ginger ale, and fresh fruit, you can make Cranberry-Apple Cider Christmas Punch and display it in elegant punch bowls. Just before serving, add chilled ginger ale to give the punch a refreshing fizz. Pour individual servings into sleek cocktail glasses before placing a thin apple slice on top. Slide two or three cranberries directly onto a rosemary sprig to create a stunning, stylish garnish that immediately elevates the colorful cocktail’s visual appeal.

Fresh and fruity cocktail ideas for a winter wedding

15. Pomegranate New York Sour
Whiskey, pomegranate simple syrup, fresh lemon juice, an egg white, and one ounce of red wine come together to make the scrumptious, stunning Pomegranate New York Sour. Created by Host the Toast, this tart but sweet concoction is the winter wedding cocktail that looks professional and tastes even better.

16. Winter Citrus Tequila Smash
This fruity beverage, made with blood oranges, lime juice, and pomegranate juice, mixes fresh flavors with a zesty zip of tasty tequila. Sophisticated and refined, the citrus flavors and bright, vibrant color of this cocktail from Half-Baked Harvest make it a bold and elegant choice for any winter wedding.

17. Sparkling Passion Fruit Champagne Margarita
A cheerful, bubbly twist on traditional margaritas, this bright cocktail will bring the warm taste of summer to your winter wedding bar. Passion fruit is the star of Brit + Co’s sparkling champagne margarita. Place passion fruit pulp inside a shaker with lime juice and agave syrup. Stir thoroughly before straining the contents into a chilled champagne glass filled with crushed ice before topping it with chilled champagne or prosecco.

18. Orange Bourbon Slush
If you’re looking for a unique signature drink for your winter wedding, serve guests a seasonal southern favorite: the Orange Bourbon Slush. Frozen orange juice, lemonade, tea, and bourbon are the main ingredients in this slushy recipe from The Cookie Rookie. Make this boozy mix in advance and freeze it overnight, providing enough time for the elements to transform into their final form: half cocktail and half icy dessert.

19. Champagne Punch
This punch recipe calls for champagne or any “brut” labeled sparkling wine. Dryer than sparkling wines labeled “dry” or “extra dry,” Brut is sometimes jokingly called “brutally dry.” Add two bottles of your chosen sparkling beverage to a punch bowl along with Grand Marnier (an orange liqueur), vodka, ginger ale, pomegranate juice, fresh raspberries, and citrus slices. Pair champagne with ginger ale to make this cocktail extra fizzy. Fruity but not too sweet, this recipe pairs well with a variety of winter wedding food ideas.  

Winter wedding cocktails with a unique twist

20. Lava Lamp
The Lava Lamp, a cocktail named for its resemblance to the once-popular retro decoration, is a bold beverage choice for newlyweds who want their signature winter wedding cocktail to make a statement. Although simple to make, requiring only three ingredients, this Lava Lamp recipe from The Bubbly Girl is both seasonal and timeless. Garnish a mixture of champagne and pomegranate liqueur with fresh pomegranate seeds to create a bright, bubbly beverage that gives off a romantic glow.

21. Spiced Winter Mojito
A staple of summer, mojitos are one of the most beloved, drinkable, and refreshing classic cocktails most of us find familiar. To give this summer staple a winter wedding twist, use spiced rum instead of traditional white rum. Anh Nho, a famed bartender, uses rosemary and sage-infused simple syrup to give his version of the Spiced Winter Mojito layers of deep, bold seasonal flavors.

22. Dirty Chai Martini
Rich chai spices blend beautifully with maple syrup and espresso in the Dirty Chai Martini, giving wedding guests an unexpected burst of wintry flavor. The seasonal martini is elegant, seasonal, and perfect for winter weddings. Instead of whole or plant-based milk, whip up this cocktail with almond milk for a vegan-friendly alternative.

23. Eggnog Colada
Put a fresh spin on eggnog, a fan-favorite winter cocktail, by adding tropical summer flavors to the seasonal sipper. Caramelized pineapple, coconut rum, and concentrated pineapple juice are the surprise elements in this unexpected flavor pairing. Complicated to mix, the Eggnog Colada is not a beginner cocktail. Hire a professional bartender or mixologist to perform the heating, whisking, and dusting activities required to bring this beverage to life.

24. Salted Caramel White Russian
A twist on the creamy classic, the Salted Caramel White Russian combines the flavor of salted caramel with classic tastes of Irish cream and amaretto. Drizzle the inside of a glass with caramel sauce before adding ice and an already-shaken mix of Irish cream, amaretto, and whole milk. Add a sprig or two of fresh rosemary or thyme to the beverage to add a hint of seasonal freshness to the winter wedding cocktail.

25. The Jack Frost
Festive, frosted, and frothy, serving the Jack Frost as your signature cocktail will surely wow your wedding guests. This blended, icy tropical highlights pineapple, coconut, and rum flavors. Take the presentation up a notch by dressing the rim of each glass with corn syrup and coconut flakes to recreate the look of freshly fallen snow.

Put these winter wedding cocktail ideas to good use!

With a list of twenty-five festive, flavorful winter wedding cocktail ideas at your disposal, you’re prepared to build a bountiful bar menu featuring a fabulous signature drink. If you still haven’t decided, consider hosting a tasting party with your partner or wedding party members. Gather the ingredients needed to make your top five cocktails, mix them up, and see which recipes are the most popular.

While boozy beverages are on the brain, spend a few moments working on cocktail hour plans. From music to décor, we explore cocktail hour ideas your wedding guests will love next.