12 Signature Cocktails You’ll Want to Say ‘I Do’ To

Signature cocktails are unique drinks that embody the personality of the person, place or event serving them. They’re popular picks for couples tying the knot because they add a personal touch to the wedding venue and can be more affordable to serve. 

If you want to serve signature cocktails at your wedding — and don’t already have a go-to personalized drink or two — use these unique recipes for inspiration. You’re sure to find one you can tweak to make your own. 

1. Strawberry White Wine Sangria

This blend of fresh fruit, white wine and sparkling water is refreshing and sweet.

• 2 cups sliced strawberries 

• 1 sliced orange

• 2 sliced limes  

• 1 cup loosely-packed basil 

• 1 bottle of white wine 

• 1/2 cup brandy, vodka or tequila 

• 3 cups sparkling water

Toss the fruit — peels and all — into a pitcher with the basil before pouring in the white wine and liquor. Refrigerate it overnight to allow the flavors to intensify. Add the sparkling water immediately before serving so the bubbles keep fizzing. 

2. Strawberry Negroni 

Mixing the sugary sweetness of strawberries with these liquors’ bitter herbal notes of juniper and cloves makes for an unforgettable signature cocktail.

• 1 ounce gin

• 1 ounce sweet vermouth

• 1 ounce strawberry-infused Campari 

• Fresh strawberry, lemon peel, lime slice or orange peel to garnish

Make strawberry-infused Campari by placing Campari and sliced strawberries in a sealed container and shaking vigorously. Store the mix in a cool, dark place for at least 24 hours. Strain the finished product into a new container to remove the solids. 

Combine the strawberry-infused Campari, gin and vermouth in a mixing glass filled with ice. Stir until the liquid is thoroughly chilled. Then, strain it into a cocktail glass over ice. Garnish with a lemon peel, lime slice, strawberry or orange peel. 

3. Blood Orange Aperol Spritz

This cocktail takes a tart floral twist on a beloved classic.

• 3 ounces Prosecco

• 2 ounces Aperol

• 1 ounce soda water

• 1-3 blood orange slices

• 1/2 ounce fresh blood orange juice

• Blood orange slice to garnish

Pour the Prosecco, Aperol, soda water and blood orange juice over ice. Top with more soda water to taste and add the garnish on the rim of your glass. 

4. Mojito en Fuego

The mojito en fuego is one of the spiciest signature cocktails on our list. 

• 2 ounces light rum

• 2-4 ounces club soda

• 2-3 tsp sugar

• 3-4 lime wedges

• 2-3 jalapeño slices

• 10 mint leaves

• Orange wheel and jalepeño slices to garnish

Muddle — meaning use a blunt kitchen tool to crush ingredients in the cocktail glass — the jalapeños, mint, lime and sugar before adding ice. Pour in the rum and top with club soda. Add the orange wheel and jalapeño garnish on the rim of the glass. 

5. Pear and Cranberry Bellini

Out of all the signature cocktails you can make, this one is the most involved. Luckily, sipping on the fizzy sweetness of a champagne and fruit cocktail makes it worth the effort. 

• 1 1/2 cups cranberries

• 1/2 cup ripe pear 

• 2 tbsp maple syrup

• 2 tbsp water 

• 2 tsp orange zest 

• 1 750ml bottle of dry champagne 

Put the cranberries, pear, orange zest, water and syrup on a small baking tray and bake for 20-22 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit — or until the cranberries burst and the mix bubbles. Then, transfer it to a food processor and blend until it reaches a sauce-like consistency.

Chill the mix in the fridge for up to one hour. When it’s ready to serve, spoon 2 tbsp into each cocktail glass and top it with champagne — fill the glasses about 3/4 full. Gently stir to combine the alcohol with your fruit mixture.

6. Limoncello Spritz

The lemon’s tartness and mint’s boldness pair beautifully and make for a particularly aesthetic signature cocktail. 

• 3 ounces prosecco

• 1 ounce limoncello

• Splash of fresh lemon juice

• Splash of sparkling water 

• Lemon slices and mint to garnish

Pour the limoncello and fresh lemon juice over ice. Top with the sparkling water and Prosecco, stirring to ensure the flavors combine well. Add a lemon slice to the rim of the cocktail glass and drop a few sprigs of mint on the top of the drink. 

7. Grapefruit Cardamom Gin Fizz

Cardamom’s floral and menthol flavors pair well with the acidic citrus of grapefruit and the botanical, piney aroma of gin. 

• 3 ounces cardamom-infused gin

• 1/2 cup grapefruit juice

• 2 ounces rosemary syrup

• Splash of Prosecco

• Grapefruit peel and rosemary sprig to garnish 

Make cardamom-infused gin by soaking six cardamom pods per one cup of gin. Cover and store the mix for at least 24 hours to let the flavor strengthen. Add all the liquids into a cocktail shaker and shake them for 15-30 seconds. Pour the drink over ice when you finish. 

8. Grapefruit Gin Mimosa

This champagne and grapefruit drink is one of the sweetest signature cocktails on this list.

• 1 ounce fresh grapefruit juice

• 1 ounce grapefruit soda

• 1 1/2 ounces Tanqueray No. Ten gin

• 1-4 ounces champagne, Prosecco or Cava

• Grapefruit peel to garnish 

Pour chilled grapefruit juice, grapefruit soda and the Tanqueray No. Ten gin in a champagne flute. Top it with champagne — or Prosecco or Cava, if you prefer — until the glass is nearly full. Add a fresh grapefruit peel to the rim of the glass to garnish it.

9. Pink Gin Martini

As signature cocktails go, this is one of the most classically beautiful. 

• 2 ounces gin

• 2 ounces kirsch

• 1 ounce blanc vermouth

• 2 dashes of aromatic bitters

• Maraschino cherries and lemon twists to garnish

Fill a cocktail shaker halfway with ice and add gin, kirsch, vermouth and bitters. Shake for 15-30 seconds until the mixture is chilled and combined. Strain it into a cocktail glass over ice and garnish with cherries and lemon twists. 

10. Grapefruit Ginger Beer Paloma

You’ll love this grapefruit ginger beer paloma if you’re a fan of Moscow mules. 

• 4-6 ounces ginger beer 

• 3 ounces fresh grapefruit juice

• 2 ounces tequila, blanco or reposado

• 1/2 ounce agave syrup

• Fresh mint, rosemary or thyme to garnish

Pour fresh grapefruit juice, tequila and agave syrup into a cocktail shaker, and then shake for 10-15 seconds until the liquids combine and chill. Strain it into a cocktail glass over ice before topping it with ginger beer. Garnish with your herb of choice to finish. 

11. Cucumber Lime Cocktail

The mixture of cucumbers, tonic water and lime juice make this one of the most refreshing signature cocktails you can drink. 

• 1 cup cucumber vodka

• 1 cup tonic water

• 1/2 cup cucumber juice 

• 1/2 cup lime juice

• 1/4 cup simple syrup 

• Fresh mint leaves to garnish

Add the cucumber vodka, tonic water, cucumber juice, lime juice and simple syrup into a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake the mixture for 15-30 seconds until it mixes and chills. Strain it over ice and top with fresh mint leaves to garnish. 

12. Blackberry Bourbon Smash

This blackberry bourbon smash is one of the tastiest signature cocktails on this list.

• 2 punches bourbon

• 1 ounce soda water

• 1/2 ounce simple syrup

• 1/2 ounce lemon juice

• 6 mint leaves

• 4-6 blackberries

Muddle the lemon juice, mint leaves and blackberries in a cocktail shaker. Then, add ice and pour in the bourbon over top. Vigorously shake the mixture for 10-30 seconds until it combines and chills. Strain it over ice and top it off with soda water. 

Taste Test These Signature Cocktails at Home

Try out these signature cocktail recipes to see which would fit your wedding best. Color, flavor and style will each play a big role in your decision, so you’re better off making these drinks at home to see which one looks — and tastes — best in person.