From Signature Cocktail to Mocktail: How Mixology Enhances Your Brooklake Wedding Day Style

A devoted, thoughtful groom once said in his finest Sinatra-esque New Jersey accent, “The three B’s are the most important things at our wedding – the bride, the band and the booze!” That trio is a great recipe for an unforgettable wedding day. As the new couple both of you are always the stars of the celebration. Add music to set the moods and tempo throughout your marriage ceremony and reception. When you follow the third tip from that fun-loving groom, your personally curated cocktails add style all day – from the dressing suites to your first look, through cocktail hour and all the heartfelt toasts at your reception.

“Booze” creativity — also called “mixology” — helps add a memorable element to your special day, even for those who don’t drink alcohol. At Brooklake in Florham Park, New Jersey, we encourage couples to get involved with your bar service. Throughout your wedding day, enjoying the appropriate drinks, wine, and beer you have thoughtfully chosen helps bring all your guests together to toast your new life, creates instant memories and can generate precious posed and spontaneous photo opportunities.

Have you thought about your first cocktail as a married couple?

There are numerous stories of the origin of the world’s first cocktail. A mix in the Caribbean called “El Draque”, a legendary precursor to the Mojito, was first stirred up by Sir Francis Drake in the 1500’s. Europeans attribute punch, a marination of fruit in liquors, as the world’s earliest cocktail dating back to the 17th Century. For a deeper history of the cocktail, check out this in-depth article by a renown “spirits historian”.

Let’s make your first toast as a wedding couple extra special. Your go-to idea may be the traditional one such as toasting with a luxurious champagne, then add a flourish – perhaps floated with fruit liquor and fresh fruit. Consider less traditional options too, from your own life and personal experience:

• Ask your wedding caterer to recreate your favorite mixed drink, perhaps the one you shared on your first date or engagement.
• Have you made your own wine? Maybe you’d like to show it off in monogrammed glasses.
• How about sharing your preferred beer in stylish steins with a squeeze of lime or orange wedge?
• Try “Töst” or “For Bitter or Worse” – premade modern non-alcoholic cocktail alternatives.

Developing a Signature Cocktail is Fun and Stylish

Martha Stewart recently shared a new drink she created and enjoyed, a twist on a classic favorite:

“Like a margarita, [the “Martha-Rita”] contains triple sec, tequila, and lime juice, but the secret ingredient—which gives it its gorgeous baby pink color—is strawberry syrup, which Stewart saves when making homemade jam from the berries in her garden because she’s Martha Stewart. (“I put more fruit in the jars and save the leftover syrup,” she says.)”

Most wedding bartenders embrace today’s trend of creating signature cocktails named especially for the wedding couple and their tastebuds. At Brooklake, in Florham Park in northern New Jersey, we host only one affair a day so our entire menu can be all about you. As a premier wedding venue in Morris County, Brooklake is “big enough” to deliver a deep selection of bar essentials and specialties, and “small enough” to give you intimate personal attention.

The catering director, Peter, was a dream to work with – he promised us the world and, to my surprise, he completely delivered. We had personalized decorations, signature cocktails, special requests for the bar to stock … and much more, and not once did we have to worry that things wouldn’t be exactly to our liking. – Vin D.

Your signature wedding cocktail doesn’t have to be some new and exotic recipe, though. You can opt to simply rename something popular, such as “Olivia’s Chocolate Martini” or “Shaun’s Chivas Special.” If you want to get extra creative, skip using your names and look to the fun stories your guests know about you. Sometimes, you may even get a good laugh! Here are some starters:

• Salute your alma mater: “The Nittany Lion” or simply, “The Orange.”
• Don your favorite accessory: “Tony’s Tophat” or “Nia’s Pearl Necklace.”
• Pop your name in a famous literary cocktail: “The Hot Todd-y” from Cat on a Hot Tin Roof or “Jenna’s Mint Julep” if you loved The Great Gatsby.
• Honor a loved one: “Grandma’s Crochet Elixir” or “Auntie’s Front Porch Tea.”
• Offer a throwback to your favorite TV series – rename a simple Bailey’s on the rocks “Milk of the Poppy” from Game of Thrones.
• Tip your hat to some famous fictional bartenders: “The Nick Miller” from New Girl, “The Sam Malone” from Cheers, or “Arthur’s Apple Cider” after the robot bartender from the movie Passengers.
• Ski fanatic? Showcase your best (worst?) event, “Alex’s Torn ACL” or favorite mountain, “That Telluride Day.”

For even more wedding cocktail ideas – from names to displays – check out The Knot’s in-depth exploration here.

Presentation Makes Perfect

Finally, the glassware you toast in and gift is the finishing touch to cocktail fun and sentimentality on your wedding day. Some couples re-use their parents’ or grandparents’ challis in their marriage ceremony and toast, others gift monogrammed barware to the wedding party. Toppers, glass stem charms, family heirlooms, are all reminders of who each of you are, where you came from and where you will go in your new life together.

Signature Cocktails Made Easy, and Meaningful, at Brooklake

Bring your ideas and inspiration for your signature cocktails and mocktails to the Brooklake team of event planners when you book your celebration at our elegant and charming indoor / outdoor wedding venue. From your culinary dreams to interior decor visions, we are with you every step of the way with our experience, dedication and creativity. Renown for meticulous attention to detail, including impeccable bar service, the Brooklake promises you a partnership with the results you will cherish forever. Contact us today.

ALL of our guests felt like VIP, we had a guest that is a professional bartender who commented that he’s never seen a bar run so smoothly and all of our vendors commented on how well executed the evening was. I highly recommend booking your wedding here!!!!!  – Elizabeth