An Ultimate Guide to Hosting Cocktail Hour for Your Wedding in Italy!

When it comes to your wedding, what your guests will adore the most, apart from all the celebrations, are the food and drinks. This is especially true if you opt for a wedding in Italy. After all, this is the land of the world’s most spectacular delicacies and wines. Just imagine the delightful sound of glasses clinking with the music softly playing in the background while your closest ones dance under the enchanting glow of the fairy lights during cocktail hour. What else can you ask for? 

Cocktail hour, an epitome of celebration, sets the stage for the grandeur of weddings. So, as you embark on an adventure with your wedding in Italy, allow us to guide you in orchestrating a memorable cocktail party. 

Cocktail Hour: Italian Traditions- Aperitivo!

Before the reception of a wedding in Italy, guests are treated to Aperitivo, an Italian tradition that is typically a happy hour with drinks and many delicious finger foods. Aperitivo, derived from the Latin word ‘aperire’, which means ‘to open’, is a pre-wedding event that allows guests to mingle while the newlyweds are catching a breather from all the celebrations. Make the most of this splendid evening, and create the cocktail hour setup that will be etched in everyone’s memory for years. Here’s how to propose one in pure Italian style!

Serving Food and Drinks

The best way of hosting the cocktail hour for your wedding in Italy is to have serving done in two different ways.

One is by having waiters cater to the guests, and the other is by preparing a buffet table. Plan a food corner focusing on Italian specialties such as pizza and cannoli. Across the buffet tables, you may opt for Italian cured meats, cheese, and fried foods, including courgette blossoms filled with mozzarella cheese. You may also include finger foods like mini aubergine parmigiana or small bruschettas. 

For the Italian cocktail hour menu, we recommend opting for Prosecco, wines, and juices. Beers are hardly common in Italian weddings, so you won’t find them included. In addition, the service methods for drinks can be different. You can either keep the barmen in charge of preparing each guest’s favorite drink or opt for a signature creation and serve that only. If you are looking for popular Italian cocktails, do include Aperol and Prosecco, Negroni, Bellini, or Rossini. Do not forget to add nonalcoholic beverages for other guests who don’t drink and children.

Live Music

Music is the most essential part of your wedding in Italy, especially for your cocktail hour! We recommend having live music to set the tone for the evening and create a special atmosphere. It shouldn’t be too loud, just enough so the guests can speak to each other normally. So, you may opt for a swing band or have classic musicians playing modern numbers and your favorite songs playing right next to you.

Wedding Theme 

You can elevate the cocktail hour setup by making it resonate with your wedding theme. You can personalize the cocktails or ask the bartenders to create something unique that represents you as a couple. Be creative and create an original name for your signature drink so your guests can remember it forever!

Menu of Drinks

Another piece of advice we always offer is to have an Italian cocktail hour menu for the guests to choose from and give them an idea of what is available. This not only helps make their evening comfortable but also eases communication with the barman, ensuring that each guest gets their preferred drink without any confusion. The more information you provide, the better.

Incorporate Elements of Italian Tradition

To make your wedding in Italy cocktail hour unique, incorporate elements of Italian tradition. Here are some interesting ideas:

• Include Italian games or dances, such as fazzoletto or tombola. It will be a fun way to keep the guests engaged and entertained.

• Incorporate typical Italian decor, such as fresh flowers, lanterns, or string lights, to create romantic and cozy evening settings.

Finally, don’t be afraid to go outside the box and come up with your own cocktail hour ideas for a wedding. Since the event isn’t typically formal, you can be as lively as you want, giving your guests a moment to let loose and mingle.

Hosting a cocktail party is essential to the wedding festivities and goes beyond being an event. It will set the tone for the whole reception, so make it fun with local delicacies and drinks, which your guests look forward to at your wedding in Italy.

Are you looking for more interesting and fabulous ideas for your wedding in Italy? Keep reading our other blog posts!