Our Top Wedding Tips for Buying Wine
A 75cl bottle of still or sparkling wine will give you 6 respectable glasses of wine (125ml measure). Think about: Welcome drinks (1-2 glasses of fizz); the toast (1 glass of posh fizz); your meal (2-3 glasses of white or red wine). Are your guests big drinkers? How many do you think might not drink (drivers, tee-total, etc.)? Times your estimate for the average guest by the number of guests attending. This is a general guide that should cover most scenarios!
The most important people at your big day are you, so make sure the wine you choose is wine you like! Seems like common sense, right? Any respectable wine merchant who wants to work with you will help you select the right wines and let you taste them first. At Novel Wines, we offer you as a couple or party a tasting session at cost so you can be sure you have exactly the wine you love on your big day.
Whenever you order wine from Novel Wines for your big day we'll deliver it to you anywhere in the UK free of charge. If you don't have room to store it, why not get us to send it straight to the venue in advance? We'll make sure every bottle gets there in time, so you don't have to worry.
We're here to help your wedding be the best day it can be. We've spent years training in the wine and spirits trade so we can offer you the best advice based on your tastes and experiences with wine. Don't be shy to ask us for help. We're a lovely bunch and we will be super excited to do what we can to make sure you have the best wine for your wedding.
Should you supply your own wine or go with the venue's wine list? Most venue's wine lists are marked up for the on-trade so aren't necessarily the best value option. The important thing is to taste the wine before you commit and make sure you like it. You may discover that buying your own wine plus paying the corkage fee costs the same (or may even be cheaper) and you can guarantee you get the wine you want. Many couples decide to pay the corkage fee to bring wines that are personal to them.
Choosing the right wines to go with your food can be so subjective. While you should always choose wine you enjoy (it's your wedding day after all) if you're looking for "crowd-pleasing" wine and food matches there's one golden rule: keep it simple! We have lots of advice on food and wine matching on our blog but we can also help tailor wines to your menu when you chat to our team. Our unique wine list is very versatile with lots of styles of cuisine, so we're keen to share it with you!
People love to toast with Champagne but we know there's a much better way to toast your big day: English sparkling wine. The quality for English bubbly is now amongst the best in the world and - more often than not - cheaper than Champagne for the vintage styles. English sparkling wine also tends to taste much fruitier than its French rival, meaning it will be a much more palatable wine for your guests! Once you've picked a great English sparkling for your toast, sparkling wines like Cava, Prosecco or our range of South African, Croatian, Slovenian and Hungarian sparkling wines are great value choices for welcome drinks.
When choosing the wines for your big day you may be wondering whether to split the wine into 50/50 red and white, right? However, did you know that on average a wedding held inside will see more guests drink red wine, while a wedding outside will see them opt for the bubbly, rosé or white? The time of year can also have an effect with more guests enjoying rosé in late Summer than any other time of year.
Weddings can be expensive. Ordering wine doesn't have to be. When you place a large order for a special occasion like your big day, we offer you a quantity discount of 10% off your entire purchase. We can also offer you a flexible payment option of monthly instalments if cash is tight. If you need help, just ask!
Any good wine merchant worth their salt will be there for you every step of the way. We can help you choose your wines, manage the cost and delivery, and even train your caterers to talk about the wine with your guests. We know how important your wedding will be and we would love to help you create it. Ben, Gyorgy and the team are available Monday - Friday, 9am - 6pm. Need us? Just call.
