What kind of drink(s) to serve at an outdoor reception/open house?

[DonaBella]

On May 29th---which is coming up pretty quickly--my son gets married. Due to the size of the venue, there is a limit on guests to the wedding and reception and the distance is too far for many to come. Since we have established friendships with so many and so many of those folks want to see my son and his new bride, we are hosting a reception open house in my backyard by our pool.

We are having the event catered for about 100 people with finger foods and we will have a cake that I ordered from a wonderful bakery.

I am stumped as to what to serve for a beverage...

The caterer for the food is not providing the beverage due to cost. So...what do I serve and how do I serve it? Ideas please!

 

[sydneycasandra]

Sounds like a fun event!

If you are planning on doing alcoholic beverage but don't want people getting smashed, you may try what we're going to do at our reception after our DW, back here in the states.

1 keg of decent quality beer
1 big "vase" type decanter (I mean it's like 2 or 3 feet high) of red and white sangria each
tons of iced tea (we are doing peach flavored white tea, it's a little more "elegant" and you can still buy it at walmart, celestial seasonings makes it)
tons of lemonade (probably NOT homemade but we will float lemon/lime slices in it for a nice look)
water

if people can't find anything they like to drink there... and we are supplying these beverages ourselves, making the sangria the night before and putting it in a refrigerator. it's not going to cost very much (we are using boxed wine, sorry!) and i think it will be light, summery, outdoorsy, and easy... and hopefully no one will feel compelled to karaoke!

ETA: this is for a reception of approximately 75 people so you may up the quantities a little bit?

 

[E B]

Is it during the day? If so, tea and lemonade in those big containers (with the spouts...like this: Lemonade Dispenser) would be really nice.
If at night, perhaps different kinds of bottled beer and soft drinks? Maybe several bottles of champagne and/or wine as well, for a toast.

 

[monarch64]

I love antigua''s red and white sangria idea! There is a thread from a while ago around here somewhere on how to make the white sangria...

 

[diamondfan]

is there a theme or food type you are sticking with? LOVE the sangria idea, and love also mojitos or mint juleps, refreshing...

 

[DonaBella]

Thanks for your responses...

I will paint you the scenary so that you can get a feel for what I am attempting to do...

Tiki torches will be lit...The event is from 5pm until 8pm on a Saturday evening.

My pool will have floating candles in it if I can find the ones I want for ambience. (I have a rock pool so its really nice!

)

The colors will be white, gold, dark chocolate brown in the linens.

There will be a buffett table set up with finger foods, fresh crudite with dip, fresh fruit and dip, mini croissant sandwiches, sweet and sour meatballs, etc.

There will be a cake table where a modest cake with scrollwork on it and roses between the two cakes with roses as the topper will spotlighted, surrounded by tealights on small mirrors surrounding the cake with more rose petals.

Six 72 inch round tables with chairs for 8 people at each table off to the side on the grass. (I haven''t figured out what kind of centerpieces yet...maybe some tealights and a small short vase with roses in the middle of the tealights...)

Tropical, caribbean, soothing music for background...

This is what I have planned so far...

Out of the 110 people that we sent out invites to, 27 of those were for out of town family and friends who will not be able to come out but will definitely send the happy couple something so that leaves...83 people locally. Out of those, I predict 65 to 75 will come because this is our first child getting married and of the ties we have with them.

I truly appreciate your idea of the lemonade...and even the peach iced tea. The peach color goes with the color scheme we have going on here...

If anybody had any additional ideas to fit the picture I have tried to share with you, by all means, please let me know.

When you mentioned the sangria, that made me thirsty!

 

[Tybee]

Deanna,
The party is going to be just lovely!
I love the idea of lemonade and sangria,
but since it''s going to be in the evening,
I say wine wine wine wine!