Creating an effervescent drink for your wedding is a fun extra step many brides choose to take- it can punch up the look of the party scene and add some personality to what might be an otherwise blase cocktail hour.

Signature drinks can be anything between a special Champagne cocktail with a twist, to an exciting martini with frilly or candy garnishes. The bride and groom just need to take a few things into account while concocting their drink.

Daytime or Nighttime
When will these signature cocktails be sipped? If the drink is to be sipped prior to or during a ceremony, during the day or before the sun goes down, lighter is generally better. You want your guests to last through the evening! Think in the spritzer, citrus and juice families, and keep the alcohol content low by using wine, Champagne or vodka (with a light hand). Some fun examples might include a Ginger Bellini, Pink Lemonade with Vodka or Champagne Cocktails.

Check out this light, effervescent recipe from Pourmasters bartending company owner Dave Forman:

Razzy Fizz
Barefoot Bubbly Brut
Raspberry Liquor
Lime Wedge
Fresh Raspberries

Fill Flute 2/3 with Bubbly Brut, top with raspberry liquor and drop a raspberry into each flute. Garnish with lime wedges.

If your wedding is at nighttime, the sun is setting and guests are ready to party, specialty martinis and stronger cocktails are in order. Now's the time to try different things and use a heavier hand with the alcohol. Fun, year-round options might include Acai Martinis, Lemon Drop Martinis

or people-pleasing variations on a Cosmopolitan.

Here's a custom tini creation from Forman for Dream Weddings:

To Tahiti in a Bikini-tini
1 oz. Gin
1 oz. Lillet Blanc
1 oz. Cointreau
1 oz. Lemon Juice
2 drops Absinthe

Shake all ingredients together, strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

Budget
A signature drink doesn't have to cost a million dollars. These cocktails can go both ways, helping you keep guests refreshed while staying within a tight budget, or taking it up a notch and really impressing your guests with custom-made, delectable creations.

Signature cocktails are a great idea if you're on a budget, because often times it can take the place of a full-bar, being offered alongside beer and wine. All a bride needs to decide on is a fun variation of a tried-and-true cocktail- vodka and Champagne are the safest alcohol choices- and buy the mix-in ingredients in bulk. Special stirrers or decorations made of pretty papers for your glassware will show your attention to detail without breaking the bank.

A fun punch Foreman suggests to Dream Weddings is Plantar's Punch:

Plantar's Punch
1.25 oz. Captain Morgan Original Spiced Rum
2 oz. Orange Juice
2 oz. Pineapple Juice
.25 oz. Lime Juice
.25 oz. Lemon Juice
1 tsp. sugar
1 Dash Grenadine
1 Cherry Flag

Mix all ingredients, shake with ice and strain into an ice-filled glass. Garnish with a cherry flag.

To take it up a notch, servers can pass guests a signature cocktail and serve at the bars alongside other drink options. It's always fun to bring an exciting garnish into the mix if you have the budget for it- cotton candy, hibiscus flowers and rock candy sticks are all fun options. Custom cocktail bars are also a fun option- offer guests a variety of flavored simple syrups or liquors with an alcohol base and soda, so they can master their own mixing.

Here's a super-luxe, fun drink Forman created for Dream Weddings:

Mr. and Mrs. Martini
.5 oz. Absolut Vodka
.75 oz. Blueberry Schnapps
.25 oz. Blue Curacao
.5 oz. Malibu Rum
1 oz. Orange Juice
1 oz. Pineapple Juice
1 dash Grenadine
.25 oz. &-Up

Shake all but &-Up and Grenadine with ice and pour into sour glass. Fill with 7-Up and top with Grenadine.

How Much to Buy
A lot of things need to be taken into account when stocking a bar for several hundred. The time of day, number of hours the wedding will be, percentage of females vs. males and other beverages being offered are all factors that need to be taken into consideration. Drink calculators are available online, but it is best to check with your serving company for their estimates on glassware and drinks.

Winter or Summer?
Your drink should keep the time of year in mind, as should the rest of your wedding. For springy and summery drinks, fruit, coconutty, berries and sugary sweet options are fun. Try Pimms and Lemonade, Sangria or a variation of a mojito.

For wintery drinks, try using whiskey, cinnamon, and flavors that warm you from the inside out.

Mulled Wine or Cider are fun examples.

A Sequence of Sips
It's always fun to offer a sequence of drinks for your wedding- a bride might start with something sparkling and fun as guests first arrive, switch to a punchier cocktail for the wedding, and finish the evening with a spiked coffee or hot chocolate bar, to keep the party going until the very end.

A coffee bar is a fun added touch, and might offer Kahlua, Bailey's or schnapps alongside. For Hot Chocolate Bars, Goldschlager, Peppermint Schnapps and Butterscotch Schnapps are all fun options. Don't forget chocolate, marshmallow and other mix-ins!

A Name
Don't forget to use a fun name for your drink- an inside joke, pet's name, or place special to you is a fun way to break the ice. If you need inspiration, try alliteration by using a well-known drink name and finding another word that is a good fit. Fun drink words include:

Spritzer
Martini or 'tini
Punch
Drop
Sour
Tonic
Toddy
Sunrise
Stinger
Highball
Lowball
Sling
Fizz
Cocktail
Sidecar
Gimlet
Daquiri
Colada
Bellini

Have a great signature Wedding cocktail? Tell us more!