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how to choose the best wedding wines
Everything has to be perfect for your big day, and there are so many details to decide—from the food to the flowers and everything in between. At Laithwaites Wine, we search the globe for quality, crowd-pleasing wines at fantastic prices, so we have a wide range of options. See below for some of our top tips for choosing your wedding wines, or give us a call and we’ll help you determine the right wines, amounts, pairings and more.

Go for variety (and lean red)
On average, more red wine is consumed than white. From our experience, we suggest going with a split of 60% reds and a 40% mix of whites, rosé or sparkling wine.
Variety also means offering recognizable options alongside something unusual or exciting. A classic red and a fresh, crowd-pleasing white (like Sauvignon Blanc) give guests confidence, while a rosé or sparkling wine adds a celebratory touch.
This balanced approach keeps everyone happy—from casual sippers to wine lovers—without requiring an overwhelming number of bottles or styles.

Go for variety (and lean red)
On average, more red wine is consumed than white. From our experience, we suggest going with a split of 60% reds and a 40% mix of whites, rosé or sparkling wine.
Variety also means offering recognizable options alongside something unusual or exciting. A classic red and a fresh, crowd-pleasing white (like Sauvignon Blanc) give guests confidence, while a rosé or sparkling wine adds a celebratory touch.
This balanced approach keeps everyone happy—from casual sippers to wine lovers—without requiring an overwhelming number of bottles or styles.

Make it a perfect pairing
Weddings are all about complementary pairings, from the couple to the color scheme. The same holds true for the food and the wine. There are wines that will make your appetizers and main dishes really shine. We like to rely on versatile favorites. Cabernet can handle a wide range of bold red meat dishes, while Pinot Noir is fantastic with lighter red meat preparations and white meat options. A well-balanced Chardonnay also pairs deliciously with white meat, as well as fresh seafood.
There are certain rules you can follow to make sure your wine will improve the meal, and not detract from it. For example, the wine should have more acidity than the dish; the body should match (heavy wines with heavy dishes, lighter wines with lighter dishes); and the flavors of the wine and food should play off each other.
The best way is to taste the wine with the food ahead of time. Consider bringing several wines with you when you taste the food options. Plus, if you ever need assistance, call our Wine Advisors for specific pairing tips.
Calculate how much wine you need
Based on our experience, we suggest you budget for the following:
- 1 welcoming glass of sparkling wine per guest
- 2-3 glasses to enjoy during the meal (white or red)
- 1 glass of bubbly for the toast
- 1 glass for after the meal
That’s about 5-6 glasses per person (believe it or not). But each wedding is different. Some might not start with a welcoming glass, some go much longer than others. You can use the equation at right to get a general idea of how many bottles you need.


Calculate how much wine you need
Based on our experience, we suggest you budget for the following:
- 1 welcoming glass of sparkling wine per guest
- 2-3 glasses to enjoy during the meal (white or red)
- 1 glass of bubbly for the toast
- 1 glass for after the meal
That’s about 5-6 glasses per person (believe it or not). But each wedding is different. Some might not start with a welcoming glass, some go much longer than others. You can use the equation at right to get a general idea of how many bottles you need.
why buy your wedding wine from us?
We’ll work with you to select wines that fit your preferences and budget. Just call our Wine Advisors at 888-863-7386 for more details.
If the venue has a corkage fee, it may still be cheaper to use our wines and pay a bottle fee than use the venue’s often-inflated “house” wines offerings.
The last thing you want is to worry about the delivery of wine as your big day approaches. We will find a date and time that best fits your busy schedule.

Discuss your requirements with us
If you’re feeling overwhelmed and perhaps a little intimidated by the enormous variety of wine out there, don’t worry—we are here to help you! Let us take the guesswork out of finding the perfect wine for your special day. Call us at 888-863-7386 or email us at wineadvisors@laithwaites.com.