9 Yummy Mocktails for Weddings

So you’re planning out your beverage strategy for your dry wedding, or your wedding with kids and future Offbeat Mamas, or just looking to offer some non-boozy alternatives.

You can surely offer sodas and coffee, but why not make their experience a little more special with fancy-shmancy mocktails?

Adding fancy stemware and a garnish will put those teetotalers in the mood to party, and they won’t feel left out from any “signature cocktail” moments.

Since it’s starting to get warmer in some parts of the world, outdoor beverages that keep you cool and hydrated are key. You already have your beverage dispensers ready, right? Let’s dive into these non-alcoholic drink recipes for your wedding.

1. Cranberry Cutie ᔥ This Week for Dinner

Ingredients:
3 ounces Sierra Mist Natural
3 ounces Cranberry Juice
Juice from 1 cutie/clementine orange
1 ounce lime juice
Clementine slice and sugar for garnish

In a shaker filled with ice, mix cranberry juice, cutie juice, and lime juice. Add Sierra Mist Natural and stir. Strain into two martini glasses with edges that have been dipped in sugar (optional). Garnish with a cutie slice.

2. Bloody Apple Cranberry Cocktails ᔥ The Cooking Photographer

Ingredients:
1 (12 FL OZ) container frozen 100% cranberry juice, thawed
2 (25.4 FL OZ) bottles Sparkling Apple Cider, chilled
4 cups very cold water, or ice water mix (for more intense cranberry flavor, use less water)

Stir everything together in a pitcher and serve (preferably in spooky glasses like these)!

3. Agua de Jamaica (Hibiscus Punch) ᔥ Chow.com
To help you figure out this flavor, try the “Red Zinger” series of Celestial Seasonings tea.

Ingredients:
3 quarts (12 cups) water
1 (1/2-inch) piece ginger, finely grated
1 1/2 cups dried Jamaica flowers (also known as hibiscus or flor de Jamaica)
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice (from about 1 large lime)

Combine water and ginger in a large pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Remove from heat and stir in Jamaica flowers and sugar until sugar has dissolved. Let steep 10 minutes. Strain through a chinois or fine mesh strainer into a large, heat-resistant bowl or pot. Stir in lime juice and set aside to cool. Refrigerate until ready to use. Serve over ice.

4. Independence Punch ᔥ Big Bear’s Wife
This recipe is cool because you can harness the power of science to separate the layers by sugar content! Once you know the trick, you can replace with any drinks/colors you like.

Ingredients: (adjust volume for your container)
Cranberry Juice
Blue Gatorade Frost
Diet 7Up
Ice cubes

Fill the glass or drink dispenser with ice. Pour in the cranberry juice. Next, pour in the Blue Gatorade Frost, but make sure that you pour straight onto some of the ice to gently add the layer. If you pour it directly into the juice it will mix. Pour in the Diet 7Up the same way. You’ll need to use drinks with varying amounts of sugar, since those that contain more sugar (such as soda) are denser than those with less (such as diet drinks). This makes the stacking possible.

5. Mock Mojito ᔥ Babyzone

4 or 5 springs of fresh mint
1 lime
1 ounce simple syrup
6 to 8 ounces soda water
Garnish: lime wedges and mint sprigs

Muddle the mint (reserve one sprig for garnish) with the simple syrup in the bottom of a tall glass. Add ice cubes. Squeeze half of one lime into the glass, reserving the other half for garnish (slice it into three or four wedges). Top with soda water. Stir, drop in lime wedges, and decorate with the last sprig of mint.

6. Italian Soda ᔥ Sugar and Charm Blog

Ingredients:
Blueberry or strawberry syrup
Club soda
Half and half

Fill a glass with ice. Pour 1/4 part syrup over the ice. Add in one part club soda. Pour in a dash of half and half and stir.

7. Flavored Waters ᔥ NancyCreative
Flavored water is inexpensive, totally versatile, and oh-so-perfect for a hot weather wedding… and any other kind of wedding. Lots of water on hand also means more hydration for those who are partaking in the real booze.

a. Citrus Cucumber Water

1 large lemon, sliced
1 large lime, sliced
1 large orange, sliced
1 large cucumber, sliced
1 half-gallon of water

Place all the sliced fruits and the cucumber in a glass pitcher and add water. Refrigerate for two hours to allow flavors to infuse, then serve in glasses over ice.

b. Honeydew Lime Water

2–3 slices of ripe honeydew melon
1 lime, sliced
4 sprigs of mint
1 half-gallon of water

Add melon slices, lime slices and mint sprigs to a large pitcher; fill with the half-gallon of water and refrigerate 2–4 hours. Serve in ice-filled glasses. Makes about 8 servings.

c. Lemon Lavender Water

3 large lemons, sliced
1/4 cup fresh lavender
1 half-gallon of water

Add lemon slices and lavender to pitcher; pour water over both and refrigerate for 2 hours. Serve over ice and garnish with a sprig of lavender.

7. Virgin Bellini ᔥ Chow.com
This version of the classic champagne drink would totally work for a brunch wedding.

Ingredients:
1 ounce chilled peach nectar
4 ounces chilled lemon-lime soda

Pour peach nectar into a champagne flute and top with lemon-lime soda. Stir gently and serve.

8. Watermelon punch WITH bowl! ᔥ Martha Stewart

Ingredients:
1 oblong seedless watermelon (about 14 pounds)
3 cups seltzer

Cut top third off of the watermelon (or carve into shark or Death Star shape!); trim the bottom just enough to make a flat surface. Scoop out the flesh. Working in batches, puree watermelon in a food processor. Strain through a fine sieve and discard solids. Cover the rind with plastic wrap. Refrigerate the juice and rind until chilled for about one hour. Combine juice with the seltzer and fill your bowl!

9. Milk and Cookies Cocktail ᔥ Mixing Bowl Kids
While not technically a “cocktail,” they sure do look cute, and any kids at the party will go nuts.

Ingredients:
Agave Nectar or honey
Colored sprinkles
Milk
Your favorite small and soft cookies