Wedding Wine Guide Q&A with Sarah Knowles part three!
Sarah Knowles MW joined The Wine Society in March 2014 and passed her Masters of Wine qualification in 2015. She is responsible for Champagne, North America and Italy, as well as overseeing the portfolio of sparkling wines and spirits; so, there really is no better person to be advising you and answering all of your wedding questions? Red or white for a meat course? Wine or Champagne for your wedding toast? Here's the final part in our three-part guide, providing you with all you need to know about wedding wine...
How can you make more sustainable choices? Sustainability is important but making the most sustainable choice for your wedding can be hard. Small things you could do are look to wines in lighter weight bottles, or wines that have been bottled in the UK, both of which will have saving CO emissions in transport and manufacture.
Choosing reputable growers, may also ensure that you are selecting with winemakers that care deeply for their team and are fair employers.
Some regions are also better certified than others with 90+% of New Zealand's wines being certified as produced sustainably. Though the wines have travelled a long way, they are shipped by a large sea container these wines although travelled along way are not actually as bad in CO emissions as you might think.
Most wines from Italy are also shipped by train, which offers a significant carbon saving compared to road freight, whereas, of course, choosing "local" wines from our great English selection could also help from a sustainability position.
What makes the best wedding gift? I have often given friends and family a case of Champagne for their wedding, with a card that I once received that said that "you need to keep a bottle of Champagne in the fridge at all times so that when you next have a moment to celebrate the bubbles are already chilled!"
I so loved the idea, that I stole this sentiment and have used it many times, sometimes also sending half bottles, cases of sparkling wine, or the couples' own fizz if I have known it (so that it's their 'special' wedding wine).
Wine and spirits can also be a great gift for family and friends who have helped particularly towards your big day. The right bottle of malt whisky, gin, rosé, chardonnay, or pinot for the right person can show that you have taken note of their favourite tipple and thought of them on your big day, also giving them something to take away and toast you with at a later date.
Wedding favours can be a minefield, but have you thought about making your own sloe gin or rhubarb vodka...?
Finally, a thoughtful gift for the couple in question, or key family members, might be a membership to The Wine Society - £40 for a lifetime share, with £20 credit off their first purchase, it is something longer term that might really hit the spot.
What can you serve for guests who do not drink alcohol? There are non-alcoholic wines now available – we list a great sparkling one from the producers of our Society's Champagne.
However, think about cloudy apple juices, or elderflower cordials, perhaps put out a tray of fancy softs (e.g. San Pellegrino) or flavoured tonic waters.
A simple way to offer an Instagram-ready soft is to add a signature garnish to beautiful jugs or carafes of iced water such as pink grapefruit, lemon and blood orange slices, springs of mint and pomegranate seeds, wild rosemary, cucumber slices or summer red berries. And don't forget tea and coffee....
The rise of ‘wedding-like’ commitment ceremonies – and the legal dangers couples don’t see coming
With the costofliving still shaping how couples celebrate, and social media normalising nontraditional ceremonies; more people are opting for celebrations that look like weddings but aren't legally binding, and many couples aren't realising the risk until it's too late. Google searches for "what is a commitment ceremony" have surged 63% in the past year, and with costs ranging from just £200 for a simple register-office ceremony, non-legal celebrations are becoming an increasingly attractive option with the cost-of-living continuing to put couples under pressure when considering marriage. However, these ceremonies also carry hidden legal pitfalls
READ ARTICLE
New UK map reveals Brits’ favourite proposal spots according to social media
National family-owned jeweller, Beaverbrooks, has unveiled a new map revealing the 15 best places in the UK to pop the question, based on Instagram hashtag data. Whether it's against a backdrop of dramatic coastlines, rolling countryside or iconic city skylines, choosing the perfect place to propose is almost as overwhelming as choosing the ring. To help partners looking to ask the all-important question to their other halves, Beaverbrooks has created a new 'Proposal Map of the UK', making it easier than ever to find an idyllic location.
READ ARTICLE
Why more couples are letting the coast shape their wedding day
For couples planning a wedding, the setting is increasingly becoming more than a backdrop. Research from WeddingDates found that 78% of UK couples consider location an important factor when choosing a venue, with more than a third specifically influenced by the view. Rockwater, the UK coastal hospitality brand with beachfront venues in Hove and Branksome, says this is helping reshape how couples approach weddings by the water. Rather than simply choosing a coastal venue and then planning the celebration independently of it, couples are increasingly allowing the landscape, changing light and relationship between indoor and outdoor spaces to influence the day itself. Rockwater has identified four of the key considerations shaping modern coastal weddings.
READ ARTICLE
Something old, something gone: The British wedding traditions on borrowed time
New Aspall research reveals the wedding traditions that are being dropped - from the bouquet toss and choreographed first dances, to the father-of-the-bride speech - and the modern alternatives taking their place. Speeches given only by men (36%), a choreographed first dance (34%) and the formal receiving line (30%) are among the wedding traditions that couples are keenest to ditch, a new study reveals. Wearing a veil, the 15-minute father-of-the-bride speech with no speech from the bride, and the traditional tiered fruit cake are also increasingly falling out of favour as Brits tie the knot, researchers found.
