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....
New app launches to simplify one of marriage’s biggest admin headaches
Changing your name after marriage can mean updating details with countless organisations, from banks and subscriptions to official documents and employers. New app Name Change Navigator aims to make the process easier, guiding newlyweds through each step from one platform. Founded by Rebecca Dainton, Head of Product at Flutter UK & Ireland, the app was created to reduce the stress and mental load associated with name changes. It supports a range of naming journeys, including traditional surname changes, double-barrelling, blended surnames and other choices following marriage, civil partnership, divorce or personal identity changes. The launch comes as younger generations increasingly rethink traditional naming conventions, with technology offering a more streamlined approach to this often-overlooked part of newlywed life.
READ ARTICLE
From best mates to distant relatives: Brits reveal the wedding gift hierarchy
How much should you spend on a wedding gift? It seems the answer depends on just how well you know the happy couple. New research from One4all Gift Cards has revealed that almost half of Brits (49%) would spend less on a wedding gift if they were not particularly close to the couple. The relationship came out ahead of travel and accommodation costs (38%) and paying for a hen or stag do (28%) when it comes to factors influencing how much guests are prepared to spend. For those closest to them, Brits consider an average of £77 per person to be an acceptable wedding gift. The most popular amount was between £50 and £100, selected by 43% of respondents, while 36% believe spending up to £50 is perfectly acceptable. Just 5% would spend more than £200.
READ ARTICLE
Revealed: England and Wales’ most common wedding anniversary date as August accounts for nearly one in six
1 September is the most common wedding anniversary date, with an average of 1,557 marriages taking place on the date, new analysis has revealed. The research, from drinks and gifting retailer Bottled and Boxed, analysed 22 years of marriage registration data from the Office for National Statistics to identify the dates when couples across England and Wales are most likely to be celebrating their wedding anniversaries each year. Every date in the top 10 falls between late July and early September, showing how heavily the most common anniversaries are concentrated in late summer. August is the most common month for wedding anniversaries, accounting for 15.7% of all marriages analysed, with an average of 1,254 couples married per day.
READ ARTICLE
Marriage law reform: what the Government’s proposals could mean for couples
Planning a wedding is fun, stressful, time consuming. Couples want a ceremony that reflects their taste, is reflective of their love for each other and feels unique. The current restrictions in place can sometimes fetter that. Long-awaited plans to modernise weddings law in England and Wales could give couples far greater freedom over where and how they marry. It is hoped that they may be part of a much wider transformation of family law which is going through the biggest shakeup in decades.
