After more than a year of lockdown, the return of weddings in the near future (even if they’re smaller and more socially distanced than before) is welcome news indeed for couples around the UK! And after such a long and heartbreaking wait for many, there’s more reason than ever before to do it YOUR way. And for many of our Craft Gin Clubbers, that means one important ingredient…. gin!

Yes - who says champagne has to be the only drink that gets a look in at weddings? Here at Craft Gin Club, we say: if it makes you happy (and it does us!) then now is the time to break with tradition and go for a gin-spiring, gin-credible wedding reception!

Even if you do want to sip sparkling during the event itself, there are still plenty of ways to incorporate your love of gin into your plans for the big day. We’ve done the hard work for you and come up with 9 ways to create a beautiful and fun gin theme for your wedding.

GIN-THEMED SEATING PLAN

Image: Jessica Grace Photography; source: weddingvenues.co.uk and rockmywedding.co.uk.

 Add some fun to your seating plan by naming each table after one of your favourite gins (can we suggest those from Craft Gin Club?!) If you want to really enhance the theme, use the corresponding gin bottles as a beautiful centrepiece. Which takes us to….

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GIN WEDDING TABLE DECORATIONS

Source: rockmywedding.co.uk

Gin bottles are known for their gorgeous design, so for a gin-themed wedding, why not get creative and use your favourites as table decorations? Gin bottles can work equally well as flower vases, candle holders, tealight or fairy-light centrepieces, or even as vessels to contain beautifully scented reed diffusers.

Images: Mark Williamson; Source: bridemagazine.co.uk

Whether your wedding is vintage or contemporary, there will be lots of bottles for you to choose from (plus, think of all the fun to be had drinking the gin to get the bottles beforehand!) Speaking of which….

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GIN WEDDING DRINKS

Source: louiseroe.com

Love gin? Want some inspiration for gin cocktails for your wedding? Maybe you’d like to try our Royal Wedding-inspired cocktail the ‘Harry Me’?! Alternatively, you can browse our cocktail hub for more classic and alternative gin cocktail recipes until you find what you need.

Source: louiseroe.com

Whether you’re looking for a simple gin and tonic with a twist, cocktails to match your colour theme, cocktails that include your favourite flavours, classic drinks that will be popular with all the guests regardless of age: we’ve got you covered!

However, if you are worried about pleasing everyone and want to avoid the stress of picky drinkers, why not let your guests choose or even mix up what they drink? You need a….

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WEDDING DIY GIN BAR

Source: pinterest; the-little-wedding-corner.de

We understand that not everyone will be drinking alcohol at your wedding, or will prefer to simply choose their own tipple. Save yourself a whole heap of stress and provide them with a DIY drinks trolley! You could either offer ready-made cocktails or gin and tonic on tap, or simply provide a selection of beautiful gins (cough, cough…we can help with that), tonics, mixers and garnishes and let the guests get creative!

Source: couturecolorado.com

If you’re feeling particularly creative, and perhaps if you’re looking at ways to keep your wedding budget more manageable, you could even make your own flavoured gins for guests to serve themselves! Check out our guide on how to make easy but delicious fruit-infused gins at home.

Once you’ve got the drinks sorted, it’s time to think about…

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THE GIN WEDDING CAKE

Source: hellocuppies.com

The ultimate way to profess your love of gin while you profess your love to your other half? By infusing your actual wedding cake with the delicious flavours of juniper, of course! We love the look of this beautiful gin and pink rose lemonade cake (pictured). Alternatively, why not go for a cupcake tower instead of a traditional three-tier cake? Check out our video recipe for elderflower and gin cupcakes, inspired by Prince Harry’s wedding to Meghan Markle!

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GIN WEDDING FAVOURS

Source: Yumbles.com; HayleyElizabethCakeDesign.com

Miniature bottles of gin as wedding favours for people to take home are a super-cute way to enhance your gin theme. However, if you think not everyone would enjoy those, why not try a crowd-pleasing little selection of gin-flavoured macarons?

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GIN-THEMED WEDDING VENUES

Source: rockmywedding.co.uk

If you’re really going big on the whole gin theme, there are some fabulous gin distilleries around the UK that you can hire out for your wedding reception. Among our favourites? Well, those in the South East might look at the Bombay Sapphire distillery, nestled in idyllic Hampshire countryside; if you’re nearer Devon, the Plymouth Gin distillery could provide a dramatic, vintage backdrop for your nuptials.

Though they may not hold a wedding license, you can always approach your favourite local gin distillery to see if you can hold the reception there. The warehouse look and feel would really suit a more contemporary, urban wedding, with copper pipes providing an on-trend look that would add a real Instagrammable quality to your pics!

Meanwhile, if you can’t get to a distillery as your venue, why not bring the gin to you? Try one of these…

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MOBILE GIN BAR

If you’re planning an outdoor ‘do, then a mobile gin bar will add to that outdoorsy vibe, much like a food truck. The Edinburgh Gin Distillery’s Tipple Trailer (pictured) can provide your guests with signature serves, cocktails and gin fizzes. Meanwhile, The Little Gin Company has a menu of artisan gin drinks that can be tailored to your occasion and served by professionally trained staff. 

Once the reception is over, of course, there’s just one thing left to do…

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HONEYMOONS FOR GIN-LOVERS 

Source: Skyline Bar Venice

Luckily for gin-loving honeymooners, we’ve got lots of suggestions for the best places to share a delicious gin cocktail with your brand-new ginpal for life! Check out our list of romantic gin bars around the world for inspiration.

And finally… don’t forget, you could pop a membership to Craft Gin Club or a one-off gift box from the Club onto your wedding gift list! Find out more about our gift options here.

We hope that gives you a little inspiration for ginfusing your wedding with lots of fabulous gin-themed goodness. Time for a toast: so let’s raise our (copa) glass and say: congratulations, wedding planners, we wish you every happiness and many years of gin together!