Our Top Tips For A Cocktail-Style Wedding Reception

Photography: Ocean Way Collective

We are absolutely SWOONING over the beautiful, whimsical, and outrageously romantic weddings that we’ve been a part of so far in 2023. They’re all a little different this season - some simple and refined with a quintessential neutral colour palette, others bright and bold like a multihued disco daydream, and a small handful opting for something edgier, more experimental. It’s such a joy for us to see our lovely couples’ varying personalities and creative tastes weaved throughout all these elements.

We’re also starting to see a rise in cocktail-style wedding receptions at Peppers Creek Barrel Room, which is really refreshing and quite an intriguing departure from traditional, hours-long seated affairs. Gone are the days when guests spend a considerable amount of time in the same one spot with a limited chicken-or-fish alternative drop. Suffice it to say, we’re loving it!

There are no rules (in our book!) about feeding your nearest and dearest after tying the knot, but we do have a few suggestions to ensure your cocktail-style wedding reception is as fun and free-flowing as possible.

Seating is key

Choose wisely though, and don’t overdo it! Cocktail receptions tend to be much more casual than formal sit-down dinners and offer plenty of mingling opportunities too. Our best advice is to dry-hire a couple of our vintage, velvety lounges and place some bar stools around the barrels so the space remains open. Adding tables to this style of wedding reception can be confusing, with guests often not able to move about very freely. Having spacious passageways throughout the Barrel Room helps keep the ‘roaming’ in ‘roaming food service’ as well.

It’s not a party without a dancefloor

Another big reason why so many of our newlyweds are opting for cocktail receptions is because less time eating/sitting down = more time for dancing. Just one more tick in the ‘light and airy seating’ column, we think! Keep the party vibes going with a dancefloor (and enough space to make it truly epic).

Styling, styling, styling

As you won’t be needing gorgeous and elaborate table arrangements, it’s important to add some flair in other ways. You’ll also be saving on cutlery, linens and glassware with a cocktail-style reception, which is a bonus! Flowers en masse, cool signage and a photography backdrop amp up the wow-factor and help to create something really memorable and personal.

And finally, there needs to be enough food to go around

In excess, preferably!

Below you’ll find some suggested cocktail reception layouts. Happy planning!