A lot of people traditionally use weddings as a chance to let their hair down and have a few bevvies.
However, according to new research, a quarter of wedding guests are now going sober for ceremonies – increasing the demand for alcohol-free options.
The Gilchrist Collection conducted a survey of 2,000 UK adults to find out the drinking habits of wedding guests. The research found almost half of those who had attended a wedding in the last five years didn’t drink alcohol during at least one of the events they had been to.
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When looking at age range, 18-34 year-olds were most likely to stay sober at the events they attended. The data also found that 35% of respondents said they are questioned on why they aren’t having alcohol at weddings they have attended.
As a response to the findings, The Gilchrist Collection’s founder Samantha Gilchrist invited First Date's star barman Merlin Griffiths to create a celebration-worthy non-alcoholic cocktail menu for each part of a wedding day.
The alcohol-free menu he came up with included three drinks which all can be enjoyed without having to worry about your head in the morning.
It consisted of 'Sun & Moon' – "A soothing blend of pineapple, sage, lemon and ginger with Lyre’s White Cane 0% Spirit", as well as 'Halo Effect' – a "bright and zesty pink grapefruit married with rose-infused Lyre’s London Spirit 0%, hints of vanilla and non-alcoholic sparkling".
Last on the menu is 'Dancefloor Driver' – a "smoky, sweet agave, saffron and vanilla, fresh citrus with a touch of spice".
Talking about the non-alcoholic menu, Samantha said: “As a non-drinker myself I’ve often been at a wedding or event with limited or even no drink options other than water or a soft drink, which is no fun! Worse still, these drinks are often presented in a boring tumbler that highlights the fact I’m not drinking.
“I really wanted to put something together for my venues that caters for non-drinking guests and those who like a drink but would also enjoy an alcohol-free alternative, that allows them to still drink something special and not be penalised for their choice, whatever their reasons might be.”
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“We’re seeing plenty of couples across our 12 venues both here and in the States requesting more sophisticated no and low drinks for their big day. Young people in particular are choosing not to drink for all sorts of reasons, which is why we wanted to team up with the incredibly talented Merlin to enhance our alcohol-free drinks offering for our couples and their guests.”
Merlin added: "Non-alcoholic drinks stand on their own and are created with the same care and detail of cocktails, which is why we’ve very deliberately avoided calling them mocktails – there’s absolutely nothing “mock” about these drinks!"
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