How to Host a Whisky Themed Wedding – 5 Useful Tips

If you’re in the process of planning a wedding, you certainly don’t need me to tell you just how time-consuming and stressful the entire process can be. Your wedding day will of course be the most magical, and memorable day of your entire lives, but planning it is another matter entirely.

One of the most difficult parts of planning a wedding is deciding on a theme. Some people decide to go with colours. Others may choose memorable moments from the past, while some may like to go quirky or traditional. Whatever your theme, the ultimate goal is to make your big day as perfect and as memorable as possible, for yourselves and your loved ones.

The reason why I’m talking about weddings today is because over the years, we here in the drinks biz have noticed a sharp increase in the amount of people choosing whisky as the theme of their wedding, and call me biased if you like, but I think that’s awesome.

If whisky holds a special place in your heart, why not theme your entire wedding around it? Here are some handy tips to help.

Offer a Personalised Whisky Tasting Session

One of the easiest and fun ways of incorporating whisky into a wedding theme is to host personalised whisky tasting sessions for you and your guests.

Whisky is of course one of the most amazing spirits ever created, and it’s only natural for you to want to share it with others. A whisky tasting session is the perfect way to introduce your guests to a variety of different drams from different regions, and even different countries.

You could simply choose a few of your favourite drams and let guests sample each one to find their favs, or you could maybe go with an expression from each of Scotland’s whisky regions to highlight the key differences. Those unfamiliar with whisky will be fascinated by just how different a dram from Campbeltown tastes in comparison with one from the rugged shores of Islay.

For a more in-depth experience, you could even hire a professional to host various whisky tasting tables and talk your guests through the intricacies of whisky, its history, its production, and its taste. Now, if only there were a company that could help you out with that in some way… (Don’t worry, I’ll elaborate on that a little later on)

Set the Tone by Incorporating Scottish Themes into Your Big Day

This could also apply to Bourbon whiskey from Kentucky, USA, Irish whiskey, Japanese whisky, or drams from anywhere else, but as Scotch is our speciality, we’re sticking with Scottish themes today.

If you want to really go all out and highlight just how amazing Scotch whisky is, how about going with various Scottish themes for your wedding?

Harris, Tweed, and/or Tartan tablecloths or runners could decorate the tables that your guests will be sitting at. You could have centrepieces made from Scottish heather, thistles, and other wildflowers found in the Scottish Highlands.

Another idea would be live bagpipe players, as well as more traditional Scottish weddingwear, including a kilt. Just remember what they say about what a true Scotsman wears under his. I’ll say no more than that.

Whisky Barrel Furniture and Accessories

Whisky barrels are miraculous things. Not only do they help to impart so much flavour, character, and old oak wisdom into the whisky housed within, but they can also be used to serve a plethora of other purposes as well.

Old whisky barrels can be upcycled and turned into furniture for example, which would work great at a whisky-themed wedding. For the meal or the evening do, you could have tables made from old whisky barrels, complete with miniature whisky cask bar stools. These not only look great, but they’re also practical and fit the brief perfectly. If you really want to impress your guests, you could even talk about the whisky they once stored, or maybe have a whisky expert do that for you, *cough, cough*.

You could also offer personalised gifts to your guests made from old whisky casks. Tea light holders, table plaques, keyrings, and cutlery would all work great. Sure, they’re not life-changing gifts, but they show your wedding guests how grateful you are for their attendance, plus it once again celebrates the brilliance of whisky.

Enjoy a Whisky Toast Straight from the Quaich

Previously, you may remember how I wrote about drinking whisky from the quaich and how it was a traditional wedding ritual and custom that dates back centuries. If not, allow me to refresh your memories.

A quaich is a handmade, two-handed cup traditionally made from wood (another use for old whisky barrels maybe?) as well as other materials such as stone or silver. The cup is a symbol of trust, unity, love, and togetherness which is why it is commonly associated with weddings.

To drink from the quaich, the newly weds will each take a handle and will drink their tipple of choice (whisky would be the obvious choice here) from the cup at the same time. The ritual symbolizes the two people, and indeed, the two families, coming together as one. The cup may then be passed around to other members of the wedding party, who will then take a sip.

If you are having a toast at your wedding, this serves as the perfect opportunity. As each member of the wedding party sips a delectable dram from the cup, they could share a personal story about the happy couple, or their own personal toast to the newlyweds.

Leave it to GreatDrams

‘So, Greg, what’s the deal with all the cryptic comments?’ Well, I’m glad you asked, because we’ve been working on something very exciting here at GreatDrams HQ for quite some time, and we’re almost ready for launch. If you want the ultimate whisky-themed wedding, why not leave it to the professionals and let us take care of it for you?

To help make your wedding day unforgettable, and to highlight the brilliance of whisky, we’re proud to announce that we’ll soon be offering personalised whisky wedding gifts, bars, and experiences. From personalised whisky bottles for your wedding party, to show-stopping tasting experiences and whisky bars at your reception, we’re here to make your wedding day that little bit more magical.

We craft each detail with the same care, character, and quality that you’ve come to expect from GreatDrams. Each bottle is a limited-edition GreatDrams whisky (or gin), complete with a personalised label featuring details such as:

The names of the happy couple
The date of your wedding day
Personalised messages, quotes, jokes, or thank you notes
Plus optional titles such as Best Man, Groomsman, Maid of Honour, Father of the Bride, Usher, and so on…

Our products and services are perfect for whisky-themed weddings, stag and hen dos, and wedding favours. Bottles are available as miniatures or full-sized and are customisable so you can include personalised messages, notes, inside jokes, family lines, vows, dates, and anything else that would make your wedding day that little bit more unforgettable.

For the ultimate showstopper, we provide guided whisky tasting tables and experiences where guests can learn more about whisky. You can also enjoy fully staffed and fully stocked whisky and gin bars which can once again be personalised and styled to fit your wedding theme.

At GreatDrams, you aren’t getting a generic, run-of-the-mill whisky plucked straight from the shelves of your local supermarket, you’re getting award-winning, limited-edition, hand-selected casks brimming with flavour, history, and story from an award-winning, family-run independent bottler.

Whether you need one bottle, one hundred, your own cask, or anything else, get in touch and we’ll help you make it perfect, just like your special day. We’ve everything from whisky and gin-based cocktails to smoky Islay expressions, fruity Speyside drams packed full of character, and everything in between.

Message us now to start planning your personalised whisky wedding gifts or bar and let GreatDrams give you the wedding you and your nearest and dearests deserve.

Tags: Useful TipsWhisky Themed Wedding

Greg

My name is Greg, and I’m a brand strategy consultant, writer, speaker, host and judge specialising in premium spirits. My mission is to experience, share and inspire with everything great about whisky, whiskey, gin, beer and fine dining through my writing, my brand building and my whisky tastings.