There is one thing nobody tells you when you are planning your wedding: among your guests, some do not drink alcohol. Not one or two — potentially a quarter, a third, sometimes more. Pregnant women, designated drivers, people who have voluntarily stopped drinking, religion, medication, simple preference. These guests do not always mention it in advance. They adapt. Often in silence, holding a glass of water or a soda they would rather not have had in their hand.
Planning non-alcoholic drinks worthy of the occasion is the simplest and most effective hospitality decision you can make. This guide covers the four key moments of your wedding and the concrete decisions to take for each one.
In brief Drinks reception · dinner · toast · evening party: four moments, four different logics. Non-alcoholic sparkling for the toast, dealcoholised wine at the table, ready-to-drink cocktails for the evening. Plan for 30 to 40% of drinks in a non-alcoholic version — that is the proportion that reflects the reality of your guests.
Decision 1 · The drinks reception: inclusion from the very first glass
What your guests experience at this moment
The drinks reception is the most social moment of the day. Everyone comes together, glasses are filled, conversations start. It is also the moment when guests who do not drink alcohol are most visible — if their glass is less festive, everyone notices.
The solution is simple: offer a selection of non-alcoholic drinks from the moment guests arrive, presented with the same care as the wines. Not tucked away in a corner — on the same table, in the same glasses, with identical garnishes.
A non-alcoholic sparkling drink, a ready-to-drink spritz cocktail, a premium soft drink: three references are enough to cover every profile. The challenge is not quantity — it is the quality of presentation.
💡 The wine merchant's tip: designate someone (a server, a close friend) to actively offer non-alcoholic alternatives to arriving guests. The host's initiative makes all the difference — the guest who does not drink does not have to ask, explain, or wait.
What to plan for: 1 non-alcoholic sparkling (for the arrival toasts), 1–2 ready-to-drink cocktails such as spritz or ginger, 1 alternative soft drink (kombucha or ginger beer). Allow 2 to 3 glasses per person over a 2-hour drinks reception.
→ Non-alcoholic sparkling drinks · Ready-to-drink cocktails · Celebrations collection
Decision 2 · Dinner: pairing drinks with the dishes
Why non-alcoholic wine changes the table
At the table, the question is no longer framed in terms of inclusion — it is framed in terms of gastronomy. A wedding meal is carefully prepared, the dishes are crafted, the pairings matter. Guests who do not drink alcohol deserve a drink that engages with the food on their plate, not simply water.
Dealcoholised wine is the natural answer. Served in a wine glass, at the right temperature, it integrates naturally into the service. Current gentle dealcoholisation methods — through evaporation or cold filtration — preserve the grape's aromas. The result holds its own against a classic wine of equivalent quality.
For gastronomic meals, non-alcoholic tasting drinks (proxies, table kombucha, complex botanical infusions) offer a level of pairing comparable to that of a sommelier.
💡 The wine merchant's tip: plan one bottle of non-alcoholic for every 3 to 4 guests — roughly one third of your wine order. That is the realistic proportion for a wedding in 2026.
Pairings that work:
- Light starters, fish, seafood → dealcoholised rosé or dry white
- Meat, roasts, dishes in sauce → light dealcoholised red or gastronomic drink
- Cheese → non-alcoholic sparkling or tasting kombucha
- Dessert → fruity sparkling or demi-sec dealcoholised rosé
→ Non-alcoholic wines: white, rosé, red, sparkling · Non-alcoholic gastronomic drinks · The Discerning profile
Decision 3 · The toast: the most visible moment of the day
Why this is the most important decision
The toast is the only moment when everyone raises their glass at the same time. It is photographed, filmed, immortalised. It is also the moment when the inequality between glasses is most visible — the person holding a glass of water during the toast remembers that glass.
The decision is simple: plan for enough non-alcoholic sparkling so that every guest who does not drink can raise the same glass as everyone else. No need for a large budget — a few well-chosen bottles are enough.
The best non-alcoholic sparkling drinks available today — dealcoholised sparkling wines, 0% proseccos, effervescent botanical cuvées — have true aromatic finesse, fine bubbles, and an elegant appearance in the flute. In photos, they are indistinguishable from champagne.
💡 The wine merchant's tip: plan a flute filled with non-alcoholic sparkling for every guest who does not drink, served at the same time as the champagne. A simple signal of thoughtfulness that will not be forgotten.
Quantity: allow 1 bottle of non-alcoholic sparkling (75cl) for 6 to 8 people at the toast. It is better to have too many — unopened bottles keep well.
→ Non-alcoholic sparkling drinks · The celebration selection
Decision 4 · The evening party: cocktails for everyone
When the dynamic changes
After dinner, the format changes. People move around, the dance floor opens, glasses circulate differently. It is the moment for cocktails — and the moment when non-alcoholic options shine most easily.
Ready-to-drink cocktails (spritz, mojito, mule, ginger) are poured over ice in thirty seconds. Present them in a bucket with ice, fresh garnishes, and colourful straws — exactly like classic cocktails. Your guests choose what they like, without distinction.
If you have a bar during the evening, ask the bartender to include 2 to 3 non-alcoholic cocktail bases on their menu. Non-alcoholic botanical spirits (0% gin, 0% rum, botanical whisky) make it possible to recreate all the great classics — Moscow Mule, Gin Tonic, Old Fashioned — on demand.
💡 The wine merchant's tip: set up a visible "non-alcoholic bar" with the same care as the main bar. A chalkboard with cocktail names, fresh garnishes, appropriate glasses. It is not a separate corner — it is a complementary offer that shows you have thought of everyone.
→ Ready-to-drink cocktails · Non-alcoholic mixology bases
Quantities — what to plan for
For a wedding of 100 people, estimating that 25 to 35% of guests will prefer non-alcoholic options at some point during the day:
Drinks reception (2h) 2 to 3 bottles of non-alcoholic sparkling, 12 to 18 individual ready-to-drink cocktails, 6 to 12 alternative soft drinks.
Dinner (3h, 3 courses) 8 to 10 bottles of non-alcoholic wine (mix of white/rosé/red depending on the menu).
Toast 4 to 5 bottles of non-alcoholic sparkling (75cl).
Evening party (3h) 24 to 30 ready-to-drink cocktails, 2 to 3 non-alcoholic spirit bases for the bar, mixers and tonics.
These figures are starting points — adjust according to your knowledge of your guests.
Misconceptions to forget
"Nobody drinks non-alcoholic at a wedding." They do. Consistently. And those guests remember the way they were welcomed.
"Non-alcoholic drinks are for people who can't handle their drink." No. They are for designated drivers, pregnant women, people who have cut back on alcohol, and everyone who is making a different choice that evening. In 2026, that is a silent majority.
"It costs more." A good dealcoholised wine sits in the same price range as a classic wine of equivalent quality. The marginal budget is low — the return in hospitality is immense.
"My caterer will handle it." Ask the question explicitly. Many caterers still offer sodas or water as alternatives. That is not up to the standard of a wedding in 2026.
"This is not the moment to be educational." Exactly. A wedding is not the moment to persuade — it is the moment to serve. You do not need to explain non-alcoholic drinks to your guests. You are offering them something delicious, in a beautiful glass. That is all.
See also
- Hosting 12 people this summer: the inclusive host's guide
- Non-alcoholic sparkling drinks: the full selection
- All our discovery gift sets
Frequently asked questions
Which non-alcoholic drink for the toast at a wedding?
A non-alcoholic sparkling drink — dealcoholised sparkling wine or 0% prosecco — served in a flute at the same temperature as champagne. Allow one bottle for 6 to 8 people, opened at the moment of the toast to preserve the bubbles.
How many non-alcoholic drinks should you plan for a wedding?
Estimate that between 25 and 35% of your guests will prefer non-alcoholic options at some point during the day. For 100 people: approximately 15 bottles of non-alcoholic wine for dinner, 5 of sparkling for the toast, and around thirty individual cocktails for the evening.
Is non-alcoholic wine served like a classic wine?
Yes. Same serving temperature, same glass, same way of serving. A dealcoholised rosé is served at 8–10°C, a light red at 14–16°C. Your sommelier or caterer can manage the service exactly as they would for alcoholic wines.
How do you incorporate non-alcoholic options into the evening bar?
Ask your bartender to include 2 to 3 non-alcoholic spirit bases on their menu — 0% gin, 0% rum, bitter base. With a tonic and a few garnishes, they can prepare any classic in a 0% version. The result is indistinguishable for most guests.
Gueule de joie — France's first non-alcoholic wine merchant since 2019. Over 450 references selected for their taste, available with 72h delivery anywhere in France.
