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Updated Mar 06, 202523 Bridal Shower Drinks to Sip While You Celebrate
The only showers we like as much as wedding showers: champagne showers.
Besides happy squeals from guests embracing the party's honoree and excited gasps from all as gifts get unwrapped, the sound you'll hear in abundance at a wedding shower is the clink of glasses and many a "cheers" to the couple's new chapter. And when it comes to bridal shower drinks, what's in the glass feels just as important as the words said while it's raised in toast. At least to me it does, but what can I say—I'm a food editor turned weddings editor with a wine studies certification and six plus years of experience picking bartenders' brains, keeping tabs on cocktail trends, going behind the scenes at restaurants and being the friend who has more pieces of fancy glassware than she does plates. That said, I am SO excited to offer up some recipes and ideas to help you find a bridal shower signature drink that fits the party theme and suits every guest.
Below, you'll find a handful of recipes to use if a wedding party member is posting up behind the bar or batching drinks ahead of time for self-serve stations as well as numerous drink ideas for a bridal shower than you can take inspo from yourself or pass to a pro bartender (which you can easily find on The Knot Vendor Marketplace), so you don't have to worry about what a jigger is.
Bridal Shower Drink Recipes
If shaking and stirring some fun bridal shower drinks by hand is what you're into, check out the recipes below and pick a couple that pair well with your bridal shower food ideas. I also went ahead and gave each a cute bridal shower cocktail name, because you're busy enough and don't have time to think of puns to write on tiny signs!
1. Boozy Bouquet
Think of a French 77 cocktail as a jazzed up (or yassified, as the internet folks are saying) version of a classic French 75, boasting a touch of floral flair from the addition of elderflower liqueur. Opt for a float of pink champagne and a sprinkle of edible flowers for a festive glass of bridal shower bubbles.
Ingredients:
- 2 oz. pink champagne or sparkling wine
- 1 oz. dry gin (like Bombay Sapphire)
- 1 oz. St. Germain elderflower liqueur
- 1 tbsp. lemon juice
- ¼ cup ice
- 2-3 edible flowers per glass for garnish
How to Make:
Add the gin, elderflower liqueur, lemon juice and ice to a cocktail shaker. Shake it up until the outside of the shaker feels cold to the touch (15-20 seconds). Strain into a glass, then top with champagne. Use a coupe glass to serve these pink bridal shower drinks so the edible flowers can splay out.
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2. Lovebird Lemon Drop
Whether you're looking for vodka drinks for a bridal shower inspired by Positano's lemon-laced vistas or vodka cocktails that incorporate some winter citrus, a Lemon Drop is a simple and bright crowd-pleaser. Add a little sparkle with a sugar rim or take cues from this pretty tipple and choose a glass with a gilded edge. And if you want to push the "lovebird" theme even more, choose Grey Goose.
Ingredients:
- 2 oz. Grey Goose vodka
- ½ oz. triple sec
- 1 oz. fresh lemon juice
- 1 oz. simple syrup
- ¼ cup ice
- Sugar (optional)
- Lemon peel twist
How to Make:
If you're going for the sugar rim, wet the edge of the cocktail glass of your choice with a little water or lemon juice, set aside and let dry. Pour the vodka, triple sec, lemon juice, simple syrup and ice into a cocktail shaker and shake until the outside of the tool feels cold. Strain into your rimmed cocktail glass and top with a twist of lemon peel. (Pro tip: Add a dusting of lemon zest to your sugar before you rim the glass for an extra citrus punch.)
3. Batch Made in Heaven: Strawberry Gin & Tonic
Classic cocktails like gin and tonics are super easy to make in big batches, which means they're ideal drinks for a bridal shower or wedding shower when you're whipping up sips for a crowd. This one gets some pinky color and bright flavor from muddled strawberries.
Ingredients:
- 1 lb. (20 or so) muddled strawberries, plus a few more, sliced, for garnish
- 12 oz. gin
- 3 limes, juiced
- 3 dashes orange bitters
- 5 cups ice
- 36 oz. tonic water
How to Make:
Add strawberries, gin, lime juice, orange bitters and ice to a large pitcher or serving vessel. Stir well to combine. Top with tonic water and garnish with strawberry slices. That's it! It's seriously just measuring and stirring to get these easy bridal shower drinks ready.
4. Hitched Honey
Honey, your bestie is getting married! While there are lots of sips that feature the sweet stuff, an Eau de Lavender feels particularly elegant, attractive and unique—aka a winner for wedding shower or bridal shower cocktails. Lavender bitters play well with lemon, honey and tequila, while frothy egg white balances the acidity.
Ingredients:
- 1½ oz. tequila
- ¾ oz. fresh lemon juice
- ¾ oz. honey syrup
- 1 egg white
- 1 dash lavender bitters
- ¼ cup ice
- Lavender sprigs or fresh fruit for garnish
How to Make:
Make honey syrup: Combine equal parts honey and water and heat in a saucepan over medium heat until combined. Allow to cool and store in the fridge for up to a month. Then add tequila, lemon juice, honey syrup, egg white and lavender bitters to a cocktail shaker—shake to combine. Add ice to the shaker and shake once more until well chilled. Strain into your favorite glass and garnish with a lavender spring or a spear of berries.
5. "Mint to Be" Lemonade
You can't go wrong with lemonade, especially when it gets an upgrade from fresh mint and—if you're looking for a drink just as effervescent as the day's honoree—bubbles! It's one of the most refreshing bridal shower drinks that's nonalcoholic and it can be made as a large-format beverage, so no one will have to play bartender at the shower.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups sugar
- 6 cups water
- ½ cup fresh mint
- 2 cups fresh lemon juice
- 5 cups ice
- Optional: sparkling water or sparkling wine
How to Make:
First, make a mint syrup. Add your torn mint leaves, sugar and two cups of water to a small saucepan, bring to a boil, then simmer and stir until the mixture is cohesive. Let the syrup cool. Once cooled, add one cup of the syrup to a large dispenser or pitcher along with the lemon juice and remaining water—stir to combine. Add more simple syrup to taste, if need be. Refrigerate for an hour or so, then serve over ice. Garnish with a fistful of extra mint leaves. Optional: Add a splash of sparkling water or sparkling wine, if you're looking for bridal shower drinks with champagne.
Bridal Shower Drink Ideas
Let's find your signature cocktail, shall we? I've got some fun bridal shower drinks here to help mark "sips" off of your bridal shower planning checklist. Find everything from relaxed large-format options, to thoughtfully garnished mixed drinks, to no-ABV options that aren't just fruit juice and a little fizz.
6. They "Popped" the Question
A fruity popsicle swirled around a glass of champagne is an easy, yet celebratory option for a bridal shower bevvy. As the popsicle melts, the fizzy stuff will get a pretty pink (or purple or peachy, depending on the pop flavor) hue and a juicy sweetness. Plus, how cute is the pop (as in popsicle) and the pop (as in the "Will you marry me?" question) wordplay here?
7. Lavender Blackberry Old Fashioned
Adding blackberry and lavender bitters to an Old Fashioned will give it the most wonderful pinky tinge and botanical complexity. Plus, you can get elaborate with the garnishes, adding lavender stems, fresh flowers, floating berries and a patterned paper straw to make this punchy bridal shower alcoholic drink read festive, even if it's served in a humble highball glass.
8. Fresh Herb-Infused Sweet Tea
A simple glass of sweet tea (a bridal shower classic) gets an herbaceous boost from fresh thyme. Thyme shows up in lots of black tea blends, so it's a sure win in this drink. If you're whipping up a big batch of sweet tea for the occasion, throw some thyme in as you brew it. When it's time to stock the bar, set a sprig of thyme in each glass.
9. Something Blue
Opting for blue drinks at a bridal shower is a sweet nod to the eponymous wedding tradition (and an easy thing to play into when considering bridal shower signature drink names). The easiest way to achieve the color is to spike your sip with Blue Curaçao, an orange-flavored liquor. A little definitely goes a long way—I'd recommend adding a splash to a vodka raspberry lemonade to play well with the tartness.
10. Champagne Tower
Champagne towers are one of our favorite 2024 wedding trends and they're definitely a bridal shower idea we love, too. It doesn't have to be as tall and Gatsby-level flashy as you might want for a wedding, but a few small tiers (with the rest of the glasses arranged beside it on the table) gives the look without the fuss.
11. Wildflower Whimsy
You don't need big fancy flowers floating in your bridal shower mixed drinks to make an impact. A few feathery wildflower stems or wispy blooms will add a relaxed and rustic touch to any cocktail glass. It's a no-brainer if you're serving a sip with floral notes (like a wild botanical gin-based drink), but also is a fit for a modern garden party soiree.
12. Float Flutes
For showers going for a vintage look and feel, these rootbeer float flutes are a must. Plus, they're pretty easy to throw together—it just takes a scoop of your favorite vanilla ice cream and a splash of soda. Bonus points if you add red-and-white-striped paper straws to these retro nonalcoholic bridal shower drinks.
13. Refreshing Paloma
A Paloma is seriously summer in a glass, and the peachy pink hue is so pleasing to the eye. This tequila-based bev with a heavy squeeze of fresh grapefruit, lime and a drizzle of agave is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser (especially when paired with a decorative wedding shower cocktail napkin, like in the photo above).
14. White Sangria Punch
A white sangria is a refreshing and easy-to-make bridal shower drink. The punch also displays beautifully, with hunks of apple and pear bobbing alongside sunshine-y wheels of citrus. For the glasses, add a toothpick speared with even more fruit—preferably one with a sparkly gold pom-pom at the end—to each.
15. Fruit Forward
If you don't have the time or the energy to deal with fussy garnishes, a simple berry-based tipple is the perfect answer to the question: "What drink do I serve at this bridal shower?" Using muddled bright and sweet berries as a base will infuse your cocktail with a rich color that won't require any extra gussying up, though a few whole berries plopped on top will hint to the flavors found in the sip. (Now that cocktails are sorted, you can worry about who pays for the bridal shower and all of your other burning queries.)
16. Classic Aperol Spritz
She's bright, she's zesty, she's sparkling—no, I'm not just talking about the shower's honoree, I'm talking about an Aperol Spritz. The aperitif is Italian summer in a glass, with a bittersweet balance of orange and some fun prosecco bubbles. Guests will love the opportunity to sip a spritz at a summer shower, given how popular they are for the season (and you'll love how simple it is to prep these for a party).
17. Botanical Elegance
A single white orchid blossom makes for a striking and elegant cocktail garnish idea for an elevated wedding shower. It looks lovely perched atop a mixed drink that showcases the same creamy tones, like a lychee martini or a riff on a gimlet featuring coconut milk.
18. Flirty Spicy Margarita
Looking for something a little hotter to serve at a lingerie shower? A spicy marg will definitely bring smiles. Muddled fresh jalapeño is what brings the heat to an otherwise classic margarita. Float a few slices of the pepper on top and add a cheeky drink marker (like the mini men in Speedos in the photo) for a flirty touch.
19. Cran-Orange Cocktail
Cranberry and orange is a classic flavor combo, so it's no surprise both would play well together in a cocktail. Chances are, a vodka cranberry is a go-to bar drink for many attendees, so adding depth and elevation with fresh citrus (and in this case, with some pretty carnation flower toppers) will make this crowd-pleaser perfect for the occasion.
20. Rose Water Spritzer Mocktail
Bespoke mocktails are one of my favorite bridal shower trends this year. And a no-ABV spritzer featuring aromatic rosewater feels so special. Combine one part rosewater with equal parts lemon juice and two parts blood orange juice, then add a floater of sparkling water (about three times as much of the blood orange juice) for a little fizz.
21. Gold Star Drink Marker
Add a little star power to something classic and festive (like a traditional champagne cocktail) with a gold star drink tag. A celestial theme would be really unique for a bridal shower, plus, it's just another reminder about how much of a shining star the soonlywed of honor is. A little edible gold glitter will go a long way here to highlight the extra bubbles brought on by the bitters-soaked sugar cube reacting with the champs.
22. Batch Brunch Cocktails
Ahh, who doesn't love a classic bridal shower filled with pastries, fruit, frittatas and some boozy delights? Along with coffee and tea, mimosas and Bloody Marys are must-have drinks for a bridal shower brunch. Batching them out in self-serve stations will also contribute to the cozy, laid-back energy of a late-morning affair.
23. Bee's Knees Cocktail
Sweet, citrusy and a touch floral with a little kick, a Bee's Knees is one of my favorite sips of all time (and one that feels unique enough without being too out there for a bridal shower). The whiskey-based cocktail hails from the Prohibition era and it feels fancy, but not fussy, adding a little interest with honey and lemon.
