Pre-Ceremony Drinks

Wondering what to serve pre-ceremony to your guests? Marrying in the tropics (or anywhere hot for that matter) requires some planning for beating the heat. As your guests gather for the ceremony, it's a wise to offer some cool refreshments to keep them hydrated and cool. You may not want to offer cocktails or alcoholic drinks pre-ceremony but water is a must. Consider adding fresh fruits such as limes, lemons, cucumbers or starfruit. Herb water is a lovely addition and super easy to make - simply crush a few stems of your chosen herb and let infuse with the water for a half-hour. Mint is very refreshing, thyme gives a slight floral flavour, rosemary is great for energy and calming nerves while fragrant basil has mosquito-repelling power. Having bottles of sparkling water (mini-bottles of San Pellegrino or Perrier) is another great addition to your water bar.

Having some fun non-alcoholic beverages, like flavoured lemonade, adds a fun and unexpected element. Extra bonus - guests can add in a shot of vodka, rum or guaro for cocktail hour. Here is one of my all-time favourite recipes for Strawberry Basil Lemonade:

10 lemons, juiced, approx 1 cup of lemon juice3/4 cup super fine sugar4 cups water8-10 strawberries, hulled1/3 cup fresh basilJuice the lemons and transfer the juice into a large pitcher. Add the sugar and the water and stir to combine and dissolve the sugar. Add the strawberries and basil. Using an immersion blender, blend the mixture for about 20 seconds just until the mixture turns pink and the basil is finely chopped.Recipe from What's Gaby Cooking

Consider offering the drinks in a lovely spouted jug and add in a few decorative elements, such as signs and flowers in the theme of your wedding. These photos are from a recent Weddings Costa Rica eco-wedding. We made signs from recycled banana leaf paper and tied dendrobium orchids and seeds from Guanacaste trees with twine to add a colour splash to the jugs.What ideas do you have to keep your guests cool?photos by Comfort Studio