These 20 Signature Cocktails Are Perfect for Fall Weddings

It's that time of year again—the leaves are starting to turn, the air is getting crisp, and it's time to bring out all those delicious fall flavors (Apples! Cinnamon!) in baked goods, savory soups, and coffee (PSL, anyone?).

If you're getting married during the fall, you might consider doing the same with the canapés, entrées, and fall wedding signature drinks on your reception menu. Fall wedding cocktails are all about rich flavors, so think dark rum paired with sweet apples, bourbon infused with the flavors of nutmeg and vanilla bean, or a cardamon-scented spiked chai.

On the lighter side, sparkly Prosecco pairs perfectly with pear, ginger, and sage. You also can't go wrong with the aromatic, herbaceous flavor of rosemary in a range of fall wedding cocktails, from a simple gin and lemon combo to a more involved concoction. And with winter on its way, citrus fruits (like grapefruit or orange) can be a bright addition to refreshing bubblies or warming mulled drinks spiced with cinnamon and cloves.

Take a cue from the flavors of the season, and we can guarantee that your guests will be impressed. Play on the season with fun and spicy cocktail names to add personality. Keep reading for a list of 20 fall wedding cocktails and signature drink recipes that everyone will enjoy, whether they're served up, on the rocks, or in a nice warm mug.

1. Cider and Stormy

Recipe courtesy of Brooklyn Crafted

Ingredients:

• 2 oz Descendant Apple Cider
• 2 oz dark rum
• 4 oz Brooklyn Crafted Extra Spicy Ginger Beer Mini
• 1 lime, halved

Directions: Combine apple cider, rum, ginger beer, and juice of half of the lime in a cocktail shaker or tall glass and stir until combined. Cut the other half of the lime into wedges and serve in a tall glass over ice.

2. Deep Cranberry Bliss

Recipe courtesy of William Escalante at The Bygone Restaurant, Baltimore

Ingredients for the cocktail:

• 1 1⁄2 oz Deep Eddy Cranberry Vodka
• 3⁄4 oz ginger syrup*
• 3⁄4 oz Tait Farms Spiced Apple Shrub
• 1⁄2 oz fresh lime juice
• 1 dash of apple bitters

Directions: Shake and strain into a highball glass. Top with a splash of club soda and garnish with dried cranberries and a lime wedge.

Ingredients for the ginger syrup:

• 1/2 lb ginger
• 8 cups water
• 8 cups sugar

Directions: Peel and mince ginger. Add ginger to water and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Strain and discard ginger. Add sugar, stirring to dissolve.

3. The Great Maple Pumpkin

Recipe courtesy of Sugar Island Spiced Rum

Ingredients:

• 1 1⁄2 parts Sugar Island Spiced Rum
• 1 part Maker’s Mark Bourbon
• 1⁄2 part maple syrup
• 1 Egg White
• 1 part Pedro Ximénez Sherry
• 1 spoonful pumpkin purée
• 1 part cream (or half and half)

Directions: Combine all ingredients and dry shake, add ice and shake again; strain in a lowball and garnish with pumpkin spice.

4. Ruffino Jack of Spades

Recipe courtesy of Ruffino Prosecco

Ingredients:

• 2 parts Ruffino Prosecco
• 11⁄2 parts cognac
• 3⁄4 part lemon juice
• 1 part apple cider
• 1⁄2 part honey syrup (2:1 honey to water)
• 1 apple slice, to garnish

Directions: Shake the cognac, lemon, apple cider, and honey syrup. Strain into a lowball glass with ice and top with Ruffino Prosecco. Garnish with an apple slice.

5. Apples and Bourbon

Recipe courtesy of Elad Zvi, co-founder of BarLab

Ingredients:

• 1 3⁄4 parts Maker’s Mark Bourbon infused with apples*
• 1⁄2 part Aperol
• 3⁄4 part lemon juice
• 1⁄2 part thyme honey
• 1 dash of maple bitters
• Thyme sprig and apple slice, to garnish

Directions: Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice. Shake vigorously, strain over ice into a rocks glass. Garnish with thyme sprig and apple slice.

*Infuse bourbon by adding fresh apple slices, with the skins, to Maker’s Mark bourbon. Allow to rest for 1-2 days (to taste). Remove apples and store in refrigerator.

6. Ginger Apple Cooler

Recipe courtesy of Brooklyn Crafted

Ingredients:

• 2 oz Crown Royal Regal Apple
• 1 tsp maple syrup
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• Brooklyn Crafted Extra Spicy Ginger Beer, to fill
• Candied ginger, to garnish

Directions: Combine whiskey, maple syrup, lemon juice and ice in a cocktail shaker; shake vigorously. Serve topped with ginger beer and garnish with candied ginger.

7. Pear in Spirit

Recipe courtesy of Veronica Riffo at Stateside Seattle

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 dashes Scrappy's Cardamom Bitters
• 1 1/2 oz House Infused Chai Spice Rum
• 1 oz Crimson Pear Juice
• 1/4 oz Chai Simple Syrup
• 1/4 oz lemon juice
• 1/4 oz Orgeat Syrup

Directions: Shake, double-strain, and serve up. Garnish with a dried slice of Chai-spiced pear.

8. Sun Ra

Recipe courtesy of Novo Fogo SilverCachaça

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 oz Novo Fogo Silver Cachaça
• 1⁄2 oz Zaya Rum
• 1⁄2 oz rosemary simple syrup
• 1 oz lemon juice

Directions: Shake with sprig of rosemary and fine strain over fresh ice. Top with Zaya Rum. Garnish with rosemary.

9. Bourbon Milk Punch

Recipe courtesy of Woodford Reserve Bourbon

Ingredients:

• 2 cups cream
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 cup Woodford Reserve bourbon
• 3⁄4 cup sifted powdered sugar
• 1⁄2 vanilla bean
• Fresh grated nutmeg

Directions: In a metal bowl over an ice bath, whisk sugar, cream, milk, and bourbon until nice and frothy. Add vanilla bean and strain through fine mesh strainer into pitcher. Place pitcher in freezer for 30 minutes to an hour stirring on occasion. Pour into glass and garnish with freshly grated nutmeg.

10. Rum Java Float

Recipe courtesy of Sugar Island Spiced Rum

Ingredients:

• 2 parts Sugar Island Spiced Rum
• 2 1⁄2 parts cold brew coffee
• 1⁄2 part Orgeat Syrup
• Vanilla ice cream

Directions: Shake rum, orgeat, and coffee together and strain into a highball with ice. Top with a scoop of ice cream.

11. Orange Cinnamon Blossom

Recipe courtesy of Santa Margherita Prosecco

Ingredients:

• 1 bottle of Santa Margherita Prosecco Superiore
• 1/2 lemon
• 1/2 orange
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 3 whole cloves
• 3 whole allspice
• 2 cinnamon sticks

Directions: Rinse lemon and orange and thinly slice them, discarding seeds; quarter the orange slices. Put fruit in a 4- to 5-quart pan. Add honey, sugar (use a smaller amount if you prefer drinks on the tart side, and larger if you want a sweeter flavor), cloves, and allspice. With a knife, cut the cinnamon sticks lengthwise into thinner strips. Add cinnamon and 2 cups water to pan; bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat and boil gently for 5 minutes. Pour Prosecco into hot citrus base and heat until steaming, about 8 minutes. Keep warm over low heat. Ladle into heatproof cups or wineglasses.

12. Oh My Pumpkin Pie

Recipe courtesy of SakéOne

Ingredients:

• 3 oz G Joy Saké
• 3 tbsp pumpkin pie filling
• 3/4 cup egg nog
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• Whipped cream, to garnish

Directions: Combine in shaker with ice. Top with whipped cream.

13. Ginger Sage Cocktail

Recipe courtesy of Santa Margherita Prosecco

Ingredients:

• 1 bottle of Santa Margherita Prosecco Superiore
• 2 tbsp simple syrup
• 1 cup honey
• 3 cups water
• 2 whole pears, peeled, cored, and diced
• 1 large piece of ginger, peeled and diced
• 20 fresh sage leaves (plus more for garnish)

Directions: In a saucepan combine the honey and water over medium heat and bring to a light boil. Turn the heat down to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the honey has dissolved completely. Add the pears, ginger, and sage leaves. Simmer, stirring occasionally until the mixture has reduced by 1/3 (about 15-20 minutes). Remove from heat and let the mixture steep for an additional 10 minutes. Strain the syrup into a large canning jar or thick glass bowl. Discard the ginger and sage leaves. Place a few pieces of the cooked pear into each stemless wine glass followed by the simple syrup. Add Santa Margherita Prosecco Superiore and serve. Serves 8-10

14. Liquid Smoke

Recipe courtesy of Slow and Low Rye

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 oz Slow and Low Rye
• 3/4 oz Coffee Infused Cynar
• 2 dashes walnut bitters

Directions: Stir on the rocks, strain, pour into glass and add a cherry garnish.

15. Diamond District

Recipe courtesy of Max Green of Amor y Amargo

Ingredients:

• 1 oz Woodford Reserve Rye
• 2 oz Carpano Antica
• 2 dashes of Scrappy’s Lime Bitters
• Lemon twist, to garnish

Directions: Add all ingredients to the mixing glass, stir and strain into a chilled coupe, garnish with a lemon twist.

16. Blood Orange Margarita

Recipe courtesy of Corralejo Tequila

Ingredients:

• 2 oz Corralejo Reposado Tequila
• 3 oz fresh blood orange juice
• 3⁄4 oz fresh lime juice
• 1 oz simple syrup

Directions: Rub the rim of an old fashioned glass (or whatever similar vessel you prefer to drink out of) with an edge of a blood orange slice. Swirl the rim through a small pile of kosher or sea salt to the rim. Combine a few cubes of ice into a salted glass. Strain the cocktail into the glass and enjoy.

17. Mezcal Mule

Recipe courtesy of Pelotón de la Muerte Mezcal

Ingredients:

• 2 oz Pelotón de la Muerte Mezcal
• 1 1/2 oz ginger beer
• 3⁄4 oz lime juice
• 3⁄4 oz agave nectar or simple syrup

Directions: Stir to combine, pour over ice, and garnish with lime.

18. Nutty Aunt

Recipe courtesy of SVEDKA Vodka

Ingredients:

• 1 part SVEDKA Cherry
• 1 part apple juice
• 1⁄4 part amaretto liqueur
• 3⁄4 part fresh lemon juice
• Dash of Angostura bitters
• Soda water, to top

Directions: Combine ingredients in a large punch bowl over ice. Garnish with star anise, cranberries, and orange wheels. Add a splash of soda water when serving.

19. Fall Fling

Recipe courtesy of Alex Valencia of La Contenta, NYC

Ingredients:

• 1 1⁄2 parts Tres Agaves Reposado
• 5 parts Sangrita*
• 1⁄2 part lime juice
• Grapefruit soda (Squirt or Jarritos), to top

Directions: Build the drink in a glass by first putting the tequila in the glass, then add the Sangrita mix and top off with grapefruit soda; stir ingredients together in highball glass and garnish with grapefruit wheel.

20. Casa Noble Buried Treasure

Recipe courtesy of Casa Noble Crystal Tequila

Ingredients for cocktail:

• 2 oz Casa Noble Crystal Tequila
• 3/4 oz orange-chamomile simple syrup*
• 1/2 oz lemon juice
• 1/4 oz spiced rum
• 2 dashes bitters
• Orange zest
• Tarragon sprig, to garnish

Directions: Combine all ingredients, except orange zest and tarragon, into mixing glass and stir. Strain into glass over ice. Squeeze orange zest; rub around rim and drop into glass. Garnish with tarragon sprig.

Ingredients for orange-chamomile simple syrup:

• 1 cup water
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 chamomile tea bags
• 1 orange tea bag

Directions: Combine sugar and water in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally until sugar dissolves and water begins to boil. Remove from heat; add tea bags. Let steep for 1 hour, then cool.