Flexible Drink Packages That Fit Any Wedding Style
4th September 2025
One of the things couples love about celebrating their wedding with us at Layer Marney Tower, is the flexibility we offer when it comes to drinks for your wedding. Every wedding is different, and your choice of drinks should reflect your personality, style and budget. That’s why our wedding venue allows you to supply your own alcohol and soft drinks for the drinks reception, (immediately after the ceremony), and throughout the wedding breakfast and speeches, all without paying corkage fees.
Drinks Your Way
Most couples choose to bring their own drinks, giving them the freedom to personalise their day. Whether it’s bottles of crisp white wine, bubbly prosecco or a seasonal Pimm’s for a Summer wedding, you can tailor your drinks to suit your tastes. Some couples opt for “his and hers” cocktails, bottled beers or creative mocktails for the drinks reception, while many stick to wine during the meal followed by fizz of their choice for the toasts during speeches.
Simple, Transparent Service Fees
Instead of a corkage charge, our sole caterer Bouquet Garni applies a straightforward service fee for serving and managing your drinks. For 2026, this is set at £4.95 plus VAT per person, making it easy to plan your budget.
Practical Details
Planning drinks for a wedding can feel daunting, but Bouquet Garni make it simple. They offer a drinks calculator to help you work out exactly how much you’ll need, so you only purchase what’s required. Even better, any unopened drinks will be ready for you to collect the next day, meaning nothing goes to waste.
You are welcome to purchase your drinks from anywhere you choose. Many couples however, consider working with Colchester-based wine merchant Mr Wheeler. Their wine experts can help you select bottles that perfectly complement your chosen menu, ensuring your wine pairing enhances the food and your guests’ experience. Plus, Mr Wheeler offers a sale or return service, giving you peace of mind that you won’t overspend.
Any drinks you provide are usually delivered a few days before your wedding so that they can be chilled and ready to enjoy. This ensures everything runs smoothly and stress-free on the big day.
The Evening Bar Experience
After the wedding breakfast and speeches, Bouquet Garni opens a pay bar, which runs until midnight. Stocked with a wide selection of wines, beers and spirits, the bar ensures your guests are well catered for.
You also have full control over how the bar operates:
Open bar – cover the entire cost of your guests drinks.
Restricted tab – perhaps provide complimentary beer and wine only, (no spirits or cocktails).
Standard bar – let guests pay for all their own drinks.
Inspiration From Real Weddings
Every couple does things a little differently, and that’s the beauty of our flexible approach. From Summery cocktails to elegant champagne toasts, there’s no single way to do it. Take a look at some of our photos from past weddings to gather ideas and inspiration for how you might like to plan your own wedding day drinks.
by Karen Brand – Wedding Manager
