Table of contents
- Champagne, a wine of celebration and emotion
- Champagne and weddings around the world
- An ancient tradition of celebratory wine
- Which Champagne to choose for a wedding?
- How to calculate the number of Champagne bottles for a wedding?
- Style and grape variety: the art of choice
- For a touch of exception
- Choosing Champagne according to the wedding style
- Conclusion: Champagne, a reflection of the big day
Champagne, a wine of celebration and emotion
A universal symbol of joy, light, and delicacy, Champagne is much more than a great sparkling wine: it is the expression of sharing. It is opened to celebrate love, success, connection, and family. Among all special occasions, a wedding day is undoubtedly the one that suits it best: it accompanies the promise, the happiness, the moment when two people choose to walk together.
This exceptional wine has long been the natural companion to the great moments of life, from welcoming the guests to the final wedding toast. For couples planning their special day, choosing the right bottle of Champagne can help make the moment unforgettable.
Champagne and weddings around the world
In many cultures, wedding Champagne is associated with elegance.
In France, it marks the beginning of the vin d’honneur, the moment when the first toasts are made to the newlyweds.
In Italy, Prosecco is sometimes served at the entrance, followed by a Brut or Rosé Champagne to honor the cake, a symbol of distinction.
In the United Kingdom, great royal weddings have established Champagne as the official drink of special occasions.
In the United States, it is often served to launch the evening and make the celebration feel festive.
In China, pyramids of flutes filled with Champagne evoke abundance and prosperity.
This international presence reflects its universal dimension: it is the common language of celebration, recognized among sparkling wines worldwide and appreciated by Champagne houses everywhere.
An ancient tradition of celebratory wine
The association between Champagne and weddings dates back to the 18th century. European courts were then discovering the sparkling wines of the Champagne region. The Laurent-Perrier House, founded in 1812, is part of this history of precision, light, and transmission.
Today, Champagne is still served as soon as guests arrive, and it can accompany an entire meal, up to the wedding cake. Many couples keep in mind that choosing the best Champagne for weddings helps set the tone of their celebration.
Which Champagne to choose for a wedding?
The choice depends on:
- – the moment of service (vin d’honneur, meal, dessert),
- – the number of guests,
- – the quantity of Champagne to plan,
- – the desired style (refined, festive, romantic, grand), and the budget for the event and the price per bottle.
Recommended quantity: plan 1 bottle for 5 to 6 people during the vin d’honneur, and 1 bottle for 3 to 4 people for the meal, depending on the number of guests. This helps you get the right amount without waste.
For the vin d’honneur: freshness and elegance
To welcome your guests, a Brut Non-Vintage Champagne is ideal.
Laurent-Perrier “La Cuvée”, predominantly Chardonnay, offers luminous purity and delicate freshness, perfect for the first toasts. Aged for more than four years on lees, it seduces with its refinement and quality. It is a luminous, elegant Champagne, perfect for celebrating the beginning of a wedding day.
For a spring or romantic wedding, a Rosé Champagne brings a tender and colorful touch. It pairs beautifully with appetizers, red fruits, shellfish, or small pastries.
Comptez une bouteille pour 5 à 6 personnes parmi les adultes consommant du champagne lors du cocktail.
Exemple de styles adaptés au vin d’honneur :
- – Brut
- – Extra Brut (drier, very elegant)
- – Blanc de Blancs (100% Chardonnay, very fine and floral)
For the meal: structure and depth
Champagne can accompany the entire meal if one chooses a cuvée with more vinosity.
A cuvée with a predominance of Pinot Noir will bring structure, ideal for poultry, fish with sauce, or gastronomic cuisine.
Laurent-Perrier Héritage, made exclusively from reserve wines, expresses complexity and the art of long aging. It is a cuvée of character, perfectly suited to the refined dishes of a wedding dinner and an excellent choice for a special occasion.
Autres styles possibles selon le menu :
- – Blanc de Noirs (ample et chaleureux)
- – Vintage (from a single remarkable year)
- – Premier Cru or Grand Cru (expression of the finest terroirs)
For the dessert: sweetness and harmony
To accompany desserts, particularly the wedding cake, a Demi-Sec Champagne is recommended.
Laurent-Perrier Harmony incarne cet équilibre : légèrement plus doux, il enveloppe les desserts aux fruits, aux amandes ou aux crèmes.
Avoid pairing with chocolate: in that case, choose a Maury, a Banyuls, or a Port.
How to calculate the number of Champagne bottles for a wedding?
Some simple guidelines:
| Moment | Quantity per person | Recommended quantity |
|---|---|---|
| Vin d’honneur | 1 to 2 glasses | 1 bottle for 5–6 people |
| Meal | 2 to 3 glasses | 1 bottle for 3–4 people |
| Dessert / Final toast | 1 glass | 1 bottle for 7–8 people |
Pour 100 invités, compter 18 à 28 bouteilles selon le style de réception.
Style and grape variety: the art of choice
The character of a Champagne rests on two essential elements:
- – The grape variety: Chardonnay brings freshness and elegance, Pinot Noir power and structure, and Meunier suppleness and fruitiness.
- – The style of the House: each producer imparts its signature through its work, its label, and its assemblage philosophy.
For a wedding, it is often advisable to choose balanced and refined Champagnes, both accessible to all palates and able to accompany the diversity of the meal. These qualities make it easier to find the best bottle of Champagne for your wedding planning.
For a touch of exception
Enfin, pour la table des mariés, une Cuvée de Prestige ou un champagne Millésimé est une attention toute particulière. Ces cuvées rares, issues d’années remarquables, incarnent la perfection du savoir-faire champenois et la beauté du moment célébré.
Choosing Champagne according to the wedding style
Every wedding has its atmosphere: romantic, rustic, urban, minimalist, or grand. The choice of Champagne can become a subtle element of staging, in harmony with the décor, the season, and the spirit of the celebration.
Voici quelques repères simples et élégants pour choisir le(s) champagne(s) le plus adapté(s) au thème de votre mariage.
| Wedding theme | Recommended Champagne style | Suggested cuvées (examples) | Ideal serving moment | Recommended quantity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rustic wedding (garden, barn, nature) | Freshness, lightness, natural | Brut or Blanc de Blancs dominated by Chardonnay | Vin d’honneur & start of meal | 1 bottle for 5 people |
| Romantic wedding (roses, pastel, soft ceremony) | Color and softness | Rosé Champagne | Vin d’honneur or fruit-based dessert | 1 bottle for 6 people |
| Chic urban wedding (gallery, loft, townhouse) | Assertive elegance and aromatic tension | Vintage Brut or Extra Brut | Entire meal | 1 bottle for 3 to 4 people |
| Small gathering (30 guests or fewer) | Precision, emotion, strong moment | Prestige Cuvée or Vintage | Newlyweds’ table + main toast | 1 bottle for 2 to 3 people |
| Festive/dancing wedding (live band, DJ, big evening) | Celebration wine, accessible to all palates | Balanced Non-Vintage Brut | Restart of the evening & late night | 1 bottle for 7 to 8 people |
| Festive/dancing wedding (live band, DJ, big evening) | Celebration wine, accessible to all palates | Balanced Non-Vintage Brut | Restart of the evening & late night | 1 bottle for 7 to 8 people |
| Gastronomic wedding (starred menu or high-end caterer) | Structure, complexity, length | Blanc de Noirs, Grand Cru, or cuvée from reserve wines | Seated dinner | 1 bottle for 3 people |
Astuce élégante : Pour une signature unique, vous pouvez choisir un champagne différent pour chaque moment (vin d’honneur → repas → dessert), tout en conservant la même Maison pour la cohérence du style.
Conclusion: Champagne, a reflection of the big day
Choisir un champagne pour votre mariage, c’est choisir la signature du moment.
Qu’il soit Brut, Rosé, Blanc de Blancs, Blanc de Noirs, Millésimé ou Demi-Sec, il accompagnera les rires, les regards, les souvenirs.
De « La Cuvée » à Harmony, en passant par Héritage, la Maison Laurent-Perrier offre des Champagnes capables d’illuminer chaque instant de cette journée unique.
