If you are looking for some fantastic cocktails for your upcoming wedding or soiree, you probably find yourself trying to incorporate these delicious extensions of your personality into your event vision.  Typically, this is done with flavors and colors.  Today, we’ll concentrate on colors—but one color in particular.  Red.

Disaronno Cosmo

• 1 ounce amaretto di saronno liqueur
• 1 ounce Bacardi Limon
• 1 ounce cranberry juice (recipe calls for a dash, more folks seem to prefer an ounce)

Divatini

• 1 ounce limoncello
• 1 ounce premium vodka
• 1/2 ounce ruby red grapefruit juice
• 1/2 ounce cranberry juice
• 1/2 ounce lemon juice
• 1 lemon twist, garnish

Jamaica Margarita

Ingredients:
1 cup dried hibiscus blossoms (about 2 ounces)
3 cups water
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/4 cups tequila
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
1/3 cup Triple Sec or other orange-flavored liqueur
8 lime slices

Directions:
Place blossoms in a strainer; rinse under cold water. Combine blossoms, water, and sugar in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes. Strain; discard blossoms. Cover and chill hibiscus mixture.

Combine hibiscus mixture, tequila, juice, and Triple Sec. Serve over ice. Garnish with lime slices.

POM-ELA

30 mls of 42BELOW Kiwifruit

3 Lime wedge

1 dash of Lime Juice

60 mls of Pomegranate Juice

60 mls of Soda Water

1 bar spoon of Sugar

In a Highball glass, combine sugar and 42BELOW Kiwifruit, stir well, and fill with ice. Add juices, top with soda, and stir to serve.

Cranberry Margarita

1-1/2 shots JOSE CUERVO ESPECIAL TEQUILA

1 shot cranberry juice cocktail

1/4 cup whole cranberry sauce

1/2 shot Cointreau

Ice

Whole fresh cranberries — for garnish

Lime wheel — for garnish

Combine all ingredients, except garnish, in a blender. Blend on high until smooth and frothy. Pour into a margarita glass. Garnish with cranberries skewered with a toothpick and a lime wheel.

(The last two, the POM-ELA and the Cranberry Margarita were found at the fabulous blog http://intoxicologist.files.wordpress.com)

Basic Sangria

• 1 Bottle of red wine (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Rioja reds, Zinfandel, Shiraz)
• 1 Lemon cut into wedges
• 1 Orange cut into wedges
• 2 Tbsp sugar
• 1 Shot brandy
• 2 Cups ginger ale or club soda

Preparation:

Pour wine in the pitcher and squeeze the juice wedges from the lemon and orange into the wine. Toss in the fruit wedges (leaving out seeds if possible) and add sugar and brandy. Chill overnight. Add ginger ale or club soda just before serving.

If you’d like to serve right away, use chilled red wine and serve over lots of ice.

Addition ideas: sliced strawberries, peaches, handful of fresh blueberries, raspberries, kiwi, a shot or two of gin, brandy or rum, a cup of ginger ale, citrus soda pop or lime juice.

These are just a sample of what you and your guests could have in store at your wedding—be creative and make it count!   Do you have a favorite red cocktail?  Please, share!