Choosing Champagne for a wedding is one of the more consequential wine décisions you will make — it sets the tone for the day, appears in every photograph of the toast and is remembered long after the meal is forgotten. The good news is that it does not have to be complicated or ruinously expensive. A well-chosen Non-Vintage Brut from a reliable house or a quality grower will delight your guests and suit the occasion perfectly.
How Much Champagne Do You Need?
For the toast alone, plan on one bottle for every six to eight guests — a standard 75cl bottle yields five to six small flutes. If you are serving Champagne throughout the apéritif hour and dinner, the calculation changes significantly: allow three to four glasses per person for the apéritif period, and one to two glasses per person if continuing through the meal. A practical rule of thumb: for 100 guests with a toast and apéritif, you will need approximately 20–25 bottles. Order ten percent more than you calculate — running out of Champagne at a wedding is a difficult situation to recover from. Many specialist merchants offer sale-or-return on unopened cases, which eliminates the risk of over-ordering.
Choosing the Right Style and Managing Budget
For most wedding guests, a quality Non-Vintage Brut — approachable, consistent and genuinely pleasant to drink — is the right choice. Taittinger Brut Réserve, Pol Roger Brut Réserve and Billecart-Salmon Brut Réserve are all trusted options that photograph well, taste excellent and sit in the 40–50 euro range per bottle. For the toast itself, consider upgrading to a more distinctive cuvée that you and your partner have chosen together — it makes the moment more personal. Adding a Rosé Champagne option at the apéritif stage (from Laurent-Perrier or Billecart-Salmon) adds colour and variety without complicating the service. Order at least six to eight weeks in advance from a specialist merchant, negotiate on price for larger quantities and confirm delivery and température storage arrangements before the event.
