Weddings & wedding planners
Weddings and Champagne: how to select the cuvée for the reception
The reception Champagne is both the first wine served and the most visible component of a wedding wine budget. Four cuvée levels structure the selection.
Non-vintage brut
Entry-level cuvée from each house, a blend of several years. Suitable for weddings with a controlled budget and a large number of guests. Indicative price €25 to €45 in wine shops.
Blanc de blancs
100% Chardonnay. Crisp, more mineral, particularly suitable for outdoor receptions in Côte d'Azur. Price €40 to €80.
Vintage
A single harvest year, extended aging. Symbolically meaningful when the vintage corresponds to the year the couple met. Price €60 to €150.
Prestige cuvée
Dom Pérignon, Cristal Roederer, La Grande Dame, Krug. Reserved for high-standing weddings, often in small quantities (magnum) to mark the arrival of the newlyweds. Price €200 and above.
Combining cuvées
A frequent choice for high-end weddings: a prestige cuvée upon the announcement of the newlyweds (one case), followed by a quality non-vintage brut for the remainder of the reception.
Frequently asked questions
- Should you choose a major brand or an independent producer?
- Champagne from a recognized producer offers better value for money; a major brand reassures guests who are less familiar with Champagne.
- Rosé or white Champagne for the reception?
- Rosé remains a minority choice. It can complement white Champagne in summer, but rarely replace it entirely.
- Magnums or standard bottles?
- Magnums create a strong visual impact and age better, but service is slower. A mix of 20% magnums and 80% standard bottles is a good compromise.