The Craft Beer Wedding – How To Incorporate Craft Beer Into Your Celebration

I should start this post by telling you I am a big craft beer fan. Matter of fact as I sit on the back deck writing this on my iPad I have a New Belgium Fat Tire here ready to enjoy. Cheers!

Based in Rochester, NY I’m lucky to be a part of a large, and growing craft beer community. As a wedding photographer and a member of the community this means a good percentage of my couples are either home brewers or craft beer enthusiasts. We have had a stellar foundation of breweries like the Genesee Brewery and Rohrbach Brewing Company leading the way and have had several world class breweries open locally such as, Swiftwater Brewing, Roc Brewing Co, The Lost Borough Brewing Co, Fairport Brewing Company, Nake Dove Brewing Company, CB Craft Brewers  and the pilot brewery at the Genesee Brew House to name a few. With the help of groups like FCBaa these breweries are all flourishing in the community. The one I’m most excited for is the opening of Three Heads Brewing‘s new facility in downtown Rochester.  As a contributing photographer for BeerAdvocate magazine I have had the amazing opportunity to photograph the best craft breweries and craft beer bars from here to Ft. Collins CO and I know the new 3HB brewery will be bringing local craft beer to a new level!

The weddings I’ve photographed that have incorporated craft beer have done so in many different cool and creative ways. In this post I’ll share some ideas for you home brewers and craft beer enthusiasts alike to include your love for craft beer into the day of your life when your most important relationship is born, the start of your commitment to each other and the opportunity to spend the rest of your lives together.

Have your engagement photos taken at your favorite local brewery.

This can be as easy to set up as a phone call to the location by you or your photographer.  Every local brewery I’ve contacted has been more than happy to accommodate a few minutes for myself and my clients to utilize their space for some amazing photos! I’m very thankful for the opportunities I’ve had to photograph my clients in such great places so I want to take a minute to thank Dean Jones, Geoff Dale, and John Urlaub for allowing us to use your breweries!

The details are a big part of a wedding! Find some awesome ways to add craft beer below.

Fresh Hop and Bottle Cap Boutonniere.

The hops were grown by the groom, the bottle cap was ordered from bottlemark.com  and the boutonniere was put together by the floral department at Turning Stone.

Wedding Brew – Bottle Labels – Table Assignments – Wedding Favors.

Have the recipe down for your favorite home brew? Brew a special batch just for your wedding. Include personalized bottle labels and use the bottles as seating assignments or give them out as favors!

Casks & Kegs.

Your local breweries will love to hear from you and will make sure you have their product at it’s best for your wedding.

Chalk Board Beer Mugs.

Personalize each and every beer mug or allow the guests to do their own!

Stop at your local hop farm for wedding photos. (Pictured below – Bluebell Hop Yard)

Rows of hops make for great wedding photos!

Beer Flights.

A beer flight is simply a sampling of several beers.  Keep your guests entertained and educate them by letting them sample several types of beer at once.

Groomsmen gifts.

Here are a couple craft beer ideas for groomsmen’s gifts.

Beer Steins.

Craft Beer Cuff Links.

Check out these awesome New Belgium Fat Tire links (stock photo) – Buy them on Etsy from The Crafty Rascal HERE.

Don’t forget even if craft beer isn’t your thing it’s always important to include the things you love into your wedding to make it yours. Embrace the things that make you happy, hold the one you love and CELEBRATE!!

For more information on having me photograph your craft beer wedding please visit the website atempirewestphoto.com text or call me at 585-781-4178, or email me dave@empirewestphoto.com

 

 

 

 

 

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