As the world's oldest alcoholic beverage, mead has been a part of weddings and celebrations for thousands of years. Crafted by fermenting honey with water, often enhanced with fruits or spices, mead has long symbolised good fortune, new beginnings, and togetherness.
Today, mead is enjoying a significant resurgence as an alternative to traditional wedding drinks like champagne, prosecco, or wine. This renewed interest reflects a growing desire for natural, sustainable options made from local ingredients, alongside a wish to reconnect with ancient traditions and perhaps a healthy appetite for something different from the usual offerings.
If you're planning a wedding and looking for drinks that tell a story, create conversation, and connect to centuries of tradition, mead deserves serious consideration.
The Ancient History of Mead at Weddings
Throughout history, mead has marked life's most important moments. From Norse feasts and medieval banquets to Celtic handfastings and rustic countryside weddings, mead has played a central role in celebrating the start of married life for countless couples.
In Viking culture, mead halls were the heart of community celebration. Weddings were major social events where mead flowed freely, symbolising prosperity, fertility, and the joining of families. The bride's family would often provide mead as part of the wedding arrangements, ensuring the celebration was properly blessed.
Medieval European weddings similarly featured mead prominently. It was considered a drink of nobility and celebration, reserved for the most important occasions. The quality and quantity of mead served at a wedding reflected the family's status and their wishes for the couple's future.
Although mead fell out of mainstream favour with the rise of grape-based wines, the market is now seeing a revival, with authentic traditional meads gaining popularity among consumers eager to try something new and old at the same time.
The Honeymoon Tradition: Where the Word Comes From
One of the most fascinating reasons to include mead at your wedding is its direct connection to the word "honeymoon." This isn't just a charming coincidence, it's the actual origin of the term we still use today.
In medieval Europe, newlyweds were traditionally presented with enough mead to be enjoyed every evening for a full lunar cycle, approximately 28 days after their wedding. This practice was believed to promote happiness, fertility, and good fortune in their marriage.
The term "honeymoon" is thought to have originated from this custom, with "honey" referring to the mead drink made from honey and "moon" representing the lunar period during which it was consumed. Some historians also suggest the "moon" referred to the waxing and waning of the couple's initial passion, but the drink connection remains the most widely accepted origin.
By serving mead at your wedding, you're not just choosing a drink, you're participating in the very tradition that gave the honeymoon its name. That's a story worth telling your guests.
Handfasting, Tying the Knot, and Sharing Mead
Mead was also central to handfasting ceremonies, an ancient Celtic ritual where a couple's hands are tied together with ribbon or cord to symbolise their union. This tradition gave rise to the phrase "tying the knot" that we still use today when referring to getting married.
During handfasting ceremonies, the couple would often share a cup of mead as part of the ritual. This shared drink symbolised the hope for a sweet and enduring partnership. The act of drinking from the same cup represented unity, trust, and the blending of two lives into one.
Many modern couples are reviving handfasting as part of their wedding ceremonies, and including traditional mead as part of this ritual creates a powerful connection to history while making the moment uniquely meaningful.
Why Mead Works Perfectly for Modern Weddings
Beyond the historical significance, mead offers practical advantages that make it an excellent choice for contemporary weddings.
Versatility for Every Part of Your Wedding
Mead's versatility is one of its greatest strengths. Available in styles ranging from sparkling and floral to rich and spiced, mead pairs well with a wide variety of menus and seasons. Here's how to incorporate it:
Welcome Drinks
Sparkling mead makes an elegant and unexpected welcome drink. As guests arrive, a glass of chilled sparkling mead feels celebratory and sets a memorable tone.
Toast During Speeches
Replace champagne with mead for the traditional toast. The honeymoon connection makes it particularly appropriate for this moment, and it gives you an opportunity to share the story with your guests.
Paired with Dinner
Different mead styles pair beautifully with various courses. Traditional mead works with roasted meats and rich dishes, while fruit meads complement lighter fare.
Dessert and Cheese Service
Mead is exceptional with cheese courses and desserts. Our Dark Cherry Traditional Mead pairs particularly well with chocolate desserts and blue cheeses.
Bar Service
Offer mead on draught or by the bottle at your bar. It provides an alternative for guests who want something different from beer, wine, or cocktails.
Guest Favours
Small bottles of mead make thoughtful, unique wedding favours that guests will actually use. Include a card explaining the honeymoon tradition for added meaning.
Natural and Sustainable Choice
Modern couples increasingly care about sustainability and natural products. Mead aligns perfectly with these values:
- Made from honey, a natural ingredient requiring minimal processing
- Supports bee populations and pollinator health
- Can be sourced locally from regional producers
- Often produced by small-batch makers using traditional methods
- No artificial additives in quality meads
Our meads use simple, natural ingredients, supporting our commitment to quality and sustainability.
Something Different That Sparks Conversation
While everyone serves champagne, prosecco, or wine, mead stands out. It creates natural conversation among guests, many of whom may never have tried it. This social aspect adds to your wedding's atmosphere and gives people something to talk about beyond the usual wedding small talk.
The novelty factor doesn't mean it's gimmicky. Mead is a serious, high-quality beverage with thousands of years of tradition behind it. It's different in the best possible way.
Appeals to Various Dietary Preferences
Mead naturally appeals to guests with different preferences:
- Naturally gluten-free
- No grape allergies for those who can't drink wine
- Often lower in sulfites than wine
- Can be less acidic than wine or champagne
- Available in various sweetness levels
Choosing the Right Mead for Your Wedding
Not all meads are created equal, and selecting the right style enhances your wedding experience. Here's what to consider:
Traditional Mead for Classic Elegance
Traditional mead is pure honey, water, and time. It's the most authentic expression of what mead has been for millennia. Our Wye Valley Traditional Mead offers smooth honey character perfect for formal wedding toasts.
For added complexity, consider our Oak Whiskey Barrel Aged Traditional Mead. The barrel aging adds depth appropriate for sophisticated wedding dinners.
Sparkling Mead for Celebration
Sparkling mead brings the festive feeling of champagne with honey's unique character. The bubbles make it feel celebratory and wedding-appropriate, while the honey sets it apart from ordinary bubbly.
Perfect for welcome drinks, toasts, or reception celebrations, sparkling mead offers elegance with a twist.
Fruit Mead for Colour and Flavour
Fruit meads add visual appeal and flavour complexity. Our Dark Cherry Traditional Mead offers beautiful ruby colour appropriate for romantic celebrations.
The fruit element also makes these meads more approachable for guests unfamiliar with traditional mead.
Seasonal Considerations
Match your mead to your wedding season:
Spring/Summer Weddings: Lighter, sparkling meads or floral varieties Autumn Weddings: Spiced meads or fruit meads Winter Weddings: Rich traditional meads or barrel-aged varieties
Finding Quality Wedding Mead: What to Look For
Finding authentic mead for your wedding requires some knowledge. Here's what to seek:
100% Honey-Based
Quality mead is made entirely from honey, not sugar-sweetened wine with honey flavouring added. Check the ingredient list. You should see honey, water, and yeast as the primary ingredients.
Many mass-market "meads" contain minimal honey and rely on sugar or grape wine as the base. These aren't true meads and lack the authentic flavour and tradition you're seeking.
Local and Artisan Producers
Small-batch mead makers typically produce higher quality products with more attention to detail. Look for local producers who use regional honey and traditional methods.
At Hive Mind, we use raw honey from the Wye Valley and follow time-honoured meadmaking traditions. Every batch reflects our commitment to quality over quantity.
Awards and Recognition
Quality indicators include awards from competitions like Great Taste. Our Wye Valley Traditional Mead won a Great Taste Golden Fork Award, recognising exceptional flavour and quality.
Transparent Sourcing
Reputable mead makers are proud of their ingredients and processes. Look for information about honey sources, production methods, and the maker's philosophy. Our About Us page shares our complete story.
How Much Mead to Order for Your Wedding
Planning quantities depends on how you'll serve the mead:
For toasts only: One 750ml bottle serves approximately 6 to 8 toast-sized pours As welcome drinks: One 750ml bottle provides 4 to 5 servings Throughout the reception: Calculate as you would for wine (half to one bottle per guest) As favours: Small 187ml or 375ml bottles work perfectly
We recommend ordering extra. It's better to have mead left over to enjoy during your first year of marriage (honouring the honeymoon tradition) than to run short during your celebration.
Serving Mead at Your Wedding: Practical Tips
Proper service ensures your mead tastes its best:
Temperature
- Traditional mead: Serve slightly chilled (10 to 13°C)
- Sparkling mead: Serve cold (6 to 8°C)
- Warm or mulled mead: Heat gently to 60 to 65°C for winter weddings
Glassware
- Use wine glasses or champagne flutes
- Ensure adequate glassware is available
- Consider rental if needed
Timing
- Remove traditional mead from refrigeration 15 minutes before serving
- Keep sparkling mead chilled until service
- Have backup bottles ready for toasts
Presentation
- Create signage explaining the mead and honeymoon tradition
- Train bartenders on proper service
- Consider mead-specific menu cards at tables
Making Your Own Wedding Mead
For the ultimate personal touch, some couples choose to make their own wedding mead. This requires planning, as mead typically needs several months to ferment and mature properly.
Our Mead Making & Tasting Course teaches everything needed to brew your own mead. Making your wedding mead together can become a meaningful pre-wedding activity and creates a beverage with genuine personal significance.
We also offer guidance and supplies for home mead making through our taproom and shop.
Mead Cocktails for Wedding Receptions
While traditional mead service is beautiful, mead also works excellently in cocktails. Consider offering a signature mead cocktail at your wedding reception:
Mead Mojito: Traditional mead, fresh mint, lime, and soda water Sparkling Mead Spritz: Sparkling mead with elderflower and cucumber Honey Moon: Mead with gin, lemon, and lavender
Check our cocktail recipes for more inspiration, or work with your bartender to create custom mead cocktails.
Incorporating Mead into Your Wedding Theme
Mead pairs beautifully with various wedding themes:
Rustic or Barn Weddings: Natural, artisan mead fits perfectly Medieval or Renaissance Themes: Historical accuracy and authenticity Garden or Outdoor Weddings: Connection to nature and bees Sustainable or Eco-Conscious Weddings: Natural, local product Literary or Fantasy Themes: Connection to Norse mythology and medieval literature
Beyond Your Wedding: The Honeymoon Tradition Continues
Following the traditional honeymoon custom adds another layer of meaning. Purchase enough mead to enjoy a glass together each evening for your first month of marriage. This creates a daily ritual of connection while honouring the ancient tradition.
Consider these approaches:
- Set aside special bottles from your wedding
- Create a monthly mead subscription for your first year
- Visit our taproom together during your first month
- Gift each other a new mead variety monthly
Planning Your Wedding Mead: Next Steps
Ready to incorporate mead into your wedding? Here's how to proceed:
Research and Tasting
Visit our taproom for tastings. Sample different styles to determine which work best for your wedding. Consider bringing your wedding planner or key family members.
Calculate Quantities
Based on your guest count and how you'll serve mead, calculate needed quantities. We're happy to help with planning.
Place Orders Early
Small-batch producers have limited quantities. Order well in advance, especially for peak wedding season. We recommend ordering at least three months ahead.
Plan Service Details
Work with your venue and caterers on proper service. Share information about serving temperatures and glassware needs.
Create Guest Information
Prepare signage or programs explaining the mead and honeymoon tradition. This educates guests and adds depth to your choice.
Why Choose Hive Mind for Your Wedding Mead
At Hive Mind, we've supplied mead for countless weddings and understand what makes these celebrations special. Our award-winning meads are crafted with care, using raw honey from the Wye Valley and traditional methods.
We offer:
- Consultation on quantities and styles
- Bulk ordering for weddings
- Custom labelling options for larger orders
- Delivery coordination
- Expert advice on service and pairings
Our commitment to quality means every bottle represents thousands of years of tradition executed with modern excellence.
Final Thoughts: Making Your Wedding Memorable
Mead is more than a drink choice, it's a connection to history, nature, and a tradition of celebration that spans millennia. For couples seeking a meaningful and memorable beverage for their wedding, mead truly is the original wedding drink.
By choosing mead, you're not following trends, you're reviving traditions. You're not selecting another champagne, you're choosing the drink that gave the honeymoon its name. You're creating conversations, making memories, and connecting your celebration to countless couples who came before you.
Start planning your wedding mead experience today and make your celebration one guests will remember for years to come.
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