What should you look for when choosing bubbly for your wedding? Taste is an obvious requirement but there are other things to consider. Actually when it comes to getting married apparently there is a whole lot of stuff to consider that you never thought would be important.

I’m getting married and I seem to have fallen, completely unprepared, into the deep end. Thank goodness I know about bubbly and I thought I’d share my thoughts, for those that are interested, on wedding bubbly.

The areas I think are important – when selecting cap classique/champagne for your wedding are:

• French vs local
• the taste
• the look
• the cost in relation to all of this.

First up I don’t think you have to go French. South Africa produces some delicious cap classiques at a fraction of the price – Môreson, Krone, Graham Beck, Pierre Jourdan (to name a few). So really the only reasons you’d have to go French are look (some of their packaging is beautiful) and look (because that’s the kind of wedding you’re having).

Then there is the taste. Are you, or your guests, a fan of sweet or dry? This will definitely influence what cap classique you serve on the big day. I, personally, am a fan of dry (I also find it leaves me less hungover – not sure why, but it does). Are you looking for something yeasty and shortcakey (which is very French)? Yes? Well then you’re going to need to look at something like the Môreson Blanc de Blancs – a lovely option, if you like dry.

Also you should consider the look both in and out of the bottle. Your wedding cap classique is part of the décor – it should belong. Find something that works for you and remember to have a look at what it looks like in the glass. For example Some rosé cap classiques are a light salmon others are a more intense pink. Just ask yourself, “if I were a rose what kind of a rose would I be?”

After looking at all these areas it’s time to weigh up the costs vs the meeting of your needs; and remember the best South African Cap Classiques (and they’re amazing) are a steal compared to the French stuff.