Skip the champagne and raise a glass of sparkling honey wine—the original wedding and honeymoon beverage.
By Sydney Livingston
Wedding traditions are often based in history and nostalgia. While some traditions have stood the test of time, others have fallen out of the mainstream in our ever-evolving culture. One such tradition involves mead. Wine made from fermented honey is widely accepted as the oldest form of alcoholic beverage. Historic mentions of fermented wine exist around the globe. In medieval times, it’s said that the term “honeymoon” originated with the practice of newlyweds drinking mead—honey wine—over the course of a month following the wedding—one full moon cycle. The beverage was thought to enhance virility and fertility. Some call it superstition, but others believe sipping mead helps newlyweds establish a strong and natural base to the new bond and ensure good health for the new family.
Wilmington’s Liquid Alchemy Beverages—the first meadery in Delaware—is one such establishment working to bring the tradition back to modern weddings.
“Mead is a historic drink and the romance that goes along with the honeymoon tale is captivating,” says Liquid Alchemy co-owner Terri Sorantino. “Couples are pulling away from the traditional champagne that’s often left sitting on tables. They’re turning to handcrafted beverages and something guests will enjoy drinking.”
For the modern couple, there are plenty of ways to work this historic beverage into your ceremony, reception or honeymoon in a memorable way. Modern mead makers often use the honey wine in cocktails. With couples incorporating a signature cocktail into the reception, this is a great way to include mead in a subtle way. You can also replace the typical champagne toast with a flute of sparkling mead, as Sorantino suggests. If you plan ahead, some meaderies will even craft a mead to suit your tastes before the wedding.
“We’ve had couples use a traditional mead, or chosen fruits and spices that fit them and their taste buds,” Sorantino adds. “We’ve also had couples mix our meads with one of our hard ciders for a sparkling ‘bee sting’ as a signature cocktail.”
View this post on Instagram
If you’re attending an upcoming wedding as a guest, a bottle or two of mead makes a great gift. Liquid Alchemy can put together a honeymoon package with background information and honeymoon history for the newlyweds, who can enjoy the mead over the following moon cycle.
Where to Find Mead
If you want to make this historic tradition part of your wedding, here are some meaderies to visit on your search for your perfect wedding mead. Honey is a blank slate for flavor, and—much like wine—each meadery has its own style and unique flavor profiles. Taste around and find the mead that suits your preferences.
Liquid Alchemy Beverages
Delaware’s first meadery mixes tradition and innovation with more than 25 unique mead flavor combinations from a maple coffee mead perfect for breakfast to a carbonated raspberry lemon flavor that’s sweet and summery.
28 Brookside Drive, Wilmington, DE
Philadelphia Mead Company
Founded in 2021 by two brothers, this Philadelphia meadery features convenient online shopping with local pickup or delivery options. With light, fruity flavors like pear, plum and blueberry hibiscus, this meadery is ideal for spring and summer weddings.
East Falls Farmers Market (Saturdays)| 4100 Ridge Avenue, Philadelphia
The Brimming Horn Meadery
Southern Delaware’s meadery leans into Viking culture in both decor and mead style. Mead names are often inspired by things like Nordic legends, Greek mythology or ancient Scandinavian gods. The Sun Bride mead is a great selection for summer weddings. Made to celebrate the summer solstice, Sun Bride is a blend of honey, pear, lemon and orange zest. The Allspice mead is perfect for fall and winter, with notes of cinnamon, nutmeg and clove.
28615 Lewes-Georgetown Highway, Milton, DE
106 Spring Street, Seaford, DE
View this post on Instagram
What to Ferment Meadery
Delaware’s newcomer is a must-stop in Milford. WTF offers a variety of festive flavors like Raspberry Sensation, made with raspberry, chocolate and vanilla.
27 South Walnut Street, Unit 101, Milford, DE
No Comment