Recipe: Bridal Shower Sangria

Wedding season is just as much bridal shower season, which means in between the actual weddings you’re attending, you may have a few showers to pop into to celebrate the bride-to-be. If this is the year you’re finally hosting one for your sister or your best friend, you may be sweating a bit. How do you pull this thing off? Well, you need a winning menu that’s easy and fun, and a killer cocktail. Here’s that cocktail — it’s bubbly, floral, and fruity, and comes together in one big pitcher in a flash. That means more drinking and less assembling, which is a good thing at such a festive occasion.

This sangria comes together as fast as the time it takes you to pour a handful of things into a pitcher. Sparkling wine is a celebratory base for the sangria, while elderflower liqueur upgrades it even further with its sweet floral notes. Lemon juice and club soda make it light and easy-drinking, which is always a win, especially during a daytime shower, and a few big handfuls of raspberries add the fruity element to the drink and bring a pop of color to each glass.

The recipe can be doubled, tripled, or even quadrupled, depending on how many guests you’re expecting (a large punch bowl can be substituted for a pitcher if that’s the case). Stir the elements together before the party gets underway and then let everyone pour their own glasses just before the games start.