Non-Alcoholic Hydration Stations Your Wedding Guests Will Appreciate

By Sarah Schreiber
July 17, 2018
Credit: Jana Williams

From mocktails and lemonade stands to upgraded water booths, here's how to keep your attendees happy and hydrated all night long.

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Credit: Caroline Lima Photography

When it comes to wedding drink stations, most of our minds go to boozy serve-ups. A revolutionary idea: These stations don't have to involve alcohol. In fact, if you're preparing for a summer wedding or getting hitched in an area with a warmer climate, you're definitely want to help your guests stay hydrated during the ceremony, reception, and the after-party. That's where the following non-alcoholic wedding drink stations come in. Here, you'll discover all kinds of ways to prepare flavored water (so many combinations!), lemonade, iced tea, and mocktails. Beyond the pretty aesthetics, these stations are an easy way to help your attendees beat the heat—or at least stay hydrated as they bounce to and from the open bar.

The best part about these ideas? They work at just about any kind of wedding since they're all fresh and elevated. Looking for something simple and sleek? Skip the plastic bottles and present ice water in restaurant-style jugs (place them around your venue for easy access!). If you're searching for a sip that packs a bit of flavor, you really can't go wrong with a soda station or fruit punch. For an idea that's really out of the box, serve up whole coconuts, punctured with drinking straws. Bonus points if you turn them into escort cards by looping a tag with seating information around them! Getting hitched on a really hot day? Forgo liquids and go straight to ice. A serve-yourself snow cone station is soothing, satisfying, and a little nostalgic—and perfect for your wedding.

Ready to discover all of these inspired ideas yourself? Click through to discover the coolest non-alcoholic hydration stations, all from real weddings.

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Coconut Water Escort Cards

Credit: Jana Williams

Love the idea of serving coconut water, but are looking for something more stylized? Model your station off of these statement-making bookshelves (complete with a salient pun!), that offer up coconut escort cards. Guests can sip as they search for their seat!

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Upgraded Water Bottles

Credit: Elizabeth LaDuca

Forget plastic varieties—fill glass bottles up with ice water for a pretty and eco-friendly hydration station.

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Mason Jars

Credit: Ashley Ludaescher Photography
Mason Jar Ideas From Real Weddings

These water jugs are really just oversized mason jars with spouts, which makes them perfect for a summer wedding in the country, especially if they're filled with flavored water and homemade lemonade.

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Wagon

Credit: Emily March

An open four-wheeled wagon doesn't just make for the prettiest water station; it also gives you the chance to show off a few of your favorite flavor combinations, like lemon and apple or cucumber and mint.

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Vintage Vanity

Credit: Josh Gruetzmacher

Bring a beloved piece of antique furniture outside to act as both water station and décor statement. Bonus points if it has a mirror, like this one!

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Bubble Tea

Credit: The Ponces
Hot Drink Stations to Check Out

Are you and your fiancé bubble tea fanatics? Repurpose sippy cups as escort cards. Guests can fill 'em up with their tea flavor of choice at the adjacent boba station (that should go in right next door!).

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Vintage Bar Cart

Credit: Jen Fariello Photography

An antique bar cart, on the other hand, is just as eye-grabbing. Serve up a sip that enhances the mahogany color of the wood so common of the era, like a robust fruit punch.

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Snow Cones

Credit: Jasmine Lee Photography
Frozen Drink Ideas for Summer Weddings

These sugary treats may be sweet enough to pass as desserts, but their composed of primarily ice—which makes them hydrating! A make-it-yourself snow cone post is the perfect add to an outdoor reception.

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Barrel Bar

Credit: Mariko Kay Photography

Now here's a pretty way to add a rustic touch to your water bar. Present fruit-filled jars on a barrel bar and accessorize with plenty of wooden crates.

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Lemonade Stand

Credit: Ashlee Taylor

Throw it back to your childhood with a serve-yourself fresh lemonade stand.

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Sweet Tea

Credit: Erin Wilson
Signature Wedding Cocktails by State

Where there's lemonade, there has to be iced tea, right? An unsweetened variety, complete with lots of lemons, is always a crowd-pleaser.

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Cucumbers

Credit: We Are the Clarkes

Looking for a water-upgrade to match your greenery-centric floral palette? Take notes from this couple, who opted for cucumber-infused water that referenced greenery hoops overhead.

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Gold-Accented Bar Cart

Credit: Beaux Arts Photography
How to Keep Guests Cool at Your Summer Wedding

Here's another water bar cart to inspire your own. We're partial to this station's gold accents—they give off major mid-century modern vibes.

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Trifecta

Credit: Fondly Forever Photography

This is what we call the hydration trifecta: water, iced tea, and lemonade.

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Blackberry Mint

Credit: Lisa O'Dwyer Photography

Name a more refreshing duo than blackberry and mint. We'll wait.

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Coconut Water

Credit: Sean Cook Weddings
Looking For Something Boozy? These Drink Stations Will Elevate Your Reception

Hire a professional to shuck fresh coconuts for a yummy (and ultra-hydrating!) pre-ceremony treat. Provide paper straws in your wedding's color palette for easy drinking.

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Arnold Palmer

Credit: Birds of a Feather

This is the "his and hers" version of the signature wedding cocktail. The best part? If you're serving up a lemonade and iced tea duo, encourage guests to blend the two to make Arnold Palmers. It's the perfect metaphor for your union!

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Lemonade with a Twist

Credit: Magdalena Studios

Looking for a way to get your guests to engage with your wedding hashtag? Set up a lemonade stand next to your hashtag sign, so attendees will linger (and post!) as they sip.

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Orange Soda

Credit: Alexandra Wallace

The only problem with orange soda escort cards? If a few go missing, you'll have to check the kids table.

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Soda Bar

Credit: Crafted Sparrow

The adults will love this cute idea as much as the kids. Set up regular and diet colas with plenty of relevant syrups—like cherry, vanilla, blackberry, and coconut—and watch your attendees go to town. Bonus points if you opt for sodas in glass bottles.

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