Punch up your party: Let your guests toast you with a signature cocktail

Having an open bar at your reception, while a treat for guests, can increase your expenses quickly. As an alternative, try serving a signature drink (or two -- you and your honey can each pick one) that can be made in bulk and served in drink dispensers. That way guests can help themselves and toast you at the same time.

Here are some recipes we liked:

Bourbon and ginger cooler punch

Serves 20

Ingredients:

32 ounces (4 cups) bourbon

80 ounces (about 10 cups) ginger ale

2 oranges, sliced into thin rounds

Directions:

Combine the bourbon, ginger ale and orange slices in a large pitcher or punch bowl. Serve over ice.

Source: Real Simple

Vodka punch

Serves 28

Ingredients:

1 quart cranberry juice cocktail

6 ounces lemonade (frozen)

2 cups vodka

1 1/2 quarts lemon-lime soda (chilled)

Directions:

Combine first 3 ingredients in punch bowl. Slowly add soda. Add ice and serve.

Source: food.com

Pineapple-gin punch

Serves 12

1 cup water

1 cup sugar

1 tablespoon finely grated lime peel

2 cups pineapple juice

2 cups (or more) gin

2 cups club soda

3 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1/8 teaspoon orange bitters or Angostura bitters

1 large pineapple, peeled, cored, cut into 1/3-inch cubes

Directions:

Bring 1 cup water and sugar to boil in small saucepan, stirring until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Mix in lime peel; cool syrup.

Combine pineapple juice, 2 cups gin, club soda, lime juice and bitters in punch bowl. Mix in pineapple cubes and enough syrup to sweeten to taste. Add more gin, if desired. Add ice block to bowl.

Source: epicurious.com

Rum punch

Serves 8

1 1/2 cups light rum

3 cups orange juice

3 cups pineapple juice

3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice

2 tablespoons cranberry juice

2 tablespoons grenadine

Directions:

In a large pitcher, combine the rum, juices and grenadine. Stir until well blended.

Source: marthastewart.com

Tequila punch

Serves 10

Ingredients:

1 46-ounce can punch drink, chilled (such as Hawaiian Punch)

1 6-ounce can frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed

1 6-ounce can frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed

1 750-milliliter bottle tequila, chilled

Sliced fresh limes (optional)

Directions:

In a very large pitcher or bowl, combine punch, orange juice, lemonade and tequila or rum; mix well. Serve over crushed ice. Garnish with lime slices, if you like.

Source: Midwest Living