A gorgeous photograph in a recent blog post on Southern Weddings caught my eye and had me thinking about signature cocktails and their presence at a wedding. Along with gorgeous flowers that showcase a color scheme, signature cocktails have become centerpieces in their own right, mimicking themes, hues and even the season.

Bright, colorful glasses of alcoholic or non-alcoholic drinks can catch the eye of every guest. Of course, an open bar is nice, but as waiters walk around with specially made drinks, who doesn't want to find out what the bride and groom have chosen to represent themselves -- will it be fruity, dry, spicy, hot or cold?

Beyond the actual drink, couples can customize their drink with specialty glassware, the platter they're served on and even the stirrers. Companies such as ForYourParty.com specialize in printing a couple's wedding date, initials and the like on the stirrers.

Every time Jon and I visit D.C., a quick trip to Jaleo for either lunch or dinner is a must. Their sangria is to die for and we immediately knew that we wanted to serve that as our specialty cocktail. Sweet, but not too sweet, sangria will be served in tall glasses (like in the picture), a pretty deviation from the wine glass presentation. We felt it was a little easier to drink out of and it made it a little bit more easy-going.

Jaleo's recipe for their white sangria and more after the jump.

La Tienda recently teamed up with Jaleo and published their white sangria recipe, which is heavenly. Perfect for a summer day, your guests won't be able to get enough of it.

Did you have a specialty cocktail at your wedding? I asked some friends on Twitter and here's what they said:

@Brione I was a home brewer and made a special wedding ale. Friends designed and printed labels for the bottles. It was enjoyed by all.

@eedawson We didn't have a specialty drink per se, but my dad surprised us with a martini luge!

Tell me what you served in the comments section.

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