For a white, many push a lightly oaked chardonnay from Burgundy, such as Camille Giroud Bourgogne Blanc ($25). 

Yes, you should serve rosé
“Rosé at a wedding is a no-brainer,” says master sommelier Carlton McCoy (no relation), former wine director at Aspen’s Little Nell. “It’s a perfect low-octane replacement for a cocktail.”

It’s also festive and summery, popular yet moderately priced. During weddings at Meadowood Resort in the Napa Valley, estate sommelier Monica Zanotti has waiters pass glasses of chilled rosé just as the ceremony ends. Her local picks—light, savory Azur rosé from Napa ($36 a bottle retail) and Flowers Vineyards rosé of pinot noir from Sonoma ($32)—are pretty expensive but guaranteed to please.

The best value-for-quality recommendation comes from Carroll: 2017 Moulin de Gassac Guilhem Rosé ($10) from France’s bargain region, the Languedoc.

Choose a sparkling alternative to Champagne
“The choice of bubbles is all about your budget,” says McCoy, who believes less expensive cava, cremant, and domestic fizz beat serving low-end Champagne.

Meadowood regularly pours Schramsberg Blanc de Blancs ($41), a lush Napa classic, but Carroll’s pick, Caves Bohigas Cava Brut Reserva ($14 a bottle), is a way-better bargain. Ditto Porpiglia’s suggestion, the crisp, refreshing, citrus-y Conquilla Brut Cava ($13). I’d add the always terrific organic Raventos i Blanc Rosé de Nit ($22).

Don’t serve brut Champagne with dessert
No one actually complains about drinking dry Champagne with wedding cake, but the two are a real mismatch. The sweetness of the cake makes the fizz taste sour and acidic. Instead, serve a sweet sparkling wine, such as California’s Chandon Sweet Star ($16).

Consider formality, season, and location
I’ve been to weddings out on a beach, as well as ones where the groom wore white tie and tails and Krug Grande Cuvée was poured freely. Hot weather dictates more whites and rosés than reds, while a fun beach wedding calls for something casual, such as serving cans of wine in a big tub of ice.

Good bets: Sofia Brut Blanc de Blancs mini ($18 for four 187 ml cans); Vinny, a bubbly white blend from the Finger Lakes, made by Thomas Pastuszak, wine director at New York’s NoMad ($20 for four 250 ml cans); and Scribe Winery’s UnaLou rosé ($40 for four 375 ml cans).

Opt for large-format bottles
“Nothing says party like big bottles of wine,” says Patuszak, who served all the wines at his wedding in the Finger Lakes from magnums or jeroboams (the equivalent of six bottles). They look celebratory, even if the wine isn’t expensive.