If a package wedding isn’t your jam but awesome, affordable wine is, then be sure to read on. Vinomofo – as you can probably tell by the name – is no ordinary wine merchant. Run by a tight crew of wine-loving Mofos, the team have a no BS policy when it comes to providing the best wine they can get their hands on, for the best possible price.

The rise of the backyard wedding, outback wedfest, beachside bash and BYO venue means there’s more scope than ever for couples to sort their own wine for their big day. This isn’t just a great way to cut your booze budget in half, it’s an opportunity to have some fun with wine styles and bottle designs. And the best bit? Anything left over is yours for the sipping!

Vinomofo’s online platform couldn’t be simpler to use, and for good measure they’re giving all our lovely readers $25 credit, just coz. Join here and don’t look back!

We chatted with Vinomofo’s senior buyer Kate Lawton about the brand’s ethos, her tips for choosing wines for weddings and keeping the booze budget in check.

Just quietly, we’re pretty big fans of Vinomofo wines here at Nouba. Snapped by CJ Williams, the Mimi Flamingo Chardonnay went down a treat at our recent Talks & Tipples event.

Tell us a little about the Vinomofo ethos. We can tell from the name that you’re no ordinary wine merchant – what do you think sets the brand apart?

We’re a unique creation that does things differently – our Mofos and the winemakers we work so closely with are always number one. We carefully source all the wines we sell on our site – we’re very involved in this process meaning if we don’t like it, we won’t sell it. This is something that our members love about us as they know they’re getting good quality wines at fantastic prices. Our business model has allowed us to essentially disrupt the traditional supply chain; buying directly from the individual winemakers means we can work with limited run vintages and topnotch wineries that people have and haven’t heard of. It makes our offering to consumers all that more special.

Do you offer personalised service for weddings and large events? What can a couple expect when ordering through Vinomofo?

We absolutely do. All of our Mofos have the opportunity to have their own broker – one of our wine experts – who can chat through their individual needs. Whether it’s for larger events like a wedding or a milestone birthday, right through to holding a BBQ on the weekend.

We can work closely with our customers to work out not only what they like to drink, but what will work well with the food they’re serving, the time of the year, and the type of event they’re holding. For us, it’s more than just selling wine, we really want to personalise and humanise the experience because we know that for many people, wine is an experience that is shared with friends.

Image by Kit Young, Vinomofo Photographer.

Managing the purse strings while creating a dream wedding can be a tricky affair – any words of wisdom for couples hoping to rein in the booze budget?

You don’t need to blow your budget on expensive wines. Think about a wedding you’ve recently gone to, do you remember the wines you drank? Nine times out of 10 the answer is no. Pick something you want to drink and keep that as your special, expensive wine so you can really enjoy yourself and then build up your wine offering around your menu but keep it simple!

Instead of opting for different wines for different courses, go for something simple and transferrable such as a Prosecco – it goes great with all types of food, is great for toasting and many people love it.

Can couples try your wines before putting in the Big Day order?

Absolutely, the best thing to do is to speak with a broker who has tried the wine. This broker can tell you everything you need to know about the wine and even organise a case for you to try before your wedding day. We also have a lot of mixed cases if you’d like to try and contrast a few with the food you’re planning for your big day.

Our Broker team is also designed to talk our customers through each wine to ensure they’re picking the right wines for their big day. It’s our speciality!

Images by Kit Young, Vinomofo Photographer.

What are some popular bottles for weddings?

Bubbles are always popular for a wedding and coming into the warmer seasons both Prosecco and Rosé are a crowd favourite. There are amazing rosés right across the world but a favourite of mine is the Provence region – this style of rosé is known to always be light-bodied and lively on the palate with bursts of fresh fruit flavours – perfect for summer!

As well as being a gorgeous drop, Bisou Bisou packs a pretty punch in the label department. And it means ‘Kiss Kiss’… what’s not to love? Image by CJ Williams Photography.

We know we shouldn’t judge a wine by its label, but looks are important at a wedding! What are some of your favourite designs?

Oh, this is like asking a mother who her favourite child is! It really comes down to the couple and the style of the wedding. We’re really lucky that now there is such versatility in labels and you can really work them into your theme.

For soft, elegant style weddings you cannot go past Chataeu La Clapiére Cru Classe Rosé; it’s a slim line, unique looking bottle with a beautiful soft rose label – it oozes elegance and tastes great as well. For bolder statement weddings, I love the Bisou Bisou made by Steve Webber from De Bortoli, the label was actually designed in house at Vinomofo and is big and bold, yet still classic.

More and more couples are wising up to the benefits of sourcing their own wine for their big day. Do you have any advice to help them run things smoothly?

Don’t over complicate your wine choices – keep it simple with a sparkling, white and red that are all easy drinking styles and can be drunk throughout the day, with or without food.

Familiarise your bar staff with the wines you’re serving so they can assist any guests who aren’t sure what they’d like to drink and also share your wine choices with your caterers, they can always recommend dishes that will work well with your wine selection.

To try Vinomofo out for yourself, join here and get $25 credit for your first order. Be warned, this is one highly addictive website! Enjoy x