Sangria Margarita

It’s summertime and that means it’s time for summer entertaining! 

My favorite way to start a party? A signature cocktail or self serve bar. Check out my favorite ideas for playing bartender at your next event and then scroll down to get the recipe for my ultimate summer cocktail, the Sangria Margarita!

1. Set Up a Bar – If you don’t have time to play bartender all night consider setting up a self serve bar. Use cool containers or fun signage to make everything look beautiful and inviting. 

2. Drinks to Go – Take your bar set up one step further and create fun drinks to-go! This is adorable and so easy for a hostess because you can set it all up in advance!

3. Limit Your Choices – To save on budget (and on time) I usually do one signature cocktail and a handful of liquor choices with mixers. I’m a big fan of vodka for a summer party and serving it with juices that guests can use to make their own drink. Don’t worry about having a hundred choices, as long as you’re intentional about your bar set up no one will look at what’s missing they’ll be too excited about what’s available. 

4. Presentation – Fact: the right glassware can make anything look ten times fancier than it actually is. When I was a newlywed I bought a bunch of glassware from the 99 cents store and I still use it to this day. It doesn’t have to be expensive, but there’s something about glass that just makes everything feel cooler. Get more ideas here. 

5. Practice Makes Perfect – Remember that a great cocktail recipe is just like anything else, you’ll get better with practice. Start out the summer with a few signature cocktails in mind and then use the next couple of months getting them just right. This mission will also involve a lot of taste testing on your part so it’s essentially the funnest “job” you’ll have all summer long.

I was super pumped to partner with UV Sangria Vodka on this recipe. For one thing, it’s sangria flavored vodka which is basically a bottle combing two of my favorite liquids. And for another, it’s gorgeous and it totally matches my Instagram for the month of July. Those of you who follow me on IG know what a big deal that is to me.

We set out to create a Sangria Margarita and the results are as delicious as you’d hope they’d be.

First step is to slice a few fresh strawberries and place them in a cocktail shaker along with the lime juice. Using a spoon or muddler, smash the berries as best you can. This will release their flavor. Set off to the side and get the glasses ready. 

To finish the cocktail, fill the shaker with ice, the UV sangria vodka, orange juice, a splash of tequila and a splash of orange liqueur. 

Place the lid on and shake vigorously, until chilled. Pour the cocktail into the prepared glasses.

Garnish the cocktails with a fresh strawberry or lime slice, right before serving. 

You can also add all of the ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth, or you can serve it over ice. A sangria margarita is delicious in just about any form!