By Karin Beuerlein

Choosing wines for a wedding doesn't require elite expertise. You just need to know a few simple rules for success. Besides, you can’t really go wrong in your wine picks, says Los Angeles wedding planner Robyn Goldberg of Robyn Goldberg Weddings & Special Events. "People aren’t coming to your wedding for the great food and wine," she says. They’re there to celebrate your marriage, she says, so don’t stress out about making perfect choices. Here are five things you should know:

1. Keep it simple.
People are more likely to choose the wine they drink at your reception based on whether they like red or white, Goldberg says, rather than what complements the food on your menu. They typically start drinking what they like during cocktail hour and then stick with it through dinner regardless of what they’re eating. "Don’t get too caught up in matching wines to your menu," Goldberg says, "because with that many people it’s difficult to control serving wines with particular courses."

So stick to the basics and simply choose a house red and a house white for your reception. If you’re working with a hotel or caterer, you can do this when you choose your menu. "I often encourage couples to go out and buy individual bottles of the wines the hotel serves and try them in a less stressful environment," Goldberg says. "Holding a little mini-tasting with your family can make it fun."

2. Choose Tried and True Varieties.
The key is to pick wines that are crowd-pleasers. Although it’s tempting to select wines with "wow" factor—ones that are especially robust, sweet, heavy, or fruity—a wedding is not an ideal place to showcase wine because there’s too much distraction. People are there to party, not decant. "Stay in the middle of the road," Goldberg advises. "A Cabernet is the heaviest red you should serve, and a Chardonnay is a good way to go for white."

There are some trendier picks out there that are still basically safe, says Ali Phillips, wedding planner and owner of Engaging Events by Ali in Chicago. "Sauvignon Blanc is very popular right now for a white wine," she says. "For red wines, Cabernet is always our fallback, but I have a lot of brides and grooms picking a Pinot Noir or a Zinfandel." However, if you have your heart set on showcasing certain varieties of wine at your reception, do what one of Phillips’ brides did: hold a wine tasting at the cocktail hour complete with cheese and canapés and offer four or five different wines you really like.

3. Plan by the Numbers
If your reception is a light afternoon affair, budget for around half a bottle of wine per person , and plan a larger proportion of white wine than you would for the dinner hour: 70 percent white is a good rule of thumb. For evening weddings with dinner, go 50/50 red and white. Count on that same half bottle of wine per person on the conservative side, but if you’re planning a long reception with dancing into the wee hours, or your friends and family are committed party types, go with more.

4. Don't Forget Glassware
At weddings, glassware typically means water glasses and generic wine glasses; don’t worry about having the proper glassware for white vs. red wines. It’s too fussy. The hotel or your caterer should advise you on the right amount of glassware to have on hand, but the number depends on the length of your reception. You’ll need about 1.5 wine glasses per person for a three-hour event, and two per person for a longer event.

If you’re holding your reception outdoors or somewhere where access to running water is limited, you’ll need to rent more glassware because the caterers won’t be able to wash glasses easily as they go. Hint: it’s usually smart to be overprepared in this category.

5. Think Outside the Bottle
You may become so enamored with choosing wine that you don’t stop at the reception. That’s fine, because a modestly priced bottle of wine makes a fantastic gift for your bridesmaids, groomsmen, and other wedding participants. Also consider wine-related items as favors for wedding guests, such as engraved corkscrews or even mini-bottles of wine with customized labels.

Finally, if the two of you are true wine lovers, why not register for wines as wedding gifts? Many wine retailers offer this option; if you can’t find anything local, check out an online version such as BottleNotes.com . This wine club and registry even has a stock "starter cellar" if you’re unsure how to start a collection. (Note: be sure it’s legal to ship wine to your state before you sign up.)

Related links
10 Great Airport Wine bars
Be a Vino Pro: Take the Wine IQ
Join the Fine Living Wine Club
Go to the Wine Cellar