Wine Lover's Bridal Shower
Have you ever wanted to do something special for engaged friends or family, but couldn't figure out what to do? They have everything. Maybe they've already been living together. Maybe they're a little older and have established households. Perhaps they have no interest in traditional engagement parties or bridal showers. Well, here is a great solution to this dilemma. Have a wine tasting and cellar starter shower. Hosted casually with couples, this is a fun and relaxed way to commemorate the impending union while still honoring the people who are getting married. This is especially fun if the couple has an interest in wine.
If your shower/tasting will focus on a particular wine region, country or category, set the tone of your event venue with appropriate music and decorations. Greet your guests with a sampler of wine and escort them into the party area where they can meet and greet the guests of honor and other fellow guests.
Wine Theme Bridal Shower Invitations
A personalized wine invitation is a great way to invite everyone to a wine themed shower. Or go with a fun bridal shower invitation, either way you can't lose! On the invitation let guests know that they should bring two selections of wine; one to share at the party, and another to add to the bride and groom's collection.
Or you can go all out and have a caricature custom drawn for your invitation. Portray your guests of honor in an outdoor café sipping wine, picking grapes in a vineyard or toasting in a wine cellar.
Another thought might be to buy little wine bottle bubbles or mini wine bottles (you, know, like the kind you get on Air France when flying to Paris!?) and tie on a scrolled invitation. Pretty paper with ivy, grapes or bread and cheese can be found at your local copy or invitation store.
Why not purchase boxes of spreaders (the kind used for hors d'oeuvres) with a wine, cheese and bread theme or butler theme and place large sticky labels on the back with all the pertinent information. Spreaders come four to a pack.
Want to really get fancy? If your group is small or if money is no object, send each guest a wine glass decorated with paint pens. Use grape and wine motifs. Use raffia to tie the invitation to the stem of the glass or make a little card with the invitation information and put it inside the glass. These can also be hand-delivered. Try Crate & Barrel, Target or Pier 1 for inexpensive glasses.
Wine Theme Bridal Shower Decorations and Party Supplies
Use a sign-in board for guests to record special messages to the bride and groom. Use a nice picture of the couple as the focal point surrounded by a large matte. If you had a caricature made you can have that used as a sign in board as well! Or use a personalized sign-in board from Party411. It will make a wonderful keepsake!
Keep the decorations simple and beautiful. Dress the room up with a few balloon bouquets, vases of flowers and a heart garland here and there.
If you are so inclined, hunt for unique and entertaining single wine bottle holders and let each one hold a great bottle of wine that will be served at the shower. We recently saw one of a sommelier hunched over and the wine bottle fit onto his back. Very cute! Flip through wine magazines for more ideas on visual presentations.
Wine Theme Bridal Shower Table Decorations and Menu
This is the perfect party to serve appetizers at. Everyone can sample an array of dishes, enjoy their wine, and be free to circulate at the same time. First, start with a cheese platter. Hard cheeses can be cut into bite-sized pieces; set out spreaders for the soft cheeses. Provide crackers and garnishes such as olives, sundried tomatoes and grapes. Count on providing 2 lbs. of cheese for every 10 guests.
A salsa and a crab dip are always crowd pleasers. You can also set out a baked brie or an artichoke dip. Antipasti is another good choice. If you want to serve something little heavier, I suggest a grilled chicken on skewers. Finally, set out a few baskets of fresh, crusty bread. Yum!
Set out some cute heart shaped plates and matching drink napkins. Your guests will have to guess if you are alluding to the food and the wine, or the bride and the groom! Inexpensive but stylish plastic wine goblets are great if you do not have enough glass on hand.
Use the obvious to establish beautiful centerpieces of fruit, wine and accessories. Try your own variations with wine chillers, bottles of wine, fruit and balloons. A nice platter of cheeses makes a tasty and visually appealing center as well. Sprinkle the table with corks as confetti or find foil or paper confetti at your local party store. Try mini picnic baskets with fruit and small bottles under a pretty cloth napkin for another look.
If you choose to do them, tie name cards to unique and fun bottle stoppers. Stoppers serve as favors for your guests. Try color copies of wine labels as seating cards to match your invitations, if that is how you've done them. Group by wine type or region. Why not write guests' names on corks for fun! Try using spreaders for seating cards instead for invitations and guests can take them home as a favor.
Wine Theme Bridal Shower games and Activities
This one is pretty easy. Beyond any couples shower games you may want to play, your main activity will be the wine tasting. If you personally know a wine expert or enthusiast, invite that person to help you choose your wine selections, plan your tasting and educate the crowd on how to taste wines. Another option is to call your local world food market, spirits retailer or wine and cheese shop to see if there are people available to help you with this effort. There is usually no fee if your purchase the wine from them.
If you choose to avoid the tasting altogether, have your enthusiast help facilitate the stocking of the couple-to-be's wine cellar. Before the shower, create a gift list of items and wine varieties to be delegated to guests. Your wine expert can educate the crowd on various wines, establishing a cellar and proper storage as the couple opens gifts (wine varieties and accessories).
Suddenly find yourself with a wine stain in an undesirable place? The Party Girl will tell you how to remove it.
Wine Theme Bridal Shower Party Favors
As we've mentioned, bottle stoppers, spreaders or other small accessories make great favors. We think this heart shaped wine stopper is perfect! Place it inside a black and white mini treat box to tie the whole theme together.
If you are feeling generous, have guests take home a bottle of their favorite wine from the tasting. Another fun idea is to purchase each guest or couple a copy of the latest Wine Enthusiast or Wine Spectator magazine so that they can go home and ponder their own wine future.
You can also give each guest a personalized bridal shower candy bar. It will be a sweet ending to a bridal shower no one will ever forget (especially the grateful bride to be!).
Cheers from Party411, and please consume your wine responsibly :)