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Love on the Vines
Wine has long been the drink of romance. So, if you’re a vino aficionado, why not celebrate your love with a wine-themed wedding day?
“Couples come to wine country for vacations and to get away from the city. They fall in love with the area, so when they get engaged it's a natural choice for them to pick an area that they've enjoyed together,” says Lindsey Nickel, owner and wedding planner for Lovely Day Events in Napa, Calif. “Many couples are also very interested in food and wine. So, it's makes sense that they would want to get married in wine country, where the wine is made and there is amazing farm to table food.”
Whether you’re into cabernet or chardonnay, here are eight ideas for creating an elegant event inspired by wine that will have you saying “cheers!”
1. Vineyard Venue
Say ‘I do’ where your favorite drink is created by choosing a vineyard venue. Wineries come with plenty of rustic charm as well as natural décor that’s picture perfect for a wedding.
“Wineries with vineyard views have a variety of stages from green growth to being weighed down with grapes right before harvest, to fall leaf colors. It gives our clients options for styling their wedding in each of those seasons,” says Marisa Manna Ferrell, president and planner at So Eventful in Healdsburg, Calif.
There are thousands of wineries to choose from across the country from Napa Valley and Sonoma in California to central Virginia and upstate New York. Even the Midwest has its own vino attractions in the hills of Missouri and Texas.
2. Sealed Invites
Evoke the idea of wine in your invitations with a red watercolor background (like a wine stain) or by closing the envelope with a wax seal, suggests Ferrell. These little details allow you to subtly introduce the theme to guests in a way that doesn’t appear cheesy or kitschy.
3. Vino-Inspired Hues
From rich merlots to effervescent champagnes, there are plenty of vino-inspired hues to choose from for your wedding palette.
“When I think of wine, I think of red wine, I like to incorporate fall colors for a fall wedding, such as burgundy, burnt orange, red and olive green,” suggests Ferrell. “For a summer wedding at a winery, I would incorporate softer colors on the table, ivory and blush with pops of greenery to incorporate the vineyards fun of green leaves.”
4. Wine Blending Ceremony
Why just reserve the wine for the reception? Celebrate the bringing together of your two lives with a wine blending ceremony. This ritual involves mixing together two different wines into a decanter to signify how you’re becoming a single unit.
5. Corks, Bottles and Barrels
Adorn your reception with details from the wine making process, such as corks, bottles and barrels. “We've seen couples be really creative when it comes to including wine in their wedding theme,” suggests Nickel. “Some people use wine bottles as table numbers, some use corks to hold escort cards and others name the tables after wines rather than a number. The ideas are endless.”
6. Wine Pairing Menu
Of course, the highlight of a wine-themed wedding is the wine itself. Ensure the vino is the star of the show by having each course professionally paired by a sommelier. You can even make wine an interactive activity by hosting a wine tasting class or grape-crushing game during the cocktail hour!
7. Boozy Favors
Send your guests home with a taste of your wedding with wine-centric favors, such as mini bottles with personalized labels; travel sized corkscrews; bottle stoppers with your initial; or wine glasses etched with your wedding date.
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