Champagne-Inspired Wedding Ideas

Carry a clutch of pale garden roses, orchids, gomphrena, Champagne grapes, and flowing passion vine (it’s less brittle than grapevine but looks similar) down the aisle. At the reception, display it in an ice bucket in lieu of a vase.

A Grand Entrance

Let guests know they’re walking into a good time by filling the foyer of your reception space with balloons reminiscent of the fizz in sparkling vino. Ask your photographer to hang out in the wings and capture everyone’s arrival on film.



















A Refreshing Tablescape

Elegant and indulgent, these Champagne towers only look expensive.

Let’s face it, even grilled cheese tastes ah-may-zing when paired with Champagne. But certain culinary flavors really play up the wine’s crispness, so consider working one of these delicacies into your menu. For example, celery root custard, served in repurposed caviar jars topped with our labels, is crowned with -- what else? -- caviar (try tasty and affordable American sturgeon).


Another Option

Raw oysters with migonette gelee, made with both Champagne and champagne vinegar, are no less indulgent.


Cheesy Deliciousness

Blue cheese gougeres have a hint of bubbly in the batter.


Decadent Dessert

Tempt taste buds toward the end of the night with our Citrus Fizz, a mix of Champagne and fruit. To make it, scoop the flesh from part of an orange, leaving behind a bowl-shaped peel. Candy it, and then fill with citrus segments and top with sparkling wine.

Festive Favors

While you could have everyone spray you with Champers as you make your way up the aisle as newlyweds, that might get messy -- and a little too World Series locker room. Instead, invite friends to uncork Champagne-confetti cannons and shower the air with paper as you pass by. Leave one between each ceremony seat



Take-Home Treats

Send each couple home with a customized goody box bearing a split for two, flutes, and          Champagne-flavored candies.

Crisp Cocktails

Make no mistake, this is not your mom’s mimosa. Or your nonna’s Bellini. These four signature drinks highlight sparkling wine’s versatility, whether it’s a citrus and Thai-chile sparkler, brandied cherry rose, a tarragon-Prosecco cocktail mildly flavored with licorice, or Champagne-Apple Punch.

Thai Chil Sparkler: 

2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 Thai chile, diced

1 fresh pineapple (about 32 ounces)

2 oranges, peeled, white pith remaining

1/2 grapefruit, peeled, white pith remaining

2 limes, peeled, white pith remaining

1 ounce yuzu juice, fresh or frozen

3 bottles (750 ml) Champagne

Brandied Cherry Rose: 

7 1/2 ounces brandied cherry liquid

3 3/4 ounces cherry brandy

3 bottles (750 ml) rose Champagne

45 brandied cherries

Tarragon-Prosecco:

For The Tarragon Syrup

1 cup sugar

4 ounces fresh tarragon, stems removed (6 cups leaves)

For The Cocktail

7 1/2 ounces vodka

3 bottles (750 ml) Prosecco

Tarragon sprigs for garnish

Champagne-Apple Punch

1/4 cup sugar

1 bottle (750 ml) dry Champagne

2 cups apple cider

1/2 teaspoon Angostura bitters

1 Granny Smith apple, for garnish

An Ebullient Bar

To designate party central, hang candlelit glass globes as an ode to the lively climb of Champagne bubbles. It’s easy -- just suspend them from the ceiling with thumbtacks and clear thread.

For grown-ups only, our Champagne gelatin, paired with fresh whipped cream, will delight
 the young at heart and sophisticated of palate. (Use rose Champagne for a pink hue.)

Jewel Tones: Wedding Color Palette

Dress tables in rich, glamorous fabrics and play up the contrast: light and dark, smooth and textured, tinted and crystal clear. Just like the best outfits, a chic tablescape is all about layering. A velvet runner and linen napkins add depth to an amethyst tablecloth. Lighter lilacs are introduced in the petals of poppies, ranunculus, sweetpeas, and hellebores. And peridot and aquamarine accents pop from vases, plates, and place cards.

Work in a vivid tone where loved ones least expect it, like on a guest-book cover. Velvet is nostalgic -- bringing to mind the lining of Mom's jewelry box or a cherished childhood dress -- and very now. 

Neutral gowns can handle a shot of color, and clutches, shoes, and shawls wear gem tones well. Dorothy had her ruby slippers -- you'll have your peridot peep-toes. Fabulous footwear is a must. Up the ante by coordinating your handbag and wrap, too. Stick to one or two shades (pick aquamarine alone or pair it with amethyst, for example), and seek out pieces that jibe.

For fashion-obsessed brides, this one-shoulder mini with a skirt of oversize organza petals is a surefire hit. It's a lot of dress, so keep the accessories simple.

Get the guys in on your color scheme with tasteful ties. When it's time to choose a style, these are good rules to go by: If you want an array of hues, keep the shape and texture consistent, and vice versa. And to ensure you end up with the exact tone you want, do the shopping yourself -- though trying to describe "peridot" to the groomsmen would be fun.

Fall Wedding Inspiration

Plan a Fall Fete

Fall is a season of breathtaking displays as the old makes way for the new. This sentiment -- and nature's palette of deep reds and oranges -- makes for a gorgeous wedding.

 First up: What could be more romantic than saying "I do" beneath a tree? Bring the garden fantasy indoors with urns filled with arching Bradford pear branches; gold leaves here and there add a fairy-tale sheen. A cluster of lily of the valley secured with gold double-faced satin ribbon speaks the same!

On-Theme Dish

Shake things up with a dish that's distinctive but doesn't abandon traditional flavors: fall-foliage lasagna. The secret? Pasta colored with beet and carrot puree, and shaped with cookie cutters. Your caterer can incorporate these tricks into her recipe; we layered fresh ricotta cheese between beet and carrot pastas, which were cooked, then sauteed in -- and drizzled with -- a brown-butter and sage sauce. The combination is hard to, ahem, beet.

Golden Seating Card Display

Manzanita branches, with berry clusters attached, were sprayed gold and hung from ribbons. Threaded over them are wide ochre ribbons that hold calligraphed seating cards in place. The contrasting gold ribbon is anchored at intervals with fabric glue. Glittering millinery flowers add the final touch.

Dogwood Entryway Display

Decorate the entrance of your reception with a blooming branch. Here, a leafless dogwood limb provides the base for a "Just Married" sign and gardenia blossoms that have been wired.

Dogwood Entryway Display

Decorate the entrance of your reception with a blooming branch. Here, a leafless dogwood limb provides the base for a "Just Married" sign and gardenia blossoms that have been wired.

Pinecone Hurricane Vase

Flowers and paper leaves accessorize hurricanes. After making the blossom, affix it to decorative ribbon and wrap around hurricane vases.

Wildflower Aisle Runner

Create an enchanting ceremony path by adding untamed posies to a wooden flower frame. Echo the look with an equally abundant bouquet. At the reception, recycle your makeshift garden into an escort card display.

Beribboned Wreath

A dramatic display like this is sure to draw well-wishers to the guest-book table. The vivid wreath packed with chartreuse santini mums and covered with tiny bows (secured with T pins) gives people something to admire as they pluck a colored pencil from the nearby cup to offer their sentiments to the bride and groom and sign their names. The blank book has a celadon cover and a bookmark of pale-green trim.

Embossed-Velvet Leaf Ring Pillow

Embossed velvet leaves, made with a rubber stamp and an iron, dress up a silk ring pillow for a lasting impression.

Wooden Seating Cards

Show your ingrained sense of style with seating cards crafted from paper-thin wood veneer. These inexpensive sheets are pliable enough to fold and cut easily into delicate shapes; the elegant graining makes a distinctive canvas for calligraphy.

Savory Sips

Warm up an autumn cocktail hour with a comforting, colorful shot of savory vegetable soup in eye-catching colors

Ties in a Range of Fall Colors

Offer your fiance's groomsmen a range of tie colors so they don't look too matchy-matchy. Pick different shades in the same color family -- from vibrant red to soft peach, for instance. That way the group appears coordinated, but each guy looks unique. 

A Blossoming Backdrop

Beckon your guests to a bar adorned with a radiant floral garland, then stock the station with tempting libations and matching stirrers.

Bark Vase Centerpiece

Gloriosa lilies, passion vine, maple leaves, fresh herbs, and dahlias in bark-wrapped vases, along with mushrooms, local foliage, and other forest accents, have a bucolic look.

Mini Candied Apples

The diminutive scale of lady apples transforms a fall favorite into a dainty nibble; offer to guests on passed trays as a sweet-tart surprise at the cocktail hour.

A paper leaf is an elegant touch: Use a computer to design and print "Enjoy!" on card stock, then cut out with a leaf-shape craft punch; affix to short skewers with adhesive dots.

Wheat Wreath Wedding Decoration

Wheat represents bounty and wealth; the horseshoe shape is good luck. Let this decoration work its powers at your ceremony or reception site.

Glass Garden

Encased in inexpensive vessels, miniature violets take on a delightful "Alice in Wonderland" appeal. To assemble them, put the flowers in glass bowls, add a few pieces of plant charcoal at the roots (this will help them thrive), and press in fresh moss to conceal.

Wedding Flowers: Tips from the Pros

Carry a Major Bouquet

Your posy is the first part of your ensemble guests see, so it should be nothing short of jaw-dropping. Just pick a favorite color, then load up on seasonal flowers in different varieties. Here, roses, lilies, amaryllis, anemones, ranunculus, and dahlias make an impact. All but the amaryllis are available year-round. Sub in Asiatic lilies in spring or summer.

Simplify Your Centerpieces

Take the mantra “less is more” to heart and let a single flower shine. Choose a captivating but affordable bloom from your bouquet, like these ‘Showmaster’ amaryllis, then cluster the stems in various-size vessels strewn across your tables. You’ll find that there’s beauty in minimalism -- and repetition.

Accent with Foliage

Mixed greens -- in this case, sprays of exploding grass, leaves, and ferns -- are a florist’s secret weapon. Not only do they offer lushness and volume without adding to your bottom line, but they also provide amazing contrast. Dahlias, hellebores, and ‘Casablanca’ and eucharis lilies shine here, though you’ll get the same effect with any pale blossoms.

Go to Great Heights

Bursts of ‘Casablanca’ and eucharis lilies, clematis, and magnolia leaves bring loads of drama -- the good kind -- to your reception tables. When sending your flowers skyward, use tall vessels (these soar to almost two feet) that taper at eye level and keep the bulk of the arrangements well above guests’ sight line. Otherwise, they’ll impede conversation.

Play with Shape

Bouquets can take on many forms -- some are tightly packed and meant to be held upright, while others tumble to the side. The jasmine, roses, camellia leaves, and snowberries in this attention-grabber form a loose cascade meant to spill down the front of your dress. Pink not your thing? It looks chic in a range of peaches or purples, too.

Awe with Ombre

There’s nothing more romantic than walking toward your groom on a gradient carpet of rose petals.have your pro order four to five shades, spread them out, and blur the lines by hand where the colors meet. To ensure you and your maids are the first to set foot on them, seat guests from the sides.

Bring Your Look to Life

Two lush blooms plus two hairpins equals one alluring accessory -- think of it as a fresh-picked fascinator. Garden roses like these are well suited for the task: They’re extremely long lasting, lie flat against your head, and are fragrant enough that you can forgo perfume.

Delightful Dalias

What dahlias lack in fragrance they more than make up for in deep, rich color or in eye-catching frills, splashes, or stripes.

<3 <3 <3 these! So many great colors and textures! 

Rustic Centerpieces

Arrangements of eucalyptus leaves, carnations, lavender, and cotton blooms are housed in various glass vessels, while gold painted pomegranates accent the tables at this rustic barn wedding.

Ranunculus, hydrangeas, and Queen Anne's lace atop hand-cut oak rounds create a woodsy, autumnal palette

A table arrangement of grains including wheat and dried grasses, found at craft stores, celebrates the bounty of fall.

A variety of wildflowers, each bunched together in individual vases, creates a sophisticated and budget-friendly decoration.

A white-pumpkin shell becomes the vase for an arrangement of roses, daffodils, ranunculuses, calla lilies, tulips, and hypericum berries in fall colors

Wildflowers set in wood boxes are ideal for an outdoor affair.