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Original poster

Wedding table centrepieces - ice buckets

11 replies

Geneshish · 02/02/2020 20:30

We will have round tables at our wedding. I'd like an ice bucket in the middle of each table with some wine/beers in it for people to help themselves to.

Does that sound tacky or lazy (rather than having the wine poured). and will it work logistically? Its quite a relaxed wedding and I want to give people the option of drinks other than wine without having to flag down a waiter who will be busy serving 120 others.

Any ideas on how to make it look nice? I have seen some large silver ice buckets that I thought might look good with a wreath of our wedding flowers around the bottom. I do like the idea of something quite rustic though, so if anyone knows where I could source some barrell or box style ice buckets do let me know where!

OP posts:

Soontobe60 · 02/02/2020 20:36

I wouldn't have beers in an ice bucket in the table as you'd have problems with condensation getting the tablecloth soaking. Plus you'd need a bottle opener on each table. When the beer's been drunk, you'd just have empty bottles all over the place.

My dd2 had a very casual wedding and just had hessian runners with glass jars filled with flowers and candles. Looked very effective. Wine was on the tables and if people wanted beer they went to the bar. She did offer guests bottled beer or a gin based cocktail after the ceremony and before the food though.

Original poster

Geneshish · 02/02/2020 20:39

Excellent points about the beers! No beer then. Do you think I will have the same problem with condensation with the wine?

OP posts:

Soontobe60 · 02/02/2020 20:46

We didn't have wine in ice buckets at all. It was already chilled. (And red doesn't need chilling 🍷🥂)

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Original poster

Geneshish · 02/02/2020 20:52

Hmm, it is a pet hate of mine to have white wine sitting getting warm on the table as I like it very cold. Plus I had thought about putting the champagne for the toast in there too (although that is much easier to get people to serve at the correct time).

OP posts:

amazedmummy · 02/02/2020 21:05

Wedding I went to had red sitting out and white in a wine cooler. It didn't have condensation all over the place. An ice bucket is going to get soggy.

Soontobe60 · 02/02/2020 22:11

I'm guessing that it wasn't sitting long enough to get warm 🤣 We allocated one bottle of wine between 2, so a table of 10 had 3white and 2 red. Once that was gone everyone bought their own drinks. The waiters served glasses of prosecco for the toast.

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 02/02/2020 22:14

I wouldn't have beers in an ice bucket in the table as you'd have problems with condensation getting the tablecloth soaking

Ice buckets are usually placed onto a dinner plate with a linen napkin on.

Plus you'd need a bottle opener on each table

The venue would provide these.

When the beer's been drunk, you'd just have empty bottles all over the place

The staff would clear the bottles as they would empty wine bottles.

Dollywilde · 02/02/2020 22:18

How about freestanding ice buckets on the edge of the room by each table? Personally I don’t like anything on a table that means I can’t see the person opposite me and an ice bucket with wine and beer would be a pain for blocking conversation.

nocoolnamesleft · 02/02/2020 22:27

Agree that it would block eye lines and conversation.

Impatientwino · 02/02/2020 22:54

I went to a wedding that had ice buckets as centrepieces. They had 3 x white wine and 2 x champagne in and the champagne had a little label round the neck saying 'for the toast' to make sure we didn't neck it beforehand

It didn't get in eyeline as far as I recall and they put 3 x red dotted around the table too.

I detest warm white wine so loved it and it was definitely appreciated and commented on by lots of guests. I like the sound of flowers around the base too. Great idea. Enjoy your wedding!

Elouera · 02/02/2020 23:03

As long as it didn't block the view across the table, its fine. Bit odd, as its really not a table centre though! If I'm being honest, I'd think the bride/groom couldn't afford some flowers/decoration or other table centre. I saw used coffee jars transformed into fabulous centrepieces using cheap flowers and fabric off cuts, along with ebay vases and supermarket flowers at another wedding.

I've been to many weddings where bottles of wine are on the table, and only the white and champagne are in a bucket, but on a stand on one side of the table- not on it!  If you really want the bucket on the table as a centre, could you wrap a ribbon from the wedding colours around each bucket?  Or a garland of come sort around it?

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