11 Unexpected Ways to Incorporate Wine Into Your Wedding

Instead of collecting your guests’ notes and memories in a book, set aside large format bottles of (unopened) wine to be signed. On each anniversary to come, you’ll have fun reading the heartfelt messages over a few glasses of vino.

From: An Elegant Wedding at the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone in St. Helena, California

Is your reception set for a hot summer day? Give your guests the option to cool off and drink up with one icy, delicious treat. Try one of these 10 wine-infused ice pops—they’ll definitely be the hit of your cocktail hour or dessert bar.

Talk about mood lighting. Instead of candles, weave battery-powered, white twinkle lights into red wine bottles and cap them with off with corks. You can use the fixtures to line the aisle or to hold the table numbers at your reception.

From: A Rustic, Elegant Wedding at Ravines Wine Cellars in Geneva, New York

A reception on grass is no reason for everyone to wear wedges (unless you want to!). You can buy heel savers for your strappy stilettos—or you can make them yourself with a cork and this easy hack—and protect your heels from sinking into the dirt. Place a basket of savers at your venue entrance so guests can slip them on before stepping onto the lawn.

Between the monogrammed napkins and customized cake topper, your reception details are a total reflection of you and your fiance. Get even more personal and create a custom blended wine that embodies your taste and personality. Add your own custom label and send your guests home with a bottle of your exclusive varietal.

From: A Formal, DIY Woodland Wedding With a Bohemian Spin at a Private Residence in Sebastopol, California

Your decor isn’t the only detail that can be wine-ified. Get your groom in on the theme with cuff links made from recycled oak wine barrels. An extra bonus? The simple design and sleek silver setting make this accessory totally versatile, so the links can be worn well beyond the wedding.

Perfect for couples who cherish their love for one another and wine, in this tradition you and your fiance write love letters and seal the envelopes before the wedding. During the actual ceremony, you place them in a wood box along with two glasses and a bottle of wine and nail the box shut together. Then, on a milestone anniversary, you can open your romantic time capsule and read the letters.

From: A Rustic White Wedding at The Pines at Genesee in Golden, Colorado

Toss the traditional pillow in favor of this wine-tastic touch for your ceremony: a cork ring “pillow.” The bands can be tied in place, keeping your ring bearer from fulfilling your ultimate wedding nightmare—losing your rings.

Complement those barrel cuff links with cork boutonnieres for all the groomsmen. Whether you make them yourself or have the boutonnieres custom made, they’ll add a bit of gorgeous texture to the arrangements.

From: A Mint Chevron Wedding in Ashland, Virginia

Your first thought may be to ditch the wine crates, but we’re all for repurposing the rustic boxes to hold the centerpieces for your reception tables. Go for larger, fuller blooms, like hydrangeas or peonies, that’ll add a soft touch to balance the box’s rougher edges.

Why not let the wine-related festivities start at the bridal shower? If your bridesmaids are looking for a creative gift, here’s a suggestion: a milestone wine basket. Each bottle of wine gets tagged with a label and a little poem to be opened (and read) at big moments in the couple’s life together—from a bottle of red for the first big dinner party to champagne for the first anniversary and even a nonalcoholic bottle to celebrate the first pregnancy.

From: A Rustic Glam Wedding at Beech Spring Farm in Orrtanna, Pennsylvania