You could make a chalkboard to use at the shower (use it as a welcome sign at the door) with the frame covered in wine corks. Then they could hang that up in their kitchen. Use different types of wine glasses for the centerpieces and fill them with flowers...they could add those to their glass collection. Pots of ivy placed on the tables would be pretty too (wrap the container in burlap). Oh, you could use the burlap for tablecloths or runner too. Instead of doing fancy cheese/crackers at the shower you could serve up bruschetta and some easy (but yummy) pasta dishes. If you need something sweet, Tiramisu or fruit platters would be good. You could do a wine tasting of some of the cheaper wines. My DH and I have tasted all sorts of wines and our favorites tend to be on the cheaper side. Barefoot and Little Penguin wines are my staples. Instead of spending lots of money on expensive wine to serve, give a sampling of the less expensive everyday wines that most of us can afford and really enjoy on a day to day basis. Most of us, especially in this economy, enjoy finding high quality can be inexpensive.

I hope some of this is helpful. I've been enjoying my own bottle of Barefoot Pinot Grigio and my mind is a little light :) .

PM, when I think of wine, my first thoughts are grapes. Could use grapes in th bouquets and wine glasses for cp and table decor.

Our daughter used eggplant for her wedding color and it was the deeper purple color. We crossed crystal glasses tying with ribbon and little flowers. (could be any ys or ts wine glasses)and they wouldn't all have to match. We used white and wine colored netting and garland with grapes on her arch. We made the table arrangements by shopping at Michaels and using their coupons every week for flowers.

I was into wishing wells so had several. We added white satin and lace with quilt batting and filled the little wells with the purple rocks. DD had an outdoor reception at the lake so we bought a couple of bird baths and filled with colored sand and bought little buckets and shovels (after Easter Specials) for the little ones to play in afterwards.

Your baskets filled with wine and flowers would be beautiful on the tables.

Do a search on the internet for wine themed weddings and you will get alot of sweet ideas. I'll put my thinking cap on and see what else I can come up with.

Punk

I googled: wine labels, and a number of sites popped up to make your own wine labels, many said they were free. So you could print up some wine labels with the bridal info, and print them on labels and then use them on a tablecloth, invites, re-label wine bottles, put them on a piture frame......I'm sure there are many other ways they could be put to use.

Grapevine wreaths, faux grapes/silk grape leaves are all related to wine and could be incorporated into centerpieces. Candles can be found on sale at HL, Michaels, and other stores and used in groups of varied heights are very attractive, and give a big impact for not a lot of money.

Just a few ideas for now.

TTFN,
Candy

Wow! great ideas!!!

Bleigh, the chalkboard & cork sounds perfect -- I'll start looking... and I LOVE the potted ivy and burlap idea! When my youngest niece was lost in a car accident my sister gave me all of the potted plants from her funeral because she knew they'd survive with me. It will be 5 years this August and the ivy in one of the basket arrangements is taking over a room. Do you think that I should start cuttings from it? It may sound odd/morbid, but I believe that the family members would each love getting a part of those plants -- as if she's with us. And I'd LOVE to do a wine-tasting shower... I wonder how the others will feel! I'll look for the Barefoot and Little Penguin brands, though I've never heard of them before.

Punk, I agree on the grapes! The one thing they've asked me for is to make a basket with grapes to use for cards at the shower. If it were for me, I'd make bottle carrying baskets, wine cradles, etc, but I don't want to push my baskets since I'm the only one who loves them like that. lol! I will suggest using wine glasses as table centerpieces, with either candles or flowers in them. And that's a great reminder about using the coupons for Michael's and places like that!

Candy, I will definitely search for on-line sites to create wine labels! they said they want to make wine to give as wedding favors. They've probably already designed their own though... they're both graphic arts professionals.

Thank you all! I've been searching on-line for ideas for wine themed weddings but wasn't finding much. :( I was thinking hard on it myself last night and came up with a couple ideas for games for the shower -- a wine quiz and guess the number of something in a wine bottle type games. I was thinking of making several samplers for the shower... wine jelly, wine cake, wine cookies, etc.

Is this a dumb idea?: I thought of making 'bottle bags' or 'bottle wraps' to give to everyone as shower favors. We can choose fabric that's printed with wine-stuff, or fabric in her wedding colors. Alternatively, I thought of making coasters as shower favors (cork back w/ fabric or paper top, in approp design).

We're all meeting tomorrow evening and I'll pass along these ideas. Thanks again!

PARTY...HAVE U SEEN THE WINE BOTTLES W/MINI-LIGHTS INSIDE?
IF YOU google that phrase, you will find many pics & how-to's? They could be used for centerpcs ir decor. ...& RL wine glasses would be awesome for favors at shower, too...you could all start collecting TS ones!

Since you niece is prof. graphic-artist I would ask her how much she wants to use graphic art labels & such...she may have a definite idea on what she prefers, etc. And also would ask about the 'LIVE' plants ...so many prefer faux...& there are beautiful faux grapes out there! Most important is that this is her DAY...get all the feedbk you can! What precious memories this planning can bring!! HAVE FUN W/ YOUR FAMILY, PARTY! Jeanne S

This pic is one of my favs that I TOOK ON A TRIP TO galena, IL ,, ON THE SIDE OF A BLDG...IT'S VERY 'vintage' LOOKING TO ME..maybe you can share some ideas from it w/your niece.

forgive my 1-handed typing...it's hard 2 do!

Jeanne, I have seen that done with lights in bottles and was going to suggest it too! :) and the graphic you posted is awesome! Thank you!

I just want to be prepared with questions, ideas, and suggestions for when we meet tomorrow. I'll get a better reading on what she wants then. Everything has suddenly been accelerated for us with this new date, so we're scrambling. :)

What happened to your hand??? probably on a thread I haven't read yet. Hope you're better soon!

Thought I should report on our planning, and I probably won't remember everything. lol!

Tablecloths will be white and purple. Table decor will be wine glasses with floating candles, bottles w/ lights (if we can find cordless lights), and potted ivy.

We're starting things off with a wine tasting and there will be some of the usual type shower games. We're having a full buffet, punch, sangria, and cake.

My primary assignments:

- sangria. I suggested this for the wine theme and I've never even had sangria before! lol!

- the cake. It's supposed to have grapes -- I don't think I want to do marzipan grapes because it would be too much marzipan, and "grapes" done in frosting would be a PITA, so I think I'll make crystallized/candied grapes... maybe w/ marzipan leaves. Any thoughts on that?!

- a basket for the cards (w/ grapes! lol!) I'm designing it in my head now (as usual)...

- potted ivy

And I notice that I have been assigned the things that are most difficult to transport! yikes!
:O)

WOW, party! Sounds wonderful! You all are going to have so much fun! I think some of the gals here have used cordless lights...but I don't have any nor know about them...good luck if it works out to be feasible!

I am happy to hear about the "potted ivy," too...that will be so pretty as part of centerpc idea. :-) TFS! Jeanne S.

Thinking of decor, perhaps more for a shower -- balloons in the shape/color of bunches of grapes, maybe purple and/or gold?

haha. I thought of that too, and I have no idea why, but I was told "no balloons".

party...trying to clean up my "favorites" lists & lists... & saw this on DIY ...thought of you.

Here is a link that might be useful: Bridal Favors: Personalized Wine Stoppers

Very cute, Jeanne -- I'll pass it on. Thanks!

Well, I've made a basket to use for the cards at her shower.... because of the wine theme, I tried to weave what's supposed to look like an Italian urn. I bought a few fake grape clusters and raffia to decorate it. I was going to attach them to the handles or rim -- or maybe make a raffia "belt" to hang the grapes at the front of the basket 'belly'. I'm not really sure how to decorate it at this point. Maybe I should weave a completely different basket???

This pic shows the color/shape well -- I made it quite large because she'll only have one shower and it will be a 'fee' shower:
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I like the sound of the raffia belt with a grape cluster. You could also put some ivy and grapes on the table around the base to "ground" it.

Beautiful basket! You did a great job with your own "Ode to a Grecian Urn" LOL

TFS,
Candy

WOW, party...you are busy! That is a wonderful Italian urn! Like candy, I love the idea of the raffia belt for the accessories! Grapes/vine leaves are very cool looking ...or the ivy like candy suggested (& you're using RL ivy at the wedding!) :-) Your talent is priceless! Lucky niece! TFS! Jeanne S.

Thank you, Candy and Jeanne! I'm glad you like the basket/urn and think the raffia belt sounds like a good plan. I also got some nice pieces of fake ivy to use... now I just have to bite the bullet and try putting it all together. lol! If it doesn't work out well, I'll just weave a completely different basket and let her choose which she wants.

If you have any thoughts on what would make a better "card basket" for a wine-themed shower, please let me know!

Here we go... this is the first pass.

I made a braided raffia "belt" w/ 3 cluster of grapes, ivy, and a raffia bow. I'm not sure.... what do you think? I've never worked with raffia before and I am working with it dry. BF says I should cut the raffia short. What should I do?

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Here's the back so you can get a better idea of what I did.

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I think I need to rip it out and start over. I'll try an unbraided "belt", shift the grapes over near one of the handles, and completely change the bow (I just read on-line how to make raffia bows. lol!) This is going to take some experimentation. Maybe I shouldn't be trying to use both grapes and ivy.

Wow, party...I don't know whether to cut the raffia short or not...I'd probably go w/trying it shorter. I really like the braided raffia belt idea...yeah, I agree w/your 2nd post...shifting the grapes near one of the handles...& maybe even shortening up one of the clusters of purple grapes & intermingling placement of the grape leaves...since grapes are all the same size...oh boy, you're doing GREAT! Have fun! I'm sure it will be beautiful! (the basket is GORGEOUS! & it deserves to be the center of attention...not the added faux stuff) Jeanne S.

Thank you Jeanne! Your 'shortening up' suggestion is exactly what I needed. I like it now and I definitely understand raffia better! What a great material. (One of my "must do some day" items is a coiled pine needle basket with a wheat stitch done in raffia. I will definitely try that sooner than later!)

What do you think now??? I'll show all four sides.

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party ... I think it is AWESOME!!!! You are very talented & your precious niece can use the basket later on with or without, whatever her preferences! And you found another another medium for your art, raffia! TFS! Jeanne S.

Thank you so much for your decorating feedback, assistance, and kind comments, Jeanne!!! I definitely lack the 'decorating gene' (and my sisters/mother used to point that out more often. lol!), but hopefully this will meet their expectations for use as a card basket that echos the "wine" theme! My sis has only seen the plain basket photos and she thought it would tip over if decorated... but I was clever and wove a footer for the basket so it's wonderfully steady/stable. I'll send my sis pics now and see what she thinks. :)

Thank you again!