@kiranicolephotography
In our untraditional age, champagne toasts are an unnecessary expense; let the people raise whatever is in their glass and they’ll celebrate nevertheless. Bubbly cascading down a pyramid, however, is a different level— a precarious extravagance that will dial up your reception style and lend itself to fabulous photographs.
@kiranicolephotography
Size Guide
4-tier / 30 glasses
5-tier / 55 glasses
6 tiers / 91 glasses
7 tiers / 140 glasses
8 tiers / 204 glasses
1. Find your builder
First, clear logistics with your vendors. Is your catering team or wedding planner willing to arrange the champagne tower? You can DIY it, but stacking glasses isn’t exactly the day-of activity of anyone’s dreams. If you’re not able to outsource the construction, consider building a petite four-tier tower and make sure you practice building it beforehand.
2. Choose a coupe
Here, flutes are not your friend. Coupe glasses, with their wide brim, work best for stability. They can be rented in a variety of colors and styles from area vendors, but beware: if you mix and match glasses of varying heights, your pyramid may topple.
3. Do the math
Do you want a glass for every guest? Or will you settle for a smaller tower and let your caterer pour glasses for the rest offsite? Most champagne towers have between 5-7 tiers, which equals 55 to 140 glasses. But the bigger the tower, the greater the logistical burden (and time it takes to actually fill all the glasses up!)
4. Build your tiers
A sturdy surface is essential, with plenty of space around the display so nobody knocks it over. You’ll also want to consider the height of your table. To start your build, arrange the bottom glasses in a square, with each glass touching the rim of the next so as to create diamond-shaped gaps between. Begin the next tier by placing the bottom of a glass directly in the center of the diamond. Continue adding glasses and tiers until you get to the final tier: a single glass on top.
5. Practice the pour
Decide ahead of time who will be pouring. Both you and your partner? Together or apart? Either way, pour champagne slowly into the top glass so it overflows and spills all the way down the tower. It can take a long time to fill glasses solely from the top, so ask your team to pre-fill the bottom layer before your official pour begins.
6. Nail the shot
Clue in your photographer to your bubbly ambition so they can capture the moment. Some couples like to get shots of their “first sip” or a sneaky champagne spray. It may seem obvious, but the best photos happen when couples smile and squeeze close together.
Photography @kiranicolephotography Videography @availvisuals Venue @kentislandresort Florals @sunset_florals Design & Coordination @eventsbydelaney Planning & Concept @simplysocialeventco Hair and Makeup @truecolorsbeautyco @daveylee_mua @hairbygigi.t Stationery @stephgcallig Rentals @prettylittleweddingco Couple @sarrahh.ann @goodshepherd40
