Cookie tables filled with layers of decadent desserts have long been the cat’s meow for Pittsburgh weddings! However, there may be a new show in town! ⎯The Champagne Tower is all the festive rage! We’ve done the legwork to show you how to build that ultimate champagne tower!
Michelle Alexandra Photography
STEPS TO BUILD A CHAMPAGNE TOWER
- Decide how many tiers the champagne tower will be!
- Rent or buy the number of “coupe” style champagne glasses to construct the tower. Pro Tip: When renting these glasses, confirm with the rental company they are renting glasses that are all the EXACT SAME TYPE. Sometimes, rental companies will rent out glasses that are ever-so-slightly different, which normally would not be an issue, unless you are using the coupe glasses for a champagne tower. Inconsistent glass types can make a tower unstable ⎯ it is crucial to have identical coupe-style glasses!! Pro Tip: Another quick tip on coupe glass rental – In case of accidental breakage, order a few extra glasses than what is needed. You don’t want to run the risk of not having the number of required glasses.
- Determine your foundation. What size and shape of table will work for the tower? Be mindful that not only does the table need to be sturdy but so does the foundation that the table sits on! Pro Tip: Stage the table in an area where it will not be disturbed or bumped.Pro Tip: If displaying your champagne tower outside, do not stage it in an area susceptible to gusty winds!
- Construct your glass masterpiece! First things first, start with a square: Begin the base layer by making a square with every coupe glass rim touching the next. The empty space between the glass rims should form a diamond shape. This diamond shape will be your guide to place the next glass layer (which will also happen to be in a form of a square). Each glass will be placed over the diamond shape empty space among the rims of the champagne glasses directly below. Each square layer will contain one less coupe champagne glass on each square side than the preceding layer. Let’s say you plan on having a 5 tier tower:
- The first tier = 25 coupe glasses (5×5)
- The second tier = 16 coupe glasses (4×4)
- The third tier = 9 coupe glasses (3×3)
- The fourth tier = 4 coupe glasses (2×2)
- The final tier is the single tippy top glass!
- Continue to build each layer until one glass remains on the final layer!
NOT TOO HIGH, NOT TOO LOW
Making the champagne tower magnificently high may seem like a show-stopping affair, but the risk of mishaps is far great. Having to stand on a chair, stool or ladder to fill the top glass will likely cause balance to be lost, and the outcome can be predicted from there! If concerned about not all guests receiving a glass, then a supplement tray of champagne can be passed to the remaining guests.
On the contrary, making the champagne tower too low will appear insignificant, unimpressive and a festive-less display! Starting at 4-tiers is an exciting starting point!
Fun Fact: The largest champagne tower ever built stands at 27 ft tall and consists of 54,740 champagne coupes. The tower-creating team spent five days and over 55 man-hours stacking glass upon glass!
POURING THE CHAMPAGNE
Two options to pour the champagne: (1) Partly fill all (or most of) the glasses except for the single top tier glass, or (2) Leave them all empty and fill them from the single top tier glass. The latter option can take a while, but it’s a bit more fun!
If you choose to fill the champagne glasses, do so SLOWLY with both hands securing the bottle. Pouring too quickly will create glasses full of foam, and who wants to drink foam?! Slowly pour bottle after bottle into the center of the tippy-top glass for best results!
Pro Tip: Don’t forget to put those bottles of bubbly on ice prior to pouring!
Michelle Alexandra Photography
HOW MANY CHAMPAGNE BOTTLES TO FILL YOUR COUPE GLASSES?
To figure out how much champagne you will need: multiply the number of glasses in the champagne tower by the ounces held in each coupe glass. This will let you know the exact amount needed to fill each glass.
Pro Tip: Purchase an extra bottle or two to account for spillage.
DETERMINE WHEN TO CELEBRATE YOUR CHAMPAGNE TOWER
Choose a time to debut your champagne tower! Perhaps after the first dance or after the wedding party speeches/toasts.
CHAMPAGNE CHEERS
Pop the bubbly (of course, in the opposite direction of the tower!) and pour the champagne! But do so slowly into the top coupe. As you continue to pour champagne into the top glass, the overflow will trickle down into the lower layers filling all the glasses! Good news: Providing that your champagne tower is well-constructed, there will be little spillage!
Once your festive masterpiece is overflowing with champagne goodness, drink up! Contrary to the flutes, the champagne bubbles don’t last long once poured into the coupe glasses, so don’t let these glasses sit idle for too long! Cheers!
Michelle Alexandra Photography
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