When you're entertaining, the table you set is just as important as the food resting on it. And when it comes to drinks, presentation is key. Repurposing old wine bottles to hold water is a great way to bring an elegant French-inspired look to a table setting.
For large dinner parties where a lot of wine bottles may clutter the table, try pouring a few bottles of the same wine into a standard table vase. Of course, make sure that the vase is clean and that you have a few bottles of the same wine on hand so you're not mixing different bottles of wine together -- but be sure to taste each one first to make sure none of the bottles have gone bad. An added bonus for serving red wine this way is that the vase will act as a decanter, which will enhance the flavor of the wine. And when the party's over, you can save the prettiest wine bottles and reuse them for your next gathering.
If you need to save more space, especially at a buffet, you can repurpose vases to hold foods and decor as well. Here are five great ways to repurpose a vase at your next party:
Potpourri. Fill a vase with seasonal potpourri. Try putting a potpourri-filled vase in the bathroom to add a pleasant yet subtle scent.
Snacks. Everyone likes to munch on snack foods. By placing snacks like popcorn, pretzels or peanuts in a nice glass or crystal vase will make it easier to pour and keep people from reaching into bags and getting their hands on everything.
Soup. Soup is an excellent first course, but it's difficult to pass around the table and serve. If you have small round vases, fill them with soup beforehand and place one at each place setting. Or, for a buffet, present these on a tray.
Cocktail Napkins. Place cocktail napkins in a square vase so they are easily reachable during dinner.
Candles. When in doubt, use a candle. You can fill a low round vase with water and float candles in it, turn a taller cylindrical vase over and place a candle on top of it, or try placing a candle within the vase and using it as a hurricane.
For more entertaining and party ideas, check out these stories:The Stress Less Dinner PartyHow To Plan A Cheese PartyHow To Host A Cookie-Decorating Party