Canoe at my disposal: Beverage display? Alternative gift table? What would you do?

Another alternative, if you can prop it up on the side and use it like a shelf and put e-pics or decor or something cute in it?

I like drinks over the gift table. If a lot of people bring cards, I think it will look empty.

Ok, I tried googling some ideas, and found this pic....who knew a canoe was the perfect Groom hat? lololol

But I agree with your reservations about using it as a cooler, but it does look really cool! I had thought about using a wheelbarrow as a beer cooler to help free up our bartenders, but decided against it for similiar reasons, melting ice mainly!

TFMP has a good idea...

I really like the beverage display! I think its adorable! My cousin used a old vintage bath tub at her wedding and i just think its so cute to do different beverage displays!

Tough choice - you definitely don't want it looking empty on the gift side. I think the canoe would make a great beverage holder - not much more leaning than a cooler! Check with the venue to see what the following wedding is doing with it. Canoes can take the moisture if they don't need it for something dry.

I went to a wedding where a canoe was used to hold premade coctails in mason jars during cocktail hour. It was super cute, and they had it up on something so it was a good height - no bending over to get it. It was sectioned - two premade cocktails, one was for beer, another for sodas and water.

@soontobeamrs- Do you know how they had it raised and how they had it sectioned off? Those are great ideas!

If you do use it as a drink display, you could line the canoe with a tarp (or even trash bags) to avoid it getting wet inside before you put the ice in. I think that could be pretty cute. If you don't want to use it for gifts, could you set it up as a photo opp set (kind of like a photo booth) for guests to use.

Beverage canoe! LOVE!

Great idea with the tarp Courtney!

Beverage display for sure!!

Holy Crap. It's going to be 70-85 degrees outside at your wedding in AUGUST?!

I don't understand! It will likely be 106 every single day in August here.

@ Gamecox- One more reason I love my state; temperate weather! It can get up to 100 degrees, but not very often. Our wedding doesn't start until 5 pm, so we will be past the hottest part of the day.

Love the beverage display!! I went to a wedding a couple of summers ago where they used one! It was a big hit!

Maybe use sawhorses to raise it up. Or those old fashioned wooden style crates? The tarp is a great idea to line it!

I was hoping you guys would be keen on the beverage display idea. Thanks for your opinions everybody! I'm going to bite the bullet and ask the venue if we can do this. The worst they can do is say no!

I'm hoping if we make sure it's in the shade and have a few extra bags of ice in the freezer, it will be able to last the 5 hours we need it to.

I love the beverage display. If you're worried about the canoe getting wet or losing too much water/ice you could maybe line it with some sort of plastic on the bottom/sides that would kind of blend in?

Even if some/most of the ice melts, it should still stay pretty cool later in the evening. Can you ice down/refrigerate the beverages before setting them up that day?

Beverage canoe!! That is what we are doing with an old porcelain tub at our venue

@KimS- That's a really good idea! Having the drinks go in cold will probably squeeze another hour out of the ice!

@Rigby- Lovin' it! Can we be "Uniquely Displayed Beverage Buddies"?!