Image via The Art Of Ice Scultpures

Ice artistry has turned into a jaw-dropping decor trend, making a comeback with fresh designs, as well as new life in a functional manner as a tiered display for caviar and other keep-em-cool cocktail party indulgences. And of course there’s the ice flue that delivers flavored vodka right into your glass. Gone are the days of the ho-hum, cliche lovebirds, the big rounded heart with the bride’s and groom’s names, the swan… unless you want those kinds of things. Now, it’s all about architectural designs: tall, braided effects, columns intricately carved from ice, cut-outs, and etched-in wording or monograms. Lace designs to match your dress.I’m seeing these masterpieces not just at the cocktail hour, but as decor within the reception room, and they’re also showing up in smaller form at rehearsal dinners and morning-after breakfasts.

Image via The Art Of Ice Scultpures

Ice sculptors tell me the design is just part of the masterpiece. The element that really makes an ice sculpture pop is the lighting. Here are just some of the ways to light an ice sculpture:

  • Set color-complementary LED lights around the base of the sculpture, and borrow the hi-low effect that’s so big with floral centerpieces right now by commissioning tiered ice levels behind your sculpture. Those tiers will hold LED color blocks to add extra glow for dramatic  effect.
  • Set your ice sculpture on a special light-up base. Wedding coordinators and ice sculpting masters can hook you up with specialty light bases just for uplighting decor items like your ice sculpture.
  • Set your ice sculpture on a sturdy, specialty glass-topped table — don’t DIY this, since ice sculptures are heavy — and set white or colored flashlights beneath the table to shine up and through your ice design.

Always remember that LED lights don’t get hot, so they’re not going to melt your ice sculpture, nor will they cause a fire hazard when set beneath a table or by table linens. My hat is off to the fabulous ice sculptors who took an age-old art and modernized it with intricately-detailed designs. With so many artisan skills fading away, this is one skill that’s only going to grow in time, giving us gorgeous decor pieces that are truly cool.

Ms Gingham says: I love the gelati bar!!! The sky’s the limit with designs and as Sharon says, these decor pieces are so cool!

About Sharon: Sharon Naylor is the author of over 35 wedding books, including her newest: “Bridesmaid on a Budget”, “Smart Guide to Wedding Weekends”, and “1001 Ways to Save Money and Still have a Dazzling Wedding”. Her two books for the mothers of the bride and groom are bestsellers, and she has appeared on such top shows as Good Morning America, ABC News, Lifetime, Inside Edition and more – sharing tips and insider secrets to help you plan your dream wedding on a budget, personalized to your love story. Visit her site Sharon Naylor for more on her books, free worksheets and appearances. She lives in Morristown, NJ with her husband Joe and is at work on her next two wedding books.

Read more by Sharon here