AHR - How do I keep drinks cold?

[RyanAmanda]

We're doing a lunch for our AHR that will be a catered buffet with an open self-serve bar...bottles of water, pop, beer and wine. The thing I'm stuck on is, how do I keep all the drinks cold? The only thing I can think of is coolers but it just seems not...nice (I can't think of the word I'm looking for) enough. Although our AHR won't be fancy, it just seems weird to have this nice buffet and all white linen tableclothes, vases of flowers...and then coolers. Any suggestions? We really didn't want to have a bartender so that's why we're trying to think of a serve yourself option.

[1elephant]

you can get styrofoam coolers and decorate them w/ tulle and paint pens...or what about 70 gallon buckets like these: [url/http://www.fortexfortiflex.com/plasticbuckets.html[/url]? you can decorate them and put tons of ice in. there are also metal buckets, but idk how big they are.

[RaydensMama]

Why not buy really big stainless steel buckets and fill them with ice? That would keep everything cold and look nice. You could decorate them with your wedding colours.

[1elephant]

i was just thinking about the metal buckets - i think they'd heat up a lot faster than plastic, and would melt the ice faster...but jmo.

[RyanAmanda]

Our AHR will be Nov 9th - I'm sure it will be rainy and miserable so I don't think ice will melt too quickly.

 

Any ideas on where to buy big tubs/stainless steel buckets? And I'm in Canada so no saying Target..lol.

[1elephant]

um...online, lol! i don't know what you have in canada. i've seen big buckets in the supermarkets here tho.

[Melissa G]

Bed Bath and Beyond has really pretty clear acrylic wine tubs. Those would be really nice.

 

Bed Bath & Beyond Product

 

Do you have bed bath and beyond?

[Amarillis]

Ryan Amanda - I would suggest checking out the superstores - i have seen big buckets there in metal - and they would be perfect.

 

Another Idea - I saw this at another wedding - the couple filled a canoe with ice and set the drinks in there. It was actually really cute!

[1elephant]

OH! along the same lines - when my cousin's graduated, they bought a blow up boat and filled it w/ seafood...you could do the same w/ ice!

[klhutsell]

Something we have used at several parties is a galvanized water trough. You can buy them for a decent price at Big R stores or any stores that have livestock or horse supplies. Make sure you fill it where you want it to stay, because by the time it is filled with drinks and ice they are extremely heavy! Just an idea....Good Luck Finding Something!!