Cheers to Perfection: Practical Tips and Done-For-You Details to Create the Perfect Champagne Tower

Picture this: a cascade of bubbles, the gentle fizzing sound, and the clinking of glasses – it's the perfect way to add some sparkle to your special day! It is such a fun addition to the festivities, or replacement for more traditional parts of the day such as cutting of the cake – either way, it makes a fun but practical moment of the day!

Don't worry, building a champagne tower is easier than you think, and we've got you covered with a friendly, casual guide in just six simple steps.

Step 1: Gather Your Glass Army

First things first, let's talk glasses. The number of champagne glasses you need depends on how tall and grand you want your tower to be.

Your total guest count doesn’t determine how large your tower is – it is up to you about how high you want to go – and you may find stacking 120 glasses puts you on edge (plus you’ll need to stand on a chair to pour)!

We suggest keeping it smaller – 4-5 tiers is adequate and creates that grandeur look.

Tier counts are:

-          4-tier =  30 glasses

-          5-tier = 55 glasses

-          6-tier = 91 glasses

-          7-tier = 140 glasses

-          8-tier = 204 glasses

-          9-tier = 285 glasses

-          10-tier = 385 glasses

You do need a coupe style champagne glass to stack. We have the most gorgeous of champagne coupes available that are perfect, find them here. For our Christchurch and further afield New Zealand wedding couples, these are the absolute premium glassware that not only works seamlessly but looks incredible in your photos!

Step 2: Bubbly Math

Now, let's talk champagne – the star of the show. On average, one bottle of champagne fills about 4-5 glasses (1L bottle, and 200-250ml per glass).

Calculate accordingly, keeping in mind the size of your tower and the number of glasses per tier. For a 4 tier, you'll need roughly 6-8 bottles. Bump that up to 13-15 to bottles for a 5 masterpiece.

Great options for your pour are of course champagne, prosecco or a sparkling wine.

Step 3: Set the Stage

Choose a sturdy, level surface for your champagne tower – no wobbly tables or uneven floors! Imagine bumping a wobbly table after just building your masterpiece – painful! Make sure your surface is large enough to accommodate the base tier of your tower and leave some room for flair – you want your tower to be a showstopper!

Step 4: Let’s Build

Start by creating a solid base with the bottom tier of your glasses.

Here is the maths, essentially if you want a 4 tier tower, you’ll set glasses up as a square 4 x 4, and so forth.

-          4-tier =  4 x 4 glasses on bottom (16 glasses), followed by 3x3 (9 glasses), 2x2 (4 glasses), 1 glass on top = 30 glasses

-          5-tier = 5 x 5 glasses on bottom (25 glasses)

-          6-tier = 6 x 6 glasses on bottom (36 glasses)

-          7-tier = 7 x 7 glasses on bottom (49 glasses)

-          8-tier = 8 x 8 glasses on bottom (64 glasses)

-          9-tier = 9 x 9 glasses on bottom (81 glasses)

-          10-tier = 10 x 10 glasses on bottom (100 glasses)

Next step is to build up! The glass needs to be placed directly in the centre of the diamond below, and make sure the rims are touching (this is important for the pour).

Continue building, until you get to the one glass on top. Take your time here – a strong foundation is the key to success.

Here’s a video of us building a champagne tower, slow and steady wins the race!

Step 5: Pour and Celebrate!

Now, let's dive into the exciting part – the pour! Grab a bottle of champagne, and with a slow and gentle hand, let the golden bubbles flow. Aim for the center of the glass to keep spills at bay. However, it's essential to manage expectations – unlike in the movies, the champagne won't magically fill every glass below (they'll need a little top-up TLC).

Here's the plan: take charge and pour 1-2 bottles yourselves, setting the bubbly vibe just right. Then, gracefully hand over the pouring duties to your trusty bar service staff. They'll ensure that any remaining glasses are filled to perfection. Trust us; you don't want to find yourselves stuck pouring ten plus bottles – unless, of course, that's your idea of a good time!

This approach also works wonders if your tower's glass count doesn't quite match your guest list. Your bar service team can seamlessly step in, ensuring that every couple has their glasses filled and ready for a celebratory toast right after your champagne pour.

And there you have it – with a clink and a toast, Salut!

Next step? Make sure you book in your champagne coupes - these are super popular and book out months in advance. Check them out here: Timeless Champagne Coupe Hire Christchurch.