Wedding 101: Tips For Stretching Your Dollar (NAPSA)—Food and wine play an important role in a wedding, often reflecting the tastes of the couple themselves. Most bridesand grooms-to-be want to personalize their big day and are seeking innovative ideas that provide a memorable experience for their guests—all without breaking the bank. David Mirassou, wine expert and 6th-generation of America’s oldest winemaking family, recommends serving both a red and a white wine at weddings to maximize wedding budgets. Offering a choice makes wedding guests happy, plus Riesling and Cabernet or Pinot Noir can be served with lunch or dinner, as well as with dessert. More and more, dessert is becoming a centerpiece of the wedding menu, as brides and grooms are thinking beyond the traditional champagne toast with wedding cake. One money-saving idea that is gaining popularity: Serve the couple’s favorite dessert and toast with a wine that guests are already enjoying. “Riesling is a delicious option for wedding desserts. It may also help your budget, too, because you can pair it with both the meal and dessert during a wedding lunch or dinner,” said Anne Chertoff, senior editor at Brides.com. If you’re looking for wedding dessert ideas that express your unique taste (yes, even choco- late!), consider these. With Riesling: White or yellow cake or cupcakes (with or without a fruit filling) topped with vanilla buttercream frosting Vanilla cream cookie sandwiches Mirassou Riesling, with its touch of sweetness and lively mouth- feel, is an excellent wine for both wedding meals and desserts, making it very budgetfriendly. Fresh fruit tarts with light fruits, such as apple andpear. With Cabernet Sauvignon: Flourless chocolate torte Mocha sponge cake with chocolate buttercream filling and chocolate ganache Dark chocolate truffles with a dark chocolate center, red wine ganache center, port ganachecenter, cherry, cassis or nut center. Make your dessert shine by adding a monogram or symbol in edible gold leaf. And, for another money-saving option that adds a personal touch, place a beautiful frame on the dessert table that displays a note explaining the story behind the dessert choice. For more unique dessert and wine-pairing tips, go to Mirassou.com.
