With wedding seasons fast approaching I’m considering various gifts from the wedding registries and am wondering how to monogram initials on bar glasses, leather goods and towels?
–Ali, Brooklyn, NY
Find out what monogram the wedding couple have chosen.
Once I gave a set of towels from the bridal registry and my friend the bride was upset because the monogram wasn't the way she wanted it. Monograms can be tricky, but they can also be great fun.
In general, this is the drill for monograms:
For gifts to the bride of linens and lingerie, use first, last, middle initial with her new last name initial centered larger. The monogram for Edith Lorillard Cowley: ECL
For the groom monogram on leather or bar items including glasses for Robert William Cowley: first, middle and last first initial all the same size: RWC or all 3 initials with first and middle initial stacked next to the slightly larger last name initial.
The monogram for a married couple on silver, for instance, would be simply the last shared initial C, or for Edith and Robert Cowley: ECR
For a same sex couple, such as Andrew Brown and Jared Kelly, use both first initials: A+J or both last name initials: B+K or stack both last names with the K directly underneath the line: B
When the bride keeps her maiden name, that's when you can get really creative with two large last name initials centered between two smaller first name initials on either side: ELCR
Monograms for children are the same as above with the girl's last name initial in the middle larger and the boy's last name initial the third large initial. Using only the child's first initial or first name spelled out can be fun as well as charming: Olivia or Felix.
There are no monogram etiquette rules carved in stone, so you can be creative.
What glasses do you use with what? There seems to be so many choices. As a soon-to-be newlywed, I want to know what wine glasses to register for on our wedding registry, as well as which wine glasses to choose for everyday use as well as for special occasions and entertaining?
–Christina, Westwood, CA
The variety of sizes and shapes can be daunting when choosing which wine glasses for entertaining and special occasions to register for on your wedding registry.
As a newlywed you're certainly not expected to have a proper glass for every kind of beverage. Jelly jars will do for most any chilled beverage!
Take into consideration the fact that the shape of the glass determines the flow of the wine when it touches the tongue's various sensitive zones of temperature, texture and taste at the same time.
Unless you're a connoisseur of fine wines, the size and shape of the glass may not matter.
Here is an overly simplified guide to glassware:
Start off by registering for eight basic water tumblers. Versatile, because the shape of the glass can be a tall cylinder tumbler, as opposed to a bulbous shaped glass, that can be used for mineral water, ice tea, soda, gin or vodka tonics, a Dark 'N' Stormy, beer and milk.
Add eight all-purpose wine glasses either the traditional bulbous shape with a stem or they can be "O" shaped tumblers without a stem.
As even red wine should be served at a cool room temperature, holding the glass by a stem keeps the wine at that temperature longer than when you warm the bowl of the stemless glass with the palm of your hand while holding it.
Better yet, ask for white wine glassware as well as for red -- eight of both.
What you want to keep in mind is that even though red wine glasses vary in size and can hold anywhere between 8 to 24 ounces of wine, the standard pour is only five ounces -- no matter the size of the wine glass.
Although you can certainly drink white wine out of a red wine glass, there are glasses specifically shaped for different varieties of red wine.
Generally, the more full bodied the red wine, the larger the glass.
Red wine glasses are more global in shape and are wider and taller than white wine glasses.
These rounder fuller shaped red wine glasses have a narrower rim that helps to hold in the aromas longer.
White wines are more delicate and the white wine glass is slightly smaller and open-rimed.
Make note that a smaller size white wine glass doubles nicely as a champagne glass when celebrating a special occasion.
