Recipe(tried): Punch Idea for Alicia - Pink Lemonade and Grape Juice Punch

Congratulations on your wedding, Alicia! I know this sounds very simple and maybe a little odd, but please give it a try this weekend and you'll see why I love this so much - my mother made this for us when I was young, but I drink it still. Plus, I think it will work with your colors.

SOOOOO simple - ready? - equal parts of pink lemonade and grape juice (not grape drink). It's that easy and it tastes delicious. You just use frozen concentrate and mix according to the directions. You might want to use part purple and part white grape juice, which will make a lighter punch, and consider using club soda for part of the water, which you add only at the last minute, so the punch is slightly sparkling.

In order to make it more festive, make a beautiful block of ice to float in the punch bowl. Use a ring mold or bundt pan. Boil the water you are going to use, but cool it off before proceeding - this is important because the boiled water makes a clear block of ice, where water from the tap makes a cloudier block. Once the water is cool, pour just a little bit in the bottom of the mold - enough to coat the very bottom. Then place any variety of pretty fruits and edible flowers - pretty side DOWN - in the water and freeze for 15 minutes or so. This will anchor the flowers and fruit to the bottom of the mold (which will be the top when you unmold and turn it over in your punch bowl) - if you filled the mold with water at the start, all the fruit/flowers would float to the top (which will be the bottom when unmolded). Continue adding fruits/flowers and more water in layers, freezing after each inch or two of additional water, so that fruit/flowers are distributed evenly throughout the ice mold. Make sure you get your flowers from your gourmet store so that they are certified edible (no pesticides or chemical fertilizers were used) - pansies and violets are often included in these flower mixes and would be perfect for your wedding. Also consider thin lemon slices, since lemons are in the punch (place them up against the sides around the outside, with a flower or something else in between). You can use grapes, mint leaves, kiwi slices, strawberry slices or whatever fruit you'd like, remembering that, as the ice block slowly melts, some of the items will end up floating in the punch. The best thing is that you can make this a couple of days ahead of your party. Unmold into the punch bowl right before serving.

Hope this helps you out some, and best wishes!!!!
Terrie