Perfect Pairing is a fictional event that I created for a design studio class. I wanted to make it seem as real as possible, so I started by creating a food and wine tasting event for the Ames, IA community. It was to be hosted directly on the Main street block, by the Ames Main Street Cultural District which supports local downtown restaurants and wineries. Within this outdoor area, seven white tents would be set up for each course of the meal and served with the paired wine. To better understand wine pairings for the event, I visited two local wineries and discussed the fundamentals of hosting these types of events throughout Iowa.
This is a poster series that would be placed in downtown stores, local wineries, restaurants and bars through the Ames community.
This postcard would be sent out to the residents of Story county, which includes Ames, IA and the surrounding communities
Tickets for the event can be purchased at the participating local wineries, restauarant and at Ames Main Street Cultural District office. The event ticket would be stamped at the event to redeem its use.
When participants come to the event, they are given a spiral bound menu that lists all the participating wineries and restaurants. Attached to the menu is a pen for taking wine notes. There are three appetizers, two entrees and two desserts as part of the meal. There is no order to trying the food, which allows participants to “graze” among the various courses of the meal. That way, there is not a long line for one tent’s entree. Each course of the meal has the label of the wine shown on the top of the spiral bound menu. Below the wine label, there is a description of the food and wine along with an area for taking wine notes. The menu was narrowly designed for participants to use as a notepad and to easily place in a purse or jacket pocket during the event.
Perfect Pairing has nine tents for participants to visit. A Perfect Pairing tent will greet participants with registration, ticket taking, ID checking and for passing out menu and wine glasses. A Perfect Purchase tent allows participants purchase bottle of wine, corkscrews, and wine necklaces. The other seven tents have the various parts of the meal. Each tent is labeled with its course on the tent cover. Next to the tent is a sign that is identical to the menu description. The sign’s pole is supposed to be suggestive of the wine stem on the wine glass photos and graphics. The tents are laid out along the perimeter of the event area, allowing the middle to have high top tables for participants to stand, eat and be social. A simple table cloth is cinched at the table to be reminiscent of a wine glass.
When wine is purchased at the event, a clear wine bag is used for its packaging. It is reusable, holding up to two bottles of wine and can be a wine chiller as well.
Participants have the option of using wine necklaces to free up a hand for taking notes while at the event.
This event corkscrew is use during the event at all of the tents. The same corkscrews are sold at the PerfectPurchase tent.
Process
I tried combinding food and wine symbolism with a fork and wine glass. Also, I tempted to make a red wax seal, that was historically used for sealing bottles. With the two symbols together, there were two competing logo, the wax seal and wine glass. So I eliminated the wax seal to clear the confusion and pushed with just the wine glass and fork combination.
I tried combinding food and wine symbolism with a fork and wine glass. Also, I tempted to make a red wax seal, that was historically used for sealing bottles. With the two symbols together, there were two competing logo, the wax seal and wine glass. So I eliminated the wax seal to clear the confusion and pushed with just the wine glass and fork combination.
