One idea (that I LOVE) that is done LOTS where I live….get a kids small plastic pool (Walmart; Target, etc.), fill it with ice and use that instead! You can put it on the ground or on a table. They look like this, but on this site they are “unavailable”:

I have used these lots for parties and everyone says….”oh, what a good idea!”

Here is how we built them: We got some pressboard (I think that;s what it’s called?? It’s different from particle board – more sturdy, and less wooden-looking. I think it has plastics or polymers of some sort mixed in) from Home Depot, and they offer cutting services, so we had it cut down to “cooler” height before we even brought it home (it was $20 a sheet, and we only needed one sheet cut down for 4 coolers).

We made it long and narrow (think the same shape/dimension as like a flower box, or a shoebox, only bigger sized, like [_______], only totally enclosed.) We didn’t bother with a bottom or lid, just made it a big rectangle. Then we spray-painted it green so it didn’t look like wood, and covered the front and back with “thank you” banners, but you could use just about anything to make it more “dressy”, like fabric in your colors, or if you have anyone really handy, it would look much more finished if you added some wood trim along the top, and paint the whole thing white – but we girls weren’t quite that saavy of woodworkers.

Then we just lined all the coolers up inside it that day, and it worked great. We set it up as kind of an “island” – not in a corner or anything, so that it would be easily accessible to everyone.

Not sure if you care to put that much work in, but perhas one of the guys would like a wedding job that doesn’t involve flowers or tulle.