Friday, April 11, 2008

Maybe I am obsessed with cupcakes because they seem to be everywhere I look! Kat of Selah Style and I were hanging out and found Gigi’s Cupcakes, a new cupcake bakery off West End. I chatted with Gigi (owner) like 2 seconds because the line was out the door.

Kat loved her peanut butter cupcake; my milk chocolate was pretty good (but I am a tough critic:). I need a second visit before I add Gigi’s to my fave list. But, you have to admit that they look adorable. Give them a try and let me know what you think. They’d make awesome bridal shower treats.

First Ashley Loves…Now Martha Stewart!

Martha Stewart just announced the winners of her “Cutest Cupcake” contest. Of the thousands of entries, Martha Stewart selected Shara Lunn of Cakes by Shara as one of her 10 winners! Congratulations to Shara. Our amazing wedding pros are putting Nashville on the map!

Here’s the winning cupcake. Click to view Martha’s announcement and other fabulous winners.

Wednesday, April 9, 2008

Are do-it-yourself (DIY) wedding projects on your to-do list? If you are like most brides (including me) you have grandiose plans for DIY invitations, decor, etc.

Now there’s a great local resource! In addition to amazing floral design, Rhonda Patton Weddings also empowers DIY brides (via her blog) with a wedding decor “how-to” guide. These tips will help you create fab on your own.

Word to the wise - start these projects way early as most brides realize towards the end that they don’t have any time to spare and many wonderful ideas never make it to the big day. Be realistic. If you can’t do it all (which you should never attempt) hire a Nashville wedding professional like Rhonda Patton Weddings to make your sweet dreams come true!

Rhonda Patton Weddings - Candy Bar DIY

Why are brides craving “candy bars/buffets” at their reception? I thought this trend was slowly moving passed Nashville brides. But, I have several brides this year who are incorporating candy bars at their reception. The candy bar will be a substitute for wedding favors and is probably a less expensive alternative. Last year, I witnessed the love of candy from both kids and adults. They can add fun and a splash of color to your wedding. However, if presented poorly, candy bars can be “cheesy”. Remember, it’s all in the presentation.

Here’s the “scoop” on candy bars:

COLOR PALETTE

1. The candy should represent the wedding/reception color palette. Non-wrapped candies work best.

(This candy buffet is a classic. The layered M&M’s make a great focal point. What makes this bar elegant is the black and white color palette.)

VASE SIZE

2. Use large, wide mouth glass containers so the candy is easy to scoop. Use vases that vary in height and shape. Staggering heights make the bar look unique.

(This bar is beautiful; a nice conglomerate of pinks and chocolates and a little bit of bling can go a long way. The wide mouth glass goblet makes scooping easy and the staggered height makes this bar one of a kind. Don’t forget to personalize your bar. A picture of the bride and groom, custom labels for the containers and bags makes a candy station to remember.)

3. Don’t use the containers with the glass suction tops. They are hard to remove and often get broken. I recommend not having tops at all.

(This candy bar is bitter sweet. Thumbs up - varied textured candies and the multiple shades of green. Thumbs down - lack of decorative elements to fight the overpowering white linen. I recommend raising the back containers by use of risers or phone books placed under the linens. Also, I would do away with the container lids as they make it difficult for guest to sample the candy. I would use satin linens or a colored organza to soften the blow of white linens.)

SCOOPS

4. Don’t forget the scoops. Ice cream scoops work well for jelly beans, M&M’s or other small candies but small candy scoops will certainly do the trick.

5. Have one scoop per container.

6. As an option, neatly label your container, either on the container or beside the container. Your guest like to know what they are sampling.

(This bold bar has all the elements from a jewel tone color palette, staggering heights, wide mouth containers to photo labels. The photo labels are attached with colorful grosgrain ribbon. An easy DIY for any bride!)

7. Using a round table works well because your guest can mingle around the table.

(This bar is colorful although a little cluttered. The round table leaves plenty of wiggle room. The colors are a nice representation of the wedding color palette. Green satin linens with pink ribbon draped in between the containers with colorful napkins all make great decorative elements. The sprouting twizzlers are a nice twist.)

8. Don’t forget the carry away pails or small baggies for the candy.

TABLE DECOR

9. Decorate your table with other elements (IE., organza fabric, crystals, flowers, a picture of the bride and groom, etc) If the area will be dim, place Christmas lights under the organza fabric for romantic shimmer.

CANDY SELECTION

10. Make sure you have a sensible amount of candy on the table. Too much candy will clutter the table and too little candy will make the table look bare.

11. Search the candy aisle for the perfect candy. Look for interesting shapes, textures, flavors, etc.

(Oversize champagne glasses are a nice addition for this layered effect. Layered jelly beans sure makes this bar look yummy.)

12. Search the Internet for nostalgic candies.

(If looking for a neat sample station with a pop, try gourmet popcorn in glass containers. From caramel to cheddar cheese this one is sure to please.)

13. Appoint someone to manage the bar, either your planner or a family member can keep the bar neat and stocked with candy.

14. Have your photographer take pictures of the bar before your guest begin to sample.

Love the look but don’t have the time/creativity? Contact me and get fab without the fuss.

Rhonda Patton Weddings

When I saw Cakes by Shara at a Nashville bridal show, it was love at first sight! Maybe because her work is so contemporary and fun, which resonates 100% with my personality (I’d like to think I’m contemporary:).

Shara does amazing work and strives to work with all budgets - giving couture brides the luxe they crave and bargain brides the look for less. That’s my kind of girl - able to bring Old Navy and Banana Republic - under one roof!

In addition to offering great services to brides, she also has a strong commitment to the Nashville community at large - she does amazing “cause” cakes, like this one, created for a domestic violence group’s, big baby shower. CUTE, CUTE, CUTE!

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

I reached out to Nashville’s hottest wedding cake designers to find out what’s hot in wedding trends, locally and nationally.

Here’s what hot according to our Nashville wedding cake experts:

1) Cupcake Cuties

Cupcakes are still the biggest little tastes of heaven around. According to Cakes by Shara, “Cupcakes are great for many reasons. There is no cake cutting fee, you can pick them up from the baker and display them using a wonderful cupcake tree that you can cover with wrapping paper.”

2) Cake with Flava!

Brides are taking advantage of truly talented cake designer, able to create amazing fun flavors in every layer! Maples Wedding Cakes suggests orange dreamsicle or almond sour cream, his popular flavors this year.

3) Over-the-Top Groom’s Cake

No longer is the wedding cake the center of attention. Jo’s Custom Cakes and Catering notes that more and more brides are giving the groom his cake as a to-do and a to-buy and grooms are taking the task and rolling with it. With money to spend and ideas galore, amazing groom’s cake are becoming the ultimate expression of his faves. Think sports teams, fishing, alma mater…

4) The Look for Less

Brides on a budget can have their cake and can eat it too! In addition to her couture line of cakes, Cakes by Shara now has an option for brides on a budget - rent-a-cakes. These “faux” cakes keep you fabulous for less. It’s an amazing new concept so contact Cakes by Shara to learn more.

Jo’s Cakes offers “presentation cakes”, which are smaller but still amazing cakes that you display for pictures.

In both cases, your guests will “oh and ah” over the glam cake, while they eat a still-tasty but non-designer cake from the kitchen (aka Publix).

5) Cake Jewelry

According to Maples Wedding Cakes, cake jewelry adds an unexpected bling.

6) Monograms Still Rule!

7) Sweet Send-offs

“Cookie favors are hot “thank-you” gifts and come in all sizes and price ranges” says Shara.

8.) Cake Fabric

Your cake should express you and all of your awesomeness. If you’re not loving your cake design, find a great local cake designer who is capable of making your wedding cake dreams come true! Check out one of the cake designers I’ve mentioned above or find more options in our cake vendor directory.

Monday, February 25, 2008

First - on a totally random note, does anyone want to see The other Boleyn girl with me? It looks like a great chic flick and I have sneak passes for this Thursday, 2/28 at 730pm at the Green Hills theater. If so, just leave a comment on this blog and the tixs are yours (brides and vendors).

OK - Here’s a money saving secret that we’ll keep between us brides. Cakes by Shara has introduced a new concept (new to me at least) for Nashville brides, “Rent-a-Cakes”.

Why I love the idea of rental cakes:

In previous posts, I have shared the story of how I bought my wedding cake from The Bake Shoppe here in Nashville but then bought a second cake from Publix in Cool Springs to feed most of my guests. So, I had a beautiful cake that was displayed but I saved money buy adding a second cake that was plain (white iced no decoration) from Publix. I LOVE Publix (in general especially their fresh cut fruit) but I really love their cakes because they are always fresh and they are so easy to order. BUT, they don’t decorate nearly as nice as skilled cake artist.

But, what’s a girl like me to do - when have champagne taste on a beer budget? Well, I made it work with my half fab/half store bought cake solution. But now, Shara has introduced another option - rental cakes.

How does it work?

Well, Shara is one great cake designer, which you know if you’ve ever seen her work on her site or in person. Until now, she charged like $6 per slice or something like that. This option will save you half that.

Two options:
1) Basic cake design - You start with a few tiers of ivory or white cake. Then, you add your preferred ribbons, flowers (fresh or faux) or other decor. So, you are adding elements from your color palette to the cake. So you know, these faux cakes are the same ones you see at bridal shows. (Yeah, fooled me too - I thought they were real too until I kept seeing the same cake at each show.) Anyway, you add the touches to make the cake your own, buy a sheet cake from Shara or Publix or Sam’s. You simply display the real cake at the reception and when it’s time for the cake cutting, the faux cake goes to the back, cut pieces are served to the guests. (I guess if you wanted to do your traditional cake sharing Shara could make the top tier real.) You bring the faux cake back to Shara the next week and get your deposit back.

2) Custom cake design - You work with Shara to design a custom cake, which is a little more elaborate than just adding cute bows and flowers. Same faux cake, same process as above.

Bottom line is this, if you have a tight budget but still want to have a fabulous cake, you have a new option. Or, if your family has a special diet but you still want a gorgeous looking cake, you’ve got option.

Contact Shara to learn more.

(Obviously not a “Rent-a-cake” but gives you an idea of her work)

Friday, February 22, 2008

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I’m still sleepy but woke up to share my “Fab Friday Finds”…

This Friday, I am focusing on my finds from Perfect Wedding Guide, Nashville bridal show. Now, I will admit that there were great vendors that I probably didn’t get a chance to see because I had my own booth and wasn’t able to walk around as much as I normally do. So, if I missed you - sorry in advance.

New Finds:

1) Pretty Piece of Cake - Leanne of Wonderful Graffiti literally pulled me out my booth to taste their cupcakes. I thought, “Leanne, do you know how many cupcakes I’ve tasted? It’s what I do - bridal shows.” Before I knew it, I was at a pretty non-descript booth and she was pointing at them. So, I picked up the full-sized cupcake (which is rare for bridal shows) and tasted. It was amazing. It was lemon filled with blueberry. I’ll admit, I am not a big fan of palette surprises but when those real blueberries gushed, I was pleasantly surprised. The cake was moist and tasty and oh-so flavorful. There was no way to be pretty eating this cake. Prepare for blueberry teeth but a happy stomach.

2) Lavish Event Planning - Tara makes these lifesize letters that can be used to spell a word (maybe your wedding theme) or monograms. I’m all about wedding day personalization and these letters do the trick. Tara also does a custom painted dance floor. (see floor in the pic below)

3) Chef Penelope - I was only able to leave my booth for like 5 minutes and did a quick scan around the show for fabulousness and food b/c I was hungry. This was the only table that still had food when I did my rounds and lucky for me, it was good food:). Meatballs that left an interesting taste that made me curious. I asked the guy what it was and I think he said plum or something. But, I am a simple girl so he probably said something French and I was like “ok, whatever”. It had a good taste so I was sold.

4) Cakes by Shara - I have raved about Shara before but at the show, she introduced a new offering for the Nashville brides with a modest budget or any bride seeking a great looking cake at half the cost. Anyway, I’ll tell ya more about her “Rent-a-Cake” in my blog next week.

5) Savannah Tea Company - now, I am not a girlie-girl - I prefer Victoria Secret to Crabtree and Evelyn. BUT, I do have an appreciate for neat people/places/things. So, when I met these wonderful ladies (they were toooo sweet), I wanted to spread the word to girlie-girls everywhere.

They offer a neat tea room near downtown on 8th Ave South, that can host your bridal luncheons, small parties, etc. They have an awesome menu and they even do cakes.

Faves from the show that I already know and love…

1) Sherrell’s Floral Design - I’m really not sure when Tonya of Sherell’s is going to get a website one day, but I promise you - her work is incredible. For now, you can reach her at 615-289-5211.

2) Maples Wedding Cakes - funny story - so Jay comes by at beginning of the show and says that he has an orange cake that I would love at his booth. Honestly, at 20 minutes before show open, he could have said “I have a million dollars for you at my booth” and I would not have really heard what he said. I was going nuts (which is why I am NOT a wedding planner). So, at the end of the show, as I am passing his booth to take my stuff to my car, I see the orange cake and stop in my tracks. As I stand to admire the orange cake, Jay says “I’m still here” and I turn around and he is seated on the bench (worn out!). I didnt even know he was sitting there:). So, I tell him I love the cake and he says “I thought you would”. Then, I remember his comment from 5 hours before…the orange cake!

So, I run to Corrine (Weddings by Reese) and ask if she has a camera, which she does. (She’s a wedding planner, of course she’s always prepared.) She takes a pic of the cake and sends it to me that night. So, ladies - I hustled to get the picture for you - because that’s what I do! Believe me, the cake was even more feroush in person. (Feroush - meaning ferocious, hot, fab - coined by Christian of Project Runway. I can’t get enough of him!)

Anyway, I think it’s amazing that Jay could “read” my style and know exactly which cake I would love, based on my website, booth, etc. Bet he’s “in tune” with his clients. Ladies, this guy is kind of a big deal.

3) Weddings with Reese - She had a booth that could have been my booth’s twin. We really do think a like, probably why I like her so much. She had a beverage bar - with lemonade and coffee and she did the whole flavored syrup thing. Loved it! She incorporates neat details into her events so she always comes with a surprise.

4) A Magical Affair - loved the paper dress and other neat touches!

5) A Delightful Day - loved the black and white table covering and the gorgeous floral arrangement.

6) Selah Style and Events - always full of style, what more can I say.

Time for a nap!