Cupcakes are quickly becoming a popular alternative to traditional wedding cakes, and gone are the days of traditional wired tree-stands! Here are some creative new ways to display your lovely little sweet treats…
{ Inspiration Love (and photo credits – in order of appearance) going out to… }
Cupcakes are starting to take the wedding industry by storm! So many of the weddings we’ve planned in the past few years have showcased a beautiful array of lovely little cupcakes rather than traditional wedding cakes.
Kelly and Morgan’s eco-chic wedding had a beautiful cupcake display from Cake by Cheryl:
Jennifer and Sean’s gorgeous Country Rustic wedding boasted beautiful cupcakes made by a friend of the Bride, Alison:
.. and Jennifer and Will showcased lovely brown + blue cupcakes for their guests during their cocktail hour!
Cupcake cakes, cupcake charms… and everything-cupcake in between. Needless to say, we love cupcakes!
{ looking for some Cupcake Love }
WeddingGirl.ca will be celebrating her 3rd birthday in a few months and we’re planning a party! We’re looking for the cutest WG-inspired cupcakes to serve our brides and favourite vendors – past, present, and future. Think you, or someone you know, has the recipe to create the perfect WG-cupcake? We want to see it!
{ calling all Cupcake Connoisseurs }
All Cupcake entries will be posted on the WeddingGirl.ca blog and the WeddingGirl Dot Ca profile and page on Facebook along with your business name and website contact for our friends to peek at!
The winning WG cupcake will be selected by all the amazing brides and friends who have followed us for the past three years – the more love your cupcake gets, the more we’ll love it too!
The creator of the winning WG Cupcake will not only be personally featured with their yummy treats at our WG Bash, they will also receive a year-long promotional feature spot on the WeddingGirl.ca Vendor Showcase (a $500 value).
Cupcake Connoisseurs – send us an email to info@weddinggirl.ca with the following:
1) Your name
2) Your business name + website
3) Your perfect WG cupcake description (not your recipe, just what our tastebuds can expect!)
4) A photo of your gorgeous little WG cupcake design
Contest Rules:
All Cupcake submissions must be created and received by 11:59 p.m., December 1, 2011. They will be simultaneously showcased on our Blog and on the WG Profile and Page on Facebook.
Our winning treat will be selected on December 15th, 2011 and announced right here on our Blog – just in time to ring in the Holiday Season with us and prepare for our Birthday festivities.
The other day, I had the accidental fortune of hearing from the incredible Kathy, the designer behind RaiseTheCake.com!
{ the Stands }
{ the Designer }
When I first stumbled upon some of the incredible cake stand ideas showcased in the WG Facebook Album I had no idea who the mastermind behind these beautiful creations was…. but I quickly learned how super-talented Kathy Jo is! A wedding planner and the creative force behind this work, Kathy Jo has worked alongside the likes of David Tutera and made quite the name for herself in Laguna Hills, California – and around the world!
{ the Details }
Brides can visit RaiseTheCake.com and either choose a cakestand from Kathy’s Couture line, or they can have one custom-created to match their wedding design! Ranging from $60 to $250, whether its glitzy + glam, fun + funky, or sleek + mod, there’s an easy-to-put-together cakestand with your … cake …. on it!!
… take your wedding cake from the expected, to fabulous!
One day last week I had the pleasure of attending three wedding cake design + tasting appointments with three of my 2011 couples. I had been referred to contact these two girls by my good friend Sally, over at Decor With Grandeur, and how happy am I that I did?!
First and foremost, I absolutely adore the We Bake In Heels website! It’s clean, fun, fresh, and totally, completely, uniquely, fabulously stylish! The personalities of founders Adrienne and Cat shine through on every page, accentuated perfectly with details about the delectable treats they offer both by-appointment and in their open-(almost)-daily sweet shop!
I fell in love with the We Bake In Heels cake boutique the instant I stepped through the door! A modern, contemporary-vintage styling of classy with couture (and hot pink everywhere!). Everything from the chic, white anaglypta wallpaper to the old-fashioned cash register made this space every bride’s couture vendor dream!
The smell of delicious goodies filled the air, and the bright, bubbly personalities of Adrienne and Cat (that I’d swooned over on the website) came pouring out of the kitchen to greet me the instant I came in. I knew we’d have a fabulous 6 hours together (and we did!). These girls are amazingly talented, both in cakes and business – and I’m so lucky to have met them!
Here are just a few of their confectionary creations!
All too often, when I ask a bride what kind of a cake she’s hoping to have at her wedding, the response involves a blank stare, a shrug of the shoulders and an “I’m not really sure”. This blog is aimed at resolving that :) (keep in mind that your cake maker will assist you in the selection process as well!)
The first thing to consider in choosing your wedding cake is your budget and how important the cake is in your list of wedding priorities. If the cake falls somewhere between an 8-10 (as one of the most important pieces of your wedding puzzle), then a higher budget should be allotted to its design and creation. If you’re simply looking for a wedding cake with which to take pictures, and to put out with your midnight buffet, you can expect to spend substantially less. The differences between a high-end and budget cake are staggering.
Lori, The Caketress, makes some of the most couture edible masterpieces I’ve ever seen in my life! – you can watch our Bridecast series together here, peruse her boutique, or visit her blog! If a showpiece wedding cake is what you’re looking for in the Toronto area, this is definitely where I suggest you begin! Lori’s cakes are one-of-a-kind, completely custom-designed fashion and designer-inspired…. so your cake is a reflection of your own personal style… from Ralph Lauren, to The Great Gatsby, and beyond.
If slightly understated if more your wedding cake style….
Do you prefer round or square, or a combination of both?
The number of guests that your cake will be feeding is the key factor in determining the size. Unless you’ve always dreamt of a 5-tier wedding cake, a more modest 3-tier cake tends to be most popular.
Do you prefer a simple cake with tiny accents? or a heavily decorated cake?
How do you envision your cake table to be showcased? flowers? a cakestand? votive candles?
Will your cake tiers be set with pillars between them? will you be using fresh floral decor throughout your cake?
When it comes to cake decor, the possibilities are virtually endless! You can go to your pastry chef with an image to recreate, or a blank slate to let your cake maker’s imagination run wild. Regardless of which option you choose, your wedding cake should not only be a reflection of your personal style and overall event design, but a dessert your guests will enjoy! Choose flavours wisely, be aware of allergy restrictions in your group, and don’t forget to save your top tier to have on your one-year wedding anniversary!
Our favourite cupcake divas, Chelsey and Jenna, are at it again!
You may remember Designer Delights’ debut on WG a few months ago, when we showcased these new sweet sensations – edible centrepieces! The more weddings we plan, the more we are seeing that cupcakes really are becoming the favoured alternative to standard wedding cake service, and an even more loveable parting favour – or dinner prelude! (personalized napkins available through the Bridal Marketplace!)
These tasty treats are custom-made by Chelsey and Jenna to match your wedding colours, design, decor, and even floral style!
A note from the Designer Delights girls:
“When you look at a cupcake, you’ve got to smile.” - Anne Byrn
We want to help put that smile on yours and your guests’ faces on your Wedding Day! Offering customized cupcake designs and cupcake bouquets we can help add some unique flair to your special day!
All too often the cake doesn’t get eaten at a wedding. Feedback we have received from a number of brides is that at the end of the evening their only complaint is that there are NO cupcakes left!
The simple elegance of these tiny treats is irresistible and something your guests are sure to indulge in.
Please visit www.designerdelights.ca and contact Chelsey & Jenna to set up your consultation so we can help you design cupcakes for your Happily Ever After!
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Cupcake Contest!
Designer Delights is so happy to team up with WeddingGirl for a fun contest to win a free Cupcake Bouquet!
All you have to do is join the DD group on Facebook (click here!), browse through the photos, choose your favourite and tell us why!
Send your choice by email to info{at}WeddingGirl.ca, tell us which design you find most fab, why, and we will choose our winner to receive a matching bouquet!
Increase your chances of winning by having your friends join and doing the same! (Remind them to tell us who referred them!)
Every bride is looking for that new, unique touch to add to their special day, something to help make their wedding stand apart from the others. Designer Delights can help add that distinctive touch to your wedding day! We specialize in anything and everything cupcakes – but what sets us apart from other cupcake shops is our one-of-a kind cupcake bouquets!!
Our signature cupcake bouquets are the perfect finishing touch to your tables. Acting as a beautiful centrepiece AND your dessert, it is also an economical choice – and who doesn’t want to find ways to save money while wedding planning?
…..And, it doesn’t stop there! We can make individual cupcakes in any theme or colour you like. Replace that traditional wedding cake with a stunning cupcake tower that is sure to act not only as a gorgeous focal point but also a tasty treat for all your guests. With a dozen flavours to choose from Designer Delights really does have something for everyone.
Wedding showers, stag and does and bachelorette parties amoung many other occasions are also a great opportunity to dive into our delicious cupcakes. Again, we can work with you to make sure our cupcakes represent the theme your are looking for.
Chelsey Cook and Jenna Bissonnette are the cupcake girls behind Designer Delights and will work with you to customize a design that fits your vision. Please visit the Designer Delights website for more information!
With it being the long weekend, and everyone enjoying a laid back day in the sunshine, I almost completely forgot that it’s finally time to launch Part 2 of my amazing Bridecast with the incredible Caketress!! Enjoy!!
A few weeks ago I had the incredible opportunity to meet with Lori Hutchinson, The Caketress at her Design Studio in Vaughn. I wrote a blog about our interview, and it received such a tremendous response that I knew I had to bring more of these kinds of amazing vendors to all of you! With a special Thank You to Studio67 for filming, editing, and production, here is Part 1 of my Bridecast with The Caketress. Enjoy!
So as you can see, the only thing sweeter than Lori’s fabulous designer creations, is her fabulous personality! To read more about our interview, click here.
Make sure to tune in next Monday morning for Part 2 of The Caketress’ Bridecast… and until then, Happy Planning!
Yesterday’s beautiful sunshine set the perfect stage to travel to Toronto with Wanda and Brian of Studio67 to meet and interview the fabulous Lori Hutchinson – also known as The Caketress! Lori welcomed us in her beautiful Caketress Boutique Studio, where we sat amongst her incredible cake creations, tasted some of her yummy work, and chatted all things cake!
Photo by Rowell Photography (rowellphoto.com)
When a bride and groom book The Caketress to make their wedding cake, they usually do so about a year in advance. Lori’s creativity begins to flow when she meets with her couples and persuses the “inspiration” she asks them to bring (i.e. photos of the bride’s wedding dress, pictures of their favourite textures, even designs of tableware or fashion). Couples are specifically instructed to leave photos of any other wedding cakes at home.
Photo by Rowell Photography (rowellphoto.com)
“I’ve stopped looking at photos of wedding cakes.” says Lori. “If all I do is look at photos of existing cakes, then all I will ever make will be what’s already been made.” Lori’s commitment to her brides is that not a single other bride, anywhere, will have her exact cake – and the Caketress’ creativity definitely supports this! Inspired by everything around her, Lori’s cakes reflect fashion, textures, elements of nature, and even fine art!
Following an initial consultation, Lori’s artistic talents are put to work with the creation of a sketch of the cake-to-be, which is then tweaked to perfection. She noted that not even the final cake product is an exact replica of the sketch. Believing in establishing such a strong degree of trust with her couples that they know she shares their vision, Lori then uses her pastry chef skills and talents to create the perfect wedding cake.
Photo by Rowell Photography (rowellphoto.com)
The Caketress’ artistic abilities stretch beyond just the sketching of the cake, to hand-crafting each individual flower, swag, or decorative embellishment. Lori creates her own molds from which to create sugar-replicas of just about anything a bridal heart desires!
Not only is Lori insanely talented, she has an incredibly refreshing approach to her work. Throughout our chat, I learned that The Caketress doesn’t fancy “trends”. She firmly believes that every couple’s wedding cake should be a reflection of the couple themselves, and not a carbon-copy of someone else. Lori uses other elements of the couple’s wedding to inspire the design of each cake (as seen above!)
Once the design of wedding cake is determined, Lori prides herself on being a purist, using only the freshest, highest quality, fine ingredients to create her cakes. Not only is each Caketress cake a visual display of stunning elegance, it boasts flavours that are nothing short of perfection. I was lucky enough to try a wide range of flavours with Lori yesterday, including some of the most mouth-watering chocolate, raspberry, and pumpkin flavours I’ve ever tasted (Click here for Lori’s Cake Menu).
Budget Friendly Tip (courtesy of the Caketress): When you invest in a showpiece cake (made with top-notch ingredients), use the wedding cake as the dessert following the reception dinner (rather than serving it on the midnight buffet).
