An Ode to the Rose Petal

When couples think of incorporating rose petals into their wedding day, the first thoughts are in the flower girl's basket or around the cake table. There are so many more uses of rose petals and I decided to focus on a few in my..."Ode to the Rose Petal".

Fresh rose petals submerged in water for simple, yet elegant, design.
Photo credit - www.DejanaeEvents.com

Great use of petals for smaller tables during cocktails or on window ledges.
Photo credit - www.flickr.com

Have your guests toss rose petals from these cute monogrammed glassine envelopes after you are pronounced husband and wife!
Photo credit - www.blissweddingsmarket.com

So pretty...the thoughtful use of rose petals to create a wall of hanging petals. What a backdrop this would make for your sweetheart table or cake table!
Photo credit - www.bridalbuds.com

A unique twist on an aisle runner...a rose petal aisle design. Make sure to rope it off so that your guests won't walk on it before you (the Bride) does.
Photo credit - www.flickr.com

Until next time...WEDologize!

When Home is the Venue

I have a couple that changed there ceremony & reception venue in the middle of the planning process from a banquet location to a family home. Since the dynamics have changed, we need to consider a few more things "When Home is the Venue"...budget being the first.

It's thought that having a wedding at home will be less expensive, but you need to make sure your guests are comfortable, which in a lot of cases can be more costly than expected. First, you need to think about the layout of your home and yard for such a grand event. What are the space limitations for a ceremony, cocktails, dinner and dancing? Can everyone fit comfortably inside the home or will you need to rent a tent? Plus a venue will give you tables, chairs, china, stem and flatware, dance floor and lighting, all of which you will have to rent for your event. Make sure your hired vendors, especially the caterer and DJ are willing to visit the location so they can learn the logistics and what additional items they may need for the space.

I'm not trying to discourage home events. The intimacy and warmth can make your guests feel so welcomed! Plus you don't have to compete with other events and food and beverage minimums, in most cases, become obsolete. But make sure you hire the proper help, especially a coordinator, to assist you in planning a fabulous, well-thoughout event.

Until next time...WEDologize!
Photo credit - www.realsimple.com

Where's the Gift?

I have couples a lot of the time that only want to receive monetary gifts from guests for their wedding...the "Wishing Well Syndrome" is what I've named it. Couples are merging two households or have been living with one another for a while before the wedding date, so why register for gifts "when we have everything". But if you add registering to your wedding to-do list and register thoughtfully, you will thank yourself in the months and years to come. Plus take into consideration the guests who just want to give a gift or have credit cards to use instead of cash.

I have listed a few registry tips to help you with this process:

• Register early in the planning process so you won't find it to be a tedious task later down the line
• At minimum, choose two stores to ensure your guests have various price ranges
• Choose stores that will have your registry posted online and the website is user-friendly
• Remember, registry information should not be included inside your wedding invitations. Word-of-mouth and wedding websites are the best options for spreading the word to those who want to purchase a gift or gift card.
• And have fun with it! Your registry is a wish list of items you want to enhance your home as Mr. & Mrs.

Below are some popular registries you might want to consider:
www.Macys.com
www.BedBathandBeyond.com
www.Target.com
www.Kohls.com

Until next time WEDologize!

You Can Eat That Flower!

In wrapping up my blog segment on wedding cakes and dessert (yes, I know...it was suppose to end last month), I stumbled across a company that uses edible flowers to decorate wedding cakes and cupcakes.

Now the concept is pretty simple, instead of using sugar flowers or flowers created by some type of frosting, this company is using flowers from nature and making a statement in the confectionery world. "The Crystallized Flower Company is home-grown out of Willoughby, Ohio. All of there edible blooms are grown naturally, free of harmful chemicals, pesticides, or growth hormones." What an eco-friendly way to decorate your wedding desserts!!

In the photo above, pansies and mint leaves are used to decorate those decedent cupcakes. You can see more of their edible flower offerings at http://www.crystallizedflowerco.com/.

Until next time...WEDologize!

A Cup of Cake!

I thought at one point that cupcakes at weddings was only going to be a trend...BOY WAS I WRONG and so VERY happy to say so! I simply LOVE cupcakes...well any cake for that matter...but nothing beats those 5-6 bites of divine perfection and frosting!

Cupcakes aren't only making an appearance in the place of wedding cakes, but brides and grooms are creating complete cupcake stations where guests can add their own toppings. Or you might to decide to display cupcakes on a dessert station or in conjunction with a candy buffet. Either way, think about making those cupcakes stand out even more with custom cupcake wrappers. They'll be sure to make a statement.

Until next time...WEDologize!

Photo Credits: cupcakes - www.theknot.com; cupcake wrappers - www.cheftools.com, Bella Cupcake Couture Wrappers

Not Cake Walk...Cake Talk

In selecting that beautiful piece of art to be on display at your wedding reception, there are some important cake terms you should know when meeting with a cake designer. Outside of thumbing through bridal magazines and surfing the web for that fabulous cake photo, you must consider your budget when make your cake selection because YES, that jaw-dropping cake that has caught your eye...just might be the jaw-dropping cake that will blow your budget out the water!

FRESH flowers vs. SUGAR flowers -

If you don't remember anything else, fresh flowers are much less expensive than sugar flowers. Reason being is that the caliber of time and energy that goes into creating a sugar flower so that it looks like a live flower is a talent in itself. And the steps it takes to create one flower, let alone a casade of flowers, can be daunting...but none the less amazing when compared to a fresh flower. Should you want sugar flowers for your wedding cake, use them in moderation so that you don't cap your budget.

BUTTERCREAM frosting vs. FONDANT-

Buttercream frosted cakes are far less expensive than fondant cakes. But know that buttercream, although better in taste, does has it's limitations. It is not a good cake for an outdoor wedding reception because the heat can cause it to melt. It would need to be brought out right before the cake cutting ceremony happens. Also, that smooth look that you see on many cakes today is not created with buttercream. Those looks are actually created with fondant, as well as the sugar edible flowers and lot of the detailed work. But should you want the best of both worlds - the smooth outer texture and good taste - ask your cake designer to put a layer of buttercream frosting underneath the fondant. That way, when the guests pull off the overly sweet fondant, they still will have a tasty frosted slice of cake.

Until next time...WEDologize!

Photo credit - www.weddingchannel.com

Let 'Em Eat Wedding Cake!

For those that know me...know that I'm a cake junkie! I just love the taste and smell of sweet confections and in my opinion, it's doesn't get any better than the centerpiece of the wedding reception - THE WEDDING CAKE. So for the remainder of the May, I'm dedicating the WEDology Blog to wedding cakes and desserts at the reception.

Below are some beautiful cakes I stumbled upon on http://www.theknot.com/ with green and orange accents, and the cost effect use of fresh flowers. Note: any time you want to cut down on your cake budget, opt for fresh flowers over sugar flowers. The flowers are typically provided by your florist once you give them a sketch of your wedding cake and some times are discounted since you have already purchased your ceremony and reception flowers through them.

Until next time...WEDologize!