Give Your Wedding Cake a Bit of Style

Starting next week I'm going to be posting gift ideas on Fridays, because I always have the hardest time thinking of gifts for people, and I've found a couple of good ideas through some various blogs! And since a week from today it will be "Black Friday" (I can't believe it's already here!), I figured it will be appropriate to kick off the holiday posts then!

For today's Friday Finds I wanted to share Raise The Cake with you. Raise the Cake is a cake stand studio, creating beautiful cake stands and even cupcake stands too! Since the cake is often one of the focal points of the room, you want it to be as gorgeous as possible, right?

A cake stand is something that a lot of brides don't think about, but it makes a huge difference in the display of the cake. Your cake baker may have their own cake stand to provide you with, but it will most likely be something gold or silver, and that's it. You can have a plain white cake, put it on one of these cake stands, and it won't be plain anymore. Or you can have the cake design and the cake stand match, so then the stand just looks like another cake tier! A great solution if you want the look of a large cake but don't have the budget to have a huge bottom tier. Whatever way you use one of these cake stands, it will be a gorgeous addition to the display of your cake!

*All photos via Raise The Cake

They're all so gorgeous, right? No matter what the theme of your wedding is, there is sure to be a cake stand to match! You can order from the Raise the Cake Collection, design your own by choosing the fabric, ribbon and "bling", or have one completely customized for you. These cake stands are such a wonderful way to add a bit of decor to your cake! Who's planning on using one of these beauties for their wedding?

DIY Monday: Stir Sticks

For this week's DIY project, I thought some stir sticks would be a fun and easy project to do! Stir sticks will add instant pizazz to the drinks served at your cocktail hour or bridal shower! They may be small, but they will definitely add A LOT to the look of your event!

Via Style Me Pretty

{Instructions from Abby: So, all you need to do is print this template out on 80lb card stock (try Paper Source). Using a 3.5″ hole punch, cut out the circles. Then using either a small amount of glue or some double stick tape, adhere them to corn dog or popsicle sticks (corn dog sticks are a little bit longer). Voila!}

Via Bridal Party Tees Blog

{Click on the link above. You can save the templates and change the wording yourself in Word or Photoshop!}

Via PrintYourParty's Etsy Shop

{The stir stick designs above are $10 for the template, and can be color customized for $5-10, depending on how much customization you would like done! Take a look at the options, they're super cute! You just download your custom labels, print them out, and cut or punch out (using a 1.5 inch round punch) to your heart's content!}

Via Style Me Pretty

{Another stir stick project from Style Me Pretty! The materials needed and step-by-step instructions can be found at this link. They're a bit more than just cutting out circles, but they look great!}

I'm imagining a photo of several drink glasses in guests' hands, with gorgeous stir sticks in them! It may be something small, but it can add a huge amount of pretty detail to your event! Is anyone planning on using stir sticks like these at their wedding or bridal shower?

DIY Menu Wheel

When I saw this very cool DIY project, it immediately went on my list of things to share with my readers!

Photo via Design*Sponge

Anna of Rifle Design created this incredibly fun menu wheel! Since this is a somewhat time intensive project, it would be ideal for a small wedding. However, it would also be a great idea to just put one or two at a table! It would be a great icebreaker for your guests too!

{The instructions, along with detailed photos, can be found on Design*Sponge.}

I would love to host a dinner party where I could make a few of these! I'm thinking of perhaps making these for Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner, in the appropriate colors. Anyone have an event coming up that you could make these for?

Gorgeous Wedding Cakes

When people attend a wedding, there are usually certain things that they expect to see. One of these things is of course the cake!

Wedding cakes often become the focal point of the whole reception. The design of the cake usually coincides with the theme of the wedding, so they are commonly integrated into the design and decor of the event.

Here are some gorgeous cakes of different styles for you to enjoy...too bad we can't REALLY enjoy them!

{Chic and Classic Cakes}

All of the above cakes by Sweet and Saucy

{Innovative and Modern Cakes}

Above cakes by KB's Kake Kreations

From The Knot

Cake by Sin

I hope these amazing cakes haven't made you crave cake too much! I know I'm fighting off an urge to have some sort of sweet!

Wedding Options: Serving the Meal

The food at a wedding is one of the most important aspects of the event. It's actually what most guests remember from weddings, so of course you want it to be memorable!

There are several options when it comes to the food for a wedding reception. There are different types of food and various ways for it to be served. The type of food served also coincides with the type of reception.

A casual wedding would usually have the food served buffet-style. Buffets are also appropriate for semi-formal and sometimes formal weddings. A buffet is a good way to go if you want to offer a variety of food options, and it is a good way to cut costs.

Photo by Rodolfo Arpia Photography

There are some innovative twists to buffets that have recently become popular in the wedding world. You can make a buffet of basically any type of food. A mashed potato bar is something that has been spotted at weddings.

Photo by 217 Photography

There can also be food stations, which is a very modern take on the buffet. Each food station will have an entree, and there will be a few for a variety of selection. Some examples are a pasta station, carving station, and seafood station. The stations can also feature different ethnic foods, such as sushi and spaghetti.

Photo by Joy Marie Photography

A new trend for buffets and stations is the dessert bar. Some feature just candy, with the guest filling up a bag or box as their favor. Some bars feature candy, cake, and other desserts, giving guests a large selection to choose from!

Via Amy Atlas Events, photo by Leanne Stamatellos

A fresh take on a more modern wedding is the cocktail and hor d'oeurve reception. This reception usually takes place at a time that would be too early for dinner to be served. The cocktail and hor d'oeurve reception can be formal, trendy, or a bit more casual. It allows you to be more creative and offer a variety of food. The hor d'oeurves can be set up buffet style or passed by servers. It's a great way to mingle with your guests and still have a great party!

Photo by Jennifer Schumacher Photography


Photo from TheKnot.com

Finally, the formal wedding reception with a plated meal. At this reception, guests have assigned tables, and it is a more elegant affair. The plated meal is served to the guests, and there is usually three or more courses served. It's nice for the guests, because they don't have to "work" to get their food.

Photo by Focus Photo Tahoe


Photo from Salted Butter

When it comes time to choose what kind of wedding reception and food you want to have, think about your own style. You want the food and drink that you provide to your guests to be of good quality. If they're going to remember the food the most out of any other aspect of your wedding, make it something to remember! You're essentially hosting a party, and you want your guests to enjoy it!

Wedding Options: The Different Kinds of Weddings

When the time has come to look for your wedding venue, you first must decide what kind of wedding you want to have.

Start with your wedding date. Is it in the Winter, Spring, Summer, or Fall? What will the weather be like? These aspects are crucial to consider when deciding on what kind of wedding you want to have.

The season of when your wedding takes place can also help you choose the theme and colors of your wedding. Some brides have an idea of what colors and theme they want before they even decide on a date. In that case, you can always let those decisions help you in your decision of a wedding date.

A spring or summer wedding usually has light, bright colors, whereas a fall or winter wedding has darker color tones. However, these are not rules or requirements. The color and theme of your wedding is completely your decision!

Via Delovely Designs

Previous Post

A good way to decide on a theme for your wedding is to jot down a few words that describe the kind of wedding you're envisioning. They can be adjectives, such as classy and fun, or nouns, like party and garden. Remember, your wedding should be a reflection of you and your fiance!

The final decision to decide what kind of wedding you should have involves the formality. The formal wedding is elegant and classy. The ceremony usually takes place in a church, the venue is a ballroom, and the decor is extravagant. The semi-formal wedding is also elegant and classy, with a touch of party. These weddings can take place in a ballroom, loft, museum, or outdoors. The decor of these weddings can vary depending on the venue. The casual wedding is intimate, and can be as formal or fun as you want. Casual weddings are usually smaller in size, and they are commonly held outdoors, at a home, or in a restaurant.

Via Style Me Pretty


Via Southern Weddings Magazine

All of these decisions are equally important in determining what kind of wedding you should have. Keep in mind that there is no right or wrong way of choosing what your wedding will be like. These are just guidelines and recommendations. Your wedding needs to be reflective of your personality and your vision! Your wedding is up to YOU!

If you need any suggestions or want some help in deciding what kind of wedding you should have, send me an email or leave a comment! I would love to help in your planning journey!

Real Wedding: Lauren & Schuyler Part 5

Last but not least: the Reception.

Since it was raining, we weren't able to get any extra time for photos at the Country Club of Ocala, where the reception was being held. We also weren't able to get the "preview" of the ballroom before our Grand Entrance.
Therefore, I was in shock when we were announced and we walked into our Reception. (You can see it in my face in one of the pictures below) It was so much more than I expected it be, and I have Dan from Unforgettable Events to thank for putting everything together so beautifully.

We had 2 desserts! Bananas Foster and wedding cake, which was so pretty I didn't want to cut into!


My brother was unable to attend due to a deployment to Afghanistan, but he sent a speech to his best friend to read to make up for his absence. It was heart wrenching for my family because we kept thinking he was going to be able to make it, but especially for me, because if it weren't for him, Schuyler and I would have never met.

All of the guests that I've talked to have said that they had a ball at the wedding, which is exactly what we wanted. My only regret is that we don't have more pictures of the reception, since the photographer left before everything was over (another post for later). However, thanks to Facebook, I do have some candid photos from my friends and family.

More photos of the decor and design elements can be found at the previous post Real Wedding: Lauren & Schuyler Part 1.

I hope you enjoyed reliving my wedding day with me through all of the posts this week! If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask!


Vendors:
*Photography: CVB-Photography
*Flowers and Decor: Unforgettable Events
*Cake: Ms Debbie's Sugar Art
*Venue: Country Club of Ocala
*Event Coordinator: Radiant Events by Jaye
*Paper Design and Printing: The Design Grove