Simple, Modern Cakes

Lately, I've been doing a lot of cake tastings with my clients and looking at BUNCHES of potential cake designs. Luckily for me, researching cake designs is quite possibly one of my most favorite things to do in life! :) My personal philosophy on cake design is that an understated cake design is timeless and the real star of the cake should be its flavor. However, that's just me. You might be more of an overstated kinda couple and want a fabulous, Ace of Cakes-like cake... and that's cool! Do what works for you and what is reflective of your wedding style.

When I look through pictures of cakes, my eye is immediately drawn to the simpler, plain styles that look slightly modern. This type of design will probably end up being less expensive than more elaborate, heavily-decorated designs - so if your budget is limited, go with a simply-designed cake!

Here are a few of my favorite cakes from ProjectWedding.com (click on image to enlarge):



{Top row: White modern cake with satin ribbon, White whimsy cake with rosettes, Light green & white textured cake; Bottom row: White smooth cake with rose topper, White square cake with brown ribbon, White square pink poppy cake}

New Bustle Pics!

{NOTE: Image-heavy post!}

A while ago, I decided I needed some head shots to help me promote my business, so I e-mailed my fave photographer/friend Jessica from Lemongrass Photography and set a date to do a photoshoot in downtown Indy. I also decided a while ago that I needed some help & direction in my marketing department, so I approached my sister Emily (who double-majored in business & marketing in college) to see if she'd be interested in joining the Bustle Event Design team. Emily is already a part of Bustle, currently acting as an event assistant, and she excitedly agreed to help me focus my marketing to help grow my business. Because if this new addition, I felt it would be great if Emily joined in on the photoshoot. Plus, since we're sisters and all, it would be great to have some new pics to show the fam! :)

Here are some pics of just me (all indoor pictures were taken at Easley Winery!):







Here's a picture of my gorgeous sister, Emily (I know what you're all thinking, and yes, we really are full-blooded sisters!!):



Here are some great pics of us together:



Can you see the resemblance?? And to answer your other question - I'm older by 18 months. :)



My plan is to (finally) update my website over the summer and use these pics!!

Marshmallow Indulgence

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of meeting with Samantha & Alexa from Lemley's Catering, based out of Columbus, Indiana. Although most of the conversation was focused on creating a fabulous menu for one of my clients, the most memorable part of our meeting was when they presented me with samples of their gourmet, homemade marshmallows!

Lemley's Catering named these sweet morsels "240Sweet Artisan Marshmallows", and they are made with Tahitian vanilla and other premium ingredients.



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Yummmm.... 240Sweet Artisan Marshmallows are pillowy soft and dusted with sugar to keep them from being sticky, and they come in a wide variety of flavors (like Very Vanilla Bean, Cafe au Lait, Chocolate Chocolate Chip, Toasted Coconut with Almond, Triple Berry - and many more!). New flavors are being added all the time, and I had the chance to sample the "Avocado" flavor - I know that sounds like an odd flavor, but it was delicious!

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You can also get them dipped in chocolate! Truly indulgent.

You can purchase the marshmallows by the pound (2 pounds minimum order) and they have a shelf life of 6 weeks (non-chocolate-dipped) to 8 weeks (chocolate-dipped).

240Sweet Artisan Marshmallows would make a fabulous favor for your guests or a perfect addition to a candy bar or dessert buffet!!

Special thanks to Sam & Alexa for letting me have a taste!

Honeymoon Research

Planning a honeymoon can seem stressful and daunting, especially since there is a LOT of pressure for your honeymoon to be the "best vacation of your life". Not to mention the thousands of places you could choose to go! Should you stay in the United States or go international? Would you like a hot, sandy beach or a cultural hotspot?


I'm here to help. The best advice I can give you is: Do your research!


The most robust of all vacation research websites I've ever used is TripAdvisor.com (if you know of other great vacation sites, please leave me a comment!).

I used this site extensively and pretty much exclusively when planning my honeymoon to Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. Even if you're starting from square one - figuring out where to go - Trip Advisor can help. Just check out their Travel Inspiration tool:

Just choose the type of trip you'd like to take (and talk this over with your fiance so you're both in agreement!), the region you'd like to visit (or just select "Anywhere" if you want the widest array of options) and click "Inspire Me!". You'll be given a list of potential honeymoon desitinations from which to start your research.

For each destination you look into on Trip Advisor, you'll be able to read about the following information:

• Before You Go - learn about the airports, public transportation, weather & when to travel
• Things to Do - read about local nightlife, tours & excursions and hidden gems
• Restaurants - search local eateries by cuisine, cost and rating by other travelers
• Map - view a map of all hotels in the region
• Traveler Photos & Videos - browse through travelers' pictures of the destination
• Forum - review what travelers are saying about the destination

Once you decide on a location, you can research flight fares & hotel reservations directly on the site. It is truly a one-stop-shop for planning your honeymoon!!

Also, Trip Advisor has written over 9,000 free Travel Guides, which are available for free download if you are a Trip Advisor member (free). The travel guides help you choose a place to stay, list restaurants to try & provides lots of tips for making the most of your honeymoon.

If you still find the task of honeymoon planning to be too daunting, there's no shame in working with a travel agent!

Another bit of wisdom: Your honeymoon might not end up being the best vacation of your life (mine definitely wasn't). No matter how much research you do, there can still be things that go wrong or don't live up to your expectations. The more pressure you put on your honeymoon to be blissfully amazing, the higher your odds of ending up disappointed. So after you've done your due diligence and picked a location, sit back, relax and hope for the best! The most important thing is to be with your new spouse and enjoy your time together.

{All pictures from TripAdvisor.com}

Peacock Color Palette

One of my current brides has chosen a "peacock" color palette for her wedding & reception. Given that her wedding is in October, these jewel tones (think teal, olive, deep blues) will look amazing! I wanted to share some inspiring photos for how to pull off this color palette (and use peacock feathers in a tasteful manner!).

Feathers get a bad reputation, but this gorgeous centerpiece tastefully incorporates peacock feathers (they're almost "dripping" down the side of the vase!). Also, note how well the plum fabrics work with the peacock colors...






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This bride's bouquet is so thick with color and texture - I love how the peacock feathers are peeking out from behind the arrangement. Subtle, yet very striking!




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I normally don't prefer iridescent fabrics, but with a peacock palette, it just works. I love how the teal hues tie in with the feather adornments, and also love the plum/burgundy accessories. It's hard to believe this linen is the same one that's shown in the first picture above (which looks more plum-colored) - amazing what light and angle will do to an iridescent fabric!





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All pictures are from this post on the Karen Tran Florals Blog.

Scrabble-Inspired Place Cards

Scrabble is useful in so many ways. It's a wonderful game for nights spent relaxing, a great incentive to maintain an extensive vocabulary, and an adorable theme for a wedding!

Briana from Elizabeth Anne Designs is using Scrabble tiles to accent her seating cards (which also double as bookmark favors for guests!):

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This couple is using the game as a prop for their engagement photos and to use as their Save the Date:

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You could use those Scrabble tiles to accent just about every part of your wedding! Table numbers, cufflinks, cake design, programs, monogram/logo... There's just so much you can do with little wooden blocks of letters! Look for the letter tiles sold on eBay!

Re-Cap: Centerpieces

Hello Friends!




I have posted quite a few times on the topic of centerpieces, so I thought it best to create a re-cap of each centerpiece by season. Some centerpieces, I feel, can go with multiple seasons, so I've included them twice or more, as appropriate.





Winter


Halloween Candy Topiary - there's a peppermint topiary pictured in this post! (October 2008)


Christmas Centerpieces (November 2008)


You Never Can Have Too Much Glitter! (December 2008)


Glitz on the Cheap (December 2008)





Spring


Tin Can Centerpieces (February 2009)


Garden Wedding Decor (April 2009)



Summer


Mason Jar Inspiration (February 2009)


Quick & Cheap DIY Centerpieces - love the lemons! (May 2009)






Fall


Pumpkin Carving (October 2008)


Real Wedding: Laura & Dusty (October 2008)


Halloween Candy Topiary (October 2008)


Another Fall Centerpiece Idea (October 2008)


Fall Centerpiece Idea (October 2008)





Any Season!!

Glass Bottle Floral Arrangements (October 2008)

Tin Can Centerpieces (February 2009)

Mason Jar Inspiration (February 2009)

Edible, Cost-Effective Centerpiece (March 2009)

DIY + Recycled Jar Decorations (March 2009)

My Version: DIY Centerpieces (May 2009)

Another DIY Centerpiece Idea (May 2009)


Quick & Cheap DIY Centerpieces (May 2009)

For your viewing pleasure, here is another take on Tin Can Centerpieces (via Elizabeth Anne Designs blog):

{Source: brocantegirl’s flickr}