My cake saga...

I don't have a wedding cake.

I am getting married in 2 1/2 months and I have yet to find a cake in Charleston that makes me happy. I have bakeries in the DC area that I love like:

Pastries by Randolph

Heidelberg Bakery

Firehook Bakery

Bittersweet

So if you're getting married in the area, definitely check those places out.

My dilemma is that I think I might be too particular about what I want. I want a three layer cake, iced in butter cream, ivory colored. First and biggest layer is white cake, second is carrot cake, and last and best layer is pumpkin chocolate chip. The white cake from Heidelberg and Randolph are my favorite. Bittersweet and Firehook make my fave carrot cake. My boss's wife makes the best pumpkin chocolate chip cake. I cannot find a baker in the Charleston area that has combined two of the three desired cakes flavors or who makes cakes like the bakeries listed up top. I am a little bummed.

So today while browsing the wedding section of The Daily Candy I came across ideas for "Cake Alternatives." I thought about their suggestions...

One idea was to serve mini-cakes. There is a baker in Charleston who makes really cute petit fours that I think would be a near alternative to a large cake or even cupcakes. So that might be an alternative worth looking at.

The other option suggested was mini-donuts.

(image found on: http://melissabagley.wordpress.com/2009/06/25/new-wedding-trend-donuts/)

While I am never one to shy away from donuts and I think there is a definite cuteness, even chic-ness to this (as seen in the delicious pic above), I just don't know if I want donuts in lieu of a wedding cake. I love donuts....I am in love with cake. There goes suggestion # 2.

The third suggestion was wedding pie. Next to cake I think I love pie second. We are having a fall wedding so maybe some Thanksgiving themed pies would be great. I thought mini pies would be cool:

But those really look like they work better as wedding favors. No pie for me.

The last suggestion was having an ice-cream sundae bar. Again, this is more an alternative to a coffee or candy bar, or in addition to those things. So as much as I love the idea of all these alternatives, I think in the end I want a good old traditional wedding cake. Wish me luck as the search continues!

What do you think of the alternatives? Have you found your cake yet?

Gorgeous Wedding Cakes

And of course, I cannot write about cakes without showing you all the research I've done! Check out these beauties:

We love the illusion effect of this cake. It's so unique!

Photo Credit: Brides.com

Not sure why they chose pillows, but still very beautiful and different.

Photo Credit: WeddingChannel.com

And one of my all-time favorites. I love how beautiful that "lace" looks!

Photo Credit: Brides.com

Where oh where has our cakery gone?

Last night I was so excited about our upcoming weekend. I had appointments at 9:30 AM (tasting), a break for lunch, 1:00 PM (hair and makeup trial), 3:00 PM (wedding invitations), and 5:00 PM (the second tasting). I had emailed both the cakeries our ideas for flavors and designs for the cake and was all set. However, this morning, Teri of Cakes Unlimited LLC emailed to say that she was worried she was not the best fit for our wedding cake. This was a crushing blow as she seemed so sweet, nice, and over-the-top helpful. I had really high hopes. She suggested I contact Mahila Creations and The Small Cake Company as they might be a better match. In so many words, she said: Most of the time, I can re-create my bride's vision for their wedding cake. But, when I believe that I am not the right person to do that, I would rather share you with someone who can make your dream cake happen. Your wedding cake is too important to me for you to be unhappy or disappointed that your wedding cake was not something you really wanted.

Teri was definitely still willing to meet with us this weekend and offered to assist in my reaching out to them, but suggested I taste the other bakery's fondant first before I decide to forego fondant (my fiance and I are big buttercream fans).

So now the quest continues. *sigh* I've contacted both bakeries, but I fear the lack of advance notice for these bakers. Unfortunately, it looks like yet another trip to Charlottesville. I think it's worth it, it's just somewhat frustrating, you know? More updates soon *hopefully*.

A cakery with a sour taste

About 2 weeks ago I started contacting Charlottesville cakeries with the hope of scheduling a tasting this coming weekend. My fiance starts his Spring Break this weekend, so the timing was right and I'll be completely absorbed by work next month as it's the month right before my work event (and May just seemed like it was getting much too close to the wedding...*stifling mild scream of anxiety*). I contacted Cakes Unlimited LLC, True Confections by Carlotta, and Albemarle Baking Co. as they were the vendors recommended by Keswick. The first two were wonderful in responding, being open, welcoming, and helpful. We are so excited to meet with them next week. However my experience with Albemarle Baking Co. was very disappointing. ABC said that they had an opening at 8AM or 8:30AM. I asked if they had an opening later in the day as we were driving from 2 hours away and my mother was driving from 3.5 hours away. (And a cake tasting at the crack of dawn just did not sound appetizing at all.) Her response:

Since we start early in the morning, 8:30AM is my last appointment. If you are serious about meeting that day, I can come back to the bakery later that day to meet you around 2PM. Will that work for you?

I was very surprised by her response but gave her the benefit of the doubt, maybe she was having a bad morning, even though it seemed very inappropriate to me. My response:
Good afternoon X,

I am definitely seriously considering Albemarle Baking Company for our wedding cake, that is, if you are not yet booked for August 2, 2009.

I have confirmed with my mother and fiance and you are still available, 2 pm would be a great time to meet. I'm afraid that 8:30 AM would be too early for us to taste the cake and I wouldn't want the early time to affect how we receive it. However, if you much prefer to meet with us on another day, I can let you know when we will be returning to Charlottesville. It will most likely not be until mid-May as I also work events and the last 3 weekends in April are booked for me. . .

I can send you an email later this week with more specifics as to what we are looking for in the cake. Right now, we prefer the square tiers over round and some exotic flavors, like mango, passion fruit, and coffee (but not in the same layer!). . .

ABC responded that they could meet at 2PM but there would be no cake to taste at the bakery. (What kind of bakery doesn't have cake on hand?) BUT, if I wanted to order a cake to sample, it would cost $20-$30. I understand that it's quite expensive to put together a tasting. However, the tone of her response and the overall manner in which she treated me left me with a very sour taste in my mouth. In the end, a hair and makeup artist I'd contacted said she was available to meet at 1:00PM, so we ended up taking her appointment. I let ABC know that our plans had changed, but if we were still looking for cake bakers in mid-May, perhaps I would contact her when our schedules better align.

Hopefully things will work out this weekend . . . but now I have minor cake another minor crisis to tend to. . .

Miss Capitol Hill Wedding Recap - The Getaway

Because we were staying at the same Inn where we were having our reception, we weren't going to have an end-of-evening getaway, but I love the idea of getaways so we had one from the church to the reception.  

I have to say that I LOVED LOVED LOVED our streamer throws that we used for our grand exit.  They were so much fun for us and for our guests. All the testing I did trying to decide between paper vs. mylar, colored vs. monochome, and Favors You Keep vs. Aerotechnic paid off. 

The multicolored, mylar streamerthrows from Aerotechnic were awesome and made for some really great pictures ...just as I had hoped!  And the best part: b/c they stay attached to each person's hand it makes clean-up super easy...just gather the plastic pods and throw away. 

All photos below the work of Linda Wallace

^Everyone lined up as we got ready to head for the car

^Streamers Away!!!

^It actually started to get difficult to move through all the streamers!

^And we only had streamer throws for about half the guests...imagine if we had one per person!

^It even looks great in black and white!

^Finally we make it to the car

^But the streamers are still attached!

^O.k. now we are streamer free and ready to take off

^This picture is awesome...it's Husband and I in one of the side mirrors 

^And we're off!

To be 100% honest as much fun as our getaway was it didn't go 100% according to plan. I wanted the streamer throws thrown in the church as we walked down the aisle. And despite communicating that over and over again with our coordinator, that message did not get to our guests.  Just another example of one of those things that the bride realizes is wrong and no one else does.  Although Husband and I did have slightly confused looks on our faces when we walked down the aisle and no one threw anything, in the end...it worked out. 

Next up: The Reception!

Vendors So Far:

Video- Monachetti

Photography - Linda Wallace

Hair/Makeup- Daphne Latham

Dress Designer - Vwidon

Dress Salon - Promise for the Savvy Bride

Shoes - Vera Wang new from Ebay

Bracelet- Carolee

Veil- Occansey Design

Purse - Belk

Hair Flower - Ella's Alley

Flowers - Blue Ridge Floral

Suits- Men's Wearhouse

Ties - Wild Ties

Socks - The Gap

Bridesmaid Dresses - Maggy London from Nordstrom

Flower Girl Dress- Rare Editions from Dillards

Sportscar - Sports Car Rental

Reception/Accommodations - The Clifton Inn

Getaway Streamerthrows - Aerotechnic

Baltimore Cupcake Company Comes to D.C.!!!!

YAY! I will be the very first to admit that I am a certified cupcake snob. I can't help it! And my very favorite cupcakes have arrived in D.C.!!

Photo by Martha Fitzsimmons via The Baltimore Cupcake Company

The Baltimore Cupcake Company has teamed up with ladies of Hitched Salon in Georgetown to bring their delicious and whimsical little cakes to Washington. Deliveries will be made daily, so you can stop in and pick up a two-pack or six-pack (I'm really liking this new meaning of six-pack) any old time you want.

How perfect for bridal showers or bridesmaids luncheons or birthdays or baby showers or Tuesday afternoon...I mean is there is really a time when cupcakes are not appropriate? You can also place a special order 48 hours in advance and pick up at Hitched. Just call The Baltimore Cupcake Company at (888) 990-0133 to place your order for any flavor and quantity.

Classic Baltimore Cupcake Company flavors like key lime, vanilla and chocolate will be available along with toasted marshmallow, and an exclusive new flavor, coconut framboise! YUM!

Photo from Hitched

It all starts tomorrow (Wednesday, July 9), don't be surprised if you see me in line for the first cupcake. ;)

Hitched is located at 1523 Wisconsin Ave.
Store Hours are Tuesday -Thursday 12pm-8pm,
Friday 11am-6pm & Saturday 9am-5pm

Baltimore Cupcake Company Cupcakes
available during business hours