Adair Weddings

Wedding Shoes

2012-01-28T09:47:00.001-08:00

I thought today I'd tackle a new topic, shoes!! This is special to me, as I adore gorgeous shoes. Sparkles, metallics, heels, flats, shoes are pretty much the thing I collect.

So, that said, what are you thinking about for your wedding day? A classic ivory satin shoe with a small embellishment? Or hot pink patent strappy slingbacks?

Something wild and unexpected, like the studded black Miu Miu's pictured? Or a simple yet elegant gold strappy sandal with some pretty flowers? (Kate Spade) So many shoe options out there these days, the possibilities are endless!!

Jimmy Choo, Manolo Blahnik, Christian Louboutin, Stuart Weitzman, all are HUGE for bridal right now. Designer shoes, it's "in". And why shouldn't a bride have a gorgeous pair of shoes for her special day? After all, Cinderella had glass slippers!!

If course, you don't have to spend a fortune for gorgeous shoes. Payless has a great bridal collection by Taryn Rose, Target often has pretty shoes, Macy's has incredible shoe sales as well. Nine West, Enzo Angiolini, Guess, pretty and typically confortable affordable shoes. And for the crafty bride? Why not buy a plain shoe(a comfortable one!!!) and "Strauss" it yourself? What is this "Strauss" you ask? Adding thousands of crystals to your shoe!! It's quite the rage, especially as designer Straussed shoes run upwards of $2,000-$3,000 these days.

Enjoy the "eye candy" today, and don't forget your feet brides!! Yes, the shoes do matter!

Cheers!

Julia

Rock Star Toes!!!

2012-01-27T14:08:00.001-08:00

Go see Esther Castanon for fabulous nails!!!!

Hair Precinct in Spring Valley Lake!

714.476.5631

Go see her!! Best mani/pedi in the High Desert!!!!

I'm going to I enjoy my sparkly pink toes!!!

Cheers!

Julia

Tasting Cakes!

2012-01-26T08:44:00.001-08:00

Desert

2012-01-23T17:41:00.001-08:00

What a gorgeous evening here in the desert!!

Took these with my phone, but the ones with my big pretty camera, WOW.

I love the desert, even with the rain today, I've been blessed with some glorious sights!!!

Enjoy!

Julia

Valentines Day 2012!

2012-01-20T20:49:00.001-08:00

This year, we are doing something special!!!!

Cake balls/pops and flowers in one package! With FREE delivery here in the High Desert!!!

1 dozen roses wrapped up with gorgeous paper & satin bow (white, silver, brown, or ivory), and 1 dozen cake balls/pops for $50

Call for pricing on larger orders. Limited availability. We are also doing just cake balls/pops with free delivery. 2 dozen minimum order @ $18/dozen.

We also have cupcakes, calla lilies, and flower arrangements. Make your own Valentine's Day package!

Book now! Space is filling up fast!

760.812.0574 or adairweddings@gmail.com

I'm excited for Valentine's Day 2012!!!!

Some big surprises coming after as well!!

Cheers!

Julia

Dessert Bar

2012-01-20T06:31:00.001-08:00

A little something we threw together for my women's bible study.

Cake balls, 3 kinds of cookies, homemade scones and "filler" cream puffs & brownies (from Costco). The cookies & cake ball were all handmade.

Sure was a pretty way to start our 2012 winter session!!

A great addition to your special event, party, wedding!

Cheers!

Julia

Daisy Season is Here!!!

2012-01-19T13:31:00.001-08:00

Aren't these simple gorgeous???

Love them! And they are in season right now.

Cheers!

Julia

Mmmmmmmm

2012-01-18T08:19:00.001-08:00

Winter Wedding Sneak Peak

2012-01-17T20:24:00.000-08:00

Sweet & Savory

2012-01-12T15:46:00.001-08:00

The fabulous food table this morning that the hospitality team put together!!

My my we did a good job! All I did were the sweets, the savories though, WOW!! Mmmmmm!

Those cookies are my sugar cookies (with half sugar) and cheesecake icing topped with fresh berries. It was like a mini cheesecake. Super yummy!

And of course the standby, cake balls! :)

Next week those tables will be buckling under the weight of what we have planned.

Cheers!

Julia

Back to Cake Balls

2012-01-11T17:49:00.001-08:00

Yummy! Salted Caramel, Andes Mint, Peanut Butter Cup, Red Velvet & Mint.

Some very very lucky ladies are going to enjoy these tomorrow!

Cheers!

Julia

Job Perks

2012-01-08T13:49:00.001-08:00

I always pick up flowers for my home whenever I have a wedding. I love the smells, the colors, it's fun! In exchange my husband agrees to not buy me flowers on special occasions, instead I pick them up for myself.

Unconventional? Yes! But it works for us, and I always have flowers I love.

Cheers!

Julia

Creme Brûlée

2012-01-07T20:41:00.003-08:00

Instead of cake anything for New Years Eve dinner, I made Creme Brûlée! Mmmmm, it was yummy! So easy, and torching the sugar on top is always therapeutic.

I'm going to go finish off the last one, yummy!

Cheers!

Julia

Kuehneman Wedding

2012-01-07T20:41:00.001-08:00

Just a teaser, these were some quick shots with my phone.

Thank you to my staff, and the staff at Assembly of God in Victorville for all their work!

More details to come....just wanted to post a quick preview!

Congratulations Jessica & Eddie!

Cheers!

Julia

LA Flower Market

2012-01-06T17:09:00.000-08:00

Royal purple, plums and violets for a winter inspired wedding....

Behind the scenes

2012-01-04T21:29:00.001-08:00

Some "peeks" from a pre-wedding shoot we did this evening! I cheated and bought Starbucks cake pops due to time constraints.

Saturday is going to be amazing!!!

Cheers!

Julia

Toffee Crunch Cupcakes

2012-01-03T21:29:00.001-08:00

White Chocolate Cake with homemade toffee pieces baked into the cake. Topped with Chocolate Buttercream with a toffee piece on top.

Can also be done with a double chocolate cake. Yes, it can be a cake as well!!

Cupcakes in 2012 are running $15/dozen, or two dozen for $24. Free delivery in the High Desert (Victorville, Apple Valley, Hesperia, parts of Phelan and Adelanto) on any order over $30. Free pickup on ALL orders! Free drop off for all orders at specific locations on specific days.

Welcome to 2012!! Looking forward to all the exciting cakes, cupcakes, cake pops, & weddings this year!!

Cheers!

Julia

Wedding Wire Rated Again in 2012!

2012-01-02T20:18:00.000-08:00

Candy Bar

2012-01-01T14:34:00.001-08:00

Are you having a candy bar at your wedding?? I love putting these together, and have the ability to incorporate one into your wedding package in 2012! In fact, it could cot as little as $100 to have a full "bar" for 100 people!

That's a $1 a person, and instead of a favor they will either leave on the table or toss in the trash when they get home, why not do something they can enjoy on the drive home, or later in the week, etc!

I'm excited to show pictures from one I'm putting together for a wedding next weekend. It's filled with many yummy. choices! And because we used mainly Christmas candy (50% off!!), i was able to throw it on at no cost to my bride!

Happy New Year!! 2012 is going to be amazing!!!!

Cheers!

Julia

New Years Eve

2011-12-31T17:47:00.001-08:00

Wishing everyone a safe and happy evening tonight!! Enjoy the rest of 2011!!!

Looking forward to sharing many new and exciting things in 2012! As well as a resolution to blog on a consistent basis!

Bye bye 2011, you were really awesome, but it's time to embrace 2012, and the surprises it has in store!

Happy New Year!

Cheers!

Julia

Christmas Cheer!

2011-12-26T13:04:00.001-08:00

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-25T07:28:00.001-08:00

Christmas Eve!!

2011-12-24T09:50:00.001-08:00

All those gorgeous flowers I made yesterday? They went on this stunning anniversary cake that went out today!!

A friend of mine was married 10 years ago, they eloped, but never had the cake. Fast forward, today, his lovely wife gets her wedding cake! I was so thrilled to help put this in motion, it makes me realize what I do is so much more than baking a cake. It's making memories, creating special surprises, putting smiles on faces.

It's been 24 days of blogging, baking, and celebrating Christmas with my husband, children, and so many wonderful family members. Completing that special cake early this morning, what a wonderful feeling!

So, Happy Christmases Eve to you and yours. I'm excited to see what 2012 has in store for Adair Weddings! Already have some exciting projects on the books!!!

Merry Christmas!!! Happy Anniversary to a lovely couple celebrating 10 years today!!

Julia

Sugar flowers!

2011-12-23T14:05:00.001-08:00

Tulips, daisies, and calla lilies.

I am excited to share the completed cake with you tomorrow!!!

Merry Christmas!

Julia

Cupcakes!!

2011-12-22T18:32:00.001-08:00

Some fun I had today!

Andes Mint

Toffee Crunch

And some other yummy cupcakes!!!

Just a few days until Christmas!! Working on a 3-tier cake for a very special client, it'll be an awesome Christmas Eve post!

Cheers!

Julia

Busy Day

2011-12-21T21:04:00.001-08:00

More tomorrow on the exciting Christmas stuff I'm working on!!

Cheers!

Julia

Gingerbread Houses!

2011-12-20T19:24:00.001-08:00

Yes, not really relevant to weddings or parties, but it IS nearly Christmas!!

I caved and bought the pre-made sets, but kids, well, they had a blast!

Cheers!!

Julia

Shipping

2011-12-19T09:26:00.001-08:00

Yes, we do ship!! USPS priority mail, with ice packs, and a personal touch depending on the time of year! I only ship Monday or Tuesday, depending on the destination.

Here's a sneak peek into a shipment going out today, my last shipping day for Christmas. Still time for New Years's though!!

Merry Christmas!

Julia

Surprise Cake!

2011-12-18T19:25:00.001-08:00

Friend of my mother, her husband is working overseas. He contacted me last week to make a surprise cake for his wife's birthday!

So I went all out! Crazy topsy turvy, bright colors, edible jewelry, and love notes that her husband emailed me and I wrote out on pieces of Gumpaste.

Enjoy! This one was a blast! My first topsy turvy, and it was wild!!

Happy Birthday Trisha!!!

Julia

Weekend "bits"

2011-12-17T16:48:00.001-08:00

Some bits from my Friday night and Saturday morning.... Cake balls, elements for a cake, busy busy!!

One week until Christmas! Are you ready?

Cheers!

Julia

Christmas Deliveries

2011-12-16T13:55:00.001-08:00

It's much more fun to dress up Christmas deliveries!! :)

Are you on my schedule? If not, it's time to schedule your delivery for the holidays!

Cheers!

Julia

How do you decorate?

2011-12-15T19:37:00.001-08:00

Me, lots of tulle, crystals, lights, and sparkly ornaments in tall vases. Somewhat Victorian, very romantic, and probably over the top.

Are you ready for Christmas?? Stockings hung? Tree up? Presents wrapped?

Cake balls ordered?

Cheers!

Julia

Christmas Special!

2011-12-14T17:09:00.000-08:00

Call or email to place an order for delivery on the 23rd or the 24th of this month, mention you saw this post, and receive a VERY special Christmas 2011 treat!!

I won't tell you what it is, only that it's pretty awesome, and BTW, we are still delivering on the 23rd and 24th! Limited time slots available for delivery, but it is still possible. Free delivery on all orders over $25. High Desert ONLY. Although, there is a chance for any of my Antelope Valley readers (I.E. Palmdale) to meet me at a central location over there early on Christmas Eve for free "delivery"!

11 days until Christmas! Are YOU ready?

I am! I'm so excited!

Cheers!

Julia

Tiered Cakes

2011-12-13T15:51:00.001-08:00

White Winterland Decor

2011-12-12T10:57:00.000-08:00

December 11

2011-12-11T19:11:00.001-08:00

Wow, hard to believe we are 11 days into December! And only two weeks from Christmas!!

We had a slew of holiday parties all weekend, lots of baking wet on last week to prepare for them! I went all out for my party on Saturday, enjoy the pictures! I just realized I didn't get that many this year! I'll have to have my sister come and post more pictures. I had fun making it "pretty". I mean, grey folding chairs really aren't that festive, and if one has linens, might as well use them, yes? :)

This week, more cake balls, pops, lots of cookies, and some big surprises!!

Happy Christmas!

Julia

Christmas Cookies

2011-12-10T08:37:00.001-08:00

Today I am hosting the annual Trotter party at my house. Sooo, I trumped my dessert bar at Thanksgiving and went a little crazy.

Last night I threw together some last minute sugar cookies.

Wait until you see the whole thing! Perhaps I will share that tomorrow. :)

Merry Christmas!!!

Julia

Have Your People Call My People

2011-12-09T16:37:00.001-08:00

Just some fun with sprinkles! :)

I think if they were dark chocolate they may be more reindeer ish.

Happy 9th day of Christmas!!!

Julia

Peppermint Bark!

2011-12-08T07:48:00.001-08:00

Just one of many things I made for several events this weekend, including for teacher gifts!

You can see my 2-step process. I spread melted white chocolate, then put a layer of peppermints, then a layer of dark chocolate and more peppermints! Break apart and enjoy!

Yummy!!

Happy Christmas!

Julia

New Look

2011-12-07T13:19:00.001-08:00

Yes, we have a new look around here!

I want to thank my lovely and talented sister Elisabeth for all her hard work!! She's also a super talented photographer, so be on the lookout, as I have her working with me in 2012!!!

Check out her blog, Foxes & Furs. She finds incredible vintage clothing items, refurbishes them and re-sells them. My closet <3's her! Back to baking, today it's cookies & Christmas candy! Mmmmmmm Happy Holidays! Julia

Salted Caramel Cake Balls!

2011-12-06T14:02:00.001-08:00

I made a yummy spice cake, added caramel buttercream, dipped in dark chocolate and topped with a caramel drizzle and sea salt!!

Also, my lovely sister (who takes fabulous photographs!!) is going to be guest blogging this month! The post from yesterday was hers, which is why its much more detailed!!!

Enjoy!!!

Happy 6th day of Christmas!!

Julia

Ron and Joanne Married!

2011-12-05T15:46:00.001-08:00

The ceremony was held at St. Hilary's Episcopal Church and the reception at the Grumpy Golfer in Victorville on the Green Tree Golf Course. A lovely day for a lovely couple, who happened to be my Grandmother and now Grandfather!

Hydrangeas and willow branches with cascading crystals

Mini cup-cakes - chocolate, mint, mocha, and white chocolate vanilla

"I'll be loving you, Always...

With a love that's true Always.
When the things you've planned
Need a helping hand,
I will understand Always.

Always."

-Ella Fitzgerald

High Desert Church Christmas Dinner

2011-12-04T09:36:00.001-08:00

I was asked to come in and help decorate the tables for HDC's Apple Valley Campus Christmas dinner! It's how they thank all the amazing volunteers who make Sunday morning work, in a non-church location.

So, I brought branches, crystals and all my vases. Stacy over there came up with the concept, we just supplied some materials. :) I love that all the sparkly balls & snowflakes came from the Dollar Tree!! I'm not sure where she got all the fake snow, but I do love the effect!!

Merry Christmas AV Campus!

Cheers!

Julia

Let Them Eat Cake!

2011-12-03T12:28:00.000-08:00

The St. Mortiz Wedding

Tiffany Blue & Lace

2011-12-03T10:45:00.001-08:00

2nd day of "Christmas"

2011-12-02T07:32:00.001-08:00

My goal this December? Blog daily!! With blogger for iPhone, how could I not?? It's user friendly, and I'm snapping pictures anyway with it!

So, I will be posting things I have done over the past few months that I hadn't shared yet!

A wedding cake with a bride & groom made of sugar, with sugar flowers.

The initial idea was to have the couple on the motorcycle, but they were just too heavy! (sugar work is heavy!!)

Until tomorrow!

Cheers!

Julia

Happy December!

2011-12-01T06:10:00.001-08:00

Welcome to the "official" start of the Christmas season!!

In honor of the 1st day of the 25 days of Christmas, call for a special internet offer.

760.812.0574

Gearing up for a very exciting weekend! Can't wait to share pictures!!

Cheers!

Julia

St Moritz Wedding

2011-11-29T06:41:00.001-08:00

Last month I had the pleasure of working with LouEllen of A Guiding Light Affaire, for a gorgeous wedding hosted at the St Moritz in Crestline, Ca!

The bride asked for so many little details on her cake, you can see the lace pattern I made, and the flowers on the bottom tier from the same pattern, it was gorgeous! And huge!!

Huge shout out to the Mountain Lakes Wedding Association team for this fabulous event!!!

Cheers!

Julia

Christmas

2011-11-27T20:22:00.001-08:00

Are you ready for the holiday season?

The lights are up, the tree is sparkling, and the house is dripping with sparkly things!!!!

Are you ready for the holidays??

Call us if you need cake balls or pops to spread your holiday cheer!!!

Peppermint crunch
Salted caramel mocha
Salted caramel
White chocolate raspberry
Amaretto
Bailey's
Grand Marnier
Chocolate Orange
Chocolate peanut butter cup
Nutella filled
Mint chocolate cookie
Toffee crunch
Chocolate cherry

And so many many more. Call and reserve your holiday cake balls now!

Ask about our Internet specials, and special pricing for orders of 5 dozen or more. :)

760.812.0574
Or
AdairWeddings@gmail.com

Happy Holidays!

Julia

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-24T15:50:00.001-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving 2011!

I went all out this year, and "styled" my table, along with a dessert bar, coffee bar, and special menus with some pretty napkin treatments!

Yes, we do style your home for parties and holidays!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Off to have a yummy pumpkin cheesecake cake ball!

Cheers!

Julia

Ward-Huffine Wedding

2011-10-17T08:15:00.000-07:00

I had the pleasure of doing the flowers, the cake, cake pops and miniature cupcakes for this gorgeous wedding!!!

The bride did SO many details herself!!! Very rustic!

A shout out to Bethany Belle Photography, she took some amazing pictures!

Congratulations to Autumn & Austin, may life be filled with much love, laughter, and many travels!

Cheers!

Julia

Pooh Bear & His Honey Pot

2011-10-07T21:28:00.001-07:00

I received a call from a lovely couple a few weeks back, and they were planning their son's 1st birthday party. It was between Barney and Winne the Pooh.

When I met with them, I had pulled different ideas from the wonderful world wide web. Both Barney & Pooh Bear cakes. But there was one Pooh Bear cake that truely stood out. And they decided to go with something along those lines.

Sooo, I give you MY version of Winnie the Pooh & his Honey Pot! Yes, those ARE sugar bees! Everything is made of some sort of cake or cereal treats. I sculpted the head by hand (I do not use molded pans!), and used cereal treats for his arms & legs. I was getting close on the weight limit for the cake board!

The entire cake was Lemon with Lemon Curd filling & Lemon Buttercream. Of course topped with my homemade White Chocolate Fondant. Yummy!

I did a matching smash cake out of White Chocolate Cake. Upon request, we will always provide a complimentary smash cake for birthday cakes! No extra charges! (and that applies to ANY birthday, not just 1st birthdays.)

Up next, a gorgeous backyard wedding with a TON of D-I-Y! Hard to believe the bride packed all her arts & crafts into 2 months of wedding planning!

Cheers!

Julia

Mountain Lakes Wedding Association Wedding Tour 2011!

2011-09-12T07:26:00.000-07:00

I'm going to plug the Mountain Lakes Wedding Association here for a second!

This coming Sunday, September 18, 2011 they are hosting their annual Wedding Tour! This year it's an exciting event, you travel from location to location, meet with different vendors, and best of all, see the GORGEOUS Mountain Lakes area! It's fall, the mountains are GORGEOUS!

Unfortunatly due to a huge scheduling conflict, Adair Weddings is unable to be a vendor at the tour this year. (hopefully next year!) However, we are offering couples who are registered or who walk-in on September 18, 2011 a special deal!

Free Tasting Box (no matter the size of your potential cake!)
10% off your order
20% off your order if you use Adair Weddings for Cake & Flowers for your Mountain Lakes Wedding (or special event)

AND

A special surprise gift from Adair Weddings on your wedding day.

Wow, you can't beat that. So, hop on over to www.lakearrowheadweddings.com and check it out! And if you see LouEllen Whitton of A Guiding Light Affaire, tell her Julia @ Adair Weddings sent you! She's fabulous for putting together amazing wedding packages.

Stay Sweet!

Julia

Tasting Box!

2011-09-12T06:50:00.000-07:00

Just to give you an idea of what our "Tasting Box" looks like!

It includes 2-3 types of cake for you to try, covered in our delicious White Chocolate Fondant, and possibly a treat tucked in, cake balls or cake pops, depending on what we have going on that week.

Our Tasting Box is FREE if you are booking through the Mountain Lakes Wedding Association, or if your potential cake order is over $300. Otherwise, we offer it for purchase for $20 (cash only please), and that $20 goes towards any cake order over $150 if you choose to use Adair Weddings for your special occasion cake!

This is not something we deliver "just because", it is intended to existing or potential clients who want to taste & see some of our work.

Remember, we do more than weddings! Birthday Cakes, Quincenera Cakes, Anniversary Cakes, the crazier the design/idea, the more excited we get about it!

Stay Sweet!

Julia

We also do a traditional tasting, without all the special bells and whistles, please inquire.

Cupcakes!!

2011-08-25T17:28:00.000-07:00

Recently, I have been receiving many calls about cupcakes. Regular cupcakes, miniature cupcakes, FILLED cupcakes! It's been fun to experiment with some new things, baking candy into the cupcakes, icing flavours, and the best part? It's so easy, NO cutting required (great for venues with cake-cutting charges), and you can have so many different flavours!

My current cupcakes prices range anywhere from $15-$25/dozen, and can go higher depending on the design. You get a discount on a sliding scale when the amount of cupcakes you order increase. I can even box them individually and put stickers with your company logo on them! (great for corporate parties, party favors, etc)

So, enjoy the eye candy, and let me share MY favorite cupcake with you.

My scrumptious Double Chocolate Cake, with a Peanut Butter Cup baked INTO the cupcake. THEN, I top it with my to-die-for Peanut Butter Icing.

Let me just say, those of you who have met me in person, I don't eat alot of cake. Yes, I taste everything that leaves my kitchen, I'm the ultimate quality control, because I am SO SO SO picky.

But my Peanut Butter Cupcake? I ate a whole one. And considered a second and possibly a 3rd. They were THAT yummy. And yes, I can SO do a cake!

And yes, I can do them in regular size, OR miniature cupcakes! So, call me (or email!) and let's get you an order of some FABULOUS cupcakes! And if you want my Peanut Butter Cupcakes, well, I'll give you a super special discount, just mention you saw it here on my blog, and you want to order Julia's Favorite Cupcake of 2011 (so far!)

With fall coming, I have so many ideas for new flavour combinations! Stay tuned!! I'm excited for the upcoming season!!! Can you say, Christmas?! Yes!

Stay Sweet!

Julia

Adair Weddings

760.812.0574

AdairWeddings@gmail.com

Pine Rose Cabins Wedding

2011-08-12T08:19:00.000-07:00

Back on April 15th, 2011, I had the honor of crafting not only 180 yummy cupcakes, but also a lovely 2-tier gluten-free cake, AND all the flowers for a lovely couple who choose to get married in a simply gorgeous spot, the Pine Rose cabins up in Twin Peaks, CA.

A mountain wedding is SO much fun. You have gorgeous scenery, the weather is amazing from about March-October, and it's a destination wedding that doesn't involve sea, salt, and sunburn!

The Mountain Lakes Wedding Association (www.lakearrowheadweddings.com) is a fantastic resource for those wanting to whisk their friends and family away to the beautiful, and cool, mountain lakes area!

Pine Rose Cabins is simply a lovely place to have a wedding, they have this gorgeous area for your ceremony & outdoor reception. It's very rustic and elegant all at once. Sarai is there to help you through the whole process!

Pine Rose Cabins 909.337.2347 or www.pineroseweddings.com

Cupcakes, Gluten-Free & Sugar Free Cake, this wedding truely tested our skills and gave our kitchen quite a run! But everything turned out lovely, and if I do say so myself, my Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake is just as moist and yummy as my full-of-gluten Double Chocolate Cake.

Mmmmmm.

And now, I want cake.

Stay Sweet!

Julia

Adair Weddings

760.812.0574

AdairWeddings@gmail.com

Cake Balls vs Cake "Flops"

2011-06-30T08:53:00.000-07:00

Good Morning!!

I have an order pickup today, so I decided to dip the cake balls first thing this morning (7am!) so they would be super fresh and extra yummy!!

Of course, we are having the strangest weather, it's chilly for summer, which means, open up the house, let all the lovely air in!!

But it doesn't bode well for happy cake balls. I had a few more "flops" that usual (for summertime anyway)

So, I had a grand idea! Cake Flops!! I did a candy bar for a birthday party recently, and instead of regular Jelly Belly Jelly Beans, I found Belly Flops, and just thought they were adorable. (it looked cuter on the hand-made sign)

So now, I present to you, Cake Flops!

You can see the difference between the two pictures. The ones displayed prettily on the plate are smooth, round,

and decorated to the max. Shimmer & glitter.

The "flops", well, they are still smooth, the chocolate, but they cracked right down the center!

I still applied shimmer to them, as it helps ME to identify which is which without putting my hands all over them, but I omitted the glitter on top.

I got to thinking then. When I do huge Cake Ball orders, I tend to have a dozen or so of these cracked ones. My family loves it, they get to eat them. Or, if I have a cake tasting scheduled within the week, I use them for that. (it's quite easy to slice the flops in half to serve on a tasting plate!)

But why not offer them for sale? Facebook and Twitter are such instant communication places...I can offer them, and first come first serve. They aren't PRETTY, per se, but if you are crazing a cake ball, they WILL fulfill it!

So, cake flops. Coming soon to Facebook & Twitter. Half price of current special cake ball pricing. PICKUP only on these, unless I am already delivering a full-price order. Buy one, two, or whatever I have available!

Off to post these ones on Facebook now...although I'm sorely tempted to KEEP them...they really are soo yummy when they are fresh. Mmmmmm.

Happy Cake Balling!

Julia

Random Musings

2011-06-17T10:03:00.000-07:00

So, in an effort to try and "blog" more, I am trying to catch up on recent work (I'm fairly far behind!), and, well, just post some random thoughts.

So, first, what is a cake ball?

It's cake & icing mixed together, rolled into a ball, dipped in melted chocolate.

Mmmmmmm. And it's much harder to make them perfectly round AND smooth than it looks.

The key is to use the right chocolate, AND to temper Milk, Dark & Semi-Sweet properly. Otherwise, you'll get a wierd melty-type chocolate coating that tends to clump, never dry, and do strange things outside of the cooler!

For white chocolate, it's different, mainly because it doesn't need to be tempered as perfectly as chocolate chocolate. It just needs to be the right consistency where it doesn't clump on you. Hence, add a touch of crisco to the melted chocolate. How much crisco? I think it really depends on the type of chocolate you are using, and your skill level.

Overall, anyone can make cake balls & cake pops. With some time, effort, and attention to detail, you too can make beautiful treats that everyone will love. And even if they aren't perfect, everyone will love them anyways.

I mean, who doesn't like chocolate, cake, & icing???

Of course if you'd like some treats without all the work, please call or email me, and I'll hand-deliver a dozen or more for no cost here in the High Desert. Keep an eye on my facebook for what I have "in stock" this week.

And for those of you NOT in Southern California, YES, we do ship!!! Even in the summer months!

760.812.0574.
or
adairweddings@gmail.com

I do not ship cakes or cupcakes, but cake balls & cake pops ship nicely. I do charge you the shipping & packaging, but it is my exact cost, not a penny more.

Cheers!

Julia

Phantom of the Opera Cake

2011-06-14T07:18:00.000-07:00

This cake was SO fun to put together! I have a blast working with the different elements, all the detail work, those special little touches to make it "Wow"

A close friend of mine has a son who is HUGE into Phantom of the Opera. And well, I ADORE Phantom of the Opera. So, when she asked me to do a birthday cake, I jumped at it, and well, I took the design a little to the extreme, but hey, why not, right?

Everything you see on the cake is made of some form of sugar, from fondant to gumpaste, to modeling chocolate & modeling paste. Most of the details were hand-painted, and all the scrollwork & gold details were done with piped royal icing pieces, then attached to the cake with "glue" (AKA more royal icing!)

I did take some liberty with the music box, merely because I wanted to personalize it. My overal design inspiration was from another baker, who did a cake for a closing night of the show.

I really REALLY enjoyed making this particular cake....it was a very personal "labor of love".

Yes, I am willing to re-create it for you, with YOUR special personalization!

Honestly? I would LOVE to be asked to do a larger version for a closing night of the play, perhaps at a local high school here in the High Desert, or the local community college. I'd even be thrilled to do it for peanuts. *hint* *hint*

Soooo, yes, if any of my followers out there, if you are aware of a local High School doing Phantom of the Opera next year (since it was recently approved for High School Drama use!!), tell them to contact me!!!!

And my dream? To also see the sequel. The music is haunting, Andrew Lloyd Webber really out did himself with "Love Never Dies", I don't care WHAT the critics say!!! Hello?! Will you PLEASE bring it to Broadway?? London or Melbourne is just too far away!!

I will continue to update on a more regular basis....I have quite a store of things I've done over the past year, that I haven't yet shared on here!

Cheers!

Julia

Summer 2011 Specials

2011-06-13T08:14:00.001-07:00

Summer 2011 is nearly here! School is almost out, and the fun of water, sun, sand, beach, summer parties, and birthday parties begins!!

We are running some specials this year for summer.

Mini Cakes (as pictured here) $4 each, minimum order of 4 cakes. Order a dozen and receive a break, $36 for a dozen mini cakes! The flavour combinations are limitless!!

The cakes pictured here are white chocolate cake with a strawberry compote filling, topped with white chocolate fondant & airbrushed with pearl shimmer. The small forget-me-not is made from gumpaste and hand-painted. We can do other types of small flowers, please inquire!

Cake Balls or Cake Pops
Tray special pricing!! Order a tray of 40 cake balls for only $50!! Flavours are picked in quantities of 10.

1 dozen cake balls OR cake pops only $18.

Pick of flavours (mix & match!) Cake balls come packages in a box, and cake pops come packaged individually wrapped in a clear bag. Your pick of decor! (edible glitter, shimmer, designs, flowers, hand-painting!)

Discounts on orders of 5 dozen or more.

Call us today to place your order! We are still taking some orders for Father's Day. 760.812.0574 OR adairweddings@gmail.com

Cheers!

Julia

October 2010 Temecula Wedding

2011-06-13T08:01:00.001-07:00

Back in October of last year, I did this lovely wedding out in Temecula, CA at a winery.

The cake was a 3-tier red velvet with cream cheese icing & white chocolate fondant.

We also did a display of cake balls.

Brownie Cream Cheese
Pumpkin Chocolate Cheesecake
Red Velvet
White Chocolate

Chocolate

The flowers we mainly used were dark red roses, and for the bridesmaids I used a pale cream rose for some "color".

It was just a lovely day for a gorgeous wedding!

Enjoy!!

Cheers!

Julia

Wedding Wire 2011 Awards!

2011-05-31T21:58:00.000-07:00

Hello Kitty Cake Balls!!

2011-05-25T08:29:00.001-07:00

These were such a treat to make. Little Hello Kitty Cake Balls!

I had intended to make them into cake pops, but it was a super-last minute thing, and it seems that EVERYONE where I live is currently MAKING cake pops! Soooo, everywhere was sold out of the little sucker sticks. OOPS. (it's fine now, I have plenty, I ordered them)

I love making special cake balls like this, the shapes, etc. Hand-painting them it even more fun!

They were Mint Chocolate & Carrot Walnut Cheesecake, and the little pink ones you see in the box were Strawberry Cheesecake cake balls.

Lots of new flavours on the menu!

Perfect cake balls & cake pops? Call Adair Weddings!

Cheers!

Julia

iPad Cake!

2011-05-25T08:22:00.001-07:00

This one was FUN. my friend Ricki wanted something special for her husband, Rody. As Rody received an iPad for his birthday, it ONLY made sense to also make him an iPad cake!

She also made him an ADORABLE iPad birthday card, personally, I think the card took the cake! =)

The cake was my double-chocolate cake with a dark chocolate ganache & buttercream. I used my white chocolate fondant (handmade, just delicious!!), and then I hand-painted the rest of the details, with pieces of gumpaste for the "buttons".

Truely a fun cake!!

"Yes you can have your cake, AND eat it too!"

Julia

Cake Pops, etc!

2011-05-25T08:16:00.001-07:00

Whew, it's been a while! We've been busy busy busy around here! Here's some recent work...

Cake Pops!!! All wrapped up in individual bags, with the curled ribbon trim of your choice. Currently running a special, $18/Dozen, free delivery here in the High Desert. Same day delivery on orders placed BEFORE 10am PST.

Wow, free delivery? Same DAY delivery? Can't beat that! Call or email to place your order. 760.812.0574 OR adairweddings@gmail.com

And yes, we CAN ship in the 48 lower US states. Call for more information. (even in the summer months!)

Quinceañera Masquarade Cake

2011-03-24T15:49:00.000-07:00

I did this HUGE cake back in the beginning of March. The girl's theme was "Masquarade". The hand-painted masks are made of gumpaste, with edible glitter. The cake is covered in White Chocolate fondant, with fondant and gumpaste accents.

Cake flavours were

German Chocolate w/ Chocolate Buttercream

Pumpkin Chocolate w/ Dark Chocolate Ganache & Cream Cheese icing

Carrot-Walnut w/ Cream Cheese Filling & Icing

Double Chocolate & White Chocolate Cake w/ Strawberry Filling & Vanilla Buttercream

Gorgeous cake! I had alot of fun with this one.

More to come, lots of recent work I haven't posted yet.

Cheers!

Julia

Luggage Cake!

2011-03-20T15:21:00.001-07:00

Back in March, I was given some creative liberty to create a cake for a Bridal Shower. The couple are just adorable, an older couple. So, I went with the theme of what a Bride in the 1950's would have to go on her honeymoon.

Luggage trunk, cute little handbag, nosegay, box of "jewels". It was a blast! Every detail you see is made of some sort of sugar work.

Their wedding was just yesterday (March 19, 2011), and I also handled that event as well. As soon as I obtain the edited photographs from the photographer, I will post them!

We did over 700 miniature cupcakes, a small oval 2-tier cake, and GORGEOUS flower arrangements. The large Curly Willow with Hydrangeas, and stunning hanging crystals!

More to come. I'm working on updating much of the recent work we've been swamped with. Much thanks to my intern, Kaylin, who is going to be a FABULOUS event planner in her own right!! I couldn't do it without her!

Cheers!

Julia

Gluten-Free Cake

2011-01-16T14:49:00.001-08:00

So, I know that there is ALOT of interest in Gluten-Free food these days. And, so, at the request of a lovely bride of mine who recently found out she had Celiac's, I embarked upon the gluten-free bandwagon.

WOW. Just WOW. After tinkering with a little recipe, let me say, I just might like my gluten-free chocolate cake BETTER than my double-chocolate cake (which is MY favorite cake). Wow. It's smooth, yummy, melt-in-your mouth, chocolatey goodness!!

Now, this particular gluten-free chocolate cake is NOT dairy-free. It does have a butter-base, which I think gives it the lightness and yumminess.

Call us to order your gluten-free cake! Pricing will be higher than our normal cake pricing, due to cost, and the need to use seperate equipment to avoid cross-contamination. Our buttercream frosting and fondant is also gluten-free, this is something Adair Weddings has always been careful with, keeping with fresh ingredients and using a base for our fondant that keeps it natural and yummy.

We're still working on a gluten-free, dairy-free cake. If it's what you are looking for, contact us, as we're more inclined to experiment upon request!! =)

Cheers!

Julia

Valentine's Day 2011

2011-01-09T18:04:00.000-08:00

So, this year, that wonderful day of lovers falls on a Monday. So, the question is, what will YOU be doing for your sweetheart this year?

Here at Adair Weddings we are offering a special on Valentine's Day deliveries. Book your order by January 31st, get 10% off your total (in addition to any bulk discounts), AND free delivery in the High Desert area! This year, we are also happy to offer packages! Flowers and Cake Balls, delivered direct to your sweetheart!

Valentine's Day Pricing:

1 Dozen Long-Stemmed Roses & 1 Dozen Cake Balls $55

2 Dozen Long-Stemmed Roses & 1 Dozen Cake Balls $75

We can also put together a custom arrangement for you. Please note the roses will come packaged with light greenery, and pruned for your sweetheart in a beautiful box! If you would like them in a vase arrangement, please add $10 to your total. You can also add an addition dozen cake balls to any order for $18/dozen (special Valentine's Day pricing)

This is a limited offer, and a first-come first-serve type thing. We only have a limited amount of room on our delivery route, and spaces are filling up!!

Call Julia today to place your order! 760.812.0574

Happy New Year!

Cheers!

-Julia

New Holiday Flavours!!

2010-12-14T12:02:00.000-08:00

Mmmmm, the "elves" over here at Adair Weddings are busy busy busy this holiday season!!

Here's some new flavours:

Milk, Semi-Sweet or Dark Chocolate:

Chocolate Toffee Crunch

Chocolate Cherry

Chocolate Rasbperry

Chocolate Cheesecake

White Chocolate:

White Chocolate Cheesecake

White Chocolate Rasbperry Cheesecake

White Chocolate Peppermint Crunch

Almond

Just a few of the new flavours we've been whipping up here at the end of 2010!!

Call us to place your holiday orders! 760.812.0574

Mention you read this blog, and receive 20% off your holiday orders.

Happy Holidays!!

-The Elves at Adair Weddings

Christmas is Coming!!!

2010-11-30T10:04:00.000-08:00

Christmas is JUST around the corner! We're cooking up some amazing new delights for the holiday season, here's a teaser of some new flavors...

Almond White Chocolate Cake Balls
Orange Dark Chocolate Cake Balls
Dark Chocolate Double Mocha Cake Balls
Peppermint Cake Balls (White Chocolate Cake, crushed peppermint, mint white chocolate)

And a few of last year's favorite holiday flavors:

White Chocolate Eggnog Cake Balls
Kahlua Cake Balls (double chocolate cake, Kahlua, dipped in White Chocolate)
Grand Marnier Cake Balls
Amaretto Cake Balls
Red Velvet Cinammon Cake Balls
White Chocolate Cake Balls

Mmmmmmmmm. My mouth is watering just THINKING about all these luscious flavors, the yummy chocolate, peppermint...Mmmmmm.

Call us today to place your order! Mention you saw this blog, and we'll take 20% off your holiday order.

Cheers!

Julia

Artwork

2010-10-07T18:31:00.000-07:00

What IS this? Just a little mini-cake I threw together last night.

White Chocolate Fondant, hand-painted with shimmer dust (Super Pearl), and then some fondant accents (handle, rope, and the "11"), and the leaves and little accent is out of candy clay, molded and painted.

I used Silver Luster Dust, Super Green, and Champagne. I also used edible glitter for the "11"

The inside was Red Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese icing. My special mix! Yum yum!! It was cake that was MUCH enjoyed! This was used as a centerpiece. It looked like some sort of figurine, one lady thought it was a porcelain piece! Maybe a teapot!!

We have a wedding coming up on 10-10-10, so watch for an update with pictures! We're doing the cake, flowers, AND cake balls.

A new cake ball flavor! Cream Cheese Brownie. Mmmm. It's GOOEY!!

Cheers!

Julia

Cupcakes and Ice Cream!!

2010-10-01T09:59:00.001-07:00

I got a call from a good friend of mine, she wanted cupcakes for invitations. Hrm. Shipping cupcakes, maybe not. SO, I thought, hey, cake ball cupcakes!

So, I took the tutorial that Bakerella has (her blog BTW, FANTASTIC. Thats where my baking inspiration started!!) on her blog, made it my own, and off I went.

THEN, because I didn't have peanut butter cup candy molds, and they were on sale (yay!), I bought these really cute dessert cordial cup molds. They kind of look like miniature ice cream cones.

Ice Cream Cake Balls!!!

Here's the two different ones side-by-side.

I don't "play" around that often, so this was really fun. Usually I'm running so many different directions, I do what's on the order sheet, and I'm done. So, it was a treat to "play" this morning!!

And the "sprinkles" I used are actually edible glitter. I get SO many requests for this stuff!

Still trying to update all the things I've been making lately, still behind. But this is a fresh post, as in, I finished the ice cream cones, took pictures, and here I am posting! It's a first! =)

Oh, the cupcakes are a Double Chocolate cake with Chocolate Ganache. Dipped in white & milk chocolate.

The Ice Cream Cones are Mocha Cake, with a Dark Chocolate Ganache, MORE Coffee to strengthen the flavor, and dipped in white chocolate (cone) and Dark Chocolate (top)

They are the BEST Mocha Cake Balls I'd put together to date!

Here's some updated Flavors you can order from us;

Dipped in White Chocolate

White Chocolate

Strawberry Cheesecake

Lemon

Red Velvet

Amaretto

Bailey's Irish Cream

Almond Flavored White Chocolate

Dipped in Milk, Semi-Sweet, or 60% Cacao Dark Chocolate

Double Chocolate Cake

Red Velvet

Mocha

Red Velvet with Cinnamon

Rum

Chocolate-Coconut

Pumpkin Chocolate Cheesecake

Cheesecake Brownie

Grand Marnier

There are SO many possibilities!! These are just some of the flavors we've created, contact us if you have a special request!

Please note, we do request a week's lead time for a special request. Sometimes we are able to accommodate same-day requests, but please call for availability. We are not a regular shop, but a made-to-order specialty bakery/flower shop.

Now, I'm off to have a wee taste of my new creations. Isn't that my job? To taste them??

Cheers!

Julia

My life as a Wedding Professional....

2010-09-20T09:32:00.000-07:00

As some of you are aware, I got remarried earlier this year. The month before our wedding, my parents threw my fiance' and I a little party at the Grumpy Golfer, here in Victorville. We kept the guest list small enough to be able to use their open area, as I loved the chairs, tables, and the fact that we didn't need to do excessive decorating to make it a fabulous-looking event!

Here's some photographs from Kenneth and I's party. Photography credit goes to Autumn Huffine, who did a FANTASTIC job capturing some amazing moments!! She's a young, budding photographer, whom I recommend! Contact me for more information...

The theme was "Black & White", kind of shabby-chic, with pops of Green and Hot Pink. I ADORE pink, it's one of my favorite colors. (I ended up wearing HOT pink slingbacks for my wedding a month later. I will have to post the pictures I took of my shoes & jewelery before hand, they came out so pretty!)

Anyway, my mother and I had fun putting everything together. Picking out sparkly things, lots of candles, and I planned the CAKE. Which turned out to be a monster of a cake. But hey, why not?

6-tiers. But it was SO gorgeous!

I did layers of White Chocolate Cake with Raspberry Filling & Buttercream, Double Chocolate Cake with Dark Chocolate Ganache and Cream Cheese Icing (at the request of my fiance'), and a Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cake with Dark Chocolate Ganache & Cream Cheese Frosting. Of course i topped the whole thing off with my White-Chocolate/Marshmallow fondant.

Hand painted, shimmered, and all the little details with black royal icing on the top two tiers. The biggest cake I've done (even now, months later!!), but it sure was stunning! I also did Red Velvet cake balls in Pink & Green to match the decor.

My mom found the trim at a local fabric store, and I wrapped the bottom "plate" in some black raw silk. Topped with a "M" for my soon-to-be new married name, and a hot pink hydrangea!!

We had a DJ, Nedro, he's awesome. If you need a DJ here in the High Desert, please let me know! I've worked with him before, he was the only one I even considered using! Played the music I wanted (mainly 40's and 50's), and has a great setup!

My Uncle David Clark also was there, he played the clarinet. For those of you who don't know, he's the world record holder for the oldest man to sail around the world solo! 86 years old, and running wild and free!! My sister also sang for Kenneth and I.

The surprise of the night? A singing cowboy!! My father met this gentlemen about a week before, and brought him as a surprise! He's the last of the Singing Cowboys from the mid 1900's. Awesome surprise! (I was hoping for Elvis to show up at my wedding after that!)

Some other pictures from the night. My favorite is the one of Kenneth and I dancing, just our feet. Plus you see my shoes! =) (I <3>

What a night! I am SO happy we did the party BEFORE the wedding. It made my wedding day fairly stress-free. Okay, being in Las Vegas helped that too!! We got married on June 12, at the Venetian, in the courtyard. Yes, pretty much in a MALL. I find that fitting.

In fact, I found some really pretty shoes while my girls and I were waiting for the wedding to start! My groom did a major no-no...the marriage license got misplaced! We found it, it was actually a funny story, and everyone was laughing about it. Just meant I had more time to be a bride!! (no nerves for me this time....everything was perfect)

I'll post wedding pictures soon. They were gorgeous!

Cheers!

Julia

Hello Kitty!!

2010-09-20T09:24:00.001-07:00

I got a call a couple of weeks ago from a lovely gal who was struggling to find a cake for her daughter's birthday. Labor Day weekend actually. Honestly, at first, I told her I just didn't think I could pull it off.

After mulling it over, speaking with Kaylin (my amazing Intern!), we decided it WAS something we could handle.

And I am SO happy I decided to go for it! What came out was the most ADORABLE cake I think I've done yet!! Hello Kitty!!

I did her nose in edible gold glitter, and her bow is also covered in glitter!! The cake was my fabulous White chocolate cake with strawberry filling. Of course, topped with my vanilla buttercream (I make everything from scratch, and I use REAL butter, no crisco-base unless it's a cake that's going to sit outside all day), and of COURSE my White Chocolate/Marshmallow fondant on top!! Mmmmmm. The cake smelled AND tasted as good as it looked.

I just don't understand why more bakers don't make their own fondant. It's really not that hard, and it's SO much easier to work with! I make it just before I'm going to put it on the cake, and it just slides on that cake like a DREAM. It's smooth, and tastes as good as it looks!!!

Here's to all bakers, and those out there that make fabulous cakes! I'm still learning SO much, but I aspire to be better. I've been working with Gumpaste, but it's still a learning curve for me. (and it smells awful!) I've still to take any classes on floral design OR cake design. Maybe it's time to take a theory class? Hrm, a thought!

Keep an eye out, I'm still working on updating my blog with recent events and posts!

Cheers!

Julia

Detail on Quinceañera Cake

2010-09-20T09:21:00.001-07:00

Some close-up detail from the recent Quinceanera cake. The ribbon I used on the cake was also the same ribbon Lizbeth had on her dress!!

Happy Birthday Lizbeth, many happy returns!!

(and I do hope you enjoyed that yummy Strawberry Cake with Cream Cheese Icing.....It sure did SMELL amazing!!)

Quinceañera

2010-09-20T09:12:00.000-07:00

I had the recent chance to do a 4-tier cake for Lizbeth, for her Quinceanera. Kaylin was by my side to accomplish the feat of this enormous cake! (it probably weighed 50+ pounds! All the fondant!!)

What I did was take photographs of the dress, and then took aspects of the dress and incorporated it into the cake. It's wild, crazy, and just "WOW". I used a ton of edible glitter in Gold, Teal, Electric Blue, and Silver. The flowers are all hand-painted, as is the entire cake. I used different colors of luster dust over a navy blue base. (I tinted the fondant, and then painted over it to give it a different effect.

I HAD intended to make the topper from Gumpaste, but it wouldn't set. So I went with my backup plan, which were wooden letters spray-painted gold with navy blue crystals.

All in all, it's probably the most time I have EVER spent on a cake. But it came out gorgeous!! I am still making everything from scratch, including my fondant! I use a marshmallow-white chocolate base for my fondant, and kneed in sugar to make it the right texture for the cake design I am working on. (if that makes sense?) I am not a fondant fan, simply because it usually tastes HORRIBLE, but I have to say, the fondant that I make is quite yummy! My children like to eat the scraps! As they are spoiled when it comes to cakes and sweets at this point, I figure if those 4 like it, I've done a good job!

Keep an eye out, I'm still trying to update with recent work. I've fallen far, far behind in my blogging!

Cheers!

Julia

Cake Balls!

2010-09-20T09:06:00.000-07:00

Recently, I had the chance to do a charity event for the Friends of the Phelan Libary.

Here's some of the cake balls we did. My intern, Kaylin has been working just as hard as myself! We did over 200 cake balls, in 4 flavors. White Chocolate, Dark Chocolate, Mocha, and Red Velvet!

We also dusted them with a new medium, edible glitter!! You can't see in the pictures the way you can in real life, but it sure does sparkle!!

This batch here to the right is from my daughter's birthday party. Just shimmers, some royal icing designs, and luster dust sprinkled. This was also the debut of Mocha Cake Balls, a newer invention!!

The current popular flavors are:

Mocha

Red Velvet

White Chocolate

Strawberry Cheesecake

Lots of new things going on. Keep an eye out for more posts, and more photographs!!!

Mountain Lakes Wedding Tour Location!

2010-05-20T09:25:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the late post on this, but I have our location for the Wedding Tour this Sunday, May 23rd from 12pm-6pm!

Adair Weddings will have floral displays as well as a cake to taste, and plenty of Cake Balls at the St Moritz Lodge at Lake Gregory Regional Park.

24171 Lake Drive
Crestline, CA. 92325

It looks like we're going to be doing a Black & Ivory theme, which is fabulous, as we did this AMAZING Black & White theme party on May 15th at the Grumpy Golfer in Victorville, CA.

I'll be posting photographs from the party this past weekend soon, as well as photographs from this coming weekend's wedding tour!

More to come

-Julia

2010 Wedding Tour!

2010-04-20T14:59:00.001-07:00

We will be up in Lake Arrowhead (location TBD) on May 23rd for the Bridal Tour!!

I will keep you posted on where we will be on the tour. Come see us, taste cake balls, cake, see some gorgeous floral arrangements, and talk weddings!! (our favorite topic!!)

Cheers!

Julia

Sparkle!!

2010-02-07T06:20:00.000-08:00

The exciting part of planning a wedding, the ring! I'm going to shamelessly plug one of my favorite jewelers in this post, Diamonds by Lauren (http://www.diamondsbylauren.com/). They are based out of New York (where else??), and they really do some fabulous pieces!!

If you are looking for a ring with character, something different, unique, or just a fabulous ring at a fabulous price, I highly HIGHLY recommend this company!!

What you're looking at in these pictures is a Henri Daussi Cushion Cut stone set in a split-shank halo setting. The center stone is a M color, VS1 clarity, but because of a strong blue fluorescence, the center stone looks anywhere from a pale yellow to a white (G-H color) depending on the light.

I want to add some advice here ladies....it's not about the ring!!!!! Of course we all love sparkle, big diamonds, etc, but I want to caution you to remember what an engagement ring stands for, not what it looks like. It's a token from your fiance', partly because De Beers tells us we have to have one (!!), and because he wants the world to know that you belong to someone, and are off the "market", so to speak. Our society puts too much emphasis on the material things, and so many couples don't really KNOW each other when they get married, because they focus on the ring, the party, the dress, and not getting to know each other, discussing EVERYTHING possible (and here is where pre-marital counseling is extremely important! Something big you never thought of may come up, and it could be a deal breaker, you just never know), and agreeing on things before marriage, instead of waiting until you hit a brick wall.

My biggest piece of advice? Marry someone for who they are, not for who you want to make them into. And talk talk TALK before walking down that aisle!!!!

A post on sparkle, ends up in some philosophy! I suppose I'm just adding some wisdom (not sure if it's good, but it sounds good!) as I sit here watching the sun break over the snow-capped mountains. Such a gorgeous morning!

Cheers!

Julia

P.S. If you need a ring, call Diamonds by Lauren!!!

Let them eat cake!

2010-02-07T05:53:00.001-08:00

2010 has been a pretty wild year so far (all exciting, and I have fully embraced it all!), and January started off with a bang for us, mainly in the baking department.

We did this elegant 2-tier fondant covered cake with freehand "squiggles" for a recent birthday party. The ribbon is edged in blue sequins, and we matched the accent color (the blue) to the color of the sequins. We did two different tiers, White Chocolate Cake with Raspberry Filling on the bottom, and Chocolate Chocolate Cake with Raspberry filling on the top, smaller tier.

Something like this would serve 35-40 people, and would be approx $125 with free delivery within the High Desert area. Please contact us if you live outside of the High Desert, as we DO deliver all over Southern California, and you will find that our delivery costs for Wedding & Special Event cakes are minimal.

This simple Chocolate Buttercream covered Chocolate Chocolate cake is a simple 2-layer 9" cake with a textured icing, instead of smooth.

Perfect for a small event, this cake yields 15-25 slices, depending on how you cut it.

Pricing for a cake this size starts at $20, and goes up depending on how elaborate you wish it decorated, type of icing (fondant is slightly higher), and delivery charges (we deliver free within a 10-mile radius)

In addition to the simple silver & gold (not pictured) covered display plates, we can also "stage" your cake, do custom cake stands, etc. This is something we discuss with you during a consultation, and having an idea for your decor, event space, and personal style.

Contact us to schedule a complimentary consultation, and we are even able to arrange tastings on occasion, if we have enough notice. Our basic pricing for Wedding Cakes is by the cake, NOT the serving, and we don't charge double if your wish is for a cake to be covered in fondant. We make all our icings & fondants ourselves, so in addition to looking beautiful, it will taste fantastic. We never freeze our cakes, and bake fresh within 24 hours of scheduled delivery.

E-Mail: adairweddings@gmail.com

Phone: 760.812.0574

Next post....keep an eye out for more updates! I'm working on updating back events, getting more pictures on here, and we're still working on the new website!!

Cheers!

Julia

Cake Balls!!!

2010-02-06T06:33:00.001-08:00

Thanksgiving, 2009, I went a little crazy with the Cake Balls. Not that anyone complained or anything!! It was actually a bit of an experiment, as I wanted to play with some flavor combinations, colors, luster dust, and see how long it actually took to dip & decorate 350 cake balls (not as long as I expected!!)

I did 5 different flavors, and they all pretty much went off without a hitch.

White Chocolate Eggnog

White Chocolate Cake, Buttercream Icing, Eggnog (the kind with REAL brandy!), dipped in White Chocolate, and dusted with pink luster dust

Kahlua

Dark Chocolate Cake, Chocolate Icing, Kahlua dipped in a

White Chocolate and dusted with either Gold Luster Dust or

a chocolate "K".

Rum

Dark Chocolate Cake mixed with a Coconut-Pecan mix, and Rum dipped in semi-sweet chocolate and dusted with gold luster dust.

White Chocolate

White Chocolate Cake mixed with Butterream and dipped in a white chocolate. No embellishment, as I needed to distinguish between alcoholic and non-alcoholic.

Chocolate

Chocolate Cake mixed with Chocolate Buttercream, dipped in milk chocolate. No embellishment on these either.

The new flavor combinations were a hit, I think the Eggnog were the favorite. I have since done some other alcoholic combinations, using Bailey's Irish Cream (with white chocolate!), Amaretto (also with white chocolate!), and am going to experiment with Grand Mariner very soon!!!

A couple of weeks ago I was making Red Velvet Cake Balls, and got this insane inspiration to add Cinnamon to the mix, and use chocolate chocolate instead of the white chocolate. Mmmm, it was AMAZING. It was the "extra" thing I felt it needed.

Back to the kitchen to create more exciting treats!! Watch for updates after Valentine's Day, as we are going to be busy busy busy baking in the kitchen!! Cake, Cake Balls, it will be a sugar fest!

Have a lovely weekend, and go find your sweetie something sweet and amazing for Valentine's Day! They deserve it!!

Cheers!

Julia

2010!!

2010-02-06T05:53:00.000-08:00

Wow, welcome to a FABULOUS new year!! We have been busy out here in Southern California, baking, arranging, and planning events this upcoming year. There are many changes along the way for Adair Weddings & our crew, but we embrace it, and look forward to all the many challenges ahead of us!

Did you know that 2010 is THE year of love and romance? So, all of you 2010 brides out there, congratulations! The Chinese New Year starts on Valentine's Day this year, AND it is the year of the Tiger, so it's going to be a good one!! A fun thing to do? Check your date, see if it's auspicious or not! Here's a website I have used...although of course, if you really want to plan your wedding date around the Chinese calender, you have to actually see a wise woman (or man), and they will take your birthdays, your names, and come up with a list of dates that are "lucky", and there are various types of "luck". If you want financial success, get married on a specific date, if you want a house full of children, and it goes on and on. A couple who married last May did this, and that was why they picked May 2, 2009. (and that was a rainy weekend! still a beautiful wedding, and they ARE happy)

Red Apple Tree (they also do feng shui, if you are decorating your home!)
www.redappletree.com/chinese/astrology_horoscope.htm

Chinese Fortune Calender
www.chinesefortunecalender.com

I am not affiliated with either of those sites, just a couple I have used in the past for a little bit of fun.

There are other HUGE changes on the way here at Adair Weddings, and we have a BUSY week ahead of us, with Valentine's Day!! I realize I haven't updated some of the events we did at the end of last year with posts, photographs, etc, and I apologize! We are working on some technical difficulties, so I'm behind. We should have the new website up in the next couple of months, along with some exciting news & information!

I will endeavor to post some pictures from the Red Hat Valentine Tea this coming week, and of course we're making LOTS of cake balls around here!!! I am also going to be making heart "boxes of chocolate" this year, the cake that sort of started it all!!! Which I am excited to share with more people this year, and of course get some photographs on here!

Until next time, eat lots of cake, wear beautiful shoes, and remember, 2010 is going to be a FABULOUS year!!

Cheers!

Julia

Bety & Tony

2009-11-27T14:31:00.000-08:00

Wow, Welcome to Southern California! Less than two months, and we've been busy over here at Adair Weddings. I have been remiss in updating, and for that I apologize! I'm a little behind in posting a fewnt events, but due to circumstances, it's going to be that way for a while! So, I'm skipping a little ahead and posting the most recent event we did, a bilingual ceremony/reception for a lovely couple here in the High Desert of Southern California, Bety & Tony. Bety is from Panama, and she made a simply stunning bride! The couple choose a gorgeous palette of fall colors, and with some custom linens, and some creative budgeting, we turned a simple affair into a smashing success!

>For her bouquet, Bety choose Hydreangeas, Roses (Safari, Circus, and Freedom), and gorgeous Yellow Oriental Lilies (that smelled divine!). I did it all up in a hand-tied arrangement with a base of chocolate satin ribbon, and a gorgeous two-toned silk wired ribbon in the French-Wrap style with pearl accents.

For the bridesmaids I used just one flower, red carnations. The effect was a stunning yet simple bouquet that smelled lovely! I used a shimmery light chocolate wired ribbon for the wrap.

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Bety and Tony also had us create the Bridal Cake, about 250 cake balls (in leiu of a Groom's Cake), and a custom coffee-bar. With the problem of not having access to a kitchen, we took the huge silver coffee pots, filled them with bottled water, and an array of instant coffee, hot tea, instant cappucino, and a gorgeous tower of speciality cookies! For the coffee table I had various toppings, from chocolate powder right down to the miniature marshmallows for the hot chocolate. I think this may become one of our signature items, it was fun to do, and the guests really enjoyed having the treat. (this was a non-alcoholic wedding)

20/Tony+Wedding+116.JPG">The cake was a 3-tier White Chocolate cake with buttercream and a white fondant covering. I used this gorgeous chocolate satin ribbon to wrap around the cake, and an antique crystal brooch on the bow that was on the center tier. The cake topper was provided by the groom's mother. We "staged" the whole cake table, with custom linens, tiers of plated cake balls, and a few extra touches.

Bety's sons also treated us to a selection of their singing, they are pop stars in their native country of Panama. I recommend looking them up on youtube, Amor by Cesar y Thiago. I wish them luck in their future together, and can't wait for them to release a CD!!

Cheers!

Julia

Miller/Hornbeck Wedding, 9-12-09

2009-10-05T20:59:00.000-07:00

Some images from a wedding we did in McKinney, Texas on September 12, 2009. Held at the historic Heard-Craig Hall, it was a gorgeous evening affair, despite the raging thunderstorm outside! The bride chose chocolate, teal & diamond white as her colors, and what a stunning combination it was! She wore a diamond white strapless dress accented by a mocha beaded sash. Her bridesmaids wore chocolate dresses, and her maid of honor a gorgeous teal dress to match the vests that the groomsmen wore.

The Bridal Cake & Groom's Cake were made by the talented Annie Hall of Annie's Culinary Creations in Murphy, Texas. One of the most talented bakers I have had the privilege to work with, not only are her cakes works of art, they taste as good as they look!

The bridal cake was a 3-tier Italian Cream cake with buttercream icing. The groom's cake was a classic Chocolate, except the shape took it from a yummy cake, to a spectacular LOOKING cake as well!! Add in all those hand-dipped tuxedo strawberries, and it becoming a simply delicious cake cutting.

The bride ordered gorgeous arrangements for her centerpieces, consisting of Antique Green Hydrangeas nestled at the mouth of large 20" cylinder vases with 6" tall Curly Willow branches sprouting from the center. We also hung crystals to reflect the candlelight from below.

These are quickly becoming my "signature" centerpiece....they really are gorgeous, and do make a nice statement, especially if your reception is held in a location with tall, tall ceilings. We help keep the costs reasonable by renting the vases & crystals at prices lower than any other vendor (that we know of!!). Depending on the size of willow & amount of hydrangeas (or if you want additional flowers nestled in the hydrangeas), these range anywhere from $45-$150 per table.

For the bridal bouquet I used dark purple calla lilies nestled among the gorgeous hydrangeas, and accented with Polar Star white roses. The handle was wrapped french-style with teal & chocolate satin ribbons. The groom wore a single dark purple calla lily wrapped in teal ribbon.

The bridesmaids carried a combination of Polar Star Roses & assorted colors of hydrangeas wrapped in chocolate & teal satin ribbons.

Each bouquet was carefully put together by hand, hand tied, and wrapped with luscious double-sided satin ribbons in colors to match the various colors the bride picked out for her special day. The effect was stunning, and each bouquet was unique!!

See our facebook "fan page" for more pictures from this event!

Facebook Photo Album for the Miller/Hornbeck Wedding
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=140747&id=98018008614&ref=mf

Next up, photographs from the Zimmerman/Williams Wedding on September 26th, 2009. A gorgeous affair at the El Dorado Country Club in McKinney, Texas.

Cheers from Sunny California!!

-Julia

Adair Weddings has moved!

2009-10-03T13:55:00.001-07:00

Adair Weddings is now located in sunny Southern California! We will still be providing services to brides in the DFW area upon request, and look forward to making new contacts in California.

The only real change is that the roses we normally get may be a touch smaller, as the source we normally use isn't a chain. However, the quality of our work will stay the same, and our pricing will still be affordable.

We're running a moving special, take 10% off any floral order! Book your date & place a deposit to hold your date by the end of 2009, and take advantage of the savings. No restrictions on dates, as long as your deposit is in by December 31st, 2009.

Keep an eye out, we'll be posting pictures of a few recent weddings. Combine the move with two HUGE weddings, and we're a little behind on blogging.

Cheers!

BIG Changes on the way!!!

2009-09-01T02:28:00.000-07:00

Keep an eye out for some changes, news, and annoucements! Some very exciting things are happening around here in the next couple of months!! (in addition to the one wedding I still need to post pictures from, and the two I have coming up in Sept)

Cheers everyone!

-Julia

June Wedding

2009-08-21T07:50:00.000-07:00

A while back I had the pleasure of doing the flowers for a lovely bride, Ashley.

She wore an Ivory beaded strapless gown, and her bridesmaids wore Lavender strapless dresses that had a beaded bodice. The groomsmen wore all black, and the groom wore a black suit. The ties were in shades of lavender, to match the bridesmaids dresses. It was a very chic look, and enabled the bridal party to stay cool in the 100-degree weather! (even at 5pm!!)

Here's some pictures, both from the event, and the flowers before. The photographer was a friend of Ashley's, when I am able to find her name, I will give her credit. She did a fabulous job!

The ceremony was held in Ashley's mother's back yard garden, and they had a reception following. While a simple affair, it was simply stunning! Her mother's back yard is a wonderful place to have a party, even more so for a wedding!

Bridal Bouquet, with Calla Lilies

& Blue Curiosa Roses. Two of the Bridesmaids Bouquets, also with the Calla Lilies, but with Vendela Roses.

All were tied with Ivory Satin ribbon, and the Bridesmaids Bouquets had beautiful organza ribbon bows. I also attached a

lovely little pendant on the Bridal Bouquet for Ashley, it was a Champagne Diamond, to match her Engagement Ring. (she has a lovely Champagne Diamond solitaire!!) I don't have any pictures of it, but it was "something old" for her.

Corsages, Vendela Ivory Roses, and Blue Curiosa Roses with a wired ivory satin bow. Could either be pinned or worn as a wrist corsage.

Some shots of the tables & the red carpet. The centerpieces were sand-filled vases with sea shells & candles, with a scatter of rose petals on around them.

For the aisle that Ashley walked down, she found a gorgeous red carpet, and I scattered rose petals on it. Such a fun touch, the red carpet!

She was such a beautiful bride, and it shows that you don't have to spend a small fortune to have a BEAUTIFUL wedding!!

I was even able to "upgrade" all of her flowers, adding some things she didn't even expect. This is what I love about what I do, being able to provide beautiful items for a bride who may have otherwise had to go down to Costco, buy flowers, and put them together herself.

Next up, photographs from the Jackson-Barlow wedding! A last-minute affair I threw together in 7 days (it was a blast!!)

Twitter!

2009-06-22T08:14:00.000-07:00

Adair Weddings is now on Twitter!!

https://twitter.com/AdairWeddings

Nothing very exciting yet.....I can't decide what to "update" about to be honest!! I don't think "the heat is driving me crazy" is interesting...since I'm sure it's driving everyone in Dallas crazy!

Also, sorry for not blogging lately, I've been having a wee bit of trouble getting INTO blogger the past couple of weeks. BUT, I have been writing a bit, I just need to do an edit and copy/paste on here.

Stay cool everyone...seems like summer here in the Big D is going to be WICKED!!! Keep your flowers in the fridge as much as possible before your wedding....no bride wants wilted flowers on her big day!

Ta-Ta for now

Recent Creations

2009-06-01T14:41:00.001-07:00

So, yeah, I have been rather remiss in my blogging as of late. It's this brutal transition from spring to summer....ugh! One would THINK that after 10 Dallas summer, I would be used to the brutal heat, scorching sun, and wilting humidity!

However, the heat has NOT stopped the creative machine that I am (hahaha!), here's some recent things I've thrown together, and a view of what happens when you keep curly willow branches around!!

I found these GORGEOUS pink bi-color roses, white roses, and a few solid pink roses, hand-tied (and all the roses are the HUGE ones, I really do try to always work with the larger roses...60-70cm. They just make that much MORE of a statement! And contrary to what many will tell you, they are NOT that much more expensive. Don't settle for 40-cm roses ladies!!!!) with this unique two-tone wired ribbon, accented with a gorgeous antique "something blue" brooch. Even more amazing, I took all the pictures! (in the middle of the night...and even employed a couple new photography tricks!)

A close up of the brooch I stuck on here. Another brooch that I picked up in a lot on ebay (love ebay for wedding items!! IF you know what to look for!!). I put it on here merely for the purpose of taking the picture, so if this brooch is your hearts desire, I am sure I can part with it. It's blue crystals, and tiny little seed "pearls" (not real I am sure). Even further creating the authenticity of it being an antique, it's missing a couple stones. Very much a "something old" item!! I just love this one, it's really one of the more unique brooches I have come across.

Curly Willow is VERY popular for centerpieces. It's gorgeous, TALL, and it really makes a statement. Plus it's not a small fortune. However, I have recently discovered something new about this little branch. When kept in water, water that is changed and kept fresh, it makes roots, THEN it makes new growth! So while the hydrangeas have long since dried out (but I keep them, just because they are still beautiful, plus it's great to see an example of "width" in a centerpiece), these curly willow branches just get prettier!!

As I started only really "tending" 3 of the 5 "sticks", only 3 have sprouted at this point. But you can see in this closeup, how much new growth there is! When I first purchased these about a month ago, they were just sticks, with about 5 green spots.

Now they have roots, and are really sprouting! So my experiment will continue, to see how green I can actually get these suckers. I have faith I can get them pretty green, because the curly willow from the Ling/Lichliter wedding is doing the same thing, it just has about a month head start on mine. I need to pop back down there and take a picture of the two big vases of them, they are GORGEOUS!! We used those HUGE vases (that are really big candle holders from Target), and put the rocks in the bottom. Now the roots are growing into the rocks, the branches just so green & lovely, that I am going to attempt to make the bit I have in MY house do the same thing!!

I didn't take a picture of the roots on MY curly willow yet, because it's not enough to show up on the camera. I estimate a few more weeks, it will really be awesome!!! And yes, those hydrangeas are dead...they've dried out, but still retain their shape, color, etc. I love it!!

A pretty little bouquet. White & Pink roses, Hot Pink Hydrangea, Blue Hydrangea, and these GORGEOUS big leafy green things that I have NO idea what they are, but I have to find out, because they are just awesome!

Side view. You can see the fun "treatment" that I gave the handle...with the chocolate satin ribbon, and chocolate "sparkle" tulle. I don't normally cover the handle entirely, but I thought it would be pretty on this one. Especially with the big green things in the bouquet.

For some reason, I cannot get the second bouquet to "flip" (the photograph!!). It's white roses, bi-color pink roses, with blue hydrangeas throughout. I did the hand-tied effect, on this one I first wrapped the stems with chocolate satin ribbon, and then did a french-style wrap with the turquoise blue ribbon, and added some pearls. A bride of mine, Karen, we are doing something nearly identical, but with just WHITE roses, and then the gorgeous dark purple calla lilies. Her color of blue is a tad lighter, but I believe she's wanting a similar wrap on the handle. Unless I find something so fabulous, she changes her mind! *smiles*

Which brings me to this. So I had mentioned the whole finding dresses on the fly, etc. I found the most GORGEOUS silk Lazaro gown. It's this stunning Ivory silk, but the style, no way, it's such a throwback to the 90's. However, I picked it up so cheap (under $20), I am going to do the unthinkable and take it apart for the fabric. Ivory silk bouquet wraps....how gorgeous will that be? *drools* At a cheaper cost than the synthetic ones I can get through my wholesaler! (and can be completely custom!!)

So, off to find a decent pair of scissors. I lost my really good pair at a recent wedding. WHOOPS!

2009-05-27T12:49:00.000-07:00

Wowzers, I've been a little naughty over the past week, not writing anything!! With the holiday weekend, and the last week of school, it's like bam!, things are insane!

I thought I'd cover some cute things today....accessories!! Favors, garters, fun little touches that are what makes a wedding personal!

I came across this fabulous little company the other day, they are based in Miami, GirlyBows, and they make the most exquisite party favors, table decor, and some really "girly" accessories! Great for showers, weddings, birthday parties, etc. I especially love the money/card boxes, and I LOVE that everything is custom made!

http://www.girlybows.com/

Garters...
To wear or not to wear. Brides, even if you aren't going to do the all-famous (and embarrassing!) toss, I think you should wear one, even if only you and your husband are the ones who see it. (and maybe the photographer because he/she took a shot of it before you put it on) It's just a tradition I feel shouldn't be forgotten!! However, there is always the problem of finding ONE that is "you". I mean, who wants the same old boring one from Wal-Mart that everyone else buys? It's not like you can walk into any department store or lingerie department and BUY one either (they really are quite hard to find!!), so many brides turn to the internet. There are many sites that have some gorgeous (and expensive ones), but hey, you only get married once, right? =) Here's some sites I love for this (and one ebay seller that has pretty ones!) Many of these places also sell coordinating accessories for other aspects of your wedding as well. Several do custom orders.

Wedding Favors Unlimited
http://www.weddingfavorsunlimited.com/Wedding_Garters.html

My Garter, personalized & custom garters
http://mygarter.com/

Ice Standard
http://www.icestandard.org/content/view/102/wedding-bridal-garters.html

Eye Catching Creations (Military & Sports themes! Website is a little difficult to navigate)
http://www.eyecatchingcreations.com/mystore/

Trent Valley Mercantile-Canadian Ebay Seller
They do alot of custom items, all is very good quality, and fabulous customer service. What more could a girl ask for?? Oh yeah, they don't charge you a small fortune!
http://stores.shop.ebay.com/Trent-Valley-Mercantile__W0QQ_armrsZ1

I have to say, I know I listed several different companies to find garters, but hands down, I recommend the last the most. Their pricing is amazing, and they just have gorgeous items! Debbie is quick to respond, and I always like to recommend small-time merchants if I can. =)

As far as other wedding accessories, ring pillow, guest book, flower girl basket, there are just SO many options out there. Most of the companies I posted in regards to garters also sell these other items, many of them to match the garter. A really neat option for the flower girl & ring bearer is to buy plain white (or ivory) basket/pillow, and then "dress" them up with your wedding colors by using ribbons, crystals, charms, etc. You can take a $6 pillow and turn it into a work of art without spending $45 on something that is going to be used for less than an hour! Same with the basket. If you are really creative, you can actually make these two things.

For the guest book, a fun idea is to use a scrapbook, start a few pages back, and have guests write in their "advice", "best wishes", etc. Then you can add your pictures in after the pages of the written advice, and the first few pages can be your invitation, program, and other items from you wedding (place cards, table numbers, things like that). It's a great keepsake, and you'll have it forever! Plus you can display it on your coffee table! Whereas the normal guestbook, well, if you're like me, it'll be stuck up in a closet for the next million and a half years! In the years since my wedding, that guest book, that was SOOOoooooooooooooooooo important (and that I spend like $40 on!) hasn't been opened more than once. The ONLY reason I've even opened it? Because I was digging in a closet for something and it fell off the shelf it was on and bonked me in the head!

How about instead of buying a $20 pen with the feather & weird stand, taking a few plain Bic pens, wrapping them in ribbons (to match your colors), and topping with various silk flowers. Place these in a ribbon wrapped cup (try ikea for a glass, they are under $1!) or clear glass with some type of rocks or clear gems at the bottom, and voila!, you have a pretty container that is actually pens! You can also take these pens (and you can use gel inks if you want some color & sparkle) and make them like a small flower "garden" by using larger containers. Use some sand in the container, and wrap the pens with green ribbon for a "stem" of the flower at the end. Way cooler than a feather pen (unless you have feathers incorporated in the wedding...which feathers are REALLY fun to use in centerpieces!!)

Voila! Some fun ideas that also save you some money. Great for the bride who likes the whole DIY route, or is super crafty. I've done many of these ideas myself for brides....well, I mean, that IS why you hire a wedding planner......to have someone to do all your wonderful ideas while you enjoy your engagement!

Next time.....why are flowers SO expensive anyway? The myth of Silk VS Real!

Okay, so maybe not. But I'll come up with something interesting.

Simple Rose Hand Tied Bouquets

2009-05-20T08:09:00.001-07:00

Just a couple of bouquets I threw together recently. The purple (it really is purple...I don't have the most fabulous camera, so it looks a little "off" in the color) roses are Blue Curiosa, wrapped with a shimmery organza ribbon & accented with a gorgeous crystal brooch (antique of course, for the "something old"!)

I actually found the brooch on ebay in a huge lot of antique brooches. I love to use these in completely random ways, such as adding a brooch to a plain tank top, using it to "pick up" part of a skirt, attaching to a beautiful satin ribbon & tying around neck or your wrist,
taking a pair of matching brooches and putting
on your favorite pair of shoes (yes, yes, I love shoes!), or even placing one somewhere on a handbag to add some extra "flair". (yes, I used the word "flair". It's a requirement, those 15 pieces of flair!) *grins*

Seriously though, there are so many neat uses for brooches, I think it's wonderful that such an awesome piece of jewelery is becoming popular again!

This particular pink is my second favorite rose variety, Rosita Vendela. They range from pale to deep pink with a hint of white/cream in them. They are almost a bi-color rose, but not quite. This year Martha Stewart used them in her Mother's Day arrangements on FTD.com

This particular bouquet of the Rosita Vendela's have a gorgeous "bouquet jewel" in them, a pink crystal bow. The pink crystals range from light to dark pink, and I think they add something special to this already gorgeous bouquet!

There are 17 roses (normally I use 18-22, but it was all I had...I made these just to make them really!) hand tied with a white satin ribbon (I use double-face satin, it's a heavier weight, and is nicer to the touch), and accented with a gorgeous pink crystal dragonfly brooch!

These sweet little arrangements have the Rosita Vendela roses, and small daises for accent. Ivory satin ribbon is wrapped around the container (the "vases" are actually sorbet cups!!), and I made small ivory bows with some wired ribbon.

I made these for my daughter's preschool teachers, just to brighten their weekend! They were SO pretty. You can see the darker Rosita Vendela roses in these arrangements!

This corsage was done for my neighbor's daughter Stephanie for her prom. She wore the most gorgeous blue cinderella ballgown, and the ribbon on the corsage matches it perfectly (and it also matches the ribbon on the corset back of her dress. Intentional matching of course!) It has an Oriental Lily (mmmm, yummy smell!), a single Blue Curiosa Rose, and a sprig of Blue-Purple Hydrangea from my personal garden. I also made a matching flower for her date, Caleb. It's just a single Blue Curiosa Rose with simple greenery. I'm hoping to have some pictures of the two of them, as she looked stunning!!! (I did her makeup as well)

Next time....I'm not sure yet. Perhaps a post on some details, and how to have gorgeous accessories for prices that won't break the budget!

A peek into Fall

2009-05-17T12:03:00.001-07:00

So yesterday I had a "pow-wow" with one of my brides, Erin. For the occasion, I threw together some bouquets, a couple of table arrangements, and of course...I made some chocolate cake balls. Here's some pictures of the flowers!

We also had a wonderful cake tasting at Annie's Bakery, a cake place located in the tiny suburb where I live in Murphy. I just love this bakery, they have fabulous cakes, and she does cupcakes for her tastings! I even got to take a couple home...they have GREEN icing on them, my son's FAVORITE color. I guess now I don't have to bake him that green cake this week! =) While I'm not a huge fan of icing, her White Chocolate Buttercream, mmmmmmm. That was yummy. I highly recommend her, especially as she's got great talent, AND she's not a small fortune either. She never freezes cake (yay!), and only takes a couple of weddings each weekend, which makes me VERY comfortable because I know that the cake will be there on time, it will be gorgeous, AND it will be fresh!

Erin has choosen a gorgeous paprika color for her bridesmaids dresses, and they will all have accents of a gorgeous gold color. It's a fall wedding, and we are completely running with the theme!! Hydrangeas, red roses, orange roses, these gorgeous yellowy-orange roses with red centers (the prettiest bi-color roses I've seen. Now to find their NAME!), red hypercium berries, the miniature calla lilies in the reds, Mmmm, it's going to be GORGEOUS!

The two bouquets here are just a starting point, for size, to see some colors, etc. I cannot wait to see the reception with the HUGE dramatic centerpieces...the tall vases, the gorgeous antique hydrangeas, the tall budding curly willow branches, and clusters of hydrangeas on the branches! We're actually going to do several types, to make it not completely uniform. Smaller vases with roses, probably some dahlias, and lots and lots of candlelight!

The detail's are all still coming together, but with the cake tasting yesterday, and the meeting about flowers, I just want to fast-forward to September, to see how all the hard work will play out, and to see a truly wonderful couple share their joy & love with their families!!

A look into my "office". =) Yup, my kitchen table loaded with all the wedding "stuff". And of course the all-important computer...where all the magic starts! Okay, so maybe thats really my brain, but I didn't think posting a picture of my brain was very wedding-y!

Up next.....some spring & summer flowers, and a peek into the world of Tiara Making....wait, okay, so maybe just a peek into some ideas FOR wedding tiaras! *grins*

Money

2009-05-16T09:53:00.000-07:00

This is completely off topic, but Monday is my son's 3rd birthday. Birthday's are usually HUGE around here, I go all out, big cake, party, the whole she-bang.

However this year there was a caveat, as daddy (my husband) was called out of the country on business (lucky bugger actually!!! Back down in Sydney, I'm incredibly jealous!). So, we decided to postpone the birthday celebrations, since Theoden IS only 3, he'll be okay and not really notice the difference.

OOPS. I think I was a little wrong on that front! Because Eowyn (big sister, my oldest) has it all figured out, and she knows how to read a calender now! (smart, but ruins my plans!!) So she's been telling Theoden all week that his birthday is on Monday. Then today, the mail came, and of course Miss Eowyn found the birthday cards before I could intersect them to hold them until Monday.

Yeah, didn't work out so much! But this is where is gets adorable. His Sugar and PawPaw sent him a small amount of "mondey" (as he says it), $5 to be exact (little stinker, he KNEW how much it was too!! How on earth did he learn about money???). Then there's a second card, this one JUST a card. Total 3-yr old MELTDOWN because there wasn't any "mondey" in it! SO, being a mommy, I took it back and said that maybe he missed it, ran into the kitchen and slipped in the only bill I had in my wallet, a $10 bill. Little stinker knew how much THAT was too!! So now he is RUNNING around the house yelling that he now has enough "mondey" to buy the toy noise-making helicopter he wants at Wal-Mart (yes, he said he's buying it from Wal-Mart). The best part? The toy he's talking about is $15 even at Wal-Mart! This was something he saw 2 weeks ago, and I had told him "no, it's $15, you can spend $1". He REMEMBERED the amount of money he needed to buy that toy!

Just so adorable! I wish I had taken the time last night to clear my camera, because a picture of that would have been priceless!! However, I'll leave it with some pictures of him from the wedding a couple weeks ago....he made the most ADORABLE ring bearer!! I still cannot get over how darn cute his little tux was!!

Yes, it was as hot and humid as it looks that day...the two of them just look like they are melting a bit once they got to the steps!!!

Next time....I will post some pictures of the lovely flowers I've assembled for this weekend. It's prom (ugh, corsages!!! All those tiny bows), and I have a couple of floral consultations as well. Of COURSE I made a lovely batch of chocolate cake balls for the occasion. Hey, I have to serve my brides something sweet, don't I? Might as well me pretty too!

Photography

2009-05-14T15:42:00.000-07:00

So, a few days ago I mentioned that I would put up some information on Wedding Photography...sometimes a controversial issue! Mainly due to cost, many couples struggle with this decision. Personally I feel that wedding photography is not only as important, but also as personal as the type of undergarments the bride chooses to wear!

There are many types of photographers....different styles, personalities, approaches to the art. I call it art because it IS an art form, and when it is your WEDDING day, it becomes very very personal. You want a photographer who will not only take the key shots (walking down the aisle, groom's reaction to the bride's beautiful entrance, the first kiss, family shots, etc), but also one who will capture the essence of your day! There's always videography, but lets face it, how many times are you REALLY going to watch the video of your vows? Most couples who choose to do the videography choose this option due to special friends and/or family who are unable to attend their wedding. But pictures are something you will display in your home, on your walls, and give to your family! (especially your parents, even more so if they are the ones paying for it!!!)

I ALWAYS recommend to my brides to first set a budget for photography. THEN start looking at photographers that are in your budget. Photography for your wedding can be anywhere from $500 (any less, and I really tell them to be completely SURE the photographer is worth it!! There is HOURS Of post-processing in wedding photography...at LEAST 20, typically close to 100 and this is factored into the price you pay) to over $10,000.

Once you have set a budget, really do alot of research, what style you want, if you want a traditional wedding style, or the current trend of "photo journalism" type coverage. Then look at what type of post-event processing you want (airbrushing, toning, changing the colors, sepia, black & white, etc. The possibilities are ENDLESS!!!), and then start interviewing.

In the age of digital (because 99% of wedding photographers shoot in digital these days...it's more cost effective, and you can do more effects. Airbrushing is SO MUCH EASIER in digital! Any photographer worth their weight will be able to do this in a way that is natural and NOT weird looking) more pictures are shot, and you can even go the route of not having your photographer make your wedding album or any proofs. They can throw it all up on a website for you to share with your family and friends, and throw everything on a CD for you to print yourself. They will probably need to be contacted if you want SUPER DUPER huge pictures (large than 16x20 usually), but this keeps costs WAY down, and gives the couple a little more flexibility and time to create their wedding album.

Photography, there are many options. From finding a fabulous photographer who is just starting out in weddings (this takes trust, but if you are on a budget, I recommend it. I personally keep a list of this type of photographers, and you can get your entire wedding with engagements & bridal sessions for under $1,000) to the super-duper pro who's done more weddings than they can possibly remember (this category goes for photographers who have done at LEAST 100 weddings. You will also pay a HUGE premium for this type of photographer....at the least $3500 is the base price...but you'll average around $5,000 if you want albums, engagement session, and bridal sessions. Some of these types of photographers even cover the rehearsal, which I think is really awesome. You'll have some great memories of what is usually a fun relaxed family affair!!

I do have some favorite photographers, but I never EVER push them on my brides....because while I do like some vendors, how they work, their personalities, etc, every bride had a different idea of what SHE wants (okay, the groom too!), and I feel that while I can give recommendations, when it comes to the wedding photography, it's just such a personal thing!

My top three Photographers here in Texas

Laura Haney Photography (Excellent photographs, and great pricing for those brides on a budget)
Stacey Reeves Photography (quite a unique gal. I've got some fantastic pictures of her "dancing" at a recent wedding!!!!)
Ed Verosky Photography (while based in Austin, he is FABULOUS. I just adore him and his work!!!!)

Of course there are others I love....and I have a huge list of great photographers. These are just some I enjoy working with, and they are all a pretty good range as far as pricing, so it gives you some different ideas on how much to spend!

And one parting word of advice. Please please PLEASE do not count on Uncle Joe to take your wedding pictures!!!! UNLESS he is an experienced wedding photographer and is also willing to actually give you some type of contract (just to put everything down in stone, and gives you options if he drinks too much and just gets shots of your shoes). Just because he has a nice camera does NOT mean he knows how to use it for a wedding!!! This is just something I feel so strongly about. If your budget is tight...cut something else out. Alcohol, special favors, those super designer invitations....you HAVE to have good photography, because you can never EVER recreate the 'bridal glow' that you will only have on your wedding day! Sorry guys, re-doing them, it's just not going to be the same. TRUST me on this one!!!

Cheers!

Julia
Photography credits go to Adair Weddings and Ed Verosky Photography.

Ling/Lichliter Wedding May 2, 2009

2009-05-11T12:28:00.001-07:00

A selection of arrangements & special details from

the Wedding of

Miss Zi Ling & Mr (soon to be Dr) Gary Lichliter

Ceremony Program (outside) I did these at the very last minute...as in the day before! They came out wonderfully!

The ribbon in this picture is NOT the one we used. In fact, I purchased the thin little ribbons in Chocolate Brown, Taupe, Champagne, and Ivory, and so the programs ended up having different ribbon colors. Gary (the groom!) picked out slightly different paper as well. The paper I used to a "template", I only had ONE sheet of it, but the end result was nearly identical. Fairly easy to put together, and the total cost was under $30 for 150 programs. Programs from a printer will run anywhere from $75-$1,000 for 100 programs (depends on the detail!) I've never had the cost run over $100 for DIY programs. (okay, so I don't factor in as much time as I should...but that is why you have bridesmaids....to tie bows & finish things like this!)

Forsythia (silk) & red lanterns that were hung from the trees. The Groom's mother, Carol bought the forsythia branches, and her friend Michelle took a set of plain white paper lanterns on a lighted string (from Target of course!!!) and spray painted them red, since red is the color of "luck" in Chinese Tradition. (Zi is from China, so this wedding was a huge blend of east meets west.

The effect was just stunning, and you can see the yard is already beautiful without anything else! These pictures were actually taken AFTER the tents have been taken down, but still give an idea of a cool look for an afternoon wedding! Best part? Since it was overcast, we were able to actually turn the lights ON, and they just glowed!!!

Another lovely little detail...inexpensive, yet can be really pretty when used! I made these paper cones out of 4 different shades and textures of Ivory paper and then using the same stamp as we used for the invitations AND programs, stamped the top inside of the comes. We chose to not emboss these (as the programs and invitations were done) simply because they were only for the rose toss. Sadly because of the rain, we didn't get a chance to use them

Little bows can also be added to paper cones, as well as the couple's names and wedding date. There is even paper you can buy that is embedded with wildflower seeds, and your guests can plant the "cones" after the wedding!

Small table arrangement with Gebera Daisies, small sticks of curly willow, and Hypercium Berries (the red type). Placed in a rectangular vase of clear crystal. Can be placed in any type of lower vase. These vases were about 6" high.
These cute little arrangements were used for small "cocktail" table in a "mingling" area. (the wedding was a cocktail-type party...not a seated or buffet dinner/lunch) We chose these types of flowers because they blended in beautifully with the gorgeous garden backyard of the groom's parents!

Something like this can also be sent home with your guests....it's not super expensive ($25) yet has a wonderful personality of it's own!!!

Creamy Hydrangeas with blue-green accents (SO gorgeous) with Curly Willow.

These large arrangements used creamy hydrangeas that had green and/or blue accents to them. (I believe they are the "antique" hydrangeas. Doesn't matter, they were GORGEOUS!! Also, these pictures were taken 6 days after the event...shows how well they stood up!

One of the "bouquets" that I threw together at the last minute to place on the cake.

Assorted roses in "julep" style silver containers. We used the green, orange, yellow-red, and these pretty reddish roses I found. These centerpieces were used in random spots throughout the event. They added a nice pop of color, and a couple of the roses actually had that gorgeous scent that you usually only get from either purple varieties or roses or roses from your garden!

Green dendrobium orchid boutonniere with hypercium berries. For the "background" (the two leaves) I used leaves that I had snapped off the hypercium stems.

Another of the Gebera daisy, Hypercium Berries, and Curly Willow centerpieces. This sits on the most popular spot for the indoor portion of the event...the bar!

This photograph was taken 5 days AFTER the ceremony, so it just shows you that if taken care of properly, fresh flowers will last a long time! Of course it helps buying flowers wholesale, the same day they are delivered from the grower! (I try my best to plan all trips to the floral wholesale site within 48hrs of their delivery. This way you'll have the freshest flowers possible, but they won't look like one of those 1-800 flower places send out from time to time!

A smaller Hydrangea & Curly Willow arrangement (note the different vase used here...it's smaller and not nearly as all) I cannot take ANY credit for his, as it was Dr Wayne Lichliter (the groom's father's twin!) who put this together! In fact with all the late nights pulled for this event, he really saved me a TON of time. Plus he's just awesome to hang out with. =)

For those of you who are on a tight budget, anything above can be re-created in smaller sizes, what will work with your budget, etc. Also if you have a special set of vases you would like me to use, please let me know! I love using vintage items, or items that are sentimental to a bride and/or groom in their wedding. One of my favorites is taking fabric from a favorite relative of the bride & turn it into a super unique, completely customized ribbon/wrap for your bridal bouquet! And of COURSE slipping in something blue (even if it is just a single crystal!) and attaching hankies. 90% of brides start crying at some point, and this will come in handy. Plus it'll keep you from ruining your makeup....the professional makeup that probably cost a small fortune to have applies.

*unless otherwise noted all photographs, designs, and floral arrangements are courtesy of Adair Weddings. All items can be re-created! Please bear in mind we at Adair Weddings like at LEAST 2wks notice if you need/want us to create and finish programs for your ceremony, paper cones for a rose toss, place cards & table numbers, and reserved signs (a MUST if you are having an outdoor wedding, or not having ushers escort guests to their seats). We can either purchase paper for these items, or create them from paper provided. Contact us for pricing on these items, as they tend to vary depending on the style/design you choose.

Misc Ramblings....

2009-05-10T20:32:00.000-07:00

Detail of Alannah Hill She's Thrilled Frock (detail is on bottom of skirt area)

So, I WAS going to post about Photography, and why you should have a professional, yadda yadda. BUT, since it's Sunday night and not only am I a day late in posting, I'm also not in "wedding mode" at the moment!!! I've recently begun a closet cleanup....and my brain is a little obsessed (okay, alot!) with shoes & clothing at the moment!!

I wanted to share one of my favorite designers here in the US, Nanette Lepore. Also my favorite (and okay, I'll admit it, I like her more than NL!) designer out of the US, Alannah Hill. Both have exquisite details in their clothing, everything is well tailored, and the clothing is just GORGEOUS!!!!!! Here's some links to the designer's "official" sites, then I"m going to add some pictures of MY favorite pieces (that I have the privilege to actually own!) No, no, no, don't get excited....I'm super cheap and everything has come from either ebay or super-duper deep discounts at a coupe of outlets I hit up. That I have friends who work for the company (two major department stores come to mind!) who seriously hook me up. Otherwise I'd be sporting Gap and Banana Republic clothing, from the sale rack! (okay, so often I am sporting those two retailers!!! Gap is fab for basics, and BR for some key pieces....like pants that fit my booty!)

Alannah Hill (it's an Australian site, also uses flash, so it can be slow at times)
http://www.alannahhill.com.au/

Nanette Lepore (flash site...can be slow at times. drat it all, why can't everything be plain html?)
http://www.nanettelepore.com/nanette_lepore_08/index_new.html

Some of my favorite favorite pieces (Okay, so I only own 3 Alannah Hill items....but it isn't sold here in the US, and I have to find sellers on ebay who don't want my money AND a pint of blood!!! lol)

She's Thrilled Frock (I love it, they use "frock" instead of "dress". How proper!!) All pictures were taken from the ebay seller I purchased the dress from. I saw it when I was in Sydney in the middle of March, and just fell in love with it. I nearly purchased it before I left, but couldn't wrap my head around the cost. I was lucky to find it on ebay for much less. Of course, now I need an occasion to wear it!

Photograph from ebay seller lv157, who has a wonderful Alannah Hill store.
She also ships to the US happily at very nice prices! With the current exchange rate, for the quality of the clothing, you'll get a good deal if you visit her store! She has some FABULOUS items as well. Also ships extremely fast for being half a world away!!!

Alannah Hill "Oooh Juicy Lips" Cami. Found this little gem for such a low price, I'm reluctant to admit it! (I seriously felt like I was stealing from the seller...especially since she only charged me the amount I would normally pay for domestic shipping in the US, not registered international mail!!!) I was VERY luck to obtain it in both the Nude AND the Pink. Apparently the pink version was a sample made, but never produced for the retail Alannah Hill stores. I've only worn the nude one, and received so many compliments I cannot wait for a reason to wear the pink one next!!!

The Detail on these cami's, they are INCREDIBLE!!

On to Nanette Lepore. I'm going to post a few of my personal favorites...not all of them do I personally own...I think even if I had endless fund for clothing, I would be hesitant to buy all I love. At heart, I am simply a girl (okay, woman!) who loves beautiful clothing, but cannot justify purchasing items unless they are at fabulous bargains! (My goal is to take over the entire closet, perhaps my husband can take over a hall closet or something)

Amour Cream Silk Top

Gorgeous cream silk top....with a rosette at the chest. Can be worn
untucked" with slacks, skirt, or tucked into either. I personally love to pair this top with a gorgeous Cynthia Steffie skirt I picked up a couple years ago for less than $10 in ebay, and the result is really quite pretty, if I may sat so myself!! The skirt has "kick pleats" in the front, where there are beaded flowers, which helps tie in the rosette on this top. Black (or brown) heels, and I"m good to go! On cooler days I add a neutral color cardigan. Hey, Texas weather is very unpredictable!!

Black "bustier", black lace over a gorgeous orangy-red-iridescent fabric. Simply stunning! I admit I got the picture from the seller I obtained the top from, it's not my own. At $2.99 plus $3 shipping, it was a deal I could simply not resist! (not to mention it had been freshly dry-cleaned!)
A gorgeous top to wear out on the town with slacks or dressy jeans, or JUST the right skirt. It can also be work strapless! I wish I had the style "name", but alas I do not! Nanette typically "names" all her designs.

Just a small sampling of my insane and out-of control closet, but also some great pieces that can help inspire the bride-to-be! I think the above proves that ebay is a fantastic site, and you can really find some fabulous bargains there! All items posted above were under $30, with the exception of the Alannah Hill dress, and one must bear in mind that the "retail" starts at $195 for the items above (most are in the $300 range. In US dollars)

All for now. My next post....Shoes, and some fabulous options for your wedding day, that fit IN your budget! Shoes do not need to be $500 to be beautiful on your wedding day!!

I promise I am going to get to the photography subject...but isn't it more fun to cover shoes and fashion? After all, most brides need to plan the honeymoon wardrobe!!!

Cheers!

Julia

Wedding Dresses

2009-05-08T09:55:00.001-07:00

The Dress. The second "star of the show", the first being the bride. We all know how INSANELY expensive wedding dresses are, but as a bride, you want to be a princess, have a gorgeous gown, etc on your one special day. Soooo, you dole out the thousands on a stunning creation that you'll wear once.

Or will you.

You see, modern technology has given brides some options when it comes to buying a wedding dress. Ebay is one of my favorite places to troll, as I often find dresses that cost thousands go for less than $100 (with or without shipping). In fact, occasionally, I pick up a dress here and there, because I know that I come across brides who WANT the fairy princess $1000 dress, but simply cannot afford it. Then I get to step in and be the fairy godmother, and wave my "magic" wand.

If you don't have time to troll ebay, search through craigslist, various wedding websites, etc, I am more than happy to help find your dream dress as a price that you can afford. I cannot always promise success, but I will try everything in my power!!! One thing to keep in mind, ESPECIALLY on ebay, is watch out for sellers who sell 15 Vera Wang dresses at $100 or less. Chances are you will be buying a fake. I recommend sticking to small-time sellers, or someone who offers a return policy. Always ALWAYS use a credit card via Paypal, this way if you do get taken, you have some protection (as ebay doesn't always, okay, rarely, hold seller accountable). Please please please avoid sellers from overseas that scream "we can make anything, any size, whatever color you want, all for $249.99!!!". These are some of the poorest quality gowns a bride can buy....you CAN get lucky, but 9 times out of 10, yeah, it's not so pretty. This doesn't stop people from buying them, or stop these "seamstresses" from selling them (I personally love the "we are a factory for a famous label, your dress will be the same thing without the label!" line). If you are in doubt, contact a professional! Most wedding planners will be able to help you with this. If you really don't feel so good about a deal, walk away. Well actually, run the other direction!!!

I also have contacts where I can pick up "sample" gowns for a fraction of their original cost (yay!). These are typically in a size 10 (wedding dress size 10, which is about a street size 4-8 depending on the designer), and can be taken in, but not always taken up. This is for both wedding dresses AND bridesmaids dresses. I even keep some dresses on hand in my office from time to time, and I am more than happy to pass savings on to you if I can!

Of course MOST brides want the oh-so-fabulous fun of trying on gowns, going to different bridal shops, etc. (of course you can always shop the boutiques, and find your gown cheaper elsewhere!) I think EVERY bride should take the time to make an appointment with a truly luxe bridal salon. (even if you know you cannot afford a $10,000 dress!) It's just an experience you will remember forever, and it really is MUCH more fun than some well-known "big box" bridal shops across the US. Of course if you are in NYC, you simply must make time to visit Klienfield's....as there's nothing like it anywhere else!

In closing, there are a million options when searching for your wedding gown. In the end, please remember it is YOUR day, and you should have the final say on your dress!! Don't let your bridesmaids talk you into that poofy butt-bow, or electric blue dress to be "different", unless you really really feel that you want it!! Just because mom's paying for the dress, it doesn't mean she gets to pick it! Remember, it's the dress YOU have to wear on YOUR wedding day, and it will be forever remembered in the photographs you'l have sitting on your coffeetable for years to come. *smiles*

Tomorrow.....Photography. To spend or not to spend! (and why you should!)

Tips & Tricks

2009-05-06T08:52:00.001-07:00

Since I am still working on the details from my most recent wedding, I thought my post today would be about some tips & tricks in the wedding industry!

A few "cost-saving" things to look at closely.....

Printing your own invitations.

Before committing to this, you must look at the cost of your time, ink from your printer, and do you REALLY want to spend hours doing this? The savings factor, it's not always there. Typically invitations run about $100-$200 for 100 (this includes invitation, envelopes, reply cards, and usually the inner lined envelope). Printing at home, it's REALLY close. Most "kits" run about $40 for 48 invitations, ink about $20 (depending on the cost of your ink cartridges), and then any additional details, bows, stamping, etc will be around $20. So you are looking at a cost of about $140 (ish) to print 96 invitations!

I have personally done the invitations for brides before, and the savings is never more than about $50, UNLESS we're talking about some serious detail, I really REALLY recommend to brides that they order invitations! Unless of course they need 48 or less to send out, then it's worth it, as pricing for invitations typically starts around $75.

Doing your own flowers

This is an interesting subject. IF (and only IF!) you feel comfortable with all the work that it takes to put together bouquets, corsages, boutonnieres, this can be a cost-saving option. But to really have savings, you need to stick with one or two types of flowers, and keep it simple! If your dream bouquet had orchids in it, please hire a professional! Orchids are VERY fragile, and they really need to be handled in a specific way, as well as wrapped/wired for use in a bouquet. If it's simple roses you are after, it's possible to do it yourself. Sams Club is going to be the best option for flowers, just be sure you order at least a month in advance, or else you may not get the colors you want.

However, I do recommend all brides consult with a florist....no matter what they decide to do. This way you can see in person what it's supposed to look like, and get a good idea of how much work it'll be. You will also be able to find out what is in season on your wedding date, and bear in mind flowers that are in season will cost less than those not in season. Typically any flower can be ordered year-round, some are just more expensive in their "off season". Some colors will not be available at certain times of year. This is one pro of using a florist, as they can typically order just about anything. Doing your own flowers WILL limit your choices.

Something else to keep in mind. Fresh flowers cannot be put together any sooner than the night before, and even then it can be too early. They also need to be stored in either a refrigerator, a cooler, or a room that is kept VERY cool (and dark). If you have an evening wedding, flowers need to be processed and put together the same day, or you run the risk of them dying, browning, etc. It also helps if you can take some sort of class beforehand, as your wedding day is NOT a good time to be working with flowers for the first time!!

DIY Wedding Planning

This can be tricky. While finding vendors, arranging tastings, etc can be done on your own, you are at the mercy of wedding sites, (which many vendor pay for the "preferred" titles!), referrals from friends, etc. A couple of great things about hiring a wedding planner is they have vendors that they know and trust, they typically know who isn't so wonderful, and a GOOD wedding planner will actually save you money on the long run.

There are typically two options when you hire a wedding planner. You can have one from the very beginning, OR do the bulk of it yourself, and hire someone to come in for the rehearsal and the actual wedding to keep everything running smoothly. It sort of gives the bride some peace of mind, and believe me, your vendors will actually thank you, because it makes their job easier. If there is a problem, question, etc, they can ask the wedding planner, and not be bothering the bride for something like "do we have another silver tray for passing drinks?". It really just makes your experience as a bride less stressful, and it WILL make the day run MUCH smoother. I cannot tell you how many times I've attended weddings as a guest, only to end up sending the wedding party down the aisle because no one thought they needed a wedding planner (or the venue's "coordinator" wasn't really there to help the bride).

Also, it never hurts to contact a wedding planner and tell them your budget, etc. They may just help you out because they love weddings (I know I do this because I simply ADORE weddings. There is nothing more wonderful than seeing a couple in love!!), or they may be able to refer you to a planner who's just getting started and is taking on clients at lower fees. It also never hurts to ask for a discount! Most wedding professionals have ads on various websites or in magazines/bridal guides, and they offer discounts in their ads. If you ask, they may give you a discount that they are advertising somewhere!

Having Uncle Joe take the pictures

Unless Uncle Joe is a professional photographer, PLEASE PLEASE hire a wedding photographer!!! If your budget doesn't allow for this, see if you can find a student or a photographer just starting out that will shoot your wedding for the cost of materials (mileage, film (if they use film), processing fees, and any printing costs) for the chance to build his/her portfolio. Just because Uncle Joe had a nice expensive camera does not mean he will know WHAT to shoot, and the angles & lighting needed for the wedding pictures that will actually capture the essence of your day!

Again, a wedding planner can help with this. I personally have a list of photographers I love that have wonderful portfolios (and personalities!!! this is another MUST!!), but I also keep a list of photographers that maybe don't have as much experience, but are willing to work for little to no fees for the chance to build their portfolio.

Wedding Cake

Please, please, PLEASE hire a bakery that has a good reputation for your cake!! If you are in a budget, there are options to save money, and you can go with a simple design as well. A tiered cake has to be constructed properly, or it could be a complete disaster!

Also, I really recommend to brides that LOVE cake, find a bakery that does NOT freeze your cake! Freezing a cake takes away from the texture, and it can often dry a cake out. Most people can't tell the difference from a cake that was frozen, but this is something to keep in mind when interviewing bakeries, and having cake tastings. Most bakeries serve fresh cake for tastings....so it's important to ask if they do this on your wedding day as well! Of course VERY complex designs need to be frozen to come out, so keep this in mind as well. (especially shaped cakes...it's easier to shape a cake that is frozen VS one that has been refrigerated or just baked)

I hope these help someone out. I'll bring more advice as I continue blogging here, but this is a good start! Any questions, please contact me! I welcome questions from brides and/or other professionals in the wedding industry. I always like to talk about weddings....I mean, who wouldn't? Isn't being a part of a love story a wonderful thing?

Cheers!

Julia