Hen Party Craze! - The Ceramic Cafe Revolution

One thing I love about what I do is that nothing is too outrageous!! Everything is accepted much like in fashion! These crazy ideas, whether they are big or small make an impact on the day (that if coordinated well) and creates a spectacle guests will admire and remember for years to come.

So when u thought the typical hen party for the wild-bride was a night on the town with a stripper and some nibblets; and for the weak hearted-bride was a quiet girls night at a restaurant or at home. You couldn't be more wrong!

Bride's are really reaching into their creative sides by going to their local ceramics cafe! Yes you heard - a ceramics cafe! For those wild bride's-to-be, this is the place you go to to paint mugs and plates and other homely or gift items.

I spoke with Paul from Biscuit - Ceramics Cafe in Greenwich, London who told me that the summer months are increasingly busy with bridal hen parties. Biscuit offer an exciting night planned with ceramics, paint and a whole lot of laughter.

It is such an wonderful idea that definitely breaks the norm!!! I couldn't imagine the ladies in the victorian age doing anything quite so adventurous.

If you want to customise your wedding day they this is a great way to do it! An excellent idea I heard from one bride is that her bridal team and herself custom made (terribly - I was told) plates for the head table, maids of honour and the best men. And its something they look back on and giggle about.

"One hen party the bridal cars stopped on the way to the church to pick up the finished pieces so we really were part of the big day." (Paul from Biscuit Biscuit).

Ceramic cafe activities allows a mixed group of strangers to really get involved and get to know each other. Minus the excessive alcohol and the embarrassing stories the day after.

Why not check it out today!

Biscuit - Ceramic Cafe
Paul - 020 8853 8588

LATEST CRAZE UPDATE: Chinese Flying Lanterns

Just a quick post to tell you about the latest craze that is the Chinese Flying Lanterns.

Releasing these lanterns come from a tradition ranging 2000 years back. Hundreds of these flying lanterns would be released at once with hopes, wishes and messages of good luck . Why not inspire your wedding day with this age old tradition and bring prosperity to your future.

Using these in summer months are a great way for customising weddings and you can be sure you haven't seen this done before. Can you just imaging the spectacle?

Inspiration Board - Chic Old Fashioned Elegance

Flower Centrepiece, Bouquet, Table setting, Gown, Invitation, Table Place Names, Cake

Question Time!

Q - "My fiancé and I have two different images in our heads for our wedding day. How do we reach a compromise?" - Nicola, Wedding Date December 2010

A - Well the important part is that you want to reach a compromise. That's step one! You both need to sit down and discuss who is paying for what. Draw up a list of things that are important to each of you. When you do this decide upon which of these aspects will not completely diminish your budget. Don't necessarily say 'no' to those small things that will personalise your wedding day and make it your own.

But be realistic! Don't have ice sculptures, or have a wine fountain on each table if your budget doesn't allow it! This may just overcrowd your guests and take the attention off the bride and groom.

Starting a marriage is going to be a lot of give and take. Treat the wedding planning process as a learning curve! And if all else fails hire a wedding planner!! ;)

I don't know your budget requirements, your vision or even your religious take on weddings so I cannot say what you should and should not do. Although I can tell you want to meet half way and I don't think it will be difficult. Eventhough it is usually all about the bride, and the wedding usually goes her way - but now times are changing and the modern man wants to share this day along side his bride with his own personal touches!

Good luck xx

What to think about when you're ordering a wedding cake

by Jen of Jen's Cakery

The chances are, you’ve never ordered a wedding cake before. No doubt you’ve seen lots of pictures of cakes that you like, but have no idea where to start! This guide will help you if you’re starting to think about your cake.

Choosing a designer

If you aren’t one of the lucky few with a friend or relative who are willing and able to bake and decorate a wedding cake, then you’ll need to find a professional who can do it for you. Ask around and trawl the internet - cake decorators local to your venue will generally be best as you’ll save on delivery costs.

Cake decorators vary hugely. There are large, established companies with shops, but there are also smaller companies, often a sole trader working from home. The latter will often give you the best deal - of course I’m biased, but those of us that work from home are often passionate about making beautiful, and tasty, cakes and offer a really personal service. We’ll often design a cake specifically for you, rather than you choosing from a ‘menu’, and obviously with lower overheads we will generally be more cost effective. Anyone working from home must be registered with the Environmental Health Office and will undergo regular checks just like a shop or restaurant.

When to start thinking about your cake

You’d be surprised how many calls I get from people who need a cake for a wedding in a couple of weeks time! Many cake decorators get booked up far in advance. As soon as you’ve set a date, it’s time to start looking for a cake decorator. Brides often approach me very early on in their engagement, they book in and then fine-tune (or change completely) the design as the other elements of the wedding fall into place.

Setting a budget

You’ve no doubt been advised to “set a budget and stick to it” for all aspects of your wedding. That’s great advice - except that you probably have no idea what a sensible budget for a wedding cake is! It’s impossible to say what the average cake costs because it depends so much on the design, but for 3 tiers you’re looking at anything from budget £200 (supermarket) through to £300-£500 (home-based business) up to £700 - £1000 (top designers).

It’s a good idea to tell your designer what your budget is. She’ll be able to tone down her designs to suit if needed. A few words of wisdom if you would like to keep costs down:

A square cake will always give you more portions than a round one.

Most of the cost of a cake is based on your designer’s time. If you want hundreds of hand-made roses, it’s going to cost more.

Mini-cakes look fabulous, but they do take more time to decorate, so the are a more pricey option. SImilarly cupcakes are often more expensive than a more traditional cake because of the extra work.

If the cake is going to be eaten with coffee after a big meal, your guests probably only need ‘finger portions’ (1”x1”), which will make the cake go further,

If your having a really big wedding, you can “top up” the cake by getting your decorator to bake some extra cakes for the caterers to keep in the kitchen and cut to make up the numbers. These could be undecorated (ie not covered in icing) or covered very simply.

What to ask your decorator

You will no doubt approach several cake decorators to compare prices. Try to give each one sufficient information to get an accurate quote so that you compare them fairly.

You should give them the following information as a minimum (it shouldn’t matter if you haven’t decided on everything yet, at this stage you’re just getting an idea of costs!)

The date of the wedding - this is vitally important! You’d be surprised how many people leave out this crucial information.

The number of guests you’re expecting. You probably only have a ball park figure - that’s fine. There’ll obviously be quite a difference between a cake for 40 people and one for 400.

Are you thinking of cupcakes, mini-cakes or a more traditional tiered cake?

Would you like a traditional fruit cake or sponge cakes?

Are you thinking of keeping the top tier for a future christening?

Where is the wedding going to be? You probably want the decorator to deliver the cake and ensure it’s all set up at the venue. You may be able to save a little by having someone else collect and transport the cake, but speaking from experience, a tiered wedding cake is heavy and fragile, and transporting one can be a stressful business.

The design

Some cake decorators have a ‘menu’ of cakes which they’ll show on their web site, others specialize in bespoke cakes.

There are plenty of magazines on the market with cake ideas - however I have yet to find one that really inspires me, they can be pricey too. I would advise saving your cash and googling instead. This can be daunting - too much choice is not helpful to everyone! If you’ve fallen in love with a cake you’ve seen online, show your decorator a picture. They may well be able to recreate it.

Most people, though, don’t really have a clear picture of the cake they’d like. Your cake decorator will meet up with you to discuss the design. Bring her any design aspects that you already have for your wedding - the invitation, a picture of the dress, colours for the bridesmaids, the flowers, the venue. If you haven’t planned any of these, don’t panic. Your decorator should have lots of pictures of both her own work and of others that she admires, lots and lots of books to show you. These will give you an idea of what’s possible. She may go away and sketch something up for you. Personally, I love creating a cake that is really personal to the couple. Either bringing in aspects of the dress or perhaps some architectural detail at the wedding. Perhaps you share a hobby that you would like reflected in the cake?

Flavours

Traditionally in the UK, cakes have been fruit cake but it’s becoming more and more popular to have something different - carrot cake or chocolate, perhaps.

All reputable designers will give you samples to try, which is really the best thing about the whole process!

A cake is a really great way to make a statement in your venue, and it can bring together your wedding theme, or reflect your personalities. My aim is to create a cake that your guests will be talking about for years after the event, after all, they will probably go to several weddings this year - so make sure your cake stands out from the crowd!