Flip Flops

It may sound tacky, but I wore flip flops on my wedding day.  And I’m not just talking about after the ceremony.  All day, I wore my flips.  They help me to let go. I can be free.   I’m comfortable; I can step outside of my perfectionism.

And I am such a perfectionist; it sometimes gets me into a lot of trouble.  Mostly with myself though.  There are so many stupid things I just simply can’t let myself get away with.  There must not be any dishes in the sink when I go to bed.  All the kids’ toys must be put back exactly where they belong, four times a day.  My eye shadow must match my lip gloss that must match my shirt that must match my socks that must match my shoes that must match my purse and belt and coat.  So when I’m walking out the door, and step on a baby wipe that one of the twins so kindly left out for me and my sock gets all wet, I must go change my whole outfit because that was the only pair of socks that matched everything so perfectly; which is why I prefer flip-flops.  They just go with everything.  It’s simply one thing to make my life a little less crazy and a bit more enjoyable. 

That’s why I wore flip-flops on my wedding day.  Everything was absolutely wonderful and perfect and amazing about my wedding day.  I did things exactly the way I wanted them done.  I know that there is so much pressure from everyone.  “Mom and Dad are paying for this, so I have to do it their way”, “His parents are paying for the reception hall, so they get to chose how it’s decorated”, “Aunt Mae is paying for my dress, so she gets to chose which dress I choose.”  Well, I would say in a polite fashion, “Mom, Dad, Aunt Mae, I appreciate you helping out with my wedding, but you had your wedding, let me have mine”; which is what I did.  This is your day, you can be grateful for any help that you get, but you should be able to pick your colors and flowers, location and shoes.  It’s one of the most important days of your life.  You don’t want anything to ruin that. However, something that I tell all the brides that I meet with, “The most important thing is that at the end of it all, you will be married, and it will have all been worth it.”  But, you may as well enjoy the journey.  So, if you want to wear flip-flops on your wedding day, then do it.  Have fun, relax, happy wedding planning & Bonne Chance!

~Abbie Fellenstein~

Candlelight Creations – Cards & Invitations

Cake Boss & Cupcakes

Hi, it's Debbi from Cakes to You!

Has anyone ever tasted Champagne cake? That has become one of our specialties. I just heard about wine flavored cakes too. Can't wait to try that one.

Been watching alot of the foodie shows. I especially enjoy watching Cake Boss. If you have never tuned in, you'll have to catch an episode or two. It's not just about cakes. It's also about family, the bakery's history and the way all the employees (mostly Italians) work together. It's pretty comical and extremely enjoyable. They make some real masterpieces. Masterpieces that also have hefty pricetags. Word has it, most of the cakes start at $1700.00. Wow! I wonder what the highest priced one costs.

Cupcake shows are also a big thing now. These creations put hundreds, sometimes even thousands of cupcakes together to create a massive display. The displays usually have a theme. The show provides each contestant with a carpenter to build the display according to the "cupcaker's" vision.  Of course, these shows also have challenges, where each contestant is vying for not only the title but a cash prize as well. It's amazing the things they can create with cupcakes. About 20 years ago, I started the concept of placing cupcakes together to make one cake that pulls apart. I thought that was ingenious, but that is nothing compared to the cupcake creativity you see now.

There are so many unique flavors too! Too many to mention. It used to be ice cream stores would pride themselve with how many flavors they could offer. Now cupcake flavors have surpassed the number of ice cream flavors Baskin Robbins has to offer. Just think of the possibilities!

Well, until next time always remember... Eat cake first!!!

Debbi

Preparing for a Wedding Floral Consultation

You, the bride,  know how busy you are trying to cover all the details of the wedding. However, there are some things you can do to make the bridal consultations with the florists you interview go more smoothly and  make the best use of your time.

 1)      Take a moment to think of a budget for your wedding flowers. Wedding planners say that flowers are usually 5-10% of the total wedding budget, depending on whether the reception hall offers centerpieces as part of their banquet package.

2)      Collect pictures – bouquets or flowers that you like, pictures of the bride’s and bridesmaids dresses. Bring the pictures to the consultation so that your florist can match your taste to your flowers. If you don’t know the names of flowers, visit the www.aboutflowers.com website to research names, textures and colors of flowers. The site can also give you ideas about availability for the date of your wedding.

 3)      Prepare a list of your wedding party and service details.  A single sheet of paper with the date and time of the service and reception, addresses, numbers of people in the wedding party and names, addresses and phone numbers of the bride and groom can save time with your florist as well as other services  that you are interviewing.

 4)      Research quality florists – Check out the websites of florists in your area. Ask family and friends for recommendations. Your pastor or wedding planner can offer recommendations for good florists in your area. Try to match your florist to the demands of your wedding – a small neighborhood florist may not be a good match if you are having a large outdoor event with 50 centerpieces or an event florist may be overkill if you are having a small family service. Don’t be afraid to interview more than 1 florist. Each florist will have their own interpretation of your wishes and you might find that your ideas will develop as you get input from several sources.

 5)      Listen to your florist’s advice when making your final decision – A quality florist will do their best to match the best design and flower selection to your needs. But they will also make you aware of potential problems with your selections based on flower or color availability and conflicts between the fragility of a flower or design and the time you are expecting the flowers to last. The goal is to produce a floral design that will accent the beauty of your wedding without wilted or broken flowers that don’t last through the reception.

 6)      Have fun with your selection – Selecting your wedding flowers should be a fun experience. Your florist is there to help you with the process. They are happy to show you samples of flowers and designs, customize a bouquet to marry form with the flowers or colors of your choice.

Happy consulting!

- Pat, A Classic Florist