Archive for the ‘Wedding Cakes’ Category
Real Weddings Partner Profiles: Sugar and Spice Speciality Desserts
Welcome back to another installment of Real Weddings Magazine’s Partner Profiles!
Today, we highlight the delightfully wonderful Carissa Jones from Sugar and Spice Specialty Desserts. Frankly, the word YUM just doesn’t quite cover it with Carissa’s creations — they’re just aren’t enough superlatives available to use to accurately reflect the tastiness of her desserts. From wedding cakes to dessert bars, Carissa’s desserts are delish!
Take it away Carissa!
Sugar and Spice Specialty Desserts
Tell us a little about your company? Dessert is the last, best, and frequently most talked about part of the meal, why not make it a WOW!? We love making dessert bars that work as a centerpiece for events ranging from weddings to corporate. We not only design a beautiful display that coordinates with your event, but we also make everything from scratch and based on the flavors and desserts that YOU like… no menu here, just lots of creativity and flexibility!
When did you establish your business? We started out extremely slowly, in 2005, and after a couple of mis-starts we started picking up steam in 2008 with the creation of our Web site. (Keep an eye on us… we’ve got all sorts of excitement on the horizon!)
What sets you apart from your competition? Yes, we make cakes (wedding, birthday, sculpted and otherwise), but what we REALLY LOVE to make are all things mini. That is a huge differentiating factor, but another one is that our founder Carissa Jones didn’t start as a cake decorator (even though she’s amazing with the frosting!), she started out as a pastry chef. Everything is about the flavor… and not necessarily her favorites, it’s all about YOU and YOUR favorites!
Where do you find inspiration? EVERYWHERE! We know, everyone says this, but we always ask our clients to bring in paint swatches, pictures of their venue, invitations, logos or other details that can help provide inspiration. We also find it’s important to talk to our clients. You never know where inspiration may come from and we’ve had some fun results based on a off hand comment. (A perfect example is a client who loves sorbet and all things from their childhood. One of the desserts we’ll be serving at their wedding will be lemon-blueberry push-up pops. How cool is that!)
When you opened shop, what was your promise to your customers? … and it still is! “Desserts as unique and special as you and your event.”
Do you have any hidden talents? hmmm, I’m a wiz at research. Any topic!
Photo by True Love Photo.
What trend do you see more and more of? ummm, dessert bars! (of course!) In all seriousness, my clients are just discovering that they don’t have to have a cake to make their event amazing. Trends in cakes, fondant is out. Buttercream is queen! Fondant decorations are still being used, but more as accents.
Do you regularly blog? What’s your blog site? You betcha! Blogging is like an ongoing conversation with our clients. We’re able to update the blog so much more than the site, and it’s a more comfortable, and at times, more personal view into the business. Find our blog through our Web site: SugarAndSpice.me.
Photo by StellaSweet Photography.
What’s your favorite local restaurant? Sequoia in Placerville. The wine selection is great and the food is solid with crazy (dramatic!) old school menu options like Steak Dianne!
What’s your favorite local charity? Jr. Chef Central
What is your favorite fun thing to do locally? Kayaking on Lake Natoma, wine tasting with my husband… El Dorado Foothills, Amador, Napa, Santa Barbara… we love it all
Do you have secret vice or indulgence? What is it? ooohhh, sigh, cheese. Heaven on earth is made of gone off milk and bugs. I love it, cow, goat, sheep, water buffalo, it’s all good… even when it’s bad, it’s still good. Runny, bleu, hard… mmmmm, give me a good French loaf and a bottle of wine and don’t ask to share.
What are you most grateful for in life? My family (and this absolutely includes my husband!). I work long hours, nights, weekends and holidays and not only do the just roll with it, but they are always supportive and encouraging. Actually, my Dad and husband can’t wait to quit their day jobs and come work for me! (Can you say delivery driver, counter help and dishwasher?)
If you were to plan your own wedding, or re-do your wedding, what elements would be most important to you? I was an “encore” bride just a couple of years agoand for us (and we’d do it again!) it was all about the food and wine. That being said, I did an event last year with Anna Hernandez of Whitebird Ceremonial Dove Releases and I SOOOO wish we’d incorporated the doves into our ceremony. It was so moving I almost cried… that hasn’t happened since the last amazing piece of cheese I ate!
What advice would you can give to brides and grooms getting married today? Sort out your priorities and pare down your guest list. You can do amazing, crazy details when you have 50 guests that just are out of the question when you have 150.
Anything else you’d like to share with Real Weddings Magazine’s brides? A new trend that I’m seeing that is helpful in keeping your vision on track (and defining your style) is to create an inspiration board. It’s a great way to have pictures of what you like in one place so your vendors can get an immediate feel for your vision and aesthetic.
Above photos by Sarah Maren Photography. Dessert signs by Stephanie J Designs .
Find out more about Carissa on her Web site: SugarAndSpice.me. Call her at 916-952-5253.
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Eye Candy Blog Series: The NACE Tabletop Design Contest: Winner of Romantic Category
Welcome back to the Eye Candy Blog Series and our third installment from the NACE Tabletop Design Contest.
To bring you up to speed…recently, the Sacramento chapter of the National Association of Catering Executives (NACE) held its second annual tabletop design contest hosted at Sun City Roseville’s Timber Creek Ballroom.
Like last year’s event, these amazingly talented wedding professionals put their creative hats on and came up with some exceptionally interesting and unique tablescapes. Once again, we’re honored to showcase these professionals’ designs in the pages (print and online here!) of Real Weddings Magazine!
This week, we feature: First Place: Romantic Category – Designer: America’s Party Rentals with Contributors: Visual Impact Design and Sweet Cakes By Rebecca… enjoy!
Special thanks to Andrea’s Images Photography (andreasimages.com) and Siegel’s Portrait Design (siegelsportraits.com) for their gorgeous photos featured here!
Photo by Andrea’s Images Photography.
Photo by Andrea’s Images Photography.
Photo by Andrea’s Images Photography.
Photo by Andrea’s Images Photography.
Photo by Siegel’s Portrait Design.
Photo by Siegel’s Portrait Design.
Photo by Siegel’s Portrait Design.
Photo by Siegel’s Portrait Design.
Blog Post by Editor/Publisher Wendy Sipple.
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The Recessionista Bride Series: The Dessert Buffet & Bar
Welcome back Real Weddings Magazine brides to another installment of The Recessionista Bride Blog Series by our guest blogger extraordinaire Kate Miller of Kate Miller Events.
This week, she addresses one of our favorite things…dessert (yeah, we’ve got heavy duty sweet tooths (or would it be sweet teeth?) over here!). Take it away Kate!
“Recessionista Bride Stevie wanted to give her guests two things: fabulously tasty cake (per the mother of the bride’s wish) and a fun favor, such as a Candy Buffet/Bar. So, we helped her to come up with a budget solution for both – and combined the ideas into one sugary sweet delight, the Dessert Buffet & Bar!
Acting on the desires of couples to offer their guests more options, some bakers (such as Sugar and Spice and…) are now offering dessert options to brides in addition to offering traditional wedding cakes.
To put together Stevie and Blake’s dessert buffet & bar, we went to local bakery Ettore’s European Cafe & Bakery and selected five of her most favorite flavors. We chose cakes that fit within Stevie’s color palette so that we could order them outside of the special event menu.
We borrowed vintage cake plates from various family members to display the cakes and added some fun vintage mushroom birds with cute custom signage. A fun glittery monogram cake topper was placed on the cutting cake and made a fantastic centerpiece to the table – now what to do with the ends?
Are you offering a Dessert Buffet & Bar to your wedding guests?
Kate Miller Events offers full-scale event and wedding planning of extraordinary detail for the bride and groom looking for that extra-special touch. We will keep you organized, on or under budget, and stress-free while designing the wedding of your dreams. We are committed to making sure your day goes off without a hitch — except for the hitching part of course!
Kate Miller Events offers new technology to keep all avenues of communication open and organized. Our excellent online client planning tools include customized checklists, payment calendars with email notifications, appointment tracking, online idea boards, and contract filing with easy access for all members of your wedding party. Our top-notch organization enables us to be your liaison to all of your vendors – we worry about the details so that you don’t have to.
All of our packages are unique and completely customized to fit your budget so that you only pay for the services that you need. We offer a wide range of planning services from Day of Coordination to Full Coordination/Design and everything in-between.
Be sure to check out Kate Miller Event’s Web site and Kate’s blog or call her at 888-808-KATE.
Photos above of Stevie & Blake’s wedding, one of our featured real weddings in the current issue of Real Weddings Magazine, by Sarah Maren Photography. Kate Miller from Kate Miller Events worked with Stevie & Blake to achieve their perfect day. To read more about Stevie & Blake’s wedding and to view more photos from their wedding, pick up a copy of the current issue or click here.
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Are You Kidding Me?!
- Carrot cake…in the shape of a carrot! Get Out Of Town! This is probably the funniest cake I made all year. We were going for realism, but, even before I made it, the idea alone made me giggle!
- Peanut Butter and Jelly…this has taken several forms. The PB&J Sandwich: white cake layered with peanut butter buttercream and strawberry jam. Not your Mom’s PB&J, but it’s pretty dang tasty and your guests are going to laugh when they hear the flavor!
- S’mores…as cake! Chocolate Cake with graham crackers baked in and topped with marshmallow fluff. Yes, I have had clients who don’t like frosting. This is a great option and just before serving the tops of the marshmallow can be burned so you get that fresh from the campfire feeling.
- Chocolate Chip Cookies…nope, not the Toll House variety. This one is made with white cake that has mini chocolate chips baked into it, and then it’s filled and frosted with a brown sugar buttercream. I’m telling you, that buttercream tastes just like cookie dough…totally irresistible.
- Malted Milkshake…who says that malted milk balls have to stay on the candy station? This cake is made up of alternating layers of vanilla cake and chocolate ganache, and then is frosted with malted buttercream and decorated with crushed malt balls. An easy wedding translation would be to bake the malt balls into the cake or to nestle the pieces into the ganache. Either way… YUM!
Ok, love these ideas Carissa!!! How fun!
About Sugar and Spice and…
Sugar and Spice and… creates desserts as unique and special as you and your event. They believe you CAN have you cake and eat it too, but you can also have mousse, pies and tarts, crème brûlée, or éclairs! Special events are just that, SPECIAL and nothing says PARTY like those sweet little bites at the end of the party.
Be sure to check out Sugar and Spice and…’s Web site: http://www.sugarandspice.me/ and Carissa’s blog: http://sugarandspiceand.blogspot.com/
Photo courtesy of The Memory Journalists, www.memoryjournalists.com.
Hey There, Cupcake!
The cupcake trend has been around for a couple of years now, but here a couple of fun tips to play with if you are considering having them at your wedding.
- Display them in a tower. This provides you with the height and general shape of a wedding cake and will add drama to your cupcake table.
- Use a little color coordinated ribbon to decorate your cupcake stand.
- Ask your baker to make you a “cutting cake”. The cake cutting tradition is charming and so photographic. Just before the cutting, have the banquet captain or your wedding planner transfer the cutting cake from the top of the cupcake tower onto a plate. This will keep your from stretching and possibly getting your party clothes in the frosting.
- Two words: Cupcake Liners! There are so many amazing cupcake papers available now. Bakers use to be limited to the basic white, but now there are tons of fun options that can incorporate your wedding theme.
- Consider your cupcake flavors. How will your guests know what they are getting? Ask your stationer to create a menu card to frame for the table or small tags that will identify each flavor. Ask your baker for suggestions too. White cake with strawberry buttercream? Add a fresh berry to the top. Chocolate cake filled with raspberry jam? A fresh raspberry would be the perfect garnish.
About Sugar and Spice and…
Sugar and Spice and… creates desserts as unique and special as you and your event. They believe you CAN have you cake and eat it too, but you can also have mousse, pies and tarts, crème brûlée, or éclairs! Special events are just that, SPECIAL and nothing says PARTY like those sweet little bites at the end of the party.
Be sure to check out Sugar and Spice and…’s Web site: http://www.sugarandspice.me/ and Carissa’s blog: http://sugarandspiceand.blogspot.com/
Photos courtesy of Sugar and Spice and…
