Dessert Table by Domestic Arts

We celebrated my daughter's 2nd birthday party on Sunday and boy did we have fun!  She wore her pink princess party dress with a cupcake on it and boy did she look cute (but I'm not biased or anything) ;)


Tanya from Domestic Arts (custom cakes & sweet things) made Kennedy's birthday cake & cupcakes to go along with it.  Think strawberry cheesecake, lemon, chocolate, and my favorite...coconut mango!!!


One (of the many) things I love about Tanya is that she has chickens on her property and uses her own eggs in all of her baking creations - so eco-friendly!


Tanya completely exceeded my expectations - I gave her creative freedom with just a basic theme and look what she did...


Tanya - I cannot thank you enough!!!!! <3 <3 <3

courtney@petalsplanningco.com
www.petalsplanningco.com

Green & Eco-Friendly Dessert

By green & eco-friendly dessert, I mean companies who take pride in using the most fresh and local ingredients available to them.  As a small business owner I take pride in working with and promoting fellow small business owners within the Ann Arbor community.  We have some amazing talent, and I am proud to work alongside them! 

Sweet Heather Anne

Heather's tagline is "lovely cakes made with local ingredients" and that truly says it all.  Heather is one of the sweetest, talented, and sincere people I have ever met.  She takes great pride in her work and her business, and is such an inspiration! 

Photo Credit

Domestic Arts (Custom Cakes & Sweet Things)

Tanya Luz, owner of Domestic Arts, is one amazing person.  I met her recently at a networking event, and then shortly after found out one of my clients was (unexpectedly) doing a cake consultation with her!  I couldn't have been happier ; one unique thing about Tanya and her business is she uses her own home grown eggs from chickens that she raises on her property.  Tanya's customer service is out of this world, my clients walked away from the consultation feeling like family, and also with way more cupcakes than they knew what to do with!  Good thing I am 9 months pregnant and happily indulged in their leftovers :)

Gwen's Cake Decorating and Etc.

I had the pleasure of working with Gwen on Jessica & Brian's wedding last year at the Dearborn Inn.  Gwen works out of Saline, Michigan and her cakes are wonderful!  All night the guests kept complimenting the cakes and asking who the baker was!

Photo Credit

Michelle Vincent of "Let Them Eat Cake"

Michelle is relatively new to the cake business and has turned a hobby of hers into some beautiful and breathtaking creations.  She is from the small town of Manchester, and makes everything from scratch, every time.  She did a gluten-free cake last summer for one of our clients, and hit it spot on...gluten-free cherry chip, and none of the guests even knew it was gluten-free!  So if any of you out there are looking for an out of this world gluten-free cake...Michelle is your gal - you can contact her at redm57@aol.com

courtney@petalsplanningco.com

http://www.petalsplanningco.com/

Favors - to give or not to give...

We've noticed that in the last couple of weddings we have planned, coordinated and attended, there were more that did not give out favors than those that did.  As we've been talking to other wedding planners and friends, we're realizing it's not just what we're noticing...other people are noticing it too.

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Some speculation as to why this is happening:

1.  Saving $ - depending on the size of your wedding, a nice favor (i.e. playing cards, specialty chocolates) can be expensive.  It is an area of your budget you can easily cut back on.  Our philosophy is if you're buying favors just to buy favors, you might as well save your money.  Spend it on a dessert bar, coffee bar, ice cream bar...you get the drift :)  If you are buying favors because they have meaning or symbolize something to you and your fiance, that's awesome!  We have a couple who met playing euchre, so their favors are going to be playing cards - it has a special meaning to them and to all who will be attending the wedding.

2.  Appreciated, but Forgotten - often times, especially after a couple hours of open bar, we find favors strewn around the tables (along with other items) at the end of a great evening.  Guests leave without taking them, or they are half open/half eaten, and it ends up becoming a waste.  This is certainly not always the case, but it does happen. 

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3.  One Less Item - these days, as brides are doing more than ever, working, going to school, planning a wedding, and much, much more they are wanting to simplify the planning process as much as possible.  With one less item on their "to do" list and one less headache the day of their wedding it becomes the first line item cut out of their wedding planning process.  Our solution:  Hire a wedding planner or wedding coordinator! Seriously, having someone help you through the process, and having someone whom you can delegate task to is a huge time and headache saver.  Don't hesitate to ask your maid of honor or other bridesmaids to help in the planning process.  Give them tasks, they want to be involved!

Wedding Planners - Are you noticing this trend too?
Wedding Guests - What are some of the favorite favors you've recieved?  Have you noticed the lack of favors at weddings you have been attending?

courtney@petalsplanningco.com
http://www.petalsplanningco.com/

Have your cake...or ice cream, or pie...and eat it too

As a continuation of Mondays post...what if you are not into cake at all?  Are there other options?  You betcha!!!! :)

For someone like me who isn’t really a huge fan of cake, I opted to go for a dessert & gourmet coffee bar at my reception.



I love coffee, espresso, cappuccino & lattes, so offering my guests more than just a bulk house drip coffee was important to me. Set up a “Coffee Bar” with chocolate shavings, flavored syrups, whipped cream, caramel and cinnamon. Also, to go cups with lids are always a good idea, it has been a long night, possibly with some cocktails why not send your guests out with a warm caffeinated beverage.


Dessert stations, basically a buffet setup that guests visit, are gaining popularity. Even if you're doing a seated meal, a dessert station gives guests a chance to circulate a bit. I've seen stations that range from elaborate tables with every confection imaginable to simple themed offerings. Very popular right now: the candy bar. A table full of sweets the couple loved from their childhood-like malted milk balls, jelly beans, and caramel popcorn. Put out empty bags for guests to take home their favorites, this could double as their favors.

For alternative desserts think about your favorites, special moments in your relationship and just your everyday life together. Simple, beloved American-style desserts like apple tarts, pie a la mode, and gooey brownies smothered in ice cream will fit the bill. If you want something more elegant, serve "dessert trios," so each guest is presented with three miniature sweets on a single platter.


Where is your favorite place to go out to eat? Maybe there's a special dessert on the menu at your local haunt that you always order-and always find yourselves fighting over that last bite. Do you treat yourselves to Krispy Kremes on Sunday mornings? Imagine a dressed-up variations on the humble (yet legendary) doughnut.


Did you travel somewhere special together and discover something wonderful? A getaway to France may have inspired an apple tarte tatin. Is it important to incorporate something from your ethnic background? If you're Italian, you gotta have cannolis, but why not do mini ones with a variety of creams from ricotta to French? Likewise, Latino couples might opt for a creative spin on the traditional flan.


If you are a chocolate lover; a truffle station, where an assortment of individual chocolates and chocolate covered confections are offered, have chocolate cordial cups filled with a delicious liqueur alongside truffles. Or have a dramatic chocolate fountain; you can actually one shaped like a three-tiered wedding cake. Have a table of “dippable” goodies such as marshmallows, pound cakes, fruit, cookies & pretzels. You can offer shot glasses of milk to accompany your chocolate indulgence.


Love ice cream bars? Have a cart -- like the ones sidewalk vendors use -- positioned in a corner of the dining room so that guests can dig right in after dinner. That way, you can have your cake, or ice cream, or pie...and eat it too.

**picture credit to Hostess Blog

kate@petalsplanningco.com
http://www.petalsplanningco.com/