Homegrown Wedding

16 more days + Dessert!

{Photo by emilie inc. with desserts by Nothing Bakes Like a Parrott}

I am not sure how this happened, but....16 more days!?!  Wow.  I have a lot to do....You would think with almost 2 years to plan I should be relaxing in the sunshine just waiting for the time to come.  But that is not my style.  Today I am finalizing lists:  guest list, dinner list, dessert list, etc.  I am going to try to post something everyday until the big day, revealing tiny little details as I go!  Today....dessert!

My sister Jessica of Nothing Bakes Like a Parrott is baking all of our desserts & designing our dessert table.  Our desserts will include:

- Croquembouche - a nod to our French heritage & our engagement in Paris
- Red Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting - this is the groom's cake
- Spiced Orange Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting - the cake we cut
- Mini cupcakes which include:
    - Spice Orange Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
    - Lemon-Raspberry Swirl with Lemon Buttercream
    - Fleur de Sel with Chocolate Ganache
    - Coconut with Coconut Buttercream
- Pizzels & Italian Anise Cookies - a nod to Rich's Italian heritage
- Janet's Famous Toffee - my mom makes the best toffee.  Ever!
- Nutella Cheesecake Brownies - because they are delicious & I have a mild obsession with Nutella
- Classic Maine Whoopie Pies - because we are in Maine on a Farm, of course!
- Sugar Cookies - because they are cookies & delicious

So, as you can see we {er, mostly me...} are a bit dessert obsessed.  Our dessert table is going to be bigger than our dinner buffet, I am fairly certain of it.  Not only do we love dessert, but we are not having a specific favor, so I purchased a lot of kraft boxes so our guests will be able to take desserts home with them at the end of the evening {hence desserts that travel well like cookies, brownies, whoopie pies, & toffee}.

Carrot Wedding Cake

{Images via Martha Stewart Weddings & Martha Stewart}

I remember going to my cousin's wedding, it must have been nearly twenty years ago {which seems crazy!}, but he & his wife had a multi-tiered, cream-cheese frosting-covered, carrot cake.  I was somewhere between of the age of eight - ten & remember thinking, "Carrots in cake?  Cream cheese what? Hmm..." But, I also remember thinking what a really unique wedding cake idea {again, this was almost twenty years ago}.  I took one bite & the rest was history.  I have been an avid carrot cake lover since.  Rich, also an avid fan, & I decided we wanted to have a small carrot cake for us to cut. 

I wanted a small, tiered cake with open layers, & topped with fruit.  Last fall I had the opportunity to work with a wonderful couple from NYC on their wedding invitations, & the wedding is now featured on Martha Stewart Weddings.  They had a stunning array of cakes on display & I fell in love with their carrot cake.  It was just as I had imagined ours.  I then came across the carrot cake topped with golden apples, which would be appropriate for fall as well.  I love the dripping caramel.  This is making me wish I had a big slice o' cake waiting for me when I get home...
 

Wedding Desserts - Whoopie Pies

 {Images: Green Wedding Shoes, 100 Layer Cake, Love & Lavendar, & Williams Sonoma}

What is a homegrown, Maine wedding without whoopie pies?  No doubt many do not know what a whoopie pie is.  But as a true Mainer, I l-o-o-o-v-e whoopie pies & was spoiled by this chocolate- cake-like, definitely-not-a-pie, dessert sandwich filled with fluffy sweet cream.  When I sat down with my sister to discuss our dessert buffet {which I am fairly certain will be larger than our actual dinner buffet!}, we talked about the croquembouche, the grooms cake, the small cake we will actually cut {more on that soon}, mini-cupcakes, & various other desserts. 

This is going to sound crazy, but first let me say I am allergic to red dye {see where I am going with this?}.  I have never had a red velvet cupcake, cake, whoopie pie, ice cream, & whatever else they are making red velvet now.  I have no idea what it tastes like, nor do I want to try.  I get why they are so popular, but I had no interest in having any kind of red velvet anything on our dessert buffet.  I want to be able to eat everything {which I will!}.  This, of course, did not fly with Rich, a die-hard red velvet lover.  So, we decided on a red velvet grooms cake.  "No red velvet cupcakes?" he asks.  Umm...."How about red velvet whoopie pies??" says my sister to the rescue.  Okay.  I can live that, & they are so pretty {see bottom left photo}.  I won't be able to eat them, but there will be plenty of options!

So, mini-red velvet whoopie pies will add a pop of color to our dessert buffet.  A little twist on an old Maine tradition, that seems to be spreading nation-wide! 

Pretty in Pink Flowers

{Images via MSW}

When I go to bed each night & close my eyes, I usually see images of paper goods - designs I am working on, invitations I recently printed, or inspirational images I viewed during the day.  Last night, I closed my eyes & saw the cake on the top left.  I had not looked at the photo in ages, but for some reason, it popped into my head.  How could one forget that cake with its gorgeous peonies & haind-painted details?  I truly love simple, tiered cakes overflowing with beautiful blooms, whether real or sugar. 

Love is Beautiful

 
{Images via together forever by the small object}

I love, love pops of bright color on crisp, clean white backgrounds, whether is on paper or on cake. This cake just sings to me!  As Sarah of together forever describes:

 "Love is a wonderful colorful beautiful thing and this cake topper says it all! With all the colors of the rainbow exploding from the center of this heart, your cake will shine like mad and show how the love you share is so crazy good."

So perfect, right?  Be sure to check out the rest of her utterly adorable & custom cake toppers in her shop as well!

Fabric-Inspired Cakes

{Images via Martha Stewart Weddings}

The Ikat & French silk ribbon cake from the latest Martha Stewart Weddings issues has been making the rounds, & I must say it is one of my most favorite cakes they have ever created.  It is simply gorgeous!  I love stripes paired with florals so this is quite the match made.  The calico cake on the right has always been one of my favorite MSW cakes!  Both have a very charming & homespun feeling to them. 

Ribbon Walls

{Images: top by Amy Squires via My Sweet & Saucy; bottom via Once Wed}

I am loving the walls of ribbon in these photos.  This may be my answer to an easy to move, set-up, & take down display.  I would need to build a simple frame that could stand by itself, that is slightly longer than the table, & I could easily hang ribbons from.  Perhaps this is how I will incorporate some birch bark details.  How cute are the couples' names hanging in front of the wall too?  Such a great detail.

Displays + Backdrops

{Images via Carter & Cook Event Co.}
  
There are two things I have on my brain with regards to our wedding {well two out of hundred or so...}: The escort card display & the dessert table backdrop.  Our reception venue is just waiting to be customized.  It has a soft, neutral color palette with little, to no decor so I cannot wait to make it "us."  However, to make it "us" is going to require some work & a few props {so happy Rich, my father, & brother-in-law are all very handy men}.  These props are going to have to travel well, be quick to put up, & even quicker to take down  because we have to have everything out right after our reception. 

In these two photos I love the re-use of old household items - doors & shutters.  The doors may present a challenge, but the shutters are small & easy to take down.  I also like the candles & up-lighting, which may be necessary as we are told it can get quite dark in the room {third thing on my brain - what to hang from ceiling that is not a lantern but still has lights...that is a later post}.   Well, at least I know the desserts that are going on the actual table.  That is a start!

Red Light Studio Cake Toppers

{Images via Red Light Studio}

These cake toppers by Red Light Studio are adorable! Each piece is hand sculpted with paperclay, an all natural, non-toxic, & biodegradable material, so they are eco-friendly as well.  The birds, or owls, are hand painted & customized to your specifications.  I love the beautiful flowers on birdie bride & the little boutonnieres on the grooms.  So cute!  If you are like me, & not having a cake, these would be perfect next to your dessert of choice! 

Birds & Blooms

{Images by You Look Nice Today via Ruffled} 

Gosh!  Look at those huge & ruffley dahlias & roses.  They are gorgeous!  The flowers were designed by Bohemian Bouquets, specializing in uniqe, edgy, & eco-friendly design.  Every time I see a version of this cake I fall in love with it all over again.  The vintage birds, wood base, simple buttercream frosting, & perfectly bare twigs just sing to me.