Your Wedding Cake: the Focal Point of Your Wedding Reception

The excitement that surrounds this sweet confection is not only related to the delicious taste, but the artistic expression that comes to life with it. Wedding cake bakers have created stunning masterpieces that are almost too beautiful to believe, making the idea of cutting them in some cases full of regret.

But nevertheless, the idea of having a piece of wedding cake is one of the most highly anticipated moments of the event. When a couple chooses the theme for their special day, the wedding cake plays a big role in how well it succeeds. From the colors and its design, the essence of the wedding theme must be clear to see which is easier said than done.

This is a far cry from the wedding cakes of the past, which were simply white and three to five layers tall. The confections on display at wedding receptions today are edible works of art that taste as good as they look.

So where to begin creating the focal point of your wedding reception? At least four months in advance of the wedding date and having the basic facts in hand are important: the number of guests to be served at the reception and whether or not you also want to send your guests home with a piece of cake as a memento of the wedding. If you choose this option, then you have to double the amount of cake servings plus a little extra for the guests who just must have more. In addition don’t forget to order the cake boxes from the baker. Review the wedding cake websites and magazines to have a few ideas of which style will go best with your wedding theme.

With this information it’s time to talk to friends and relatives for at least three leads for the most important ingredient of making your wedding cake everything you want: the baker. Be warned, the master bakers of these sweet delights don’t come cheap! Stay local so that you can visit the bakery to see examples of their previous creations and definitely TASTE samples of the cake you have in mind.

Discuss the price of a simple cake for the number of servings you need to get an idea of your starting costs, if that is beyond your budget, it’s best to see if they are willing to negotiate or move on to your next choice. Once you have found a baker who meets your budget and pleases your taste buds as well, you can start designing the cake itself to match your wedding theme, arrange for inspection and delivery on your big day. All that’s left to do is relax and enjoy the festivities—Congratulations and Bon Appétit!

Express Your Newlywed Style

Just as you can choose from a variety of ways to arrive at your wedding ceremony in keeping with your wedding theme, your departure for your well-deserved rest and relaxation can make a statement about who you are as a couple.

If you want total indulgence, the classic, traditional style limousine is a luxurious way to start your new life together. Whether you choose wedding white or high-society black, most of the limousine services have deluxe wedding options that include every amenity you can think of, including rolling out the red carpet for you to make your VIP exit from the reception.

You can request your favorite songs to be played from the moment you enter the vehicle as well as all of the post-reception goodies that you and your partner want to share; chocolate strawberries, champagne, chocolate brownies or caviar. And don’t forget the comfort factor, you might want to have the maid of honor and the best man stock the car with your favorite slippers and a snuggle blanket.

On the other hand if you want to leave your reception in something a little different, you can choose a vintage car rental; a sky blue 1957 Chevy, a jet-black 1970 Porsche or a passion-red 1966 Mustang convertible are just a few of the great models that are available for you to make your honeymoon getaway.

Thinking Hollywood style? Go with total glamour with a BMW Z3 roadster, Ferrari or Lamborghini and your celebrity status will be assured.

The way a couple makes their exit for their honeymoon says a lot about the personalities and how they will enjoy life together as a couple, so express yourself. You don’t have to use an automobile at all; couples have used everything from motorcycles with sidecars, to roller skates to bicycles built for two to show the world who they are and what they enjoy as they begin their life journey together.

Keeping a wedding journal is a great way to recapture all of the excitement (and sometimes aggravation) that comes with organizing a special life event. Not only will it help you remember some of the small details that made this period of time unique, but it will also give you a quiet moment of reflection during this busy time.

While most people think of writing long entries when you mention the word “journal” these books can much more than the written word. Photos always make the best memories because the capture a moment in time. Your wedding photographer may have the job of taking pictures of you and your wedding party on the day of your marriage, but there are many informal photos that will help you remember this experience with a smile.

Your wedding journal can contain photos or mementos of the place your partner proposed to you,  your engagement party, your wedding ring choices, the bride selecting her gown or the groom getting fitted for his wedding tuxedo, the bridal shower, the choices for your wedding cake, the bachelor party, wedding bouquet, the wedding rehearsal dinner, invitation or favor samples and all of the other special moments leading up to the marriage ceremony.

This is also a good place to record your initial wedding invitation list, your reception menu or the favorite songs you would like to hear for your first dance. If you and your partner are thinking about writing your own vows, here is where you can jot down some of the memorable statements that you would like to use.

A wedding journal can serve the purpose of an organizer, a scrapbook and a diary, and along with your wedding and honeymoon photographs help to recreate the experience for you and your partner to relive anytime you want to take a look at how it all came together to help you say “I do.”

Even for couples who have set money aside in their budget to hire a professional wedding planner can benefit from knowing what is involved in organizing their big day and what type of services they can expect from a wedding planner.

These guides are especially useful for couples on a tight budget, Understanding the amount of time to allow for things such as ordering the wedding cake, choosing wedding bands and how to select wedding decorations can be a real money saver: by ordering these things well in advance of your date you can often save hundreds of dollars.

There is rarely a lack of wedding advice from well-meaning family members and friends, but if you really want to help, a wedding planning DVDs make a great gift for a couple who has just announced that they are getting married. It can start them off on their adventure on the right foot with expert advice and real-life experience from couples who successfully planned their own weddings and save them a lot of time as well.

Using a wedding planner DVD makes it a lot easier to involve your social media friends as well; rather than asking them general questions, you can narrow your focus on specific choices such as which bridesmaids’ dress looks best for your wedding theme.

Planning a wedding today gives couples a lot more choices than just 10 years ago, particularly in terms of the type of wedding rings you select to wear for the rest of your life. Titanium and tungsten carbide wedding bands are a relatively new choice in wedding jewelry and one that many couples prefer for the durability of these metals.

There are several wedding planner DVDs on the market, some created by professionals that provide inside industry secrets that can help couples get more fun out of their wedding budget.

No matter how scrumptious the entrees may be, truth be told it’s the wedding cake that is the main attraction. When people speak of the wedding cake, they refer to the traditional “bride’s cake.”

The design artistry involved in the production of these cakes often rival a magnificent sculpture. Melt-in-your mouth cake recipes are topped with colorful sugar flowers, embellishments of gold and silver along with wedding rings, hearts and wedding bells are just some of the bride’s cake spectacular decorations.

However, there is another type of confectionery delight called the “groom’s cake” which was a standard at weddings and is enjoying renewed popularity. Most outstanding is the design theme, which celebrates all things near and dear to men: it  usually reflects the more personal side of the groom. Popular themes include race cars, football, guitars, billiards, computer games, drums and woodworking. Tuxedos, alligators, cowboy hats, dice, playing cards and even prince frogs have been used for the design of this delicious treat.

These specialty cakes are a heady tastebud indulgence; made of very rich ingredients. The flavors of chocolate or  tropical-style fruit cake,  usually enhanced with rum or brandy are steadfast favorites. A groom’s cake is whimsically decorated and served to wedding guests to take home with them as souvenirs of the wedding. Newlyweds often save a piece of both cakes to share on their first anniversary.

A groom’s cake on display at a special table is the perfect way to acknowledge all of the special qualities about the man of the hour. Some couples feature the groom’s cake as the main attraction of the wedding rehearsal dinner. This is the perfect time for the men in the wedding party to bolster the groom’s confidence for his big day.

Although the groom’s cake is usually smaller in size than the bride’s cake, they have a lot of folklore associated with them. Legend tells that single women who sleep with a tiny box of groom’s cake under their pillow will dream of their future husband! It no wonder, for this cake is so rich and tempting, people usually ask for more so make sure that you have the baker add a few extra servings just in case.