Pick~A~Party Box :: Pink Parisian Party

We've recently launched our Pick~A~Party boxes and we couldn't be more excited! These boxes contain everything you need for a fabulous party...just add the food, beverages and flowers! Pick~A~Party boxes are available for delivery in DFW and available for shipping nationwide.

We have TWO Pink Parisian Pick~A~Party boxes available for $89 (for 8 guests) or $119 (for 16 guests)! These are great for any ladies get-together...bridal, bachelorette, brunch, birthday.... See the photos below see what's included, and contact us if you'd like to order!

 

  

Planning Tips :: Cost Cutting on the Cake

Keep it Simple
Time is money – but it works both ways! One of the main costs for your wedding cake comes from the amount of time required to create your confection.  The more intricate and detailed the design, the longer it will take for your designer, and the more dough your designer will take from you.  The icing on the cake?  The simpler the design, the less cash you’ll be forking over for it.  Work with your baker to come up with a beautiful design for your wedding cake that still expresses you and your wedding, but that will cost less of the designer’s time and your money.

Photo by Danielle Luc Photography

Fake It
If towering tiers of frosted chocolatey goodness are what you had in mind for your wedding day, it’ll cost you.  But hey, brides are donning fake eyelashes and nails, so why not fake the cake?  You can still have your larger than life wedding cake by only having a few tiers of real cake.  Then, your designer can add on Styrofoam layers decorated just like the rest of the cake for those extra tiers and height.  Your cake will still elicit oohs and ahhs from all the wedding guests, and they will be none the wiser!

Photo by Mara Robinson

Keep It Real
Fake tiers may be a game changer in wedding cake costs, but fake flowers can be another ballgame.  Sugar flowers that look impressively real can look gorgeous on your wedding cake – and they’re edible too! – but, they require extra time and effort on the part of your cake designer, which means more moolah!   A cake blossoming in real blooms will still look amazing and will keep your costs down. Locally grown flowers that are in season during your wedding are your budget-friendly best bet.

Photo by Trejo Photography
Cake by Wendy Kromer Confections

Kitchen Aid
If you’ve got a big guest list but an itty-bitty budget, figuring out how to feed everyone may be a bit daunting.  Let them eat cake!  A great money-saving tip is to have a smaller wedding cake at the reception for the cake-cutting (tradition is free!), and then sheet cakes in the kitchen that will be served to your guests. Once the cake is taken to the back to be cut for dessert, your guests will never know the difference – but your wallet will.

Photo by Michéll Events
Cake by I Do Cakes

Vendor Spotlight :: Wendy Kromer Confections

Almost ten years ago, Wendy Kromer did my wedding cake. I lived in Sandusky, Ohio at the time and her bakery was literally two blocks away from my home. I had swooned over her cakes for so long through Martha Stewart Weddings, and I was beyond thrilled that I was able to book her for my wedding! The experience of everything when working with her was amazing. I went through a cake tasting in her Water Street bakery, and everything was so amazing that I had trouble deciding which two flavors I wanted. In the end we went with Red Velvet (my choice) and Mocha (his choice).

Ten years later, over 100 events later plus my own wedding, and her cakes are still among my all time favorites! All of her confections are impeccably beautiful, mouthwatering, and so perect you wish you didn't have to cut into them! Watch the video below to learn about Wendy and what she does, and be sure to check out her website and links below to see more of her beautiful breathtaking work!

Wedding Cake: Wendy Kromer Confections

Photo: Trejo Photography

Wedding Cake: Wendy Kromer Confections
Photos: Trejo Photography


Website: www.wendykromer.com

Instagram: @wendy_kromer_confections
Facebook: @WendyKromerConfections
Twitter: @WendyKromer
Pinterest: WendyKromer

Wendy Kromer Story from Z MEDIA on Vimeo.

Pastry Chef/Cake Designer

After a decade as a runway model in Paris & Tokyo, Wendy Kromer-Schell moved to New York City, enrolling in the Pastry Arts program at Peter Kump School of Culinary Art (now known as the Institute of Culinary Education).  There, a life-time hobby of making Desserts became a Career.

On completion of her Pastry Arts degree, Wendy worked with Colette Peters of Colette’s Cakes & Food Network fame. Shortly after, Wendy presented her first “sugar showpiece” at the 1995 Culinary Art Show in NYC, earning her a coveted 1st Place Ribbon, as well as the attention of Martha Stewart.

Since 1995 Wendy continues her work with Martha Stewart Omnimedia as Contributing Editor, producing hundreds of wedding cakes for Martha Stewart Weddings. One has also seen her decorated cookies, cakes, and other Dessert stories in Martha Stewart Living; Martha Stewart for Macy’s; numerous catalogs & TV.

In 2007, Wendy co-authored Martha Stewart’s Wedding Cakes (Clarkson Potter), which features over 100 of her Wedding Cake designs & recipes. Other books, magazines & TV shows featuring her work include:

• Baking with Julia
• Colin Cowie Wedding
• Sweet Designs: Bake It, Craft It, Style It
• Famous Chefs Fabulous Recipes
• The Lake House Cookbook
• In Style
• Woman’s Day
• Bon Appetit
• People
• Williams-Sonoma
• Oprah (TV)

In 2009, along with her custom cake business, Wendy began teaching classes in the art of cake decorating, at the Wendy Kromer Confections Academy in Sandusky, OH; as well as various hotels, resorts & cake design schools worldwide.   In 2013, Wendy teamed-up with Producers at Craftsy.com, an innovative online teaching forum, which prides itself in bringing “the best instructors in the world” to the student.

Through Craftsy alone, Wendy has tutored nearly 10,000 students worldwide.

Today, Wendy & her husband, Scott Schell, live in Sandusky, OH (Wendy’s hometown).

In conjunction with Wendy’s design studio & academy, the couple is committed to the revitalization of Sandusky, as well as the loving restoration of their 1890 Queen Anne home/Bed & Breakfast.

How To Write Place Cards and Escort Cards

This may be one of the most common mistakes I hear on a regular basis, so I thought I'd dedicate a blog post to explaining the difference between escort cards and place cards and the proper way to address your guests on each card.

While most people just refer to all name cards as "place cards", there is a distinct difference between the two. It's important to know the difference when you're ordering for your wedding, especially if you're ordering online!

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Escort Cards are generally at the entrance to the reception or at cocktail hour. These are very important, as they welcome your guests and tell them where to be seated. If this isn't done in an organized fashion, the guests can become frustrated immediately upon arriving at your reception, and that's the last thing you want!

Guests names on the front of the escort card, assigned table numbers on the inside.

Moulin Rouge themed wedding in Sandusky, OH

(Note: These are informally addressed escort cards that don't include titles.)

Escort cards by Michéll Events

Photo by Trejo Photography

Informally, you can list the name and table number however you'd like. Formally, these cards should say the guests name and what table they are seated at. "Mr. & Mrs. John Smith, Table 12" or "Dr. Tom Jones, Table 2". If small children are attending, they should be included on the card "Mr. & Mrs. John Smith and Family",  and any children over 10 should have their own card with their own name.

It's best to sort and display these alphabetically by last name (not by table). This way, the guests can easily find their names and spend less time in line at the table searching. Names should be addressed formally, same as the invitation. Include titles such as Dr., Mr. & Mrs, and military rankings (Colonel, Captain, Major, etc.. - military titles should never be abbreviated when addressing formally).

Wine Cork Escort Cards for a Vineyard Wedding
Mon Ami Winery in Port Clinton, OH

Escort Cards by Michéll Events

Photo by Terra Sol Studio

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Place Cards are at each place setting at each dining table. The place card at the table can be less formal if you wish, but titles should still be used. Each card has a guest's name, and that designates which seat the guest should sit at. Place cards can also contain a marker of some sort to let the catering staff know which dinner to serve to that guest (vegetarian, chicken, beef, etc...).

Moulin Rouge themed wedding in Sandusky, OH

Hand Folded Eiffel Tower Place Cards by Michéll Events

Photo by Trejo Photography

Standard Tent Cards with Meal Markers 

Tented Tropical Wedding at Catawba Island Club in Port Clinton, OH

(These show markers for the catering staff signifying 

whether the guests meal should be beef, fish or vegetarian.)