Choosing Your Wedding Cake

Choosing your wedding cake – tips from Lee Berryman Pastry Chef – Cake Designs

Your wedding cake can reflect and enhance the theme of your wedding, whether you choose a cake decorated with traditional sugar icing or white chocolate or dark chocolate.

There are many different styles of wedding cakes to choose from, tiered cakes, modern tower cake, cup cakes, small square individuals and the popular croquembouche.

Serving sizes

You may wish to serve your cake for dessert, preferring a dessert style cake flavour such as white mud raspberry cake or chocolate mud cake layered with dark chocolate ganache, then finished with a white chocolate ganache icing.
If your venue is already providing dessert, you will require coffee serves, this is a small finger serve of cake to be served after the meal with coffee, you can choose less rich cakes such as citrus coconut, white mud or fruit cake.

Cup cakes are great to use for after the meal with coffee or they can be placed in boxes and taken home by your guests.

You may wish to keep the top tier of your cake, traditionally for your first Anniversary, a popular alternative is to catch with family and friends the day after the wedding for coffee and cake or a barbeque and use the top tier.

Using my experience and an exceptional catalogue of trusted recipes collected from my years as a pastry chef in five star resorts and international hotels, I can create you the perfect wedding cake.

Your wedding cake is the most important cake you will ever have, so it is important that it not only looks amazing but it also tastes divine.

What’s hot in cakes this season

Classical designs with smooth white or ivory sugar icing, finished with diamante or pearls with a large sugar or fresh flower, such as the Dior design

Tiered cakes finished with a light textured white chocolate ganache icing, decorated with fresh flowers, such as St Moritz design.

The traditional French wedding cake the croquembouche is very popular this year. Profiteroles can be filled with liqueur flavoured custard or chocolate mousse, And then dipped in dark or white chocolate and decorated with small fresh flowers.

Lee is a professionally trained pastry chef with 20 years experience, specialising in wedding cake design and decoration,

His previous experience includes Harrods of London, and theSheraton Mirage Port Douglas and Hyatt Regency Coolum.

www.cakedesigns.com.au.

Wedding Planning

Counting Down The Days Until “I Do”

There are many guides available to help you plan your overall wedding, offering a broad guideline to the average 15 month engagement. However, there are very few checklists available to help you prepare for the last few weeks leading up to your big day. Certainly this list isn’t exhaustive, but we will help remind you of some of the important details that you may have overlooked.

Top 10 Hints and Tips for making the most of your day.

1. You will most likely feel dehydrated prior to the ceremony (something about all the excitement and nervous energy) so make sure you drink plenty of water in the morning.
2. Allow yourself some time between hair and makeup and leaving to the ceremony to have something to eat and relax.
3. Give mum something really important to do in the morning. Mums like being involved, and if you have a mum that panics, the best thing you can do is give her something to do to take her mind off things. This will help you relax too.
4. Even if you don’t like having your photo taken, do take the time to have bridal photos (allow one hour). You will regret it if you don’t.
5. Don’t panic if you are running a few minutes late. It is perfectly acceptable to be up to 10 minutes late to your own wedding. Far better than arriving prior to your guests!
6. During the night, take your groom’s hand and take some time to look around and enjoy the moment. Yes, all these people are here because they love you.
7. Use the time between entree and main courses to do the round of your guests and thank them for attending.
8. Trust your suppliers. They are professionals in their field and will take care of little details and issues that arise. Don’t micro-manage your suppliers. Just relax and know that everything is going to plan.
9. You can be assured that there will be at least one thing that happens during the night…a broken glass, the spilling of red wine. Don’t worry about it. You cannot control these things. Just let it go.
10. Remember, this is your wedding day. It is not a dress rehearsal. It is not a grand photo shoot. It is the day you make your commitments. Remember why you are here and let love conquer all.

Download the chart here Counting Down the Days until I do.

Invitations and Stationery

Wedding Stationery – your style, your wedding.

The process involved in the wording of a wedding invitation can sometimes seem quite confusing. It is the integral information schedule for your wedding day and is often a sneak preview for your guests of the styling and colour palette that will unfold. Invitations also need to reflect your personality, and the words that you choose will distinctively customise the feel for your day.

There are many choices for the wording of your invitations, deciding what is right for you can often be based on various factors regarding your wedding day.

The Host Line of the invitation can be the tricky part, this line of wording represents who is hosting the wedding, traditionally the bride’s parents, but with modern weddings it could be both parents of the bride and groom, or indeed the couple themselves.

Invitations are usually sent out six to eight weeks prior to your wedding. Remember to allow additional time for invitations heading to remote areas or overseas. Commonly many couples send ‘Save the Date’ announcements to ensure guests have advanced warning of the special day.

Your RSVP date should be approximately four weeks prior to your wedding. This will allow you to complete your final tasks and ensure you have enough notice to meet the reception venue’s deadlines.

Today’s modern invitation also includes an attachment or note about the sometimes difficult issue of gifts.

Traditionally, many weddings have a gift table at the reception venue, where guests place presents suitable for the couple. However, these days most couples live together prior to marriage and this ultimately can create a conundrum when it comes to what to buy them as a couple. It is for this reason that the gift registry or wishing well has become a popular option at most weddings. So as not to offend any guests, a popular choice for the gift insert or note, is to create a rhyme indicating your preference, whilst still being most appreciative of any gift.

The number of organisations offering gift registries for weddings is phenomenal, and ranges from department stores through to travel agents and charities. It allows your guests to select from a range of items that YOU have chosen, also avoiding the potential for doubling up.

The request for the gift of money is another option and is very practical for newlyweds – allowing guests to give as much as they wish. If you are worried that guests may be conscious about the amount they have to give, you may like to adopt the new trend of making it an anonymous Wishing Well. Alternatively, some guests find the gift of money impersonal, so overcome this by stating what the money will be going towards when sending out invitations (i.e.: – a new lounge suite or the honeymoon). You can even take it one step further and when sending out ‘Thank You’ cards after the Wedding, include a photo of you both enjoying the item or on your honeymoon. Your guests will appreciate your thoughtfulness.

Have you ever wondered exactly what an invitation dress code means?

We’ve defined the most common codes to help with any misconceptions.

Black Tie: The second most formal option behind White Tie and usually the outright winner for popularity. Applicable for ‘After 5pm’ time slots.

Gents: black tuxedos are the norm with a bow tie rather than a tie.

Ladies: glamorous gowns or more formal cocktail dresses.

Lounge Suit: A less formal, yet stylish option for both day or evening weddings.

Gents: dark suits, crisp shirts and ties.
Ladies: stylish dresses, smart suits or cocktail dresses.

Cocktail: Usually applicable for late afternoon/evening weddings.

Gents: suit and tie (lean towards a darker suit).

Ladies: cocktail style dresses tending towards the shorter length. Remember to dress it up with accessories and jewels!

Barefoot & Black Tie: Most popular for beach weddings and as the title indicates, no shoes.

Gents: lighter suit pants with a formal, collared shirt. No tie necessary.

Ladies: shorter cocktail style with minimal accessories.

Suits & Stiletto’s: Similar to the traditional cocktail dress code and used where the couple want to define the boundaries but let people be creative.

Gents: suits are a must, however, the tie is optional.

Ladies: given the title includes Stiletto’s, lean towards shorter length cocktail dresses and create a focus on the shoes. Alternatively, put a spin on the dress code and team up a smart suit with a pair of knockout heels.

Sunshine Coast Bridal Showcase

The Sunshine Coast Bridal Showcase is the longest running Bridal show on the Sunshine Coast.

Meet with the finest companies to help you plan your wedding. See the spectacular display of cakes, gowns, floral arrangements, wedding cars and much more. The show will feature must-have products and services for the sophisticated bride and groom.

• Date: Sunday 24th June 2012
• Show Hours: 10.00 am – 4.00 pm
• Venue: Novotel Twin Novotel Twin Waters Resort – Ocean Road, Twin Waters
• Admission: $10.00 each
• Giveaways: The current edition of Sunshine Coast Brides Magazine will be on-sale at the expo, with back issues as give aways.
• Fabulous Prizes – go into the draw to win a fantastic wedding gown by “Hills in Hollywood” or win a number of lucky door prizes valued at over $15,000.00 in total.

www.sunshinecoastbridalshowcase.com

Bridesmaids Duties

Always by your side, through thick and thin, with tissues and champagne, gossip and chocolate and those mandatory girls’ nights out. Career crossroads, wardrobe breakdowns, office romances and don’t forget those Boxing Day Sales.

Girlfriend power is strong, loyal and unwavering. The chosen few, you know who they are, your best and trusted, the ones who have ridden that roller coaster of life right by your side. So you now embark on a new journey, a brand new twist and turn. Engaged, in love and about to plan the wedding to your perfect man.

So, Who Will I Choose

Well beautiful brides to be, choose wisely, as a bridesmaid’s role involves a great deal of support, love and selflessness. Choose the girlfriends who will honour and respect your wishes for your special day. Think of those that will allow you to sit back and enjoy the moment. Hand pick the girlfriends who will assist and co-operate with your vision and dreams. Remember it is your wedding, your day, and your very special event.

Choose friends who will be by your side many years down the track. Don’t feel pressured or inclined to choose cousins or family members, or girls who have had you as an attendant on their wedding day. Choose bridesmaids who you want, it’s your choice, be true to yourself.

Surround yourself with girls who are special. Make sure they are reliable and understand the responsibility of being a bridesmaid. They also need to know how to have fun. Giggles and laughter, with girl power united, makes a very special pre-preparation wedding day. Girlfriends who make the grade have a big job on their hands, organising and overseeing plans and preparations, from engagement parties to hen’s nights, and then of course preparations for the wedding day.

What Does the Job Entail

• One Bridesmaid will need to take on the role of Maid of Honour and will normally witness the legal documents required for the marriage certificate. This bridesmaid will take on a more prominent role in the ceremony, holding your bouquet when necessary and will oversee the other bridesmaids’ roles.
• Accompany the bride when choosing a dress and accessories. The bride-to-be may also like them to assist in decisions with flowers, invitations, decorating and styling ideas.
• Plan and organise a bridal shower and hen’s night.
• Make sure the bride is relaxed and as pampered as possible on her wedding day. If anything needs attending to, phone calls or errands, bridesmaids need to take care of this.
• Make a timeline for the day and be aware of preparation times, ensuring the bride is ready to get dressed when necessary.
• Assist the bride with getting dressed, helping with underwear, shoes and veil.
• It’s always handy to carry an emergency kit, including tissues and make-up.
• Pay particular attention to the bride’s veil at the ceremony, ensuring it is sitting perfectly,(especially cathedral length and longer veils).
• After the ceremony, make sure the bride has a glass of champagne and something to nibble on whilst being photographed. Record guests names on gifts received.
• Assist with the wedding cake distribution.
• Make sure the bride has everything she needs during the reception.

Don’t forget the boys!

Gone are the days when the groom simply purchased the ring, said “I do” and enjoyed the honeymoon. For better or for worse, today’s grooms-to-be are now far more involved in the planning of their wedding day.

With so much to plan and so many decisions to make, input from your groom-to-be is not only special, but very, very wise. After all, it’s the beginning of a lifetime of making joint decisions so why not start with the wedding.

However…getting your groom-to-be involved in the wedding planning is sometimes not as easy and stress free as it sounds! While most brides dream about their fairytale wedding from the moment they know that he’s the one, the impending groom-to-be often has little idea about the enormous effort required to organise the special day.

The truth is that these days, most grooms-to-be are actually just as excited about their wedding day as you are, and if they are actively involved in planning the event, they will feel much less isolated and even enjoy the organising. Following are some tips on how to get your groom-to-be more involved – without adding to the stress of the whole planning process.

Aside from the tasks you plan together as a couple, the groom also has traditional responsibilities that he really should attend to. These often include:

• Choosing his best man and groomsmen.
• Selecting suits and wedding attire.
• Input into the guest list.
• Making decisions about wedding day transport.
• Input into the buck’s night.
• Planning the honeymoon.
• Purchasing gifts for his groomsmen.
• Purchasing a gift for his bride-to-be.
• Arriving early to the ceremony to attend any pre-wedding requirements.
• Making the important speeches – to his new wife, parents and all involved.with the wedding day, bridesmaids, groomsmen and attending guests.
• Dancing correctly (or at least trying to) for the bridal dance. This is a great opportunity to take some sexy dance lessons together.

Essential Planning Checklist

START EARLY
The fun begins as soon as you’re engaged. Now that he’s done the romantic part and asked for your hand in marriage, take the plunge and announce your engagement to the world!

ONCE YOU HAVE SET THE DATE
You can now start booking those suppliers whose diaries fi ll up six or twelve months in advance. Now is also the time to start looking for that perfect gown.

6-12 MONTHS BEFORE YOUR WEDDING
Create your wedding style guide and choose your colour palettes. Don’t forget to send save-the-dates so international and interstate guests can take advantage of early bird fares.

Hot tip
Gown shopping is meant to be fun. Call designers beforehand, book no more than four appointments in the day, and organise a girly lunch to break them up. Don’t forget to take a pair of heels, white or nude underwear, a hair clip to change your hairstyle and a friend who’s opinion you trust!

3-6 MONTHS BEFORE YOUR WEDDING
Now that you have your wedding style guide complete, it’s time to send out the Essential Planning Checklist

8-12 WEEKS BEFORE YOUR WEDDING
Your suppliers are booked, briefed and ready to go, so it is time for your attention to return to more personal issues like your gown, accessories and beauty regime.

2 WEEKS BEFORE YOUR WEDDING
Confirm your bookings and agree on the table seating plan.

LAST FEW DAYS BEFORE YOUR WEDDING
Rehearse, relax and enjoy time with friends and family.

Download the full checklist.

Fitness Countdown

Looking great in your wedding dress on your special day is extremely important for most brides.

The fitness countdown normally begins when the rock hits the finger! Your existence is often plagued with thoughts of bad eating habits and visions of not being able to fit into that perfect dress.

If, however, you are committed to shedding those unwanted kilos, then don’t stress too much, as fat burning when you have a real goal to work to is often very successful and even fun!

Looking spectacular on your wedding day is a reality and effective fitness regimes are the first steps to a fitter, healthier and happier you. We asked two Personal Trainers, Dan Clarke from Sharp Performance and Bianca Aioni from Exclusive Performance Coaching to provide their tips for losing weight – the healthy way.

Dan says the best way to start the weight loss process is to ask yourself some direct questions such as…how much weight do I want to lose and how much time do I have?

“Diet and nutrition are the major contributors to positive weight loss, accompanied by a regular exercise program,” said Dan. “There are a lot of fad diets available so I caution you to be careful if you are thinking about embarking on that journey.

If you greatly reduce some components of your diet you also reduce the amount of lean muscle produced, and lean muscle will help you burn more calories. If you start to decrease your lean muscle you will decrease your body’s ability to burn fat and, yes ladies, this means you will start to store fat in those areas you don’t want – the tummy, the hips and the butt,” says Dan.

Bianca feels that a healthy eating plan tailored to your body type will not only give you impressive results but will be more sustainable in the long term.

“Avoid the yo-yo diet misery-go-round. Exercising excessively or starving yourself makes your body hold onto fat even more stubbornly and come back with a vengeance when you return to normal eating,” says Bianca.

Seeking advice from the professionals is a great way to start. Effective weight loss can be achieved with hard work and positive lifestyle changes. If you think you have the motivation to begin on your own, some expert trainer tips can help you get started.