A baker and a cake decorator are two different jobs.

A baker is that person that will give you a cake within an hour, full of icing and some piped flowers. A cake decorator is the one who takes hours on your cake, making it super special and memorable!

Cake Decorator Merry

Merry Sherman your favorite Cake Decorator

I am just that  cake decorator.  Together we design a cake of your dreams. I then create the very best tasting cake and decorate it to the ooh! and ayes! from you and your guests.  In other words, making your wishes, delicious!

Here I am with a Just Because Celebration Cake created using fresh fruit as a topping. The cake was Butter Flavor with a chocolate fudge filling.

Now, wouldn’t receiving a cake like this, just make your day?

YOUR RECEPTION JUST WOULDN’T BE THE SAME WITHOUT A WEDDING CAKE!

Copy of cake24 
The ancient Romans used to make a cake of barley or wheat and then break it over the bride’s head as a sign of fertility. The wheat from which it was made symbolized fertility and the guests eagerly picked up the crumbs as good luck charms. It also became customary to pile several small cakes to create one large tier. The bride and groom would then try to kiss over the tower of cakes without knocking it over. If they succeeded, it was a sign that their marriage would be long and prosperous. Later, a clever baker decided to amass all these small cakes together, covering them with frosting. Thus, the modern tied cake was born.

How do I handle a bridesmaidzilla?

bridesmaidsQ:My sister is turning into a bridesmaidzilla. She’s insisting I invite five of her friends (even though I don’t know them), and that I pay for her hair and makeup. My budget is limited, but should I try to appease her to keep the peace?

A: You are not obligated to invite five people you don’t know to your wedding, nor pay for her hair and makeup especially if you can’t afford it.

Why don’t you ask her to join you for lunch, and a day of shopping. Keep the conversation light and breezy with the focus on her not your wedding plans or your fiance’. Towards the end of the day remind her that you and your fiancé are trying to work within a budget and you cannot afford to add people to your guest list or have added expenses. Be sure to let her know that you want her, all your family and your friends to share in your big day and have a wonderful time.

May be she wants her friends added to the guest list because she does not feel comfortable with those you invited.  In that case, you  may want to let her invite one of of her friends and if she still wants all three invited, ask her to cover the cost of adding them to your guest list.

As for paying for her hair and makeup, if you can afford it, why not pay for one or the other? Or…Why not have a sister’s spa day and cover the cost of her manicure(not acrylic)?

How much alcohol do I have to provide

My mother-in-law wants to hand out drink tickets to keep people from getting too drunk at the wedding.  That’s seems really tacky to me. Is it?

No offense to your mother-in-law, but that is tacky.  Tell her you trust your guests to behave like grown-ups, not college freshmen.  If the reasoning behind the tickets is to cut cost, you can go with a reduced bar  or serve only wine, beer and a signature cocktails.

My personal choice is to serve house wine and let guest know you have a limited cash bar or no alcohol at all.

It is traditional for the groom’s family to foot the bill for the drinks. If this is true in your case, remember it is her decision so be nice with your suggestions.

Best thank you to your guests….

The best thank you can show your guests for attending your wedding and and sharing you joyfulness is not the table favor, but is to visit with each and everyone of them.

Sometimes this is hard to do individually, but if  create a plan for table visits on the day of your wedding each guest will feel appreciated.  So visit a few tables after the first few dances, some more during dinner, and so forth.

Peeking Flowers

crocusI was looking out my window this afternoon and saw my crocus  blooming.  It was not letting anything get in it way, not weather, not snow, not even the leaves I didn’t rake last fall.

It reminded me that if I want to get somewhere, I need to keep pushing on, not letting anything get in my way.

When we are planning a wedding or any event for that matter, we need to not sweat the small stuff.

Cutting the Cake for the Bride and Groom

It’s time to cut into that beautiful wedding cake, but how do you do it gracefully for the bride’s and groom’s first bite?

Melissa shares a great tip for making memories without making a mess.

What do you know about the use of an apron?

I don’t think our kids know what an apron is or at least what it was used for. The principal use of an apron was to protect the dress underneath. Yes the dress.  When women stated wearing pants and jeans, aprons kind of drifted away.

Several ways to use an apron are:

  • As a cover-up, the apron was easier to wash than dresses, took less material,
  • But along the way, it served as a potholder for removing hot pans from the oven
  • It was wonderful for drying children’s tears, and on occasion was even used for cleaning out dirty ears.
  • From the chicken coop, the apron was used for carrying eggs, fussy chicks and sometimes half-hatched eggs to be finished in the warming oven.
  • When company came, those aprons were an ideal hiding place for shy kids

These are a few of the things an apron can be used for. Check back again for even more uses.  Maybe we should all get an apron and save the jeans.

Are my eggs still good?

eggsYou can always use the  Float Test; if they float in salt water, they’re gone.  Fresh eggs will lie on the bottom. As they get older, they move from bobbing a bit, to standing on end. If they float, they are bad. The float test just lets you know before you open it and fill your kitchen with reek.

Expiration dates are really a sell-by date.  Eggs are usually good for at least two or three weeks after that.

Marriage is the most solemn pledge we make in our lifetimes.

The wedding pledge is to be true and faithful and loving to another human being.

The wedding pledge is to be true and faithful

Marriage carries with it the most solemn of promises, but it also embodies the potential for the greatest joy of human existence – the pure joy that flows from two hearts beating as one. There are few joys in life as deep or as long lasting as the joy that springs from the well of true love and a lasting marriage.