Tag: wedding cakes
courtesy of treschicbride.blogspot.com
When throwing a shower for one of my girlfriends awhile back, I came across a little recipe for “cake pops” and have been OBSESSED ever since!
Being the regular Betty Crocker (for those of you that know me, please hold in your laughter) that I am, I decided this would be an excellent choice for a festive dessert! And if I’ve gotta be completely honest… it TOTALLY was! (Subsequently pats self on back) I made three kinds: Vanilla, Chocolate and Strawberry.
Now, while these three flavors may seem like nothing all too impressive, it’s what you can do with them that makes them so incredible! After baking the three cake mixes in the oven (according to the box instructions), I simpled let the pans cool for about 15 minutes before crumbling each flavor into a mixing bowl and stiring in the same flavor frosting. (White w/ Vanilla, Chocolate w/ Chocolate and Strawberry w/ Strawberry.) After which, I balled the sugary goodness into small circles and covered them with candy melt toppings.
It took a little practice, but once I got the hang of it, it was super easy… and even more delicious! I topped the White Cake Balls with vanilla icing and yellow sprinkles; the Chocolate Cake Balls with chocolate candy melts and coconut, and the Strawberry Cake Balls with a melted white chocolate candy bar and pink candy heart sprinkles (my faves!). I placed some on sticks, creating a gourmet sucker look and the rest I left on decorative trays for easy, sweet munching!
There are several options on how you can create your cake pops / balls, but I have yet to find one I didn’t enjoy! Take a look below for some delicious inspiration and easy to make recipes (found below images) and start poppin’ your way to party goodness!
Choloate and Turquoise Dream!
courtesy of karascakery.com courtesy of Google Images courtesy of bzevents.com
Pretty in Pink!
courtesy of bakersroyale.com
Citrus-y Goodness!
courtesy of bzevents.com
Wrapped with Love!
courtesy of etsy.com
Turtle-Something Surprise!
courtesy of cakebybridges.com
Cupcake Cuties!
courtesy of thehappychickadee.blogspot.com
Designed by Darlings!
courtesy of camillestyles.wordpress.com
Lined with Perfection!
courtesy of thesepeasarehollow.blogspot.com
Sweetly say “I do!”
courtesy of etsy.com
Example Recipe Guide for Reference:
- 1 Box of Cake Mix (Choose your favorite the flavor)
- 1 16 ounce Container of Pre-Made Frosting (Again, choose the flavor!)
- 1 3 ounce Bar of Flavored Confectionery or Candy Melts (Choose your taste yet again! Mixing and Matching is half the fun!)
1. Prepare the cake mix according to package details, using any of the recommended pans for backing. Once cake is baked fully, simply crumble the cake while still warm (but after 15 minutes of cooling) into a large mixing bowl, and stir in the frosting until well blended.
2. Melt your flavored confectionery or candy melt coating in a glass bowl in the microwave or a metal pot over a pan of simmering water on the stove-top, stirring occasionally until at a smooth consistency.
3. Use a melon baller or scoop (or even just your hands!) to form small balls (use Dunkin’ Donut holes as reference) of your cake mixture. Then, either dip the balls into the melted pan of goodness using a toothpick or simply drizzle it on top using a spoon to coat each one accordingly. Place on waxed paper to set.
4. Decorate accordinly. Place on sucker sticks if desired. Refrigerate once fully cooled.
5. & ENJOY!!
August 2, 2011
courtesy of marthastewart.com
A girlfriend at work (holler for a dollar, Carolyn!) sent me a link on deconstructed wedding cakes last week, and I have to admit, it had my mouth watering for cake before the sun could rise and you could question, “Cake, for breakfast??” With all the new (not necasarily improved) but super fun ways brides are choosing to divy out dessert on their big day, I was sooo glad to see deconstructed wedding cakes as one of them!
And don’t let the chunky, clunky name fool you, because these beauties are anything but! Not only can the sleeker, chic’er cakes have a crisper, cleaner look, but they can also be filled with a countless number of flavors, which their larger versions are often times limited to! Um, hello?? More cakes to sample?? Yes, please!!
Whether a bride chooses to do each cake a different flavor or a select a specific amount of tantalizing tastes to divide between the masses, these deconstructed darlings have an abundance potential that will have your head spinning. Some brides even choose to double them as centerpieces, which encourages guests to mix ‘n’ mingle while trying to uncover which table has the BEST flavor!
Oh, and did I mention that the cost for these un-tiered dreams can be significantly, less? Yeah, add that to the win column too, ladies! Haha! Check out below for even more, mouth watering examples!
Stick with the same theme and shape for a more uniform look…
courtesy of theknot.com
Play with textures, sizes and shapes to really create a unique look…
courtesy of bridalguide.com
Decorate your deconstructed cakes in theme or according to the season…
courtesy of projectwedding.com
When doubled as centerpieces, disassembled cakes encourage guests to get up and move about…
courtesy of baileysbrides.blogspot.com
Ideal for creating a rustic, do-it-yourself ambiance…
courtesy of featherlove.com
July 26, 2011
photo courtesy of karenlisa.com/blog
Blue 42! Blue 42! Seeeeeet. Hut, hut, HIKE!
Ha! Don’t act like you’re not impressed with my all star quarterbacking skills. Okay, okay, so I’m no Peyton Manning, but I am from the city where he hones his skills, which I fig allots me some QB talent based on proximity alone. Yes? No? Maybe?
Anyhoot, with Super Bowl XLV closing off the NFL season this past weekend, I couldn’t help but catch a little football fever and wrap myself up in the frenzy of it all. I’m a HUGE (American) football fan. Not that I don’t love European football / soccer as well, but there is just something about watching dudes in tight pants and shoulder pads battling for field position that gets my blood moving!
Mayhaps it’s my love of the game or my love of a wedding day… either way, I can’t seem to get enough of NFL themed weddings! I mean, themed weddings are already a ball, but pair it with the fun of fall tailgates, cold brews and hot athletes and what’s not to love?
Of course, to make NFL themed weddings go off without a hitch, it doesn’t mean you have to force the entire bridal party into eye black, helmets and jerseys; you can take a more subtle approach and simply play up your favorite NFL teams’ colors.
You can incorporate hue-inspired team spirit into everything from your bouquets and boutonnieres to your bridesmaid dresses and centerpieces; you may even venture into football shaped groom’s cakes, color coordinated candy bars or hand out Terrible Towel or horseshoe shaped favors.
It really is up to you! I’ve seen brides and grooms have NFL and football themed cake toppers, wedding garters, car decorations and candy coated favors. I’ve seen and even participated in a makeshift bridal party football scrimmages to be immortalized in the fun photography Hall of Fame.
From tasteful to tacky, NFL inspired nuptials can be as restrained or unhinged as you see fit. Finding your balance is half the fun! And for inspiration, please direct your attention below for weddings spun around Super Bowl Champions, the Green Bay Packers (green + yellow), the NFL’s second place finishers, the Pittsburgh Steelers (black + gold + white) and because I gotta show some love for my boys in blue (+ the most popular wedding color too!), the Indianapolis Colts (blue + white).
photo courtesy of coreyann.net/blog
photos courtesy of w-weddingflowers.com
photo courtesy of craigphotography.wordpress.com
photo courtesy of jessicaclaire.net
photo courtesy of christinamontemurrophotography.com
photo courtesy of weddingcreativoblog.com
photos courtesy of chelseaelizabeth.com
photos courtesy of mintsflower.com
photo courtesy of paperpassionista.com
photo courtesy of flickriver.com
photo courtesy of flickr.com
photos courtesy of schiemerentertainment.com
photo courtesy of simplyperfectweddings.blogspot.com
photos courtesy of redboxpictures.com
photos courtesy of truephotography.com
photo courtesy of firstfloorfilms.typepad.com
Ha! And this last one is from my wedding reception… My father-in-law, a huuuuuuge Colts fan, is surrounded by his daughter and son-in-law from Chicago… Bears fans. Haha!
photo courtesy of jessikafeltz.com
February 10, 2011
photo courtesy of Google Images
So much of who we are is because of where we come from. Our past and all the people in it not only mold us into the people we are today but will continue to shape us into the people we hope to be in the future. Being a girl who comes from an extremely LARGE, extremely loving family, I can’t help but think of the old African proverb: It takes a village to raise a child. But perhaps this is because there are enough members in my family to be a village. Don’t believe me? Check out this beast from the Mister and me’s wedding last year…
And that’s strictly just my dad’s side!! Haha! Gotta love it :)
Anyhoot, if you’re a bride that’s anything like myself, you more than likely want to have a wedding day celebration that’s just as wonderful for you, as it is for all the important people in your life. Because without your village to support you, your life just wouldn’t be the same!! Haha!
One way to do this is by displaying flashback family wedding pictures for all to see! Heirloom wedding photos at the reception is not a new trend by any means, but all the ways brides are displaying them display is! Whether brides choose to just set up pics from the days their parents said “I do” or go all out and include grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, you name it… is strictly up to you!
The Mister and I chose to use pics of our parents’ and grandparents’ wedding days, which were set up by the entrance to ensure that every one coming in could get their blast from the past early :) I’ve also seen where other brides will actually use the cake cutting photos from their family photos to decorate their cake table or toasting photos at the head table. Really it’s up to!
Just be sure to have fun with it…. because I can gosh darn guarantee you everyone else will have fun seeing them!
December 13, 2010
photo courtesy of ampedasia.com
That’s right, kids! Looks like several of Hong Kong’s “Golden Arches” have upped the ante for wedding vendors everywhere! We’re talking Happy Meal menus, Big Mac attacks and apple pie tower cakes (oh my!)! According to msnbc.com news reports:
If McDonald’s has its way, the traditional white wedding arch will be replaced with the golden ones. Some of the fast-food chain’s restaurants in Hong Kong are now allowing customers to “supersize” their order to include McNuptials. (today.msnbc.msn.com)
And all I can say is, thank GOODness my Mister and I have already taken the plunge… ’cause you already KNOW this would be all over his radar like white on rice! Twenty-seven years old, and the man would still pick the entire McDonald’s menu over everything else. (What this says about my cooking shall remain unmentioned… however, I’m guessing assumptions are already being made. Eh.)
Anyhoot, the world’s most recognized restaurant – ha, there’s just something about calling Mickey D’s a “restaurant” that will always be funny to me – is officially open for wedding business and already booking January 2011 weddings!!! Offering an appetizing spread of Happy Meal favors, apple pie tower wedding cakes, their full menu of meal deals and even party balloon dresses, Ronald and his crew have pulled out all the stops… well, and by “all the stops,” I really mean doing the same stops, mayhaps with just a few more stairs :)
What would really impress me is – however – is if they would offer different levels of packages. Let’s say Small, Medium, Large and Supersize??? Supersize, of course, containing the option of a Ronald McDonald minister! Yep, who’s with me!?!?! <waits for high fives>…<still waiting>… Alright, forget it! <high fives self> Yes!
However, there are a few things you may want to consider before booking your flights and jumping on board this dream wedding scenario. Chief among them?? Exclusivity. Even though Hong Kong’s Golden Arches are open for wedding business, they are not closing their doors to the rest of the world. So tourist Two Buck Chuck and his sweet lady friend, Sideburns Susie, just may have a cameo in the wedding album while they get their order on during your vows. Just saying…
Also, McDonald’s is a family establishment lacking a liquor license; therefore, NO ALCOHOL is allowed on the premise. Sorry, crazy beer guzzling uncles, you’ll have to settle for strawberry shakes instead. Other reports also suggest substituting the champagne toasts with soda… Classy!
So, if any of you are planning this for your wedded bliss, feel free to invite me! And with all the money you’ll be saving on catering and rental equipment, you can even fly me out! Haha… but for reals :)
October 15, 2010
Many things in this world tug at my heart strings… babies laughing, a friend crying, a person eating alone, my parent’s house at Christmas, hearing my two year old nephew say, “I love you, Aunt Mary,” watching The Notebook, reading The Notebook, puppies, wedding vows, etc. I mean this list could go on and on, but nothing – and I mean NOTHING! – could possibly tug at my heart strings harder than two old people in love. (Siiighhhh)
There’s just something about an elderly couple, late-in-their-years-but-young-in-their-love, holding hands while walking down a street or through a mall or leaving church after Sunday service that makes my heart melt into pieces. Seriously, is there anything cuter than this…
photo courtesy of debidrecksler.blogspot.com
OR this…
photo courtesy of eternallymine.wordpress.com
OR this…
photo courtesy of thedatingpapers.com
I rest my case :)
Partly because of all the history their hands have together; partly because of the old school rules they use to love each other, and partly because I will never forget how my Grandpa Kennedy’s voice cracks every time he calls Grandma the “love of my life,” but regardless of what the overlying reason is… one thing is for certain, couples married 50+ years sure could teach all us soon-to-be/newly-weds a thing or two about love.
Because isn’t that the end goal we all want for ourselves when planning our wedding day? To grow old with the person we say “I do” to, rocking on a porch swing, drinking chocolate milk? At least that’s what I like to think every couple wants, which is exactly why when I came across this story on Tbo.com, I knew I had to share it.
Married for 62 years, Tampa residents, Cesario and Lucy Corrales knew what it took to make a marriage work. After years of living and working in the same town, getting married, settling down, having children and growing older and wiser together, Cesario and Lucy never lost the love they had for one another.
“They were married 62 years, and they could not be without each other,” said daughter Lisa San Martin. “He was her right hand. She was his right hand.” (Tbo.com)
And while lots of people use the sentiment “can’t live without you” as a means to personify their love for another, the Corrales lived it. Shortly after celebrating her anniversary to her husband on September 5, Lucy Corrales, 82, suffered a heart attack and died three days later at Tampa General Hospital.
Upon hearing the news, San Martin recounts her father’s reaction:
At first he just shook his head, almost in disbelief. Then, he broke down. ‘I should have gone first,’ he told her. (San Martin, Tbo.com)
<Gulp, swallowing back the tears>
And while Cesario didn’t go first, he certainly didn’t wait long to find his love again. Because 43 hours after she passed, Cesario Corrales, 87, suffering from a broken heart, died at the same hospital just a couple floors away from where he last held his sweetheart’s hand.
The funeral home that handled the arrangements collected Lucy and Cesario Corrales from the hospital. “They arrived together,” San Martin said. “And they left together.” (Tbo.com)
… Seriously, cutest :) Rest in peace, love birds, and cheers to all the years of happiness!
Lucy and Cesario on their wedding day, September 5, 1948 (photo courtesy of Tbo.com)
September 15, 2010
Wedding cakes have long been a testament to the staying power of bold colors, ruffled tiers, manufactured fondant and intricate designs. However, we are currently seeing a shift in these eccentric trends as the modern bride becomes a less fussy breed. As weddings themselves scale back into more relaxed and casual affairs, the cakes are seemingly following suit, as couples opt for cleaner lines and better taste.
Butter Cream Dreams – For a while, this frosting favorite had taken a back seat to fondant’s flavorless yet smoother form. But many couples feared that they were compromising taste for aesthetics; hence, the return to butter cream. Brides now – more than ever – are embracing the charming untidiness of this cake trend in order to pump up the taste volume and give a nod to vintage chic!
photos courtesy of marthastewartweddings.com (center and right) and design-wedding-cakes-pictures.blogspot.com (left)
(Oh! Oh! Oh, oh, oh!) The White Stuff – A revival that goes hand-in-hand with its butter cream counterpart, the infamous all white cake evokes a more naturally frosted look. Concentrated in a polished appeal and textured trends, these clean looking cakes are generally always backed with their over the top tastes! Liz Shim of Eat Cake Be Merry recommends an all-white confection with lots of texture for a more “chic blank canvas” look.
photos courtesy of marthastewartweddings.com (right and left) and chilliwebsites.com (center)
Modern Monograms – Give your cake a kick of personalized flare with your newly instated monogram! Because cake toppers aren’t just your plastic bride and groom anymore, creative couples everywhere are going for more offbeat, unique accessories. Some companies will even take a photo of the couple and specifically personalize figurines to look just like them. More popular (and reasonably priced), however, is when couples take their initials and turn heads with a monochromatic, monogram cake toppers… which happens to one of our favorites, as well!!
photos courtesy of marilynskeepsakes.com
Flower Power (That’s Tasty Too!) – Rather than frosting your cake with more flowers than a garden, cake artists today are creating incredibly real-looking sugar flowers. These blooms are much fuller so you’ll only need a few for garnish. Renowned cake designer Ron Ben-Israel says these sugar flowers will give the cake “a sleeker look”, as opposed to an overwhelming confection of blossom piping.
photos courtesy of marthastewartweddings.com (right and left) and theknot.com (center)
Dog Daze – Believe it or not, one of the newer trends in wedding cake accents is personalized pooches. More and more couples are requesting that their pets make a cameo on their cake, made purely of frosting.
photos courtesy of weddingchicks.com
So when you begin the cake design process, remember that less is more this year. Matching the piping on your cake to the lace on your dress is out, and butter cream and sugar flowers are in. It’s all about the homemade, nummy goodness and delicious taste.
August 30, 2010
photo courtesy of washingtonpost.com
I used to not watch the news because it always seemed to be filled with bad people doing bad things. Hence why I decided to major in journalism, in order to change the world of news from the inside out.
It wasn’t until a journalism professor from college explained to us that the media reports on the unusual or out of the ordinary events that I began to see the world’s glass half full again… You see, the reason there is so much bad on the news is because it’s the “unusual” part of our lives.
So many people – each and every, single day – are doing great things; so, it’s more likely for the news to report on something less shiny because they happen less often. Thus, my love the world grew even more.
I’m a firm believer that there’s a lot of good in this world. There’s a lot of good people doing great things. We’re blessed to have so many wonderful things happening all around us, all the time; so much – in fact – that the wonderful in the world becomes less significant, less newsworthy.
But every once in awhile, the good becomes so great that even the media turns its head, tips its hat and acknowledges it as extraordinary.
One such event took place yesterday in our nation’s capital, when nearly 600 couples gathered under the roof of America’s largest Catholic hurch in order to renew their vows and state their claim of love once again.
According to the Washington Post, nearly 1200 men and women all stood up together, held hands and said “I do” all over again to their spouse of 25, 30 and even 60+ years. While their reasons for lasting so long all varied from couple to couple, there was one thing they all insisted to have in common… their love.
The presiding officiant, Archbishop Donald W. Wuerl, reflected this thought beautifully when he stated,
Because of the power of love, it is possible for a couple to move from ‘me’ to ‘we.’ Love never fails. We may. But love never fails. (Wuerl, washingtonpost.com)
Not only do I see the beauty in couples who withstand the test of time, but I see the beauty in these words. Love is a beautiful thing, make no mistake about it. But that doesn’t mean that people in love won’t be faced with hard times and bad days.
Often times, the couples stated the power and strength of their love held up not in spite of but because of the harder, less “shiny” times in their lives. Chris Warner, married to his wife, Judy, for forty years said, “This is a commitment you make for life. And therefore, you work through any issues that you have.” To which Judy responded with, “I don’t think there’s any magic potion. You just have to go to bed every night thinking tomorrow’s a new day.”
And with all “new” things in our lives, there’s potential for greater opportunity. I think all couples – young, old or otherwise – could benefit from realizing it’s all about attitude… waking up every morning and choosing to smile instead of frown, choosing to love instead of hate, choosing to stay instead of leave and choosing each other, over and over again instead of anything else.
Congrats to all the couples who celebrated in this wonderful event and cheers to many (more) years of happiness!
June 7, 2010
Traditionally speaking, there are several moments everyone can expect to take place during any given wedding reception. You can generally always count on a cake being cut, a bouquet being tossed and a garter being flung. There will inevitably be a mother + son, father + daughter and bride +groom spin on the dance floor, followed by toasts and cheers and almost unavoidably a family member embarrassing him/herself… Yep, gotta love “those” people showing up for all our special occasion needs.
With that said, it’s easy to see why many brides and grooms have a hard time narrowing down what songs should be played at what events. Whether there’s a lack of passion or too much passion behind the music, many couples either have too many song selections to pick from or not enough.
And while there may be no perfect solution to finding the balance, here are some suggestions to get you started:
Top 10 Introduction / Wedding Party Entrance Songs
- I Gotta Feeling by the Black Eyed Peas
- Eye of the Tiger by Survivor
- Forever by Chris Brown
- We Are Family by Sister Sledge
- Bring ‘Em Out by T.I. featuring Jay-Z
- Sexyback by Justin Timberlake
- Celebration by Kool & the Gang
- Crazy in Love by Beyoncé featuring Jay-Z
- Get Ready for This by 2 Unlimited
- Walk This Way by Aerosmith featuring Run DMC
Top 10 Bride + Groom Dance Songs
- At Last by Etta James
- God Blass the Broken Road by Rascal Flatts
- Wonderful Tonight by Eric Clapton
- Can’t Help Falling in Love by Elvis Presley
- I’m Yours by Jason Mraz
- When You Say Nothing at All by Alison Kraus
- Better Together by Jack Johnson
- I Don’t Wanna Miss a Thing by Aerosmith
- The Way You Look Tonight by Frank Sinatra
- Everything by Michael Buble
Top 10 Father + Daughter Dance Songs
- I Loved Her First by Heartland
- My Little Girl by Tim McGraw
- What a Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong
- My Wish by Rascal Flatts
- Unforgettable by Natalie and Nat King Cole
- Butterfly Kisses by Bob Carlisle
- My Girl by the Temptations
- Cinderella by Steven Curtis Chapman
- In My Life by the Beatles
- There You’ll Be by Faith Hill
Top 10 Mother + Son Dance Songs
- I Hope You Dance by Lee Ann Womack
- You Raise Me Up by Josh Groban
- Forever Young by Rod Stewart
- Wind Beneath My Wings by Bette Midler
- Through the Years by Kenny Chesney
- Simple Man by Lynyrd Skynyrd
- Because You Loved Me by Celine Dion
- You’re Gonna Miss This by Trace Adkins
- A Song for Mama by Boyz II Men
- The Dance by Garth Brooks
Top 10 Cake Cutting Songs
- Sugar, Sugar by Archies
- How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You) by James Taylor
- Pour Some Sugar on Me by Def Leppard
- Sweetest Thing by U2
- Lucky by Jason Mraz & Colbie Caillat
- Love & Marriage by Frank Sinatra
- That’s Amore by Dean Martin
- I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch) by the Four Tops
- All You Need is Love by the Beatles
- I Got you Babe by Sonny & Cher
Top 10 Bouquet Toss Songs
- Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It) by Beyoncé
- Girls Just Wanna Have Fun by Cyndi Lauper
- It’s Raining Men by the Weather Girls
- Hit Me with Your Best Shot by Pat Benatar
- Just a Girl by No Doubt
- Wishin’ & Hopin’ by Dusty Springfield
- One Way or Another by Blondie
- Chapel of Love by the Dixie Cups
- Girls, Girls, Girls by Motley Crue
- Maneater by Nelly Furtado
Top 10 Garter Toss Songs
- Another One Bites the Dust by Queen
- Let’s Get It On by Marvin Gaye
- Legs by ZZ Top
- Oh Yeah by Yello
- Cherry Pie by Warrant
- I’m Too Sexy by Right Said Fred
- You Shook Me All Night Long by AC/DC
- I’m Still a Guy by Brad Paisley
- Big Pimpin’ by Jay-Z
- Macho Man by the Village People
February 8, 2010
Because we all need a reason to laugh (or perhaps something to make us feel better about ourselves), here at Marilyn’s Keepsakes, we’ve decided to implement a new feature called, “What Were They Thinking Thursdays.” What Were They Thinking Thursdays will showcase pictures from weddings that contain elements which include (but aren’t limited to) over the top ridiculousness, uncomfortable awkwardness, creepy confrontations, unknown subject matter or questionable contents… basically any picture that leaves us all with the same question mark… What Were They Thinking?
Today’s particularly gag-worthy pic features a happy, newlywed couple cutting their cake, which is accented by what I can only discern as one of three things: a “toilet treasure”, the walrus from Alice in Wonderland or a down scaled replica of Jabba the Hut (Star Wars fans, anyone?) Regardless, I’m left to wonder… WHAT WERE THEY THINKING???
Photo Courtesy of Dlisted.com
Have a note worthy example you’d like to share? Please feel free to email them to mkidwell@marilynskeepsakes.com for a chance to be featured! We always love hearing from you!
October 29, 2009
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