My Understanding a Southern Wedding Tradition...

A southern tradition, the groom's cake allows for some variety on the traditional wedding cake. As such, many of these cakes are chocolate or of some other dessert variety (I have heard of people using cheesecakes, chocolate covered strawberries and such). However, my experience with the groom's cake is limited. Not every wedding I have attended has had one...and the ones that did, it was merely a typical "cake" with a sports theme (or other groom interest theme).

Since our wedding cake is non-traditional as it is (chocolate iced), I have had a difficult time coming up with the best creation for our groom's cake... However, considering Jacob's interests (and tastes), I am heavily leaning toward a cookie cake for our groom's cake.


As many know, Jacob and I are major sweets lovers...and the Great American Cookie Company is a regular haunt for us when we are trying to satisfy a sweet tooth. They make the most delicious cookies cakes...in a variety of sizes. The shape/style/design of the cake I am thinking of is still TBD. I will need to consider those options here soon!

If going this route, I need to find a creative way to display this cake...ideas are welcome!

I think what confuses me about the groom's cake: how many servings should you expect to get out of it? Do more people eat the groom's cake over the traditional wedding cake? Less? Since GACC is not a traditional bakery, they will more than likely not know the answers to these questions. So that means I will have to guess on this one...

"So much of life, it seems to me, is determined by pure randomness."

I realized the other day that I had yet to post pictures of my sample bouquet charms I created. Please note this is purely a sample (thus does not look spectacular)! During this trial run, I did not spread the glue out like I should have, which created unsightly bubbles under the marble. And I did not have a circle hole punch, so the circle was cut freehand (and not very well). I have since purchased one that will make the charm making a much simpler process.

I must say that this DIY project turned out pretty decently, all things considered. Now I just need to determine which photos to use for my girls and begin the creation!

The other day, I got out my box of wedding-related items and came across two things I purchased a while back for the big day:

Serving set to cut the cake: snagged this beauty up on clearance at Pier One at the end of last summer. Love the bronzy color!! And these will be fun to use post-wedding.



Baskets to hold the programs: found two of these at Michael's at 50 percent off. Will be useful after the wedding to hold extra rolls of toilet paper in the bathroom or hand towels in the guest bathroom.

Oh and speaking of programs and such, I am not sure if I mentioned it or not, but we have finally chosen what I have dubbed as our "honor attendants." You know, the program hand-outers, ushers, readers, guestbook attendant, etc. Here they are:

• Reader one: Christie - she and I have been friends since junior year in high school when we met on a CIY trip. Love her! I am not sure yet what she will be reading, but we all know she will do it with style. Oh! And Christie is also choreographing a dance for Jacob and I for our first dance. God love her for taking on this next to impossible task.
• Reader two: Jacob - Jacob is one of my cousins and I am thrilled he will be reading in the wedding. What is funny about Jacob is his name (Jacob Ryan) is the opposite of my Jacob's name (Ryan Jacob...yes, Jacob's real name is Ryan but he goes by his middle name). We have not chosen a reading for Jacob at this point either.
• Guest book attendant: Kelsey - She is one of Jacob's cousins.
• Program hand-outer (is this even a word?): Ben - He is one of my cousins; Jacob's brother actually.
• Ushers (yes, we are adding even more people to wedding party by not having the groomsmen usher guests to their seats BUT we are adding dear cousins to the wedding by doing so!): Billy (my cousin...and he was born exactly four days after me; our moms were in the hospital together); Adam (my cousin - Billy's brother); Kyle (Jacob's cousin and Kelsey's brother); and Ryan (Jacob's cousin and Kelsey and Kyle's brother).
  

As most of the major details are planned, I now need to sit down with my various lists and countdowns and get organized on that front. That is my plan for this week: re-organize myself. Time to take inventory again!

Toss the bouquet!

We officially have a florist! After researching our options, we have decided to sign with Stephen Hein, who is seriously one of the city's best florists. His work is absolutely gorgeous. And the best part: I never would have been able to afford him had I not won the gift certificate at the July 2009 Bridal Show. This gift certificate is saving us $500 worth of flowers/greenery.

We have not placed our final order quite yet, but our quote includes:

• Bridal bouquet (orange lilies, white stephanotis flowers, greenery: wanted a fresh-picked kind of look);
• Toss bouquet (not sure if I am going to do the traditional bouquet toss or not, but regardless, this bouquet will be a smaller version of my bouquet);
• Eight bridesmaids' bouquets (orange lilies, bear grass and seeded eucalyptus);
• Groom's boutonniere (three white stephanotis flowers, seeded eucalyptus);
• Boutonnieres for seven groomsmen/four ushers/Todd Tyler/two fathers/one grandfather (two white stephanotis flowers, seeded eucalyptus);
• Nosegay bouquets for two moms (white orchids);
• Pin-on corsage for one grandmother (white rose);
• Greenery for three candelabras at the church;
• Cake topper (orange lilies) and greenery for base of cake;
• Three medium eiffel vases of orange lilies/greenery (decoration at reception); and
• Three short eiffel vases of orange lilies/greenery (decoration at reception).

We are setting another meeting for next week to add additional corsages and boutonnieres for our honor attendants (readers, guest book attendant, program person, etc.), delivery options and discuss the option of pew decorations. Stephen has some great ideas of using greenery to decorate every third or fourth pew. Hopefully it is something we can do and still remain in budget!

Next on the list: find and book a DJ!

Let them eat cake.

Wedding cakes. Like everything else in the wedding planning process, choosing the right cake takes a little research. There are a plethora of bakeries in the Lexington area catering to brides (and grooms) to-be. But so many of them want, at least, $4 per slice! And if we were to buy enough to have at least one slice per invited guest, we are looking at upwards of $900! Insanity (and highly unlikely!)!

Early on in our engagement, we went to a cake tasting at Brown’s Bakery, over on Main Street, right before it turns into Leestown Road. We chose this bakery at random as we have an inside joke where we call each other “Brown,” so we thought it would be a fun place to at least check out…

On the date of our tasting, we walk into the bakery and to our surprise, the owner (and baker) is James Brown! We knew him as Chef James when he worked in the Chef Shoppe at the Bellerive Kroger. So much fun! He and his wife opened the place a few years back. (They rock, check them out here: http://brownbakery.com/).

While catching up over a plate of several varieties of cake/icing combinations, we went over some ideas we had for our cake and what James could do to make these ideas reality. Though not official, we need to make final decisions so we may secure James and our cake! Here is what we do know:

• We want a chocolate icing wedding cake.
• There will be at least three layers (German Chocolate, yellow and a plain chocolate). The German chocolate layer will have an AMAZING filling of coconut and rich, creamy chocolate. Trying to determine if other layers will have fillings…
• We are not sure about the shape…oval seems like a neat idea, but we also like round or square. And I have seen where people choose square, but stack the layers on an angle and the effect is really cool.
• We want a simple cake design with little decoration, but with noticeable texture.
  

Inspiration for our wedding cake:
Love the simplicity of this one. Jacob digs the strawberries.

Photo from Weddingbee.com









Love this one! It is so different. Not sure what I think about the flowers…

Photo from Squidoo.com/specialdaycakes

This one is so clean and elegant! Very pretty.

Photo from Julie Elefante’s eHow article

Loving this one. Much like the strawberry one above.

Photo from Zoebakes.com

Lots of texture and chocolaty goodness! YUM!

Photo from Martha Stewart

ALSO: not only are James’ cakes (and other concoctions) delicious, they are considerably more affordable than other bakeries in Lexington! Score!

Will let you know once a cake is chosen and ordered!