A LIL' BIT OF FRESH N' FAB
STYLE SHOOT SPRING 2011

Spring in Toronto was well...not very Spring-like. In fact it was pretty drab and dreary. So back in March when This Planner ventured to do a Style Shoot for Spring 2011, I chose a colour palette and concept that, to me, felt fresh, funky and fabulous and that I knew would chase the Un-Spring-like blues of any Bride away.

And so I set up camp at the ever-so-funky and totally versatile Berkeley Event Centre. Keeping "elegance meets a bit of funk" in mind I opted to pair vibrant lime green with black for boldness and used geometric shaping in the table decor to add that bit of structure. Careful to not go too brash however, Sherwin from Petals and Twigs and I chose to work with gorgeous cymbidium orchids and frosted candlesto bring the 'elegance' into the vision.




And then there were the fish. To keep the ambiance lighthearted and fresh we added a playful, surprise element to the table -- two Black Morrow goldfish swimming about front and center. (NOTE: no fish were harmed in the making of this Style Shoot. In fact, they are now the well-loved pets of my 2 year old son)



For a unique take on menus and favours I decided to combine the two., I created Menu Cubes which displayed the courses on each side of the cube. Inside, the cube offered a tasty treat as a takeaway.



And of course there was the attire. The fabulous thing about the overall concept of this shoot was that the Bride had endless possibilities for attire -- sophisticated, edgy or elegant she would fit right in with her surroundings. Which was great as I had trouble deciding between the two gowns!

This suave gown from The Brides Project is my favourite gown at the shoot. It was absolutely unique as it was redesigned from a completely out-of-date gown by a faculty member at Ryerson University. Pair it up with a super cute fascinator by Absolutely Fascinating and voila!


Another gown from The Brides Project offered elegance but a hint of fun as well. The corseted center was made with sheer, beaded fabric creating a playful "peek-a-boo" look!


Last, but definitely not least, the cake designed by Cakes by Andy, beautifully kept in line with the geometrics in the concept and its creative floral designs add a hint of elegance.



PARTICIPATING WEDDING PROFESSIONALS:

Creative Design & Concept: Et Lofte Events
Location & Seating: Berkeley Event Centre
Florals/TableTop Decor: Petals and Twigs
Linens/Napkins: Around the Table

Wedding Cake: Cakes by Andy
Menu Cubes: Et Lofte Events
Black Charger Plates: Cry If I Want To
Silverware: Birks
Wedding Gowns: The Brides Project
Fascinators: Absolutely Fascinating

A ROSE BY ANY OTHER THREAD...

Love it or hate it, it will definitely set this Bride apart from others....

What do you think?

SWEET SWEETS CAKE ART
SERVES UP 5 TOTALLY SWEET TIPS
FOR UNIQUE EVENT DESSERTS


All photos courtesy of Sweet Sweets Cake Art

Designing the edible is a work of art that takes precision, patience and a whole lot of creativity in order to pull off something that's not just unique but that tastes good too!

Ida Thibeh Wiese, owner of the delish and exquisitely decorative Sweet Sweets Cake Art, greatly emphasizes that Personalization is one of the most important ways to make your sweets stand out from the rest.

"Adding small touches creates a huge impact that is both meaningful and everlasting" she says, "For example, for a client's wedding cake I wrapped the cake with a poem that the groom had written to his fiance. I had the pleasure of seeing the newlyweds at a gathering and the Groom told me that when he realized that the poem he wrote was on his wedding cake he got teary eyed".


Personalizing the wrappings of your treats like that of the Cubed Cupcakes below (now how cute are those!) is another way to personalize your edibles.



Ida also recommends breaking away from the traditional staggered three-tier cake look. She suggests adding different sizes, shapes, heights and widths to your cake to create an unusual, eye-catching look.



Another awesome idea that This Planner absolutely loves? Use props! Have fun accessorizing your sweets with different prop pieces as display stands or accents like standing a cake on a vintage suitcase or replacing your traditional dessert table with a dresser or cabinet. For additional "wow" personalize the dessert or cake table with items that mean something to you as a wedding couple, party host or guest of honour.



As a designer with a contemporary and creative eye, Ida also encourages wedding clients specifically to think outside 'the wedding box'.

"I hate to say this because it's sounds so cliche", she says, "but a true cake designer is inspired by so much more than the wedding world like invitations, flowers and dresses". Examine your surroundings, interests, nature and more to come up with some truly unique designs.


Lastly, Ida's mindset matches that of This Planner -- that there are virtually no "rules" when it comes to your personal event (or in Ida's case, when creating Art!) so never feel restricted to tradition or trend. Let loose and have some creative fun with your edible designs!

x

Ida Thibeh Wiese is the owner of Sweet Sweets Cake ART, which creates cake art pieces that are unique, contemporary, artistic and one-of-a-kind works of art that are fit for a Gallery. All cakes are baked from scratch using the highest and finest quality ingredients with no preservatives, artificial flavouring, shortening or mixes...just the real good stuff. Sweet Sweets Cake ART is passionate about its creations from meeting clients and brainstorming sketch ideas to the delivery of its creative works of art.