The Key to Having a Photogenic Wedding Cake

Wedding cakes have a long-standing tradition as a symbol of celebration of two people joining as one. Whether you are planning a traditional elegant wedding or an outrageously original one, your wedding cake will remain a focal point of the event.

When you plan your dream wedding cake, you have to understand that everything unique costs extra…. and you pay per slice. The cost of a slice of wedding cake can range from $3.00 to $13.00. Plus, if you want fresh flowers, multiple tiers and fondant, the costs will certainly add up.

Of course, you want your beautiful wedding cake to be highlighted in your wedding pictures and it's easy to panic about the price of an elegant cake. You can still plan to dive into a delicious and beautiful cake that's affordable and will photograph well, just use some of these ideas below.

1. Round cakes look better on a round table and a square cake looks best on a rectangular table.
   
2. Candles adorning the table can illuminate your cake, making it appear magical in pictures.
   
3. Silk table linens can dress up your cake, while plain white cotton linens can dull the beauty of it.
   
4. Faux silk flowers have the appearance of real flowers. Plus, they'll dress up your cake affordably and will shine in your pictures.
   
5. You can create a multi-tiered cake by using a cake base on the bottom. You might have only two layers of cake, but one or two cake bases will give it beautiful height that looks great in photographs.
   
6. Monogrammed letters or words made from frosting that surround your cake gives it a 3-D appearance that wows in photographs.
   
7. For pictures, you can rent a faux wedding cake and serve your guests with delicious homemade cupcakes and scoop of ice cream with a garnish of mint.

Source -

http://wedding.theknot.com/wedding-planning/wedding-cakes/articles/10-top-wedding-cake.aspx?MsdVisit=1

http://www.bridalzine.com/cake.html

Six Awesomely Popular Wedding Themes

Selecting your wedding theme comes down to your personality, and the dynamic of your relationship. Your ceremony should represent you as a couple, and the same goes for the reception, the cake, and the decor.

Some couples prefer to do an off-the-wall theme or color scheme, and that's always great. However, some of the mainstream ideas are so popular, because of how well they work, and because of how much romance they add to the night.

Below, you'll find popular theme ideas, and why they're so awesome.

Casual Beach 

 

Beach weddings can be a formal affair as well, but most couples opt for a casual theme, as the beach itself sets the tone for a relaxing night. Though most beaches would work for this, South Carolina, California, and Hawaii afford the best wedding beaches in the United States. Consider a destination wedding to one of the best places to get married!

Key Ingredients:

·         A practical wedding dress

·         Causal, light colors

·         Summery Cocktails

Traditional Romance  

 

The elegance and charm of a traditional wedding are inimitable. These are a safe choice, especially for the couple with traditional values.

Key Ingredients:

·         Church venue

·         White wedding Dress

·         Old Fashioned Music & Decor

Disney or Princess Theme

Today's brides grew up loving Disney unconditionally, and some of them never stopped. Disney themed weddings have always been popular, but never quite like this. If you can't make it to Disney, you can still have themed event.

Key Ingredients:

·         A Cinderella (or your favorite princess) Styled  Wedding Dress

·         Bridesmaid Princess Dresses

·         A Venue that's decorated to represent the Magical Kingdom

·         A thirsty imagination

Country Chic

It all comes down to the lifestyle that you love. If you grew up with country roots, or if you love all things rustic, Country Chick is the way to go.

Key Ingredients:

·         An outdoor venue, perhaps a barn

·         Hay bales

·         Farm animals

·         Rustic decor

·         Country themed stationary to set the tone for the event

·         Lanterns

·         Neutral colors & burlap linens

Black and White

This is great for the fancy couples who love feeling a bit dapper. This is a great time to get away with a black wedding dress if that's what your heart desires. Anything goes... its your formal event!

Key Ingredients:

·         Black or white wedding dress

·         Black or white bridesmaid dresses (contrasting the bride's dress, never the same)

·         Top Hats

·         Canes

·         Coat Tails

Extreme or Adventure

For the couples that want a private or adventurous ceremony before the wedding reception should consider an exhilarating theme.

Ideas:

·         Hot-air balloon ceremony

·         Skydiving/bungee jumping ceremony

·         Hiking ceremony

·         Parasailing/waterskiing ceremony

Five Things to Do When You’re Newly Engaged!

Congratulations on your recent engagement! This is the time for excitement and dreaming; it's the time to tell all your friends, have a party, and just really enjoy being someone's fiancé. Once the buzz wears off, you will realize.... you have a wedding to plan. 

Planning a wedding is a process, but it's an enjoyable and fun task. However, in some cases, I often hear "I have no idea where to start". The very first thing you should do is bookmark this blog, as my previous posts cover anything from selecting your wedding theme, to wedding photography advice. You'll also want to head on over to theknot.com and sign up for their newsletter, which sends unique and cool ideas right to your inbox.

1.    Create a Timeline
A big issue with weddings is time & procrastination, and couples don't realize how quickly time can sneak-up on a person. Create a schedule, or a timetable, with strict due dates, by which you must make a decision. This will help you remain focused, and it will help you pick your wedding date if you haven't done so yet.

2.    Consider Theme & Color Ideas
Listen to your favorite music, and picture your wedding night. What do you see, what is your style? Think about the things you and your significant other love. You don't have to make a solid decision on your theme just yet, but you do want to start the brainstorm.

3.    Prepare to Pay
Determine your budget, and plan accordingly. If you want a large, expensive wedding, it's possible, I promise. Longer engagements allow more time for saving, and more anticipation for the wedding. Adjust your wedding date to match your needs, so that finances are not a burden. A couple should never sacrifice something important to them on a special day. 

4.    Go Register
Register at a myriad of your favorite stores. Sure, the shower may be a while away, but in the meantime you still have birthdays and gift-giving holidays, so you may as well let your family know what you need.

5.    Propose to Your Wedding Party
Choose your wedding party, and officially propose to your bridesmaids. The earlier you ask, the more you can get done. Have a brainstorming, DIY brunch with your bridesmaids; take their input on dress ideas.
 

 

This is most of your wedding planning in a nutshell, but there are some things you'll want to do after you say “yes” to your dress. Check out The Knot’s 10 Things to Do After You've Purchased Your Wedding Dress.

How to Achieve Picture-Perfect Wedding Dances

The best part about being newly engaged is selecting your options and envisioning your big night; before the stress sets in, things are quite fun! I always mention how your wedding photos will last for years, and sometimes they're even favors from your wedding, but a few other key points of your wedding will stand out. The food, the venue, the dances and the traditional events are all huge, but guests always enjoy tear-provoking, well-planned, dances. From the couple’s first dance, to the wedding party and parent dances, each moment holds extreme significance for all the relationships in the room.

Below, you'll find a few tips and everything you need to know about selecting your wedding music and dances.

Choose the Right Music!

The first thing is the music; do not underestimate the impact of your wedding song. Think about it for more than just a few days, what song truly represents you as a couple? Music often speaks the words we cannot say ourselves, so think about a song that tells your partner how much they mean to you, or maybe a song that provokes memory and strong emotions for the two of you. When you have the perfect song, it's easy to make the dance flawless. If the song is longer, or not a party pleaser, consider having the DJ switch to another song about three minutes in, this also works for couples who want multiple songs, or maybe couples who can't agree. Try not to be the latter though, compromise is key in marriage.

Make the Ending Obvious!

Many weddings have an entrance, but you may notice after the first dance there can be an awkward lull; people don't know if they should wait respectfully, or head to the bar or dance floor to start partying. Consider having an official "exit" or an announcement to conclude the official dances of the wedding.

Practice! Practice! Practice!

Choreography isn't easy, and you can't learn it three nights before your wedding. Practice makes perfect, so keep at it! Make practices fun, this will help you grow as a couple as well. Working together as a team will be a bonding experience about which you can reminisce after the wedding.

Let the Photographer Know What’s Up!

We need to be one step ahead of the couple so we can capture once-in-a-lifetime candid and posed shots, we don't want to miss anything, so if you have a surprise for your guests, let us in on the secret so we can prepare for a great photo of it.

Just remember that your guests will remember your dance, and so will you. This dance marks the first moment you spent as husband and wife, and it is a symbol of your happiness and future life together. The dance is also the moment you realize that your wedding is going well, and stress begins to melt off your back while you spend the night with your lover, your friends, and your family. You earned this!