Desserts: art beyond the cake

I had a philosophical conversation with a friend of mine who is an artist about the ART of wedding cakes.  The traditional cake is a feast for the eyes, a way to continue the wedding theme, share more of the couple's personal story.  And so on.

I'm less of a cake person.  Can't eat gluten, for one thing.  But, as our wedding menu features a mish-mash of dishes that represent *us*, rather than conforming to a makes sense sort of meal plan, why shouldn't our dessert choice be more of a buffet and less of a cake/singular showpiece?

With that in mind, here are some dessert ideas I am tracking:

Party Inspirations blog.  Lots of great ideas here.  My eye was caught by the almost-rainbow ideas in the My Little Pony Party.

Wicked Dessert Treats Showcase by Crumbs! Cake Art design company in Sydney, Australia.  Can't get their stuff locally in Oregon, but can always look for ideas, right?

Weddings by Lilly has a great huge collection of dessert buffet ideas pictures.  I like the rainbow-themed marshmallows-with-sprinkles and fresh fruit skewers.  Both of those, especially, look like DIY ways to stretch the dessert budget (and put forward the rainbow theme!)

Ok, I also saw some rainbow-swirl cookies on Pinterest (I try so hard not to go there; so bad for my ADD brain).  I think they were titled Dr. Seuss cookies.

Finally, stopped by the local Edible Arrangements store to see what they had to offer.  Couldn't really get an idea of the size of their arrangements, but it seems like something there could help to stretch out dessert options.

Walt Whitman

To a Stranger

Passing stranger! you do not know how longingly I look upon you, You must be he I was seeking, or she I was seeking, (it comes to me as of a dream,) I have somewhere surely lived a life of joy with you, All is recall'd as we flit by each other, fluid, affectionate, chaste, matured,

You grew up with me, were a boy with me or a girl with me, I ate with you and slept with you, your body has become not yours only nor left my body mine only, You give me the pleasure of your eyes, face, flesh, as we pass, you take of my beard, breast, hands, in return, I am not to speak to you, I am to think of you when I sit alone or wake at night alone, I am to wait, I do not doubt I am to meet you again, I am to see to it that I do not lose you.

--Walt Whitman poem, found at http://www.poemofquotes.com

Guest Book idea

A cost-cutting and cute idea for a guest book is to make a personalized book with some photos--engagement shoot, or other photos of you as a couple--but lots of space for guests to write in.  Where/how to do this?

Shutterfly!  (Or other similar online sites.)  I say Shutterfly because, as of this moment, I have 2 coupons for book-making services (one from the wedding show we attended in February, one from my first visit to the bridal dress salon).

I bet we can make a cute, personalized guest book for pretty cheap.

Brooch Bouquet

Just heard of this trend, but apparently it's been around for awhile.  (I'm just not of an age to attend many weddings.)  Make your bridal bouquet out of a collection of brooches and sparkly things.

Reasonable tutorial on this site, but without pictures or diagrams of how it all goes together.

 one example from greenweddingshoes.com

You'll need 60 - 80 brooches or clip-on earrings.  Vintage brooches are recommended, because of their durability.  This is definitely not a budget-conscious move, but it could be something lovely that will last far beyond the ceremony.

Mmm, yummy.  Maybe I should start collecting sparkly things?

EnGAYged

So You're EnGAYged - a Gay Wedding Blog, billed as a wedding resource for LGBT and allied couples.

Check it out.  I spent some time looking at stories of real gay couples' weddings, and checking out the DIY section.  Good stuff there, but doesn't seem to be actively updated.

Photography tips

Out.com (didn't know there was such a website, I'll have to be sure and visit it again under different circumstances) had a nice article on wedding photography planning and tips.

I think I have a photographer picked out, but is it only because she shot all my children's senior portraits and is a colleague's partner?  I haven't looked into this enough.

Ideas that made my heart sing:
1 - a photo capturing "first look", when you see your bride-to-be for the first time in all her wedding finery.  I already know I'll be all puddles (better be sure to test the mascara for waterproof qualities) based on just seeing myself trying on wedding gowns.

2 - taking some shots to be used as "thank you" cards after the wedding, whether that's us standing in front of my white board in my classroom with the words printed in marker, or something a little more quirky/fun/photogenic.

Alternative dress ideas

Big fan of the alternatives to the traditional frothy bride.

Not gonna spend the time to flip this picture now.  Like the different colored shoes.  Love the halter/sailor idea at the collar.  And I look fabulous in a high-waisted trouser, if I do say so myself.

This was the day Sweetie proposed to me, overlooking the sea on our Alaska cruise.  I am wearing a silk gown with a mandarin-style collar and yoke.  It is sheath style, with a modest slit up one side.  I think it looks fabulous on me, and thus I feel very confident wearing it. 

Blackberry bouquet

Saw this in an old issue of Oregon Bride magazine (which was in the lobby of our Birthday Getaway lodge in Sisters--go figure).

Love the unripe blackberries in this bouquet.  So northwest.  Plus, I'm leaning toward green within the color palette.

Thomas Merton

Quote (seen on an episode of the tv show Criminal Minds):
“Love is our true destiny. We do not find the meaning of life by ourselves alone--we find it with another.”

And, while searching for the correct wording of the above quote, another popped up: 
“Love seeks one thing only: the good of the one loved. It leaves all the other secondary effects to take care of themselves. Love, therefore, is its own reward.”

Creations by Ly - event planning

I found out about Creations by Ly from a blog post on Portland's Art of Weddings blog.  They are a Portland-based wedding and event planning service.

I am intrigued by the list of services they provide, and the amount of help one can ask for.  I never really would have thought about it like this...

Categories of Service Offered From Creations By Ly

1. The Complete Ensemble – Perfect for a Portland wedding that involves multiple days and out of town guests. Brides get help from start to finish.
2. The Essentials – This one is great for really busy couples. Full service from budget and design concept to managing onsite activities the day of your wedding.
3. The Collaborator – This lets brides decide what they need help with most and is the most versatile service offered.
4. The Perfect Day – This service begins 6-8 weeks before your wedding and covers everything you will need to actually enjoy the wedding you’ve worked so hard to plan.
5. A La Carte services also available.  (list borrowed from Art of Weddings)