StyleSchool

Etsy.com, the online international marketplace to buy and sell handmade items, has so many inspiring treasures for wedding planning. The question isn’t whether you should go, but rather, where do you begin? With hundreds of handmade invitations, vintage inspired jewels and gifts, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. But don’t fret, busy brides! Allow us to welcome you to the Etsy Find of the Week! We’ll do the legwork and find all the greatest items on Etsy for your wedding, so all you have to do is follow our lead (and links) to some inspired wedding day goodies. 

 This week we’re kicking off the fun with these adorable handmade and custom painted lovebird cake toppers from Little Vale in Singapore! These little clay birds are a great alternative to a traditional bride and groom cake topper and add rustic charm to any wedding cake. 

 The birds can be painted in any color and will even have your initials and wedding date etched into the bottom to serve as lifelong mementos of your day. Because they don’t look like traditional toppers, they can blend right into your home décor and add flair to a bathroom table or bookshelf. They are only $45 and will arrive within 7-10 days of placing your order. Click here for ordering information, and stay tuned for more Etsy finds!

 — Darcy Newell

This week we caught up with Amy Berman, executive pastry chef and co-owner of Vanilla Bake Shop (vanillabakeshop.com) in Santa Monica, California. Berman’s love of everything sweet began when she was a little girl, thanks to her mother’s frequent surprises of homemade cakes and treats. After graduating from culinary school, Berman and her husband Jeremy created a dessert catering company which soon bloomed into their artisan bake shop named after the world’s “most universally loved flavor,” vanilla!

How does your bakery differ from the rest of the pack?
Taste! We bake fresh from scratch with all natural ingredients every day. I love that we use real vanilla beans in almost everything we make, and go through hundreds of pounds of butter each week. High quality ingredients make the biggest difference in taste. Your wedding cake should look stunning, and taste incredible.

Why do you enjoy working on wedding cakes?
Wedding cakes are very personal. There is no other cake in your entire life that will be quite as important. I really love that. I recently designed a cake for a couple that incorporated vintage brooches from the bride’s mom, mother-in-law and grandma. It was incredibly endearing and unforgettable for their family.

What’s been your absolute favorite wedding cake you’ve designed so far?
I love all the wedding cakes we have created. I remember the story behind each one. One of my favorite and most recent wedding cakes was for a bride who adores fashion and owns a fabulous shoe company. She wanted a cake that was chic, and played off the jewel detail accenting her wedding dress. For her cake, we accentuated the height of each tier and made handmade sugar jewels dusted with charcoal and silver luster for sheen. It was meaningful, luxurious and happened to be Chocolate Truffle, one of my favorite flavors!

What’s the most unique wedding cake you’ve ever designed?
The most unique wedding cake I designed was a collaboration between a good friend of mine who's an amazingly talented floral designer. We've worked together over the years on many weddings. When it came time for her own wedding she gave me a call. I was really honored. Her husband is an architect, and the cake was definitely “his” thing. It was important that it be unique and focus on clean lines, structure and simplicity. It turned out to be one of the most talked about cakes we have ever done.

Any advice for couples choosing their wedding cake?
Research cake designers and chose someone who has the best tasting cake as well as impeccable craftsmanship and design. Schedule your consultation about four months before the wedding. When you meet with your designer have an open mind and experiment with the untraditional. Sometimes it can be a fun contrast to the rest of the environment and add an unexpected touch! And, don’t forget to have fun!

For more information on Vanilla Bake Shop, visit vanillabakeshop.com.

—Darcy Newell

This week, we’re checking with Sonal Pardeshi, owner of Chocolaz Artisan Cakes in Seattle, Washington. Pardeshi has been making cakes since she was a young girl—she grew up helping out at her neighbor’s bakery. After traveling the world to learn from famous bakers and pastry chefs and garner inspiration from architecture, cultures and art, Pardeshi opened her own bakery.

How does your bakery differ from the rest of the pack?
I view cakes as an art form that’s not only about taste, but beauty, creativity and harmony. I use inspirations from the world around me—my travels to various countries and exposure to their art and culture has totally inspired me. For example, Europe is a hub for fashion. Their designs and the quality of craftsmanship is phenomenal. I always want to bring a taste of Europe and their love of couture to my clients through my art form—cakes!

Why do you enjoy working on wedding cakes?
A beautiful wedding cake can be the center of attention and desire at a wedding. It's a reflection of the couple's sense of style and taste that's harmonious with the decor and other aesthetic elements. I thoroughly enjoy being able to bring the couples artistic aspirations and their story to life through my wedding cakes, making it a significant part of their memories.

What’s been your absolute favorite wedding cake you’ve designed so far?
I love each and every design that we have made, but sugar flowers are our speciality and we incorporate them with modern, pop-art designs for a fresh look that's personally very appealing to me.

What’s the most unique wedding cake you’ve ever designed?
It's great when clients challenge us to do new, adventurous designs for cakes. I have been asked to do animated 3D sugar models of a couple as a cake topper recently and several designer shoes for wedding showers—I really enjoyed making those cakes. I also like handpainting and was asked to create a replica of one of Picasso's paintings on cake!

Any advice for couples choosing their wedding cake?
Even a very simple wedding cake can make a real statement if executed with precision and quality worksmanship. I encourage couples that go in for a cake consultation to evaluate the taste and quality of the cakes. Ask to see not only albums of past creations, but also observe display cakes for attention to detail and handiwork on the cakes.

For more information about Chocolaz Artisan Cakes, visit chocolaz.com.

—Rachel Jacoby, Assistant Editor

This week, we're checking in with New York-based baker April Reed. Reed launched her eponymous cake design company in 2005 with an unwavering commitment to cakes that actually tasted good. Since then, her bake shop has become known for modern designs, scary-realistic sugar flowers, and of course, delicious cake.

How does your bakery differ from the rest of the pack?
Flavor is job number one. Period. That is one of the biggest things that sets us apart from other cake design companies in New York. I graduated from the Culinary Institute of America and, prior to opening April Reed Cake Design, had been cooking in the three-star NYC restaurant world. My cake approach starts with flavor, then moves to design. I had a client who was unable to save the top tier of her cake for her anniversary because the guests demanded to eat it. It's the reason I make cake.

Why do you enjoy working on wedding cakes?
Wedding cakes are a chance to create stunning design while making people happy with tastiness. They are fleeting—they exist for four hours, then they are eaten. I love that...

What's been your absolute favorite wedding cake so far?
Thread designer Melissa Akey's cake is one of my all-time favorites. It's understated elegance to the max and wedding-y without being wedding-y. The single big blossom hearkens back to a bygone era of elegance. Melissa had an old-fashioned red velvet cake with cream cheese filling and white fondant. Her cake was trimmed in the most luxurious Mokuba ribbon.

Any advice for couples choosing their wedding cake?
Taste, taste, taste! After you have narrowed your top cake designers down to a style that works for you and your wedding's aesthetic, set appointments with them to taste their cake. It is a given that the wedding cake should be show-stopping, but it should also be the BEST piece of cake you will ever eat.

For more information on April Reed Cake Design, visit aprilreed.com.

—Rachel Jacoby, Assistant Editor

This week, we’re checking in with Mercedes Strachwsky, the head designer at Bake Me A Cake (bakemeacake.net), a family owned and operated pastry shop and bakery in Orlando, FL. Here, Strachwky, a completely self taught pro who's been in the business for 20 years, shares her favorite cakes and best advice for brides.

How does your bakery differ from the rest of the pack?
Our bakery pays exceptional attention to detail. If the cake isn’t perfect, it doesn’t get delivered. We take pride in the relationships we create with our clients. They are more than a number or a dollar amount—they become a part of our family.

Why do you enjoy working on wedding cakes?
In our bakery, making wedding cakes is way more than flour, sugar and water. Rather, it is a culinary representation of the union between two individuals. The wedding cake is such a significant and memorable moment in couple’s lives.

What’s been your absolute favorite wedding cake so far?
One of our absolute favorite wedding cakes was a six-tier white fondant cake, which we actually created for a cake convention. The design was modern, romantic, spiritual, and elegant.

What’s the most unique wedding cake you’ve done so far?
One of our most unique wedding cakes was a three-tiered white fondant “under the sea” inspired cake. It’s completely covered with sugar coral and sea life. A sugar replica of the couple in wetsuits was the cake topper to pay home to their passion for scuba diving. They were thrilled to see their passion translated to their wedding cake.

Any advice for couples choosing their wedding cake?
>Relax and enjoy the experience of picking out your wedding cake! The experience should be one that you reflect on with happiness, not stress. Also, the design of the wedding cake should be one that is directed by the bride. That why there is a wedding cake and a groom’s cake to cater to both parts of the couple. Brides should feel free to express their personalities through design, making sure it complements to the wedding presentation as a whole.

To learn more about Bake Me a Cake pastry shop, visit bakemeacake.net.

—Rachel Jacoby, Assistant Editor

This week we're checking in with Boston-based pastry chef Jenny Williamson of Jenny’s Wedding Cakes (jencakes.com). After working in the catering business for several years, she created her first wedding cake in 1998 and the rest is history. Here, Jenny dishes on what she thinks is delicious.

How does your bakery differ from the rest of the pack?
As a designer, I have developed a specific look over the past several years. I love modern, yet delicate and feminine cake designs—one of our specialties are our hand-made sugar flowers. Also, because of our small size, we are able to offer more attention to each bride and more specialized cake designs, like a zebra striped confection or banana cream cake layered with caramel buttercream.

Why do you enjoy working on wedding cakes?
I love that every single one is different, which presents a new challenge every week. And, of course, the smell!

What’s been your absolute favorite cake you’ve designed so far?
One of my favorite cakes is a cake we made last summer that was inspired by an exquisite birdcage wedding cake topper that the bride found. We mimicked the soft green and yellow colors of the topper and made delicate little sugar flowers.

What’s been the most unique cake you’ve worked on so far?
I once made a buttercream cake look like a regular stone. Another off-the-beaten path one? A Nascar-themed wedding cake.

Any advice for couples choosing their wedding cake?
Put a little bit of your personality into the cake to make it memorable. I ask a lot of questions about the rest of the affair to try to make each cake special for the couple. Make sure to ask your designer about their own ideas based on the wedding’s additional design elements.

To see more of Jenny’s work, visit jencakes.com.

—Rachel Jacoby, Assistant Editor

This week, we’re checking in with Sophie Mendoza, owner of Miami-based Yummy Cakes and More (yummycakesandmore.com). After watching her mother bake cookies for years, Mendoza borrowed the recipe and turned her passion project into a full-blown bakery. Here, she shares her shop’s secrets.

How does your bakery differ from the rest of the pack?
From start to finish of every cake, the customer works with our baker to design and create the cake of their dreams. Plus, we will always beat or match any competitor’s price. We knew when we started this company 5 years ago that it would be hard to break into the industry here in Miami. So instead of focusing on any one aspect of cakes, we decided we would have to be the best in everything including customer service, taste, moistness, and reliability. Many of our best customers are more like friends to us. Everything is created with a personal touch.

Why do you enjoy working on wedding cakes?
Wedding cakes are one of the perks to my job. I am able to be part of a couple’s most romantic, special day. Although I am working when most people are relaxing, going to the mall or the beach (the weekends!!), the most rewarding part of this business is taking part in the most cherished moments in my client's life. It's such a special feeling to be able to make someone's wedding cake, then hear back from them for a baby shower cake, and then the 1st birthday party. It's the relationship itself that’s rewarding.

What’s been your absolute favorite wedding cake you’ve designed so far?
My favorite wedding cake is seashell-inspired cakee. I made it for a couple that was having their wedding on a boat. Each seashell and sea horse was made of white, dark, or milk chocolate, dusted with edible luster dust and airbrushed. I was able to really get creative. The cakes that are the most exciting to put together are the ones that I have free rein on design. Although the couple had a clear vision for their cake, they trusted me enough to give them the cake of their dreams.

What’s the most unique wedding cake you’ve ever designed?
To date the most unique cake I was asked to design was what seemed to be a simple cake. The customer was looking for a plain but elegant look with ivory fondant and cascading roses on one of the corners. The design turned into a classic look that was large but elegant and exactly what the bride and groom wanted.

Any advice for couples choosing their wedding cake?
There are a few things that will help you get the cake you want at the budget you are looking for. First of all, the Internet is your best friend! Google away and find images of everything you like (or don’t like). Give yourself plenty of time to shop around and make sure the bakery is available for your event date, especially Sunday weddings. But mostly, enjoy yourself, it's your wedding! Ordering your cake should be fun!

For more information, visit yummycakesandmore.com.

—Rachel Jacoby, Assistant Editor

This week we’re checking in with L.A. baker Elfie Weiss of Hotcakes Bakes. Known for her fresh pastries and savory snacks alike, Weiss lets us in on her recipe for success

How does your bakery differ from the rest of the pack?
Hotcakes Bakes was founded on the model of a French bakery (I grew up in Paris), where everything is baked fresh daily and all of the ingredients are natural. It seems simple, but you would be surprised how rare that is nowadays! At Hotcakes we bake all day long. The products are made on the premises and with our open kitchen you can see the bakers make your dessert right in front of you!

Hotcakes started out as a passion project, a mixture of old fashion and cutting edge culinary art. I get a wonderful sense of instant gratification seeing my customers’ happiness.

Why do you enjoy working on wedding cakes?
Wedding cakes are pure creation. And great baking is about creativity and we love to focus on the creative part of the cake. Being part of that special day—from the initial months of planning to the end result—is a very climatic process. We usually let the couple’s ideas drive the process. We enjoy being able to guide them to get exactly what they have in mind. Every time we design a wedding cake it’s a full-on production, like a movie.

What’s been your absolute favorite wedding cake you’ve designed so far?
Designing actress Marisa Coughlan’s cake was very special (turn to pg. 252 of the Spring 2009 issue of InStyle Weddings to see her wedding!). It was amazing to be able to create a cake that was in line with our vision. At Hotcakes we tend to like very clean, minimalist cakes, which are the most difficult ones to achieve because you have almost nothing to hide the imperfections. After all, we are working with organic matter and sometimes it has a mind of its own. Marisa’s was a beautiful 4-tier design flavored with chocolate, coconut and red velvet (which is our specialty), covered with white fondant and highlighted with a draped ivory fondant bow. The filling was our famous cream cheese frosting. Upon displaying the cake at the event we marveled how perfectly it tied everything together.

What’s the most unique wedding cake you’ve ever designed?
One of our most unique wedding experiences was outdoors in Pasadena. The bride had ordered several different cakes, each very specific but none resembled the others. There was a chocolate cake covered with chocolate truffles and a red velvet flavored cake with an old fashion swirled frosting design. Upon arrival we were presented with a wonderful box of antique cakes stands and beloved cake toppers supplied by parents and grand parents from their weddings. We then put it all together to form a heartfelt, personal display for their wedding.

Any advice for couples choosing their wedding cake?
It is your day and the cake should be done your way! Whether you have a vision or not, make sure you work with a bakery that is willing to work with you and not just for you. Some people have very different ideas of what the perfect cake should be and a good bakery should strive to help you find that perfect balance. Remember, there are always the classic designs, but there is also room for untouched territories!

Call 310-397-2324 or visit hotcakesbakes.com for more information.

—Rachel Jacoby, Assistant Editor

This week we’re checking in with Andrea Carusetta-Blaut from Sedona Cake Couture in Arizona. Not only has she been featured on Food Network several times, but she’s won a slew of awards for her designs. Known for impeccable designs, Carusetta-Blaut shares her best wedding advice.

How does your bakery differ from the rest of the pack?
Sedona Cake Couture only does wedding cakes and high-end special occasion cakes. As a result, we devote all of our time to creative, beautifully designed cakes. After running a successful bakery for eight years, we made the change because we are sought out by brides who are looking for an extraordinary cake—and we can put all of our attention into creating wonderful, edible works of art.

Why do you enjoy working on wedding cakes?
We love working on wedding cakes because we can be so creative and over-the-top. The brides that come to Sedona are looking for a wedding cake with a certain aesthetic and are often non-traditional. This opens the door to new and innovative designs with our cakes! Very rarely do we do the same design more than once. Our cakes are always personalized—we weave many elements of the brides’ special day together like a beautiful tapestry.

What’s been your favorite wedding cake you’ve designed so far?
My favorite wedding cake so far is a black, gold and ivory cake I designed for another pastry chef! The look and feel were old world and fit the decor of the reception perfectly. Each tier of the cake was a different flavor—Myer Lemon with Lemon Cheesecake, Mango Passion fruit and Fresh Berries and Cream with a Vanilla Butter Cake. Everything tasted fabulous!

What’s the most unique wedding cake you’ve ever designed?
That would be a Victorian Urn Cake I created. Not only was the shape unique—it was inspired by an 1860's Meissen Urn—but the cake had sugar flowers from a bygone era including big zinnias, old fashioned roses, and floppy poppies. The cake was dark chocolate with an espresso buttercream. It took 3 coveted awards at the 2008 NACE Arizona Cake Competition!

Any advice for couples choosing their wedding cake?
Yes! Don’t go for the mundane. Your cake should really express who you are and tie in as many of the personal elements of the reception as possible—the colors, flowers, monograms, designs from the bride's dress or invitation.

Also, make sure you sample cake flavors before ordering your cake. A stunning cake needs to taste as good as it looks and wow your guests. We often hear that our wedding cakes are talked about by the guests long after the wedding is over. Now that is creating a memory!

Click here to check out more cakes from Sedona Cake Couture, or visit their website at sedonacakes.com.

--Rachel Jacoby, Assistant Editor

This week we’re checking in with one of the world’s best bakers and cake designers, Ron Ben-Israel. Believe it or not, he wasn’t always a baker—he toured the world as a dancer before swapping his ballet slippers for fondant. Now, Ben-Israel creates amazing cakes and serves as an adjunct professor at the French Culinary Institute. Here, he dishes on his bakery, his style, and his best wedding advice.

How does your bakery differ from the rest of the pack?

Our commercial facilities are a cross between a crazy scientist’s laboratory, an art studio flooded with natural light and a sophisticated commercial bakery. Fellow chefs call our location “the bakery in the sky” because we are located on the top floor under large sky-lights in SoHo, a fashionable NYC neighborhood. Lucky enough for me, I don’t have to worry about producing other bakery items such as cookies or brownies; all I do is one-of-a-kind creations. Our clients request a luxury item from us and it’s our pleasure to spoil them.

Why do you enjoy working on wedding cakes?

Working on wedding cakes gives me a chance to reflect on the couple’s taste and style and to show off in front of a large number of guests! After all, every cake is a grand performance that’s given only once in a lifetime. Additionally, I get to cooperate with an amazingly talented group of vendors—the florist, the lighting designer, the chefs, the dress designer and the stationer. It’s very inspiring and humbling to witness all this inspiration.

What’s been your favorite wedding cake you’ve designed so far?

I always say that the next wedding cake I’m going to complete is my favorite: I could never pick just one! I’m very excited about the new designs I’ll be showing this year, as well as some new trends I can’t wait to feature, especially “singular” flowers and colors. Think cakes that feature only sugar anemones or cakes that are monochromatic. In terms of flavors, I’m crazy about our new pumpkin-spice for the fall and candied ginger for the summer.

Any advice for couples choosing their wedding cake?

I would never compromise on the size of the cake. Ordering a smaller cake than the number of guests will look like skimping. I mean, a bride wouldn’t shorten her gown in order to save few dollars! The cake needs to fit in the overall theme and design of the reception. That being said, I’m all for working with our clients to choose designs that suit their budgets.

Another piece of advice? Don’t choose a baker that’s just going to replicate a design they’ve seen in a wedding magazine or online! Instead, engage a cake designer that takes pride in his/her own creations and have experience working on certain styles.

For a complete look at Ron’s designs, visit weddingcakes.com. To book an appointment, call 212.625.3369.

—Rachel Jacoby, Assistant Editor

Photo courtesy of Ron Ben-Israel/weddingcakes.com