My friend Norm posted this picture and tagged me in it on his Facebook page. I would say I resent it but I think, actually, I resemble it. hahaha!
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Pinterest Picture
My friend Norm posted this picture and tagged me in it on his Facebook page. I would say I resent it but I think, actually, I resemble it. hahaha!
Monday, February 6, 2012
Wedding Planning Tools
One of my favorite planning tools is Pinterest, which is a website that allows you to pin images you like onto a board. Each board can then be customized with pictures and ideas. 
I've always thought that it's great for planning a celebration (e.g., wedding), decorating your house, or dreaming up your retirement travels. As you can see from the graphic (courtesy of bridesmaid Elfije), there are a lot of other people do too, especially the women who wish they were still planning their wedding. After June 9th, I'm sure I'll be suffering from Pinterest withdrawal. Hahaha!
I've always thought that it's great for planning a celebration (e.g., wedding), decorating your house, or dreaming up your retirement travels. As you can see from the graphic (courtesy of bridesmaid Elfije), there are a lot of other people do too, especially the women who wish they were still planning their wedding. After June 9th, I'm sure I'll be suffering from Pinterest withdrawal. Hahaha!
Friday, February 3, 2012
Women are From Venus, and Men Eat Mars Bars
Last week, my honey and I embarked on a search for the perfect wedding music. After interviewing several djs, we finally picked one for the dinner reception and Will worked with our dj on the contract.
Today, I get an instant message...
Will: Btw. I blamed it on u wanting a live band to reject the othr djs
Thanks, honey. Thanks. I'm going to go put on my bridezilla crown now.
Today, I get an instant message...
Will: Btw. I blamed it on u wanting a live band to reject the othr djs
Thanks, honey. Thanks. I'm going to go put on my bridezilla crown now.
Monday, January 30, 2012
Cake Tasting - The Experience
Will and I are happy to report that we've found a fantastic baker and cake artist. In the meantime, we thought we'd share some of our experiences with you. Names and places are kept private to protect the innocent. We've all been to many weddings where the cake was beautiful but slightly dry. Our priority was taste, taste, taste!
Bakery #1 - Alexandria, VA
This is an actual bona fide bakery, and not just a custom wedding cake vendor. They offered everything from appetizers and sandwiches through desserts. We loved the pastry section and agreed to come back at some point in time, just for additional desserts. They offered us warm tea, but I took warm plain water so that it wouldn't interfere with the cake tasting.
We tried several cakes but our favorite was a fruit bavarian. It was a light vanilla sponge cake, with cream and almond ladyfingers and topped with a row of fresh berries and tropical fruit. Let's just say that the bavarian cake was so good, Will would even eat it over the chocolate cake.
Another pro is that this is what they make all the time, so they're very good and efficient at it. There's no major customization, so not many opportunities for errors. In fact, the owner served us the cake slices right from his shop. The con though is that we could get it any time, and so wouldn't need a special excuse to get their cakes. Still, we left thinking we'd be pretty darn lucky to serve that fruit bavarian at our wedding.
Bakery #2 - McLean, VA
This had a pretty store front and sold some cupcakes and macarons to-go, but it was definitely a custom cake vendor.
Their tasting philosophy is to serve the cake, filling, and cream separately, so that we could mix and match and pick what best suited our tastebuds. Now, here is where I have to say, it's very difficult since Will and I recognize great food, but we really couldn't mix and match the best flavor combinations to save our lives. So, we asked the baker for suggestions.
Our favorites were a white cake, made with whipped egg whites so it was extremely light and fluffy with passionfruit curd and blackberry buttercream. The runner up in a very close race a rich, creamy hazelnut cake with dark chocolate ganache, 2 layers of coffee buttercream, and 1 layer of hazelnut buttercream.
Salivating yet?
Bakery #3 - Alexandria, VA
At our our last bakery, this cake stared at us from the window. You'd have to see it live to truly understand the details and techniques that went into it - molding, painting, sugar flowers, and ruffles.
Of all the tasting experiences, bakery #3 had the best presentation. We sat in a charming Victorian living room, with gilded mirror and were served cake with silverware passed down to our baker from her grandmother.
It was also very hard to choose between the mini cakes we were served:
White velvet cake, with raspberry preserves and lime-flecked vanilla buttercream
Pear cake, with blackberry preserves and white chocolate buttercream
Vanilla and sour cream cake, with peach and apricot preserves and milk chocolate buttercream infused with earl grey tea
Double chocolate cake, with seville oranges and la belle orange buttercream
Red velvet with vanilla bean buttercream
Our favorites were the white velvet, sour cream, and orange chocolate cakes. We loved the red velvet as well, but figured we could get it elsewhere. Ok, let's be honest, we would eat all of the flavors if we had a chance.
Final Thoughts
While we loved every baker, enjoyed meeting them tremendously, and appreciated the significant effort and quality ingredients that went into their cakes, taste was the major driver for us. Bakery #3 just blew us away. We'd be so excited to serve even the flavors that we didn't end up picking. More to come...
Bakery #1 - Alexandria, VA
This is an actual bona fide bakery, and not just a custom wedding cake vendor. They offered everything from appetizers and sandwiches through desserts. We loved the pastry section and agreed to come back at some point in time, just for additional desserts. They offered us warm tea, but I took warm plain water so that it wouldn't interfere with the cake tasting.
We tried several cakes but our favorite was a fruit bavarian. It was a light vanilla sponge cake, with cream and almond ladyfingers and topped with a row of fresh berries and tropical fruit. Let's just say that the bavarian cake was so good, Will would even eat it over the chocolate cake.
Another pro is that this is what they make all the time, so they're very good and efficient at it. There's no major customization, so not many opportunities for errors. In fact, the owner served us the cake slices right from his shop. The con though is that we could get it any time, and so wouldn't need a special excuse to get their cakes. Still, we left thinking we'd be pretty darn lucky to serve that fruit bavarian at our wedding.
Bakery #2 - McLean, VA
This had a pretty store front and sold some cupcakes and macarons to-go, but it was definitely a custom cake vendor.
Their tasting philosophy is to serve the cake, filling, and cream separately, so that we could mix and match and pick what best suited our tastebuds. Now, here is where I have to say, it's very difficult since Will and I recognize great food, but we really couldn't mix and match the best flavor combinations to save our lives. So, we asked the baker for suggestions.
Our favorites were a white cake, made with whipped egg whites so it was extremely light and fluffy with passionfruit curd and blackberry buttercream. The runner up in a very close race a rich, creamy hazelnut cake with dark chocolate ganache, 2 layers of coffee buttercream, and 1 layer of hazelnut buttercream.
Salivating yet?
Bakery #3 - Alexandria, VA
At our our last bakery, this cake stared at us from the window. You'd have to see it live to truly understand the details and techniques that went into it - molding, painting, sugar flowers, and ruffles.Of all the tasting experiences, bakery #3 had the best presentation. We sat in a charming Victorian living room, with gilded mirror and were served cake with silverware passed down to our baker from her grandmother.
It was also very hard to choose between the mini cakes we were served:
White velvet cake, with raspberry preserves and lime-flecked vanilla buttercream
Pear cake, with blackberry preserves and white chocolate buttercream
Vanilla and sour cream cake, with peach and apricot preserves and milk chocolate buttercream infused with earl grey tea
Double chocolate cake, with seville oranges and la belle orange buttercream
Red velvet with vanilla bean buttercream
Our favorites were the white velvet, sour cream, and orange chocolate cakes. We loved the red velvet as well, but figured we could get it elsewhere. Ok, let's be honest, we would eat all of the flavors if we had a chance.
Final Thoughts
While we loved every baker, enjoyed meeting them tremendously, and appreciated the significant effort and quality ingredients that went into their cakes, taste was the major driver for us. Bakery #3 just blew us away. We'd be so excited to serve even the flavors that we didn't end up picking. More to come...
Friday, January 27, 2012
Best Wedding Dates in 2012
Will and I did not consult the Chinese almanac when we picked our wedding date. We didn't even plan for 6.9.12 - a play on numbers for the math geeks in us. Apparently, we hit the jackpot selecting the right day. Must be beginner's luck.
According to many Chinese calendars, June 9, 2012 is an auspicious day to get married. For those of you who are not in tune with the Chinese zodiac, 2012 is the year of the dragon - the luckiest year in the 12 year cycle. It even rained on the first day of the new year - an especially good omen!
What I don't understand is how June 9th gets picked to be one of the luckiest days of a lucky year. If you figure it out, please let me know.
In the meantime, if you're planning to get married, renew your vows, or sign a business deal this year, here's a list of all the lucky days (shaded in red) in one of the luckiest years. Happy event planning!
According to many Chinese calendars, June 9, 2012 is an auspicious day to get married. For those of you who are not in tune with the Chinese zodiac, 2012 is the year of the dragon - the luckiest year in the 12 year cycle. It even rained on the first day of the new year - an especially good omen!
What I don't understand is how June 9th gets picked to be one of the luckiest days of a lucky year. If you figure it out, please let me know.
In the meantime, if you're planning to get married, renew your vows, or sign a business deal this year, here's a list of all the lucky days (shaded in red) in one of the luckiest years. Happy event planning!
Monday, January 23, 2012
Our Gift Registry
Will and I have finished our wedding registry. For those who want to give boxed gifts, you can visit our registry at Williams Sonoma.
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Questions and Answers about Your Invitation
By now, we have received a few questions about the wedding and invitations. We hope that this Q&A list may be helpful to you in planning your participation.
Question: What should I wear?
Answer: This occasion is semi-formal, which is black tie. Our wedding party will be in gowns, cocktail dresses, and tuxedos. For guests, black tie is optional, so please feel free to wear a nice dress, pantsuit, or suit and tie. If you do already have a tuxedo, rock it!
Question: My RSVP card says "...reserved 2 seats..." but I am a family of 4 people. Can I bring extra guests?
Answer: We ask that you kindly respect the number of guests designated on your response card. Our ceremony and reception area are very intimate and small. Unfortunately, this means that we can only comfortably accommodate a certain number of guests. As much as we'd like to welcome more, the hotel will only seat those who were formally invited.
Question: What does "Adult Reception" mean?
Answer: Our wedding ceremony and related activities are planned for a set number of adults. For the enjoyment of all guests, we ask that you make alternative arrangements for your little ones. We recognize that some of you may be unable to leave your small children at home. In that case, please contact us for reputable babysitters in the Washington, DC area.
Question: What entrees are you serving? I see pictures, but that could mean anything!
Answer: We are serving beef, a cornish hen and striped bass combination, and a vegetarian entree. This is not 100% set in stone, as we have been attending to a number of other wedding planning activities. We will post an update on the menu as soon as we have finalized it. If you have seafood allergies and would prefer the cornish hen without fish, please let us know.
Question: What should I wear?
Answer: This occasion is semi-formal, which is black tie. Our wedding party will be in gowns, cocktail dresses, and tuxedos. For guests, black tie is optional, so please feel free to wear a nice dress, pantsuit, or suit and tie. If you do already have a tuxedo, rock it!
Question: My RSVP card says "...reserved 2 seats..." but I am a family of 4 people. Can I bring extra guests?
Answer: We ask that you kindly respect the number of guests designated on your response card. Our ceremony and reception area are very intimate and small. Unfortunately, this means that we can only comfortably accommodate a certain number of guests. As much as we'd like to welcome more, the hotel will only seat those who were formally invited.
Question: What does "Adult Reception" mean?
Answer: Our wedding ceremony and related activities are planned for a set number of adults. For the enjoyment of all guests, we ask that you make alternative arrangements for your little ones. We recognize that some of you may be unable to leave your small children at home. In that case, please contact us for reputable babysitters in the Washington, DC area.
Question: What entrees are you serving? I see pictures, but that could mean anything!
Answer: We are serving beef, a cornish hen and striped bass combination, and a vegetarian entree. This is not 100% set in stone, as we have been attending to a number of other wedding planning activities. We will post an update on the menu as soon as we have finalized it. If you have seafood allergies and would prefer the cornish hen without fish, please let us know.
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