May Lionscrest Wedding - Armitage Photography

A beautiful May wedding at Lionscrest Manor with Armitage Photography (www.armitagephotography.com).  Carolyn Carpenter with Sunflower Weddings officiated for Jordana and Matt.  It was a gorgeous event, thanks to Jordana and Matt for letting me be a part of it!  - Susan Armitage, Armitage Photography

Friday the 13th

Friday the 13th was a lucky day with temperatures in the 60s for Kimberly Boyd and Matthew Stilen at the beautiful Taharraa Mountain Lodge near Estes Park.
 We enjoyed working seamlessly with fellow Colorado Wedding Association members A Music Plus and A Spice of Life Catering which provided our favorite salad on the  "circuit"  plus an excellent buffet. It was a great day for a ceremony on the patio at Taharraa.

Happily Ever After...

Pinning!

Gone are the days of wedding inspiration boards laboriously cropped from piles of wedding magazines, and in comes Pinterest.com. At http://pinterest.com you can create your own online inspiration boards for everything from home and garden to your closet to your wedding. Share your own photos with other Pinterest users, or pull photos posted by others to use as inspiration.

Where we've found you can use Pinterest to your advantage is by "sharing" your boards with your chosen wedding vendors. Is there a buffet table display you love? Share it with your caterer! Found a photograph that makes you swoon? Show your photographer and capture something similar! A bouquet that is to-die-for? Your florist would love to see it! Sharing also means that your vendors can post to your boards, so when your travel agency finds a great deal on a trip to Hawaii or your rental company creates a new tablescape you get the inside scoop.

So next time you're flipping through bridal magazines for a tip or two, consider looking at Pinterest. You'll find a plethora of ideas waiting for you. PINNED!

Beautiful February Wedding at Bella Sera

A fantastic day for Hope and Matt at the beautiful Bella Sera in Brighton, Colorado (www.thebellasera.com). The dance floor was lit by beautiful lighting provided by Lighting and Design by Scott (www.lightinganddesignbyscott.com) who did an amazing job as always. Hope and Matt were married by Carolyn Carpenter, my favorite officiant! (www.sunflowerweddings.com) All in all, a fantastic day. Thanks for letting Armitage Photography be a part of it! (www.armitagephotography.com)

"Check out their cake!"

"Wait...you mean it tastes good too?" -Guest overheard at your wedding.

When I was a girl, wedding cakes were flouncy, all-white, sugary affairs. If you really wanted to impress, you went for the coveted fountain in the middle and winding staircases, complete with a platoon of identical plastic bridesmaids and groomsmen on either side, leading up to the inevitable bride andgroom. The cake sat in a corner on display, then was cut up and sent home with the guests. Each slice was carefully wrapped up in white cocktail napkins bearing the newlyweds' imprinted names and date. Remember?

I have fond memories of trying to stay up late waiting for my parents to return from these events, knowing that they would be bringing me that little package of hypoglycemia, encased in translucent crisco-soaked paper. I always devoured it first thing the next morning, ignoring the dried white cake and licking off every smudge of the now-crusty frosting...

Cakes have come a long way since then, and there's a reason the cake doesn't get sent home anymore. The guests actually want to eat it! With the advent of TV food shows, the bar is being ever raised for not just the appearance of the cake, but for the taste as well.

Here are a few things to keep in mind when choosing your bakery.

1. Shop around

Wedding magazines often feature beautiful designer cakes, but rarely mention the cost of these masterpieces! Go in with a budget already in mind. Most bakeries charge per person and prices can range from $5 - $8 per slice.

If that sounds like a lot, think about this: at any good restaurant you would expect to pay at least that much for a plated dessert - but it better be awesome, right? Price does not always reflect quality, so be sure to visit more than one bakery. Does the bakery offer tastings & consultations? How much does it cost? These days, don't be surprised if the higher-quality cake shops charge a small fee; they usually put more time and effort into their presentation for you. The fee - usually around $20 - $30 - is normally credited back to you when you place your order.

2. Taste

Many pastry chefs are expanding their repertoire to offer flavors other than the traditional Wedding White. More exotic & creative combinations are showing up at weddings, such as Lemon-Rosemary or Dark chocolate infused with thyme and orange zest from Blue Moon Cake Design in Boulder. Is your pastry chef willing to customize flavors to your liking? If not, they are likely using pre-made mixes. Can they accommodate special requests? Gluten-free, dairy-free diets are on the rise and some bakeries, including It's All Good! Gluten-Free Patisserie, offer surprisingly delicious options.

3. Design

Do your homework. This means talking things over with your intended ahead of time. Don't wait until you're sitting in front of your pastry chef to find out that you want Botticelli but your fiance wants Dr. Seuss! Most wedding cake designers have their portfolio online. Check it out together to see if the designers style and abilities are what you are looking for. Bring your ideas to the consultation. Your pastry chef should be able to look at your fabric swatches, invitations, custom-made rings or even photos of the family pooch and find inspiration to create a unique cake just for you.

If you truly can't decide what you like, let the chef take over. I'll admit it - It's a pastry chef's dream come true when a client says "You decide". If given carte blanche, the baker steps aside, the artist takes over and the result is always above and beyond the clients' highest expectations.

Either way - ask questions, make informed decisions & above all...have fun!

Leslie Ratica is a Cordon Bleu (Paris) graduate and owner of Blue Moon Cake Design & It's All Good! Gluten-Free Patisserie and has been designing cakes in the Front Range area and beyond since 2001.

Consultations by appointment only. 303.494.CAKE(2253)

Rembrandt Yard just celebrated it's 15th Annual Boulder Wedding Showcase. It was a perfect day from the weather to the attendance and participation. We had 68 participating vendors and over 350 in attendance making this show one that we are very proud of. We would like to congratulate European Flower Shop who was the winner of the tablescape competition! Special thanks to the CWA members that participated in the showcase, A Music Plus Entertainment, A Spice of Life Catering, All Digital Photo and Video, All Events Tent & Party Rentals, Boulder Denver Limousines, Courtyard by Marriott, Lighting and Design by Scott, and

The Red Lion Restaurant.

European Flower Shop's Tablescape

Photo Credit to Brooke Trexler Photography

Photo Credit to Brooke Trexler Photography

Photo Credit to 11:11 Productions

Farm to Table Frenzy

As the sunny season quickly approaches, brides-to-be are abuzz with talk of Farm to Table menus. Food trends are beginning to focus on local and organic ingredients and the 2012 wedding season is no exception. Living in Colorado provides huge advantages towards this new trend including hosting your wedding at a local farm. If you already have your venue picked out, you can still choose to bring the farm to you and your guests with A Spice of Life's Farm to Table menus. Our Chef de Cuisine, Pieter Dijkstra, can create a custom farm fresh menu that will exceed everyone's expectations. Flexibility is required since the menus depend heavily on the seasons harvest.

If sustainability is important to you and your fiancee, there are many ways in which we can incorporate those values into your big day. From choosing organic local produce to locally sourced poultry and meats, A Spice of Life is ready to make your wedding day "green." Give us a call at (303) 443-4049 today!