Mangini Wedding - Saltwater Vineyard

The thing about desserts that breaks my heart is that most people don't care about them.

"What flavors would you like?" I will ask the client.  "Oh, I don't care" is usually the response. Then I go ahead and make them the usual vanilla/chocolate/red velvet cake pops after telling them all the delicious flavor combinations, but people are afraid of desserts.  They get a bad wrap now because of calories and sugar... and generally people just have them because you have to offer them! It is hard to find people who share a true love for something sweet...

But then there was Brittany and Will...

Brittany and Will came to their tasting HUNGRY.  I gave them a box to bring home their samples and they didn't even need it. They ate everything. They raved and ranted about the flavors, and ended up picking the one flavor EVERYONE wrinkles their nose at when I suggest -- lemon rosemary. It was their favorite! And I was SO EXCITED they chose it as a cake pop flavor AND their wedding cake flavor!  They were very concerned over having something that was delicious and different to offer their guests, and I promised them they wouldn't be disappointed! I've known Brittany since high school, and after some mutual friends had me cater their wedding, she asked me to design something great for their modern vineyard wedding.

And oh my gosh, was this a beautiful wedding! 

Located in Southern Connecticut, Saltwater Farm Vineyard is a picturesque venue with a dark wooded tap room and floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the vineyard.  It was breath taking!

I made sure the display was classy and elegant.  The grape lights from my Aunt's company, GKI Bethlehem Lighting just added perfectly to the vineyard theme.  This display included 150 cupcakes and 150 cake pops in four flavors -- Chocolate, Red Velvet, Lemon Rosemary and of course Pumpkin Spice for fall!

Brittany loved my romantic buttercream rose cake so she requested that and order the most adorable lettered cake topper from Etsy!  I love the look of this romantic cake on top of the rustic wine barrel.

Pure romance!

This couple's deep love for each other is evident the moment you get them together. I wish them a lifetime of happiness!! So honored to be a part of their special day!

-Elena

Vineyard Engagement

The excitement of this summer continued when the day I have been admittedly waiting for for a very very very long time!

Louis asked me to marry him!

Louis and I had been talking about getting married for a while.  We had looked at rings, we had picked one out... but the busy summer really had gotten in the way, and it had started to look like the summer was going to pass before Louis decided to make this thing official!

So on August 22nd, the sun was shining and he asked me what I wanted to do for the day.  I think I was so exhausted with everything going on I said something to the point of "do nothing and drink wine"... How typical!

So we headed up to Cassidy Hill Vineyard, which is about 10 minutes up the road from where we live.  We packed some snacks and beach chairs and decided to do nothing except RELAX!

Now it seems like it was the set up to be "the day" but truthfully, Louis had lots of days that seemed like it was going to be "the day" but turned out they weren't! Trips to the beach, a trip to Mystic... so at this point I was not expecting it.

Louis did a good job keeping me guessing! We had spent three hours at the vineyard and enjoyed two bottles of wine when he asked if I was getting ready to leave. I said sure, and we packed up and headed back to the car.  Before we were about to get in the car, he asked if I wanted to get a bottle to bring home for another time, and I said that sounded like a good idea! So we proceeded back to the cabin and instead of ordering a bottle, he ordered to glasses.  He said he wanted to take a walk around the vineyard, since we'd been there so many times and never had walked the place.  It was there, among the vines in a row of grape leaves where he had me in tears as he got down on one knee!

It was truly a magical day, and we had permanent smiles for days! 

We are now (quickly) planning our February wedding at the Publick House Historic Inn, and we can't wait! 

Celebrating with my best friend was amazing, since it happened so close to her big day!!!

Bachelorette "Stripper Cake"

Just when I thought life couldn't get any crazier.... life went and got crazier!

I haven't blogged much, mostly because my weekends have been go go go GO at 100MPH constantly and it has been quite overwhelming! So in order to catch up a bit, I am going to post a series of catch up posts to share what's been going on in my life and the yummy goodies I've been creating lately!

First off, August started off with a bang when we took my best friend Maureen out for her Bachelorette party! A group of us girls too Maureen to a hotel where we had pre-party snacks and drinks, then went out for a yummy Italian dinner then headed out to a bar where we danced and drank the night away!  Of course, the night had to be accompanied by a cake! Maureen had said no way to strippers but I felt we needed to slip something hilariously "inappropriate" in there somewhere... and the stripper cake was born!

Let me tell you, being a 26 year old in Toys R' Us in search for a Ken doll was an experience.  I luckily found a cute little doll on sale (I was gonna rip his legs off anyways!) and when I proceeded to the check out line, I think the cashier was a bit confused.  She looked at me, with no children in tow (obviously) and was clearly curious as to why I had a barbie doll in my hands.

"Do you need a gift reciept for this barbie doll?"

-- No..

 "Do you need it gift wrapped?"

--No..

"Will you be putting this on your Toys R' Us credit card today?"

--No..

"Do you want to open up a Toys R' Us credit card today?"

--No.. I don't have kids, I don't shop here.

"Uhh.... Does your friend need a man?" 

LOL we will just leave it at that! I definitely do not enjoy that store!!

So we ate cake and named the sexy Ken doll Calvin Harris... And it turned out really great!!!! 

What fun memories with my best friend!