Two Planners and a Designer

There are two things I am interested in when I go to a wedding. Don’t get me wrong, I look forward to the ceremony, the wonders of two becoming one and the first kiss etc. But I can't wait to get to the reception to see the décor. After that, I am looking for the cake! A beautiful cake does it for me with sugar flowers. I will leave the décor to AJ. I am here to talk about cake. I am so sure many of you have seen all the different designs bakers can come up with these days. Its definitely amazing. Check out Ace of Cakes on The Food Network or Amazing Cakes on WEtv. Be patient with me. I will share some pictures with you shortly. Getting those beautiful cake designs, don't come cheap. So don't go harassing your baker for one of them without some money in your pocket! LOL!

Top row from the left: cakes by Pink cake box, NJ
Second row from left cake by Pink cake box
Second row on the right:cake by Cakes and cream, Lagos Nigeria

In this article, I will take the time to discuss the difference between a buttercream cake and a cake made of fondant.

Fondant is the smooth, almost flawless icing seen on many traditional wedding cakes. Depending on the type of fondant, it can be rolled and draped or poured over a cake as a liquid. Fondant gives a cake a smooth, professional appearance, keeps the cake moist longer, and provides a distinctive flavor and texture. Fondant is what makes it possible for bakers to make those pretty cakes you see in different shapes and forms. As you may already know, using fondant requires a lot of patience and a certain level of expertise. As earlier stated, cakes made using fondant don't come that cheap, but it's worth the price if you find a good baker.


To row from the left: cakes by Jim simeal
Top row Last cake by omar addihaoui an executive Pastry chef in Kuwait
second row: by omar addihaoui an executive Pastry chef in Kuwait
Second row last cake - Papillon cakes - via style me pretty blog


Buttercream is one of the most common cake frostings in America. Buttercream can be purchased in a number of varieties or made at home. A creamy and easy to spread, delicious frosting, buttercream is made from common ingredients. With four main types of buttercream to choose from, you'll find one that is just right for your cookie, cake, or cupcake frosting. There are many folks out there who are still buttercream lovers. There is nothing wrong with that. The only issue is you can't get the smoothness or intricate designs that can only be incorporated if you use fondant. Also, some folks don't like fondant because of the taste. It's your choice based on what's most important to you. Here are a few pics of buttercream cakes. Not bad, huh?

If you are looking for a cake design that is outside the box, you will have to go with fondant. If you're going for simplicity, buttercream definitely tastes better, from my point of view. With all that has been said, I would recommend you go for cake tastings to make a solid choice. This is one of best parts of planning your wedding. It will help you make up your mind. Also there are many flavors out there besides vanilla, chocolate and strawberry. Choices, choices they never end! Anyway, I hope this helps you decide on what kind of cake you'd like.

Oh! Did you ever think of cupcakes for your wedding ?



Cake by Pink cake Box, NJ

It's part of thinking of outside the box.


Happy Planning!

BRIEF INTRODUCTION.
Greetings Everyone!! My name is Eileen Ajayi! I am a wedding/event planner who loves what she does. From deciding a venue, to planning the timeline and coordinating the wedding day I love every aspect. It’s a real privilege to do what I know I am blessed and equipped to do.

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN IN THE WEDDING BUSINESS?
I started my business close to four years ago. I have, however, been planning events since I was 10. I am the go-to-person in my family. When something's happening, I'm hooking it up.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PART OF PLANNING/COORDINATING OR DESIGNING AN EVENT?
The day of the event. I love seeing everything come together. It is very fulfilling to see the result of all your labor and hard work. Additionally, when I am coordinating the day I get into what I like to call a 'zone'. Everything flows and I know I am doing what I am gifted to do. I imagine it’s like hearing the song you have written and composed. It's pretty amazing.

DESCRIBE A TYPICAL BRIDE AND GROOM ON THEIR WEDDING DAY.
What's typical about a bride and groom on their wedding day is that there's nothing typical. Couples are different. Some are excited, some are nervous and anxious. It just depends. I have had frantic brides with grooms who are cool, calm and collected. I've had nonchalant brides with grooms who are control freaks. There is a wide spectrum of people in this world and at some point, they may get married. Everyone is different. But no matter the personality, it is awesome to see a man and a woman so in love and excited about spending the rest of their lives together. Frankly, it's an honor to share that day with them.

TELL US ABOUT A MEMORABLE WEDDING EVENT.
Let me preface by saying that I commit every wedding and event I do into the hands of God. I trust Him to take control and work out what I can and can't see. He has never and never will let me down. Recently, I was consulted to do last-minute planning and coordination for a wedding to take place within a month and a half of the time I was contacted. The family was expecting 400 to 450 guests. They were, however, unsure if that number was accurate. It was possible the guest list would be much higher. They really needed help with getting a grasp on the day. I met with the couple and did as much as I could in advance of the day to get things together.

One of the details the bride wanted was fish in the centerpiece vases. She told me she would pick them up and give them to the decorator. As I was running around between the reception venue and the church, I was on the phone tracking people and giving instructions as needed. At one point, I called the bride's suite and asked a cousin if she'd gotten the fish. She put down the phone to ask her. The makeup artist picked up the phone and said the bride was beginning to cry because she forgot. I was completely floored. The bride was upset (I never let that happen!) and I had no idea where I could get fish because I was not familiar with the city where the event took place. I told the bride not to worry, that I would take care of it. She was reassured and calmed down. I called a friend to get locations online for me of Wal-Mart and some of these chain pet stores. No pet store could be found. I did find a Wal-Mart. They had no fish. Wow!

At that point, I concluded that we would have to do without fish because I was running short on time and needed to get to the reception hall. I prayed and continued on my way. By the way, I was using a map to get to the reception hall because I'd never been there before. Trust me when I say everything was last minute!

As I was driving along, I saw that I was in a residential area. I was disappointed about the fish but accepted the reality of the situation. I was on the phone with my cousin when I looked up and saw a small, random strip mall. Guess what was in that mall? A little pet store! I was able to get all the fish I needed. I was so excited! I went through so much to make that wedding a success. By the time the bride and groom reached the hall, they were overwhelmed and excited. Everything was perfect! Over 600 guests came to celebrate with them. There was plenty to eat and drink. Everything fell into place and it worked out so well. I truly thank and credit God. It wouldn’t have been the same without Him.

FAVORITE COLOR?
I like blue. It's a very cool and relaxing color and I love that.

ADVICE TO THE NEWLYWEDS.
Now that you’re married, enjoy every moment and day of your life together. Life is too short to sweat the small stuff. Do your best to grow in patience and love for your spouse. Be forgiving and be kind. Your spouse is a gift. Cherish them. Happy wedding planning to the engaged and happy married life!

For all you brides and grooms out there planning your wedding, we say think outside the veil and STOP the BLANDNESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Your wedding is a celebration. As long as there is a celebration, people will come out and have fun with you, regardless of what you do. Therefore, you don't need to stick with every single wedding “tradition”. C’mon! Break up the monotony and have some FUN! Your guests should remember your wedding because you created an experience that would forever be imprinted in their minds.

How do you pull all this together, you ask? Have no fear, your TPD fairy godmothers are here! We have a few tips to help you create a fabulous, creative and fun-filled wedding that will guarantee a SWELL time:

1. Create a theme. Themes are important because they set the tone for the entire event. We say think of something fun and unusual; completely outside of the veil. Let’s give you a few examples: destination theme, movie theme, favorite food theme, etc. The key thing to remember with a theme is that it should reflect both of you. Yes, both bride and groom! Since it will set the tone for your wedding as well as be reflected throughout the event, it should be something RELATABLE.


2. Choose fun colors. Aah! The days of whitewash and pink tinged weddings are finally over. Phew!!! And we can hear a few Amens out there. We say dump the traditional colors of white and pink and add a punch of color. Some examples of some very fab color combos that we love are: Chocolate and Slate Blue, Lavender and Plum, Yellow & Black & White; and Boomie’s personal favorite, Tiffany Blue and Poppy Red. Mind you, you don’t have to stick with 2 colors. Mix it up.
Please click on pic for a larger view.

Please Note - The Black and White decor was by TPD designer AJ


Three, four or five colors can work – THAT IS with the right designer on your side! A good rule of thumb when choosing colors is to incorporate your favorite colors. Be imaginative. Again we implore you to think outside the veil and let your creative juices flow. And to add more texture and depth to your event, think of colors more in hues, like shades of orange which include; Apricot, Coral and Peaches or shades of pink which include; Blush, Cerise and Cotton candy. Are you getting excited yet? We are!!!!



3. Incorporate fun activities. Yes we have the bouquet tosses and the garter removals and even the electric slide. But there are many more ways to have fun at your wedding with your guests. We love the photo booth idea (if it is in the budget, you should so do it).
Play a game that involves audience participation. Perform a special dance routine or, better yet, get professional dancers to perform or give mini dance lessons. Jazzing it up always, ALWAYS works.


Like we said, these are just a few tips. All in all, we want you to have fun too. We hope this helps you get rid of your wedding blues and adds a little pep to the planning process. We wish you happy planning!

Photo Credit - happyhourbride

Cake Talk coming soon to a screen near you !!! Oh and wait just a minute. TPD's designer will be talking to us about making your own wedding unique and staying way out of the box when it comes to your special day.




Here is a picture to behold!!!


Have a nice week.
TPD

BRIEF INTRODUCTION
Hi everyone, my name is Ayoteju Akhionbare, aka AJ, aka ABoogie!!!! As you can tell I am a very excited and passionate person. I am a consultant by day and an event designer at all times!!! I know without a shadow of doubt that this is what I will be doing for the rest of my life. I eat, sleep and breathe designs. LOL!!!

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN IN THE BUSINESS?
Well, I think I have always been designing and decided to go full time when I started planning and designing my wedding. So, back to the question: I have been designing events now for about 4½ years.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PART OF WEDDING DESIGN/DECOR?
Hmmm. this one is a tricky one, because I love all aspects of it from the initial consult with the client, to the design inspiration, design sketches and mock up presentations. But what I absolutely love is the full event set up. To me this is the icing on the cake. To see everything come to life, the feeling itself is inexplicable, for me. Words can’t describe it. And guess what? I’ll wake up and do it all over again.

DESCRIBE A TYPICAL BRIDE AND GROOM ON THEIR WEDDING DAY?
Unless I have been invited to the wedding, I usually do not get to see the couple on the wedding day. However I see them a few times before the wedding and I would say most of them are nervous because they are making all these decisions about what they want their wedding to look like, what guests will eat and drink, etc. Then comes décor and design and it is just so abstract. They can’t touch, smell, see, taste or feel the concept. They have to use their imaginations. When you are planning a wedding, ladies and gentlemen, even that can sound far fetched. But most times than not, they just want their day to be beautiful and memorable to all and sundry. And yes, most can’t wait until the minister says “You may kiss the bride”.

TELL US A ABOUT MEMORABLE WEDDING EVENT?
Ok, so Ms. Boomie stole the first one I was going to share. LOL! But in this industry, we never lack memorable moments. This wedding was set to be in the fall. I met the bride about a month before her wedding and we decided on her designs. Please bear in mind again that décor can be abstract and sometimes completely out of context. Therefore, most times than not it takes a lot of descriptive imagination to envision what it will look like. Needless to say the bride was very nervous about what this would look like when everything was pulled together. I assured her and repeated those fateful words “Trust me”. Whether or not she trusted me before the wedding day, I can’t quite say. Her face, however, when she walked into her reception room was pure joy! I got a hug and kiss and even tears. That, absolutely, was memorable for me.

FAVORITE COLOR
I love fabulous pinks and purples.

ADVICE FOR NEWLY ENGAGED COUPLES.
you want to really spend time getting to know one another outside of the dating “mindset”. Trust me (yes I said it), you need it. It will save you so much bewilderment during those first weeks and months of marriage. Get pre-marital counseling. It will help build a solid foundation because hey, you’ve never done this before or if you have, you need to know what not to do next time around. Also talk, talk, talk about everything.

ADVICE FOR NEWLYWEDS.
Ok, keep it FRESH. Don’t lose it. Don’t let yourself go just because you got the guy or the girl. The one area that must always be hot is PASSION. Keep the fire going. BURN BABY BURN!!!!!! And always remember why you married each other, write it down somewhere because sometimes you may find yourself asking that question.

I think that about sums it up for me for now. I honestly look forward to interacting, sharing ideas and tips with you. This indeed is a journey and I look forward to the many interesting things that will happen along the way.

Many brides have a vision of what their wedding will look and feel like. Others are avid viewers of such popular shows as “Whose Wedding Is It Anyway?” and “Platinum Weddings”. These shows give all sorts of ideas on how to make your special day fabulous. Often times the ideas are quite pricey. But the fact of the matter is not every bride has an unlimited budget to splurge. What’s a girl to do? Set a budget!!

It’s ideal to assemble a bicycle according to instructions. It’s also best to follow directions when travelling to somewhere you’ve never been before. In the same vein, it’s definitely in your best interest to establish a budget to follow when planning your wedding. A budget serves as a definitive guide of the maximum you are willing and/or able to spend for every cost associated with your wedding day. These costs include ceremony and officiant, gown and tux, transportation, reception venue, food, etc. I think you get the point.

Often times, brides and grooms (and their parents too) are apprehensive of setting a budget for their big day. Understably so. It highlights the stark reality of the situation. You may have to spend a significant amount of money to make your ideal day a reality. OR you may have to cut costs in unexpected areas to avoid going into serious debt. The truth is, being realistic at the beginning of planning your wedding can save you lots of stress and trouble towards the end.

Setting a budget involves being sure that you have or will definitely have the amount of money needed for the wedding you want to have. You may need to have a longer engagement in order to set aside the money you need. Often times you may need to be open minded to certain options you may not have previously considered. The bottom line is you will prevent yourself from overspending by doing your best to stay strictly within your established budget. Once you have determined what your maximum amount will be, your planner can better help you set realistic expectations of what your budget will cover taking into consideration the number of guests you will expect and the type of event you want to have. Specifically, your budget will help dictate the most you can spend on any given wedding expense.

Now don’t fret ladies! Setting a budget doesn’t mean you have to give up fabulosity! Often times a strict budget will get your creative juices flowing. You’d be surprised at the unique and fabulous things brides and planners come up with to stay within budget. It is truly an adventure. This may be a reality check, but it’s a good one. Budgets are critical to stress-free wedding planning. Happy wedding season everyone and enjoy!

Eileen Ajayi
On Behalf of TPD