naked

True story- once or twice or many times, I took a tub of cake frosting & a bag of animal crackers & called it dinner.  Yes, I am a huge fan of cake frosting!  Buttercream frosting, cream cheese frosting, vanilla frosting- you name the frosting, I love it.  Still, unfrosted wedding cakes are really growing on me.  I'm not sure I would want to eat one but the naked wedding cakes sure are pretty!

In the prettiest shades of purple, the mini-ombre cake is just fabulous:
 

The three-tiered cake lets its natural beauty shine through with just a perfect dash of powdered sugar, fruit & daisies:

Red velvet cake is a new love of mine; naturally, I adore an unfrosted one that lets its red roots show proudly:

If you're taking the unfrosted wedding cake route, go big or go home with an amazing naked wedding cake display:

Sometimes unfrosted cakes seem a bit messy with the frosting between layers having a mind of its own but here is a clean cut, unfrosted wedding cake decorated with berries & flowers.  A real winner in my eyes:

Naked wedding cakes have never looked so good!  Are you a fan?  More importantly, have you ever eaten cake frosting for dinner?  Please don't let me the only one.


Photo 1: via; Photo 2: via ; Photo 3: via; Photo 4: via; Photo 5: via  

Steel Magnolias

Raise your hand if you love the movie Steel Magnolias.  Is your hand raised?  Mine too.

Now raise your hand if you agree that dear Shelby, she of blush & bashful pink wedding fame, would approve of this precious pink wedding cake decorated with gum paste magnolias!  Is your hand raised again?  Mine too.

I couldn't help but think of Steel Magnolias when I spied the magnolia cake above.  Steel Magnolias is one of my favorite movies, one that grows better & better with age.  I appreciate the idea of women as beautiful, delicate beings who are strong, resilient creatures when needed.  I see more & more examples of steel magnolias as my women friends, family members & I experience heartbreak & tragedy.  It never breaks our beauty or spirit, only makes us shine brighter & better.  Steel magnolias are everywhere!  

Come to think of it, isn't that the perfect description of marriage?  A beautiful, delicate partnership that is strong & resilient when the going gets tough.   

P.S. The pink magnolia cake is much better than the armadillo cake :-)

Photo via

{Sneak Peek} Melissa & Phillip

Here's a juicy sneak peek at the fabulous wedding coming next Wedding Wednesday:

I promise you that it's a beauty that you don't want to miss!  With a sweet love story & a darling autumn wedding to match, Melissa & Phillip's wedding story is sure to inspire.  I can't wait for you to see it!!  Color me very excited!

Till then, Happy Weekend!

Photo by Lauren D. Rogers Photography

white is right

A typical Bride chooses white for her wedding gown; why not choose white for your wedding cake?  White is a simple & classic choice.  These wedding cakes prove white is beautiful!

I like the clean white on white presentation here.  & don't even get me started on the delicate, white sugar flowers cascading down the white cake- LOVE!

Once a classic, always a classic.  I like the fresh flower adornments & silver riser that make this classic white beauty stand out.  

At first glance, I mistook this for a traditional basketweave cake.  Nope, it's just some amazing piping work that makes this a sweet, white beauty of a wedding cake!

The ruffles, the darling white ruffles on this white wedding cake make it pretty special!

Last, but certainly not least, is my favorite white cake in this collection.  The wedding cake is a timeless legend with its tiny dots & (look closely) dainty patterns.  

Divine, every one of these white cakes is absolutely divine.  Almost too divine.  Who would want to cut into these & ruin their beauty?!

Photo 1 Edyta Szyszlo Photography via Photo 2 Laurie Bailey Photography via Photo 3 Fondly Forever Photography via Photo 4 Oh Darling! Photography via Photo 5 Shira Weinberger Photography via

colorFULL

Heaven knows why it's been so long since a fabulous wedding cake has graced the posts of Koru Wedding Style.  Clearly, this situation needs to be fixed right now. Viola, done!

The modern, colorful cake is AMAZING!  Yes, this justifies all caps.  When I first spied the wonderful creation, I thought the tall cake was covered in jelly beans.  Maybe an effect of my Easter state of mind?  Anywho, I realized my mistake- the entire cake is piped from the deepest purple to the whitest white & every color in between.  WOW.  Yup, we need all caps again.  This rainbow creation is just so bright & happy & beautiful.  I can only imagine it tastes as good as it looks!

Are you consistently amazed by the artistry of wedding cakes or is it just me?

Photo by riseandshinebakery

pink

Isn't this pretty, pink cake & its dramatic display oh so romantic?!  

I couldn't think of a better way to end Valentine's Day week than with this heart-stopping image.  Enjoy~ 

Photo by Christian Oth Studio via

Sprinkles on Top

One of my favorite desserts is simple: one scoop of vanilla ice cream with rainbow sprinkles on top.  It's as pretty as it is delicious.

Naturally when I saw this cake covered in rainbow sprinkles, I thought I'd died & gone to sprinkle heaven.  The sprinkles make this cake so bright, colorful & happy- just the right tone for a wedding!  & the satin ribbon is that perfect touch of elegance.  This cake is a sweet winner in my eyes!  


Would you let your favorite dessert topping inspire your wedding cake?  


Photo by Monique Simone Photography via

Sweet NYC

The best NYC-theme wedding cake ever!


Maybe it's the darling Empire State Building & Chrysler Building perched on top.  Maybe it's the purple, delicate NYC skyline.  Maybe it's the extra touches of the pearl piping & purple ribbon.  Maybe it's the overall clean, pretty design. 

Whatever it may be, I feel perfectly comfortable declaring this lovely cake the top prize for NYC-theme cakes.  & let me tell you, as a NYC-area wedding planner & wedding guest, I have seen my fair share of NYC-theme wedding cakes.  This baby takes the cake!!

Photo by Our Labor of Love via A Practical Wedding

Koru Kate Finds: Carnation Glory

I've said it before & I'll say it again: I like carnations.  Carnations come in a gorgeous rainbow of colors, don't cost a fortune & easily last from getting ready to the last dance- yup, I'm a fan.  I did lots & lots of research on chic carnation arrangements when I was planning my wedding.  Almost one year later, I'm pleased to run across new wedding inspiration for carnation-lovers.  Today's post is dedicated to those Brides who share the carnation love with me.

The Carnation Topiaries would look beautiful in any color to match your wedding decor:

  Image via Luxe Finds

I can envision these pretties lining the aisle, decorating cocktail tables or, with a few at varying heights, serving as a reception centerpiece.

This Carnation Cake would add a simple, sweet look to any wedding reception:

Image via Luxe Finds

I believe this cake would look quite lovely in any carnation shade.  Plus add more tiers, square tiers &/or a patterned linen for more pizazz!

For more fabulous carnation inspiration, please visit Luxe Finds.

What do you think about using carnations for a wedding? Yes or no?

. . . and Eat It Too!

Look, we can cut cake!

And feed each other nicely!
(Photos by Friends)

As beautiful as our wedding cake was, the time came to cut, serve & eat this beauty.

RZ & I cut the cake to the tune of "How Sweet It Is" by James Taylor (First Dance song runner-up). It's kind of an odd feeling to be cutting cake with a million eyeballs on you. Thankfully, we managed this simple task together without ruining the cake or cutting any fingers. I can't remember who feed who first but both bites were given nicely. We hadn't discussed cake smashing being off-limits but it was an unspoken, understood rule. Then came the obligatory, post-cake kiss. It was all fun & good but this Bride wanted to sit down & enjoy her yummy cake!!!

Because it was delicious!!!!! Our wedding cake was a black & white cake with chocolate fudge filling, a dirty layer of buttercream & an outer layer of white fondant. We'd had a hard time choosing between the black & white cake or a red velvet cake but I can safely say we made the right choice. OMG, it was finger-licking good! I enjoyed my first bite, then my slice at our sweetheart table & finally, my last slice as a late night snack in our hotel room.

I'd enjoyed cakes from Carlo's Bakery before & they never, ever disappoint on looks or taste. I may be a tad biased but I'm positive our cake was the best ever!

Have Your Cake . . .

Our Wedding Cake by Cake Boss

The delicate orchids decorating our wedding cake

Sitting Pretty!
(Photos by Friends)

A wedding cake should look good & taste even better. It's that simple. With our little old local bakery, Carlo's Bakery (aka Cake Boss), making our wedding cake, I was confident ours would be pretty & tasty!

Let's talk pretty first.

Our wedding was simple & elegant so we chose the cake design that best fit this vision. Our four-tier, square cake was covered in white fondant with white orchids cascading down the side. Oh so simple, oh so elegant.

Every last detail of our wedding cake was carefully planned & executed. The four tiers were suggested to feed our 125+ guests. The square shape was an absolute must for me; I'm a huge fan of square cakes & their clean lines. The all-white color scheme matched our winter white wedding. The white fondant was a different shade of white from the white orchids to keep the cake from blending into white nothingness.

Our pretty cake was surrounded by votive candles on a table with ivory linens directly behind our sweetheart table in the Manhattan Ballroom. It was a simply stunning display!

How did our wedding cake taste? Details tomorrow!!

For Hire

Via Wedding Industry Jobs

Oh, this is big. This is very, very BIG: Wedding Industry Jobs, a website dedicated to wedding jobs! Whether you are looking for a career in the wedding world or you have a spot to fill in your wedding business, this website is a dream come true!

I can remember my start in wedding planning & it wasn't easy. I had to do a lot of research to find local wedding planners, then spend a lot of time contacting them & hoping one of them would give me a chance. It was hard work! Thankfully, it paid off & I wouldn't change one moment. But now, my dears, things are easier & better than ever with Wedding Industry Jobs!!

Bridesmaid sales consultant! Graphic Design Intern! Associate Wedding Planner! There is truly something for everyone who is interested in a wedding career. Seasoned professionals & fresh newbies alike can use this as a job source. What are you interested in? Wedding Planning, Stationery, Floral Design, Cake Decorating are just a few options available. Pick your passion & find your dream job!

Guess what? Even I have my eye on something ☺

Tasting Delight

Our Wedding Tasting: YUM! I loved our cake tasting & I was blown away by our wedding tasting at Hyatt on the Hudson. We had the golden opportunity to sample our four-course wedding feast complete with wine pairings. The Hyatt was kind enough to work with me & my very picky eating habits to create a tasting menu that I would enjoy. On the night of our tasting, RZ, RZ's parents & I arrived at the Hyatt with a healthy appetite.

Our job for the evening was to choose one appetizer, one salad & one dessert. Also, we needed to confirm we liked the entree selections available for our guests to choose from at our wedding. Sounds like a tough job, right?!

We sampled & chose from these three, yummy appetizers: Lobster Bisque, Lamp Chop & Crab Cake:


Then we ate & chose from these three, delicious salads: Apple, Endive & Feta Salad, Organic Green Salad & Caprese Salad:


Finally, we enjoyed these three, savory entrees: Filet of Beef, Pork Medallions & Salmon:


In addition to our wedding cake, we're offering a dessert & we tasted two, incredible options. Unfortunately, we inhaled the selected dessert before I could snag a photograph.

The Official Tasting Crew included me, RZ & RZ's parents:


The evening was very special, full of good food & good cheer. RZ & I are growing more & more excited for our wedding every day!!

Meeting the Boss

Cake Boss aka Carlo's Bakery
The site of our cake tasting

Fall cake display at Carlo's Bakery

Halloween treats
(we were there Halloween weekend)

"Love at First Bite"
Our bakery box of treats

3 vanilla spiderweb cupcake for Halloween
3 red velvet cupcakes just cause

Cake Boss, that is.

Our wedding package at the Hyatt includes a wedding cake from Carlo's Bakery in Hoboken. Sound familiar? Carlo's Bakery is featured in the popular TLC show, Cake Boss. On a recent Saturday morning, RZ & I found ourselves at the packed bakery for our cake tasting.

Although the line of tourists hadn't formed outside yet, the inside of the bakery was a zoo. It took some grit & determination to alert someone we were here for a cake tasting. Then we were ushered past the velvet ropes (no kidding, there are ropes), into the bakery where Buddy was posing for photos with a cake & upstairs to Buddy's office to met with Mauro. Buddy made a brief appearance to say hello & good morning to kick off the appointment.

The Hyatt had told us there was a selection of cakes included in our package or we could choose a custom design on our dime. We started the appointment looking at the selections & I was pleasantly surprised by the designs available. I had been sure the selection would be slim & we would be forced to pay more for our cake. Instead, we could choose from quite a few pretty cakes. One looked like stacked Tiffany boxes tied with white ribbon, one featured a beautiful swirl pattern & another was decorated with the NYC fondant skyline. I drooled over the swirl cake but we went with another clean, modern design.

Then came the fun part- tasting the cake! We were served ten, small slices of cake, each a different cake flavor paired with a different filling. Did you ever dream of eating cake for breakfast as a kid? Well, this was a dream come true. Yum, yum!! RZ & I easily narrowed it down to two choices & we had a tough time with the final decision. In the end, we went with the most popular cake/filling combination that Mauro suggested. Our wedding cake will be beautiful & delicious.

Our Cake tasting was definitely one of the best parts of wedding planning to date. Oh, how sweet it was.

3 to 1

Stamps available here

Today's task was simple: go to the post office, weigh our wedding invitation & buy the appropriate postage. Easy, right? Haha. Not so much.

I show up at our small, neighborhood post office with an assembled wedding invitation & the kind postal clerk weighs it & declares I needed a 61-cent stamp. And how wonderful, there is a 61-cent wedding cake stamp just for Brides like me. Unfortunately, they don't have any in stock. She suggests I go to Hoboken's large, main post office. Okay, no problem.

I troop across town & wait in a long line for about 15 minutes before it's my turn to get some love & attention. I make my polite demand for the 61-cent wedding cake stamp & the postal clerk asks to weigh the invitation again. I hand it over & watch as he measures it, weighs it & pushes it through a fake mail slot. My heart starts to sink; I'm worried that our wedding invitation is failing the post office test.

"It will be a $1.39 to mail this invitation," he tells me. What??!!

I explain I was told it would a 61-cent stamp to mail this invitation just 30 minutes ago across town. He explains that our invitation is considered parcel post because it is not flexible. This includes a lovely demonstration of how an plain envelope bends, a cardboard box does not bend & neither does our invitation. I ask what postage has to be used for $1.39. He says two wedding cake stamps plus some other random stamps. I have a horrible vision of paying way more than I expected on postage & of our beautiful envelopes cramped with four stamps.

I ask for a second opinion.

Now our wedding invitation becomes a fun game for the postal workers. I watch helplessly as our wedding invitation is passed from clerk to clerk. He asks the clerk next to him what she postage she would pick for our wedding invitation. 61-cents, she says. 1 to 1, he says to me. Actually, 2-1 counting the very first opinion, I remind him. He glares at me. Next, he hands it to another clerk. 61-cents, she says. He continues to glare at me. 3 to 1! 3 to 1! I win, I win!!

I'm the proud owner of 100 wedding cake stamps!

Sweet Shower Details

On Monday, I wrote about the fun celebration of Marisa's bridal shower. The entire affair was planned & executed with love from the pretty decorations to the yummy food to the entertaining games to the thoughtful touches. Today, I wanted to share some of the sweet details.

First, the lovely tables decorated with bright pink linens, gorgeous flowers & heart wine stopper favors:


The Maid of Honor & Bridesmaids received awesome goodie bags: a monogrammed beach bag filled with a beach towel, monogrammed notes & Bridal Party t-shirt from Koru Weddding Shoppe:


Last but not least, the delicious cake. Don't you love the "From Miss to Mrs." saying?