{wedding cakes} pink & petite

Oh, what a precious pink wedding cake!  Every little detail is simply amazing.  The perfect shade of pink.  The delicate gold lace.  The sprig of baby's breath.  The crystal cake stand.  It all adds up to a pink delight of a wedding cake!

Photo: Lisa Dolan Photography via

{wedding cakes} october orange

Once I spied this bold orange wedding cake, my fall-loving heart fell in love.  It's the perfect shade of orange that reminds me of October.  Of the chunky pumpkins lining the front steps of local brownstones.  Of the fiery leaves changing the tall trees of the local park.  Of fall.  Of autumn.

& the when pigs fly cake topper?  That's just the icing on the orange wedding cake!

Photo: Viera Photographics via

{wedding cakes} mum's the word

Fall mums have made their grand entrance in my home sweet home of Hoboken.  In glorious shades of autumn, they grace the front stoops of brownstones & beautify the landscape of parks.  Mums equal fall, it's that simple.  So is there anything more perfect for a fall wedding cake than a fresh golden-orange mum topper?  Celebrate the season, celebrate the love!      

Photography: Red Fly Studio via

{Sneak Peek} Sophia & Jeff

Happy Friday the 13th!  Have no fear, says my hubby, Friday the 13th is actually good luck.  He was born on the Friday the 13th after all.  & today, another Friday the 13th, is his birthday.  So we're going to have a fabulous weekend celebrating & enjoying his birthday!  Before I break out the birthday candles, here is a sneak peek at next Wedding Wednesday:

One pretty little pink wedding cake!  I'm keeping the sneak peek short & sweet this week & one pink glimpse is all you get.  Check back next Wedding Wednesday to enjoy all the sweet details!

Happy Friday the 13th!

Photography: IQphoto Studio  /  Submitted via Two Bright Lights
  

{wedding cakes} something different

Why, hello, brie wedding cake.  Where is my french baguette?

As a wedding guest, no matter how full I am, I always find room for wedding cake.  As a wedding planner, no matter how busy or tired I am, I always take time to enjoy a slice of wedding cake.  It's simply a must.  Let me assure you, I'm pretty sure I would happily indulge in any of these fun, unique spins on a traditional wedding cake!

Cake pops cleverly designed to look like a tiered wedding cake!  Just genius:

Yes, yes- it's an Oreo cookie wedding cake!  Please make sure there are plenty of cold glasses of milk available:

A delightful doughnut hole wedding cake is absolute perfection in my eyes:

Not just any macaron tower, a lovely rainbow macaron tower:

Yum!  Which one do you like best?

Photo 1: via; Photo 2: Ashleigh Jayne Photography via; Photo 3: via; Photo 4: Amanda McKinnon Photography via; Photo 5: One Love Photography via

{Sneak Peek} Hannah & Matthew

Hello, Friday!  After four weeks of featuring local wedding, the New Jersey & New York wedding series comes to a finale next week.  It's pretty safe to say I saved a very beautiful wedding for last!  Here is a sneak peek at next Wedding Wednesday:   
  

Just imagine.  A sweet ceremony in a small chapel.  A sweeter reception held on the banks of a river.  The sweetest of details, like the wedding cake above.  It's a pretty wonderful wedding that you won't want to miss.  Check back next Wedding Wednesday for the beauty!

Have a fabulous weekend!

Photography: Silent Moment Photography  /  Submitted via Two Bright Lights

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  

sweet carnations

Today's post goes hand-in-hand with Tuesdays "for the love of carnations" post.  As you can see, this carnation beauty deserves a post of its own:

A simple, pink fondant cake is elevated from ordinary to extraordinary with carnations!  Yes, carnations.  Pink carnations decorate the cake & white carnations form a soft, lovely cake base.  The fresh flower base really makes the cake.  This amazing look is possible with any flower but budget-friendly only with carnations. 

Don't worry, I promise to gush about something besides carnations next week!

Photo 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

Chart House Wedding {Real Wedding Sneak Peek}

Don't get too excited, Koru family & friends.  Maybe just a smidgen excited.  Why?  I have some sneak peek photos to share with you from last Saturday's wedding!!!!  Please understand these photos were taken by me during a whirlwind work day on my camera phone.  I couldn't capture everything (ahem, like the beautiful Bride & Groom!), nor could I capture anything well.  But I did my best to give you a little glimpse of a happy, gorgeous occasion.

The Bride & Groom live in Hoboken (just like me) where they are treated to stunning views of the New York City skyline just across the Hudson River from them.  It was important to them to share those city views with their guests & the Chart House in nearby Weehawken gave them that luxury.  Bonus points if you remember I considered Chart House for my wedding!  Chart House sits at the end of a pier & it's so close to NYC you feel like you could touch the buildings.  As shown here, Chart House is at the end of the pier on the left & the city is just beyond it:

The Bride loves, LOVES the romantic vibe of candlelight & candles were a major force throughout the wedding during the ceremony & reception.  I didn't get a good photo of the guest table centerpieces but each table got a healthy dose of red rose petals, crystals & candles wrapped in various black & white pattern ribbon.  Here is the version I modified for the head table:

This is a close-up of a candle & rose petals on the head table, yet look beyond the table to that glittering NYC view from the ballroom!  Incredible, right?  The Empire State Building is front & center, lit up in orange, white & blue for the NYC Marathon the next day:

Oh, & the gorgeous, delicious cake from Hoboken's famous Carlo's Bakery (aka Cake Boss)! Again, bonus points if you remember Carlo's Bakery also made my wedding cake!  This couple's round, white cake is decorated with a big, black bow, black swirl detailing & black piping.  Red velvet cake- YUM!  I re-purposed flower garlands used during the ceremony to decorate the cake table.  We positioned this darling cake so it was in front of the windows facing downtown.  Maybe only I notice it but the white glow near the top of the cake is the Freedom Tower:

After a fun, rocking reception, the Bride & Groom had a Sparkler Grand Departure!  If you follow me on Twitter you know this was almost nixed due to a fire hazard.  But when there is a will, there's usually a way & we found one.  After a candlelit Last Dance, my assistant & I lined up the guests, handed out sparklers & lit them up, then prompted the Bride & Groom to run through to their getaway car.  This is the second Sparkler Grand Departure I've organized & it's just so awesome!  My photo was taken after the Bride & Groom had left but the guests still had plenty of sparkle:

I hope you enjoyed this humble little sneak peek!  More to come as soon as I can share professional photos from the great Daniel Hedden Photography.  Um, cause if you noticed, I am not a professional wedding photographer.  Just leave me to the wedding planning!

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?

It's A Wrap: 22nd Edition

Count this beauty as one of my Favorite Weddings

Image via Style Me Pretty

Hi, Koru Family & Friends!  Today is the first day of Autumn.  It's pretty much a wash of heavy rain & grey skies here but I hope Autumn delivers sunny, crisp, cool days soon.  Enjoy the first Autumn weekend!

Before you leave to celebrate the weekend, please enjoy the Koru List of my favorite finds this week:

It's a bold statement but I feel comfortable making it:

This whimsical Wedding is my favorite Wedding EVER

Will you be using Tangerine Tango or these other hot colors for your Wedding or Event?

Sometimes an amazing Wedding needs no words

What would you do with 66 Minutes with your loved one?

Come join me in pinning lots & lots of Wedding loveliness!

May your Autumn weekend be fabulous~

It's A Wrap! 16th Edition

Oh how this Jersey girl adores this boardwalk photo!
Image by Kay English Photography via Style Me Pretty

Happy Friday, Koru Family & Friends! Summer is in full swing & I'm taking full advantage. Today, my hubs & I are attending a Summer wedding & tomorrow, we jet off for a little Summer vacation. I'll be back to bring you wedding goodness in August (wow, August already!). Of course, I leave you with gathered prettiness & loveliness to tide you over until my return . . .

Boardwalk + Peonies = AWESOME Wedding!

Love, love me a vintage taxi

A little slice of rainbow heaven

Oh, be still my ribbon loving heart

My goal is to send more "Just Because" & "I Love You" notes

Happy Weekend! Make it bright & beautiful~

It's A Wrap! 15th Edition

Hydrangeas in FULL Glory
via Erin Ever After

Stop it! No really, stop it.
This centerpiece is beyond!

Are you a Twinkie fan? Yes?
Then this fun creation is for YOU!

You know how I love me an all-white or mostly white wedding. Feast your eyes on this white beauty!

Sorbet as wedding inspiration? Yes indeed!

Happy Summer Weekend!