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Wow! There’s a lot out there for wedding cakes! But before you contact a baker, or wedding cake designer I guess they are called these days, it’s a good idea to take a few things into consideration.  (My daughter is planning her wedding for next year, so I find all this information very useful since it’s been a long time since I helped plan a wedding.)

Most brides-to-be, and her groom too maybe, will have a theme idea they will prefer for the cake, but that may have to wait until the other, larger issues have been resolved.  In other words, the cake doesn’t come first.  Anytime after the wedding date is set, the cake can be ordered, unless it’s years away, and provided you already know what you want and how big it should be.

Cake choices have virtually no limit, so your budget, guest count, and color scheme will all be requirements first off.  Once you have a very good idea of what you like (save pictures), choose a cake maker near the place of the wedding and set up a consultation and cake tasting (yum) to see if you feel comfortable with their abilities and agree with their price quotes.

Most cake designers would like to have the order at least a month ahead of time and they may need more time if you get married during their busy season.

As far as cost, it’s impossible to say, but The Knot has a post with helpful general info about what is pricey and how to cut costs.

The post at My Sweet Wedding gives some good pointers from a cake decorator’s point of view.

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• Topical Wedding Cakes: A Feast For The Eyes (sandpiperwedding.wordpress.com)

Pretty Sea Glass Jewelry at Etsy

All you beach brides out there take notice! I have found some very pretty, and quite affordable, gifts for your bridesmaids that are made with sea glass. Silver plated glass in various colors form a locket and earring set to match and can be purchased through the SAMISEAGLASS Etsy shop.

These pretty, handmade jewelry sets will please any friend and can even be worn on the wedding day as they are beach themed.

You can see the pretty colors here in a shot from the store (used with permission from the shop owner – thank you!).  Click on the picture to go to the page featuring those designs.

The filigree lockets vary in shapes and sizes with some being romantically heart shaped and the earrings have little crystals in colors to match the glass color in the necklace.

These are so pretty that the Bride herself will surely want a set!

Check out the shop as owner / creator, Jean, has many more unique and beautiful works of art you will admire.

• Do you surf? Add surfboards made of sugar to use as the cake topper and have your names added to each.
• Orchids – light green orchids on a white cake – oh so yummy.
• Plumeria flowers are the popular Hawaiian flower that has the prettiest colors.
• Hibiscus
• Dolphins
• Sea turtles
• Palm trees

The list is long and the Maui Wedding Cake page even has a Hawaiian shirt shaped cake.

So look around and get some ideas and take them to your favorite cake decorator.

Related articles

• Symbolic Beach Wedding Themes in Twos (sandpiperwedding.wordpress.com)
• We’re Back! (weddingbee.com)
• The Bride Could Carry A Seashell Bouquet! (sandpiperwedding.wordpress.com)

Sea Turtle Art by Audrey Jeanne

This exceptionally gorgeous wedding invitation set features a sea turtle and custom text. It was created by the very talented Audrey Jeanne and is for sale in her online shop, along with many matching items.

The artwork reminds me of the time we were out on the pontoon boat, just cruising the Intracoastal near Mosquito Lagoon in Florida, and I saw a huge turtle come up to the surface – just for a second – and then dive back down into the murky water. Before I could even get the kids over to look, he / she was gone. The turtle was yellow colored and big, and that is about all I remember, but it was stunning.

Turtles are popular wildlife in the state of Florida. Not only do they have the sea turtles with their protected nests along the coast, the Gopher tortoise makes it’s home all over the state. I suppose that there is a difference between a turtle and a tortoise, but to me it’s not much! I love them all and I have fond memories of the slow moving, magnificent creatures.

Visit the invitation page here.