Wedding Party Guide

Choosing themed wedding cake toppers can be one of the most important and fun decisions a couple can make for their special day. Many couples today are transitioning beyond the standard plastic bride and groom topper and being creative in their choice of a cake topper. Have you ever noticed how everyone lights up when they look at a cake? Why not make a memorable and lasting impression and highlight the wedding cake with a unique topper that reflects both the bride and groom’s personality.

It is a good idea to begin your search by speaking with your baker about what might look best. Take into consideration the size and shape of your cake. Your topper should enhance or set off the finishing touch of your cake and not stick out like a sore thumb.

The use of flowers makes a beautiful touch and are an excellent way to top a cake. The bride and groom can speak with their florist to match the flower garnishes to the bride’s bouquet for a perfect finishing touch. Artificial flowers may be the best way to go if you decide to use flowers on your cake, especially if some of your wedding guests are prone to seasonal allergies. If you do decide to use live flowers, make sure to use pesticide-free flowers.

Many brides are coordinating the theme of their wedding into their cake topper. For couples who have a beach wedding, seashells are a popular choice for a topper. Autumn leaves can adorn the cake for a fall wedding. For weddings performed around Christmas, small ornaments or Christmas trees are a good choice.

For couples having a western themed wedding, there are many western wedding cake toppers available to choose from. From a simple horseshoe to a small cowboy hat to the more traditional Sweet Western Wedding Embrace topper which depicts a charming cowboy and his lovely bride embracing for their first dance, your choices are limitless.

When deciding on a wedding cake topper, couples should let their imaginations run wild and enjoy choosing this wedding element. It can be a fun memory to last a lifetime.

If you are like me then you LOVE the unique and creative side weddings bring out in people. Everyone wants to do something special or just a bit different to separate their day from all the others in their life (and sometimes from the big day of everyone else ). I love this even more when it comes out in the drink selection at the reception. So without further ado, here are my choices for the top five wedding party drinks and the way I mix them:

5. Shirley Temple – This makes the list because you always need a special drink for the little ones, the designated drivers, and the recovering alcoholics. Not to mention it is pretty tasty, all things considered.

How I mix it:

Fill a highball glass with ice. Fill with ginger ale (when you fill a cocktail glass you leave about 2 fingers width from the top of the glass) and add 1/4 oz of grenadine. Garnish with a citrus slice and a cherry.

4. Bellini – This version of the Champagne cocktail with a twist of peach is a favorite of women everywhere, and quite a few men too

How I mix it:

In a Champagne flute, add the puree of 1 peach and slowly pour chilled Champagne until the flute is full. Garnish with a slice of peach, of course.

3. The Something Blue – Every bride needs something blue, right? Well, this is a something blue that can actually assist her in getting up the nerve to marry that loser. This is a newer drink from Hpnotiq, but it fits in well.

How I mix it:

In a Champagne flute, add 2 oz of Hpnotiq, then 2 oz of white wine, and last an once of ginger ale. No garnish

2. The Mojito – This traditionally Cuban summertime rum drink is a favorite of party goers and the deep south. It is a refreshing classic that works well with spring and summer weddings.

How I mix it:

You want to muddle (lightly mash) a couple of mint leaves with about 2 teaspoons of sugar and a splash of soda water. Once you start to smell the mint and the sugar is dissolved you want to add between 2 and 3 ounces of a light rum. Shake with ice and pour over an iced highball glass. Fill with soda water and garnish with a sprig of mint.

1. Colorado Bulldog – That’s right, another classic drink. When I learned to make this drink I thought it sounded awful. When my girlfriend asked me to make one I thought she was nuts. When I drank it, I was wrong! If it is mixed correctly it tastes like a well made chocolate milkshake with a hint of coffee. This is my choice for the number 1 wedding drink, at least for this season, because everyone will be drinking it at my wedding this May

How I mix it:

Fill a Collins glass with ice. Pour one ounce of vodka and one ounce of Kahlua. Add one ounce of creme, and fill with Coke. Chocolate shavings as a garnish if you like as a twist, but the classic doesn’t call for a garnish. You can roll the drink (pour it into a mixing tin and then back in your glass) if you would like a more consistent flavor.

Enjoy!