Your Top Tier on Your One Year

I've talked to numerous friends about the tradition of the Wedding Cake. Most of you know the deal- boxing up the top tier after your wedding, freezing it, and eating it on your first anniversary. Adorable idea right? Imagine: a romantic dinner over candlelight, sipping champagne with your special someone while indulging in decadence that sends you on a buttercream-filled journey back to that beautiful day.....ahhh, could not get much better. As wonderful as that sounds, that journey can take a "chilling" turn from warm and fuzzy to, well, cold and still fuzzy-when you unwrap your cake to find a freezer burned mass with the consistency of a week-old toasted bagel in front of you.
We've done some research, and have found what we think is the best way to preserve your cake so it can be delicious 365 days later.

Here at the EP, we always delicately box up your top tier and send it home safely with you. Once it's home, our friends at The Knot recommend that you should do the following:

1. Remove the sugar flowers and set them aside.
2. If your cake is on cardboard, remove and put on a plate, or wrap the cardboard in plastic wrap. This will prevent your cake from tasting like cardboard. (Yuck!)
3. Chill the cake well before wrapping it up so that the icing hardens. This way it won't stick to the plastic wrap and make a mess.
4. Wrap the cake in several layers of plastic wrap -- not aluminum foil, which can cause freezer burn. Make sure to wrap it as tight as possible. Some bakerys recommend getting a sealing device for the best results.

Remember:

Some cakes freeze better than others. The more delicate the cake ingredients, the drier your cake will become in the freezer. Cakes with a longer shelf life: Chocolate, hazelnut, almond, and carrot cake. Cakes that may not last as long in the freezer: white cake, cake with fresh fruit, and cakes with whipped cream fillings.

Consider Ordering A Copycat Cake

If you have a cake that won't hold up in the freezer, do as many couples do and order a fresh cake tier in the same flavor as your original wedding cake for your one-year anniversary. Even if you have a heartier cake, Sylvia Weinstock, of Sylvia Weinstock Cakes in New York, recommends storing cakes for no longer than two months, and forgoing the first-anniversary tradition. Like anything else, after a year in the freezer, any cake will be a bit stale. If you do decide to save your cake for the full year, focus on the nostalgia, not the flavor. 

*for more ideas on preserving your wedding cake, visit www.theknot.com. 

As always, happy planning,...and happy eating! 

What a wonderful day for the the girls at EP! We are excited to announce that we are officially Wedding Wire rated for 2012! We are thrilled to be starting off the 2012 wedding season with a bang. Thank you to all of our amazing brides for showing us the love this year!

Here are just a few of our newest reviews from some pretty outstanding brides. We are so happy that we could be apart of making your day perfect!

Read all of our Wedding Catering, Wedding Coordinators Reviews at

Make sure to check us out on Wedding Wire & read all of our reviews!

To Have and to Keep, Forever So Sweet.

~Introducing BHLDN, by Anthropologie~ 

Bhldn, a dutch word meaning "to keep," is what inspired Anthropologie to expand their lovely company away from the runway, and down the aisle. Anthropologie says BHLDN's purpose is "to help women create an event that reflects her own unique perspective....to a tee." 

Well ladies, let's just say they are definitely serving their purpose. With heirloom wedding dresses, artisan style hair pieces, to jeweled vintage cake toppers, BHLDN offers everything a bride needs to make her day unique and absolutely fabulous, with some of the most elegant and beautiful pieces we have ever seen. We are OBSESSED, and hope you will be too! Happy planning!  

 Cute, vintage, elegant, whatever wedding dress look you're going for, BHLDN will have what you need and more.

We love that these bridesmaids dresses don't scream "bridesmaid." These can be worn again and again for any occasion! 

These barefoot flip flops are perfect for a beach wedding

Beautiful vintage heirloom ring pillow 

The Bride's Guide to Plan B

In the spirit of the inches upon inches of rain mother nature decided to bless the southeast with this past week, we figured it was the perfect time to blog about something all brides should be aware of: Plan B.

We're talking about B, as in back up plan, & its something every bride should have. It is always smart to hope for the best, but prepare for the worst. We've put together a few tips so you can have smooth sailing on your special day, rain or shine!


1. Location: choose a location that will beautiful, rain or shine.
2. Venue: If you are having an outside reception, make sure there is enough room in your rented space to bring in a tent, just in case of any last minute showers. 

3. Have an idea of where you will hold the ceremony if rains. Do some research, and look for a place close to your original ceremony location so it will be convenient for guests.

4. Invitations: It is never a bad idea to include a rain card with the invitations, or put the alternative ceremony location on the lower right-hand corner of the invitation.

5. Most importantly: DONT panic. (Tears dont mesh well with make-up :) Rain on your wedding day does NOT mean your marriage is destined to fail (dont believe us? Take a look: http://www.dasinfo.com/rain-on-wedding-day) See, told ya :)

We dont like to accept this unfortunante fact, but we cant control the weather. In that case, just be prepared, take a deep breath, and have fun with it! Happy planning!

It always helps to hire an awesome wedding planner like The EP ;). We always have your back. This is from  on of our weddings on a rainy weekend. In case you were wondering, the bride and father stayed dry. Tammy? Not so much haha

For the Overstocked and the Overspent

Save Green and BE Green with Recyled Bride

Do you really have a need for 150 battery operated tea lights? This question is for you ladies planning on a budget (who very well may need 150 tea lights), OR those of you stuck with truckloads of decorations that you will never use again, and it could possibly be the coolest things we have seen since sliced bread. 

It's called Recycled Bride, and online marketplace where brides can buy and sell gently used as well as new wedding decorations, dresses, and much more.

Through Recycled Bride, you can purchase items such as battery operated candles and votives, assorted types of garland, centerpiece supplies, and more for much cheaper than in stores. When you're wedding is over, simply sell it back, along with any other wedding decor. Simple as that! We think it is genius, and hope you will too. Visit today, and as always, happy planning!

http://www.recycledbride.com

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Much More than Maids

Show your bridesmaids some love! 

I'm sure many of you saw the motion picture "Bridesmaids" this year. Though we laughed at the ridiculousness of each situation and enjoyed the comedic talents of an award winning cast, did you find the situation relatable? Many of us have been that bridesmaid. No, your bridemaids will probably not get food poisoning while dress shopping, and we can HOPE that no one in your wedding party gets tackled by an air marshal and detained in an airport, but don’t be fooled. Weddings can be stressful on your bridesmaids, and it's important to remember those special ladies who work so hard to make your wedding perfect. 

Bridemaids gifts are a perfect reminder of your appreciation for their time and attention before AND after your wedding day. While shopping, keep each individual maid in mind by choosing imaginative and stylish gifts that come from the heart that will fit each of their personalities. Here are some unique ideas to get your wheels turning. Happy shopping!

Getting your bridesmaids something that they can wear or use on your wedding day is especially popular. 

Bridesmaid's survival kits are great gift ideas. They are customizable and show just how much care you took into putting together each gift. 

Find these towel wraps along with many other personalized accessories at http://www.exclusivelyweddings.com/Weddings/Wedding-Party-Gifts/Bridesmaid-Gifts

Adorable custom invites from the talented Ms. Paige Burton. Visit her Etsy page to order and make your invitations one of a kind, just for you! 

Kylie & Dave's Eden Garden Wedding {Sneak Peak}

Eden Gardens State Park is one of the most beautiful and romantic places to get married off the beach in this area. We had so so much fun with this wedding and it was nothing shy of absolutely GORGEOUS! It's obvious that the camera LOVES Kylie and we can't wait to see the rest of these awesome pictures! But for now, we shall wait and just enjoy these beautiful images taken by the amazingly talented DeDe Edwards.