9.14.2008

Cuts like...a knife!

Mornin ya'll!

I know I've been super scarce this weekend - I'm in Columbia kickin it with the PHI. Anyway, I'm stopping in this morning to share something I'd been pondering for quite a bit: the cake cutter set. When I first started looking, I really fell in love with this Things Remembered set:


It has hearts, and its not too gaudy or over the top...its all on sale for $39.99. Yes you heard me right, that's its sale price.

If I werent living on a graduate student's pay, I would totally get this one:


Again, absolutely fabulous, right? But at $60 for the set, the chances of you spotting this at my wedding reception are even slimmer.

I know, what a silly thing to be concerned about. The ones above are gorgeous. But Practical Patti starts to nag at me when I'm shopping. Her/my issue: how many times are you really going to use an engraved cake cutter set?

Of course I cant answer that.

And the rationale is, if youre going to spend all that money on something like that (were talking at least $30 for the simple ones - which may or maynot include the engraving), you should be using it on the regular. I'm a baker - I bake cakes/cupcakes/pies on the regular. I could always go for a good long knife that will allow me to seamlessly move through yummy baked goods with the greatest of ease (think: trapeeze...cake trapeeze - lol!). Mom/Dani and I had decided that a good cake knife is always good. A knife that is dedicated only (mostly) to cakes could get some good use. That trowel thing seems more aptly suited for a sweet potoato pie. In n fact, thats what mom uses hers for. Again, I'd totally get use out of it, but I cant actually see using it on my wedding cake. Do people do that? Plus mom mentioned that of all the weddings she's been to, she cant ever remember seeing the cake set.

Sadly, I hadn't either. That was the last nail in the cake cutter set coffin.

However, because of the before mentioned reasons, I see great value in a good cake knife and set out to find one that was lovely, could be used again, and could be easily dressed up with some ribbon or something tied around the handle.

Enter our Bed Bath and Beyond registry. Our BBB registry is china, bath items, bedding, and a few kitchen things. There are lots of nice things I'd love for our grown up house when I picture the PHI and I hosting thankgsiving/christmas dinner for the family. It also includes a pretty cute server set which....(wait for it)...has a cake knife as an option! I'll show it to you and then I'll tell you how much it costs, k.

(Gourmet Windmere Cake Knife available at BBB)

Simple? Check!
Easily dressed up? Check!
Matching other serving pieces! Check!
Will do a bang-up job cutting cakes? Check!
Price: $7.99 - Sold!

Yes, you read that right...$8. I'm so buying that when I get paid again. Not that I think they wont have it anymore, but my approach to these kinds of things is that I'll still need it 6 months from now like I need it now. May as well purchase it now if I have the cash. The set also has a trowel that comes with it, that if I remember correctly I have also registered for...for pies, not cakes - lol. FYI: I used a similar price-to-use ratio to make a determination about our toasting flutes, but I'll save that for another post.

How about you? Are you trying to find a happy medium between things you "need" for your wedding, things you can/will actually use after the wedding, and cost?

♥

9.09.2008

Cake a year later?

Everyday I get emails from brides.com telling me about cool and unique things I can do to put our special touch on the wedding. A lot of them I save. Since its coming to my Gmail, I can easily add it to the wedding folder for safekeeping/searching when I come back to it.

Today I got a jewel. The PHI and I had totally planned to do the whole cake cutting thing and mom has asked what were going to do with that top layer of cake, considering we were planning to eat it (or at least try) on our first anniversary and would probably be leaving straight from the Palm beaches to go on our honey/mini moon. I didn’t have an answer really – I knew someone would figure something out or it would live in mom’s freezer indefinitely.

From brides.com:

Instead of freezing the top layer of your cake to eat on your anniversary, arrange for the baker to create a mini version of your wedding cake to be made one year later.

Genius, right?! I have no idea what it will cost, but considering one of my cake choices include a cake that Publix has in its special cakes booklet, I feel like they will be making it or something very similar for a while.

This may just work folks…I’ll keep you posted.

♥

9.08.2008

Latest Wedding Idea: Fiesta

After the show its the after party and
After the party its the hotel lobby and
After the Belvedere its probably Chris
and After the original its probably this
-- Fiesta (Remix), R. Kelly

One of the benefits of having a morning-ish wedding is that you have the rest of the day to enjoy being married.

Another benefit of any wedding is having an afterparty. And I've been secretly wanting to have one of those. Shhh...dont tell anyone. This is between me and you.

The idea was fleeting at first. Actually, no. I didnt understand why anyone would have a party after just hosting one of the most expensive parties ever. But then I decided that I didnt want the PHI and I to leave for honeymoon that night and maybe hang out with family/friends after. Mom shot that down...she didnt understand why I'd hang out with these people after just hanging out with them all day. So I let it go.

Lately I've been microwaving-up (i.e. re-warming up) to the idea again. I mentioned it to Dani and she didnt really get it at first. After I explained I think she was marginally on board. I havent mentioned it to the PHI becuase he worked last night and has not yet officially risen from the dead. Mom will hear about it after I get some feedback. I'm learning that sometimes when it comes to this wedding thing she's going to ask why, but ultimately go along with whatever I've come up with.

So youre probably wondering what I'm thinking.

If we do anything, it would be an informal kind of thing. Perhaps meeting up for drinks post wedding (like 8 or 9ish) or having some kind of gathering at one of the hotels (again, with drinks and food).

I just feel like I'm going to want to spend more time with our peeps that are coming in for the wedidng!

Ooh, the PHI just rose from the dead. I'll ttyl. Fiesta fiesta!
♥

9.05.2008

Trying to be a 1 Dress Bride

Attention everyone! I have a quick announcement!

In an effort to legitimize myself, I just put Dress #1 on the market. Effective immediately.

Here is my preliminary list of places to try and hock it:
  • CragisList
  • WeddingBee.com
  • eBay
  • PreOwnedWeddingDresses.com
The first 2 ads are done. Any other suggestions?
♥