"Featured Vendor : Cake in a Cup NY"

Long gone are the days when a simple sheet cake was the standard for our special events. Today, cakes come in a variety of shapes, sizes, colors and flavors. With specialty cakes and cupcakes sweeping the nation, we made it our top-priority to learn more about the cake and cupcake industry first-hand. Read on as "The Amethyst Corner" interviews Roxanne Ferrance, Owner and Head Cake Designer at Cake in a Cup NY.

1. Your cake designs are quite impressive! What led you onto the creative path of cake and cupcake design?

 Thanks so much for the compliment Kisha.  The company actually started as a cupcake only company until one day  my son asked me to bake him a cake....which I did!  The cake tasted so great that I decided to sell my cakes and cupcakes.  As time went along, I started receiving a substantial amount of orders, that is when I decided to hit the internet and learn all that I can about cake decorating and mastering every technique and trick of the trade. 

2. With the amount of talented cake designers in the industry, what sets Cake in a Cup NY apart?


I strive for P & P, personalization and perfection.  I get goose bumps when my clients say “the cake looks so good, they did not want to cut it”…that is when I know that I have not only done my job but I have also exceeded their expectations. I think mainly what sets me apart is the fact that I am self-taught and I love to think outside of the box.  I am a creative person and often when I am excited about a project the ideas come flooding in to the point that I cannot hardly contain them!!  It is extremely important to me to be able to customize a one of a kind design to meet the client's price point, as well as walk each client through the process of designing their show stopping edible creation.  My menu consist of very unique names, created to be playful by incorporating irresistible mouth watering descriptions that would make anyone want to pop one of our baked goods into their mouth. 

3. In addition to designing custom cakes for weddings and celebrations, we noticed that you have  worked with well-known public figures and organizations. Please tell us who you have had the opportunity of servicing?

My first big break into the high profile society came by a referral by the one and only Kisha Kingston of Royale Amethyst Invitations in which  I was asked to cater cakes and cupcakes for the NAACP Presidential Inauguration of the Yonkers branch.  (Photo below)

Not too long after, I was approached by BronxNet to present a birthday cake to the host Dr. Bob Lee of OPEN and 107.5 WBLS FM.  (Photo Below)

On February 14, 2011, I presented 350 cupcakes as favors for Russell Simmons RUSH Hearts Foundation.  (Photo Below)

 

I also created a 3D globe and suitcase cake for Super Model Doutzen Kroes at LAVO NYC for her foundation dance4life World AIDS Day. (Photo Below)

My most recent accomplishment (that I am so proud of), was being hired by Lenox, one of the finest china companies, to create a mini wedding cake for their “Iced Pirouette Collection” ad.  The cake measures 5 inches tall and 4 ¼ inches wide. (Photo Below)

Additional work by Cake in a Cup NY:

·  AKA Cupcakes for a “Meet & Greet” at The Children’s Village, in Dobbs Ferry, NY.

· Corporate Logo Cupcakes for BlueKai.

· Black History Month at Bloomingdale’s, White Plains, NY.

·  Black History Month at Pennington Elementary School in Mount Vernon.

· Equinox Fitness Club – Corporate Logo Cupcakes.

· Designed little diva cupcakes with edible handbags for a book signing of the “Little Diva” by LaChanze, the winner of a Tony Award for Best Leading Actress in a The Color Purple Musical. 

· The “Transition Dinner” for John Jay College is a big deal as every year Cake in a Cup NY is requested to bake a very special cake and cupcake favors to mark the occasion.

4. What advice do you have to offer anyone that is considering breaking into the cake industry?

I would recommend that you find out what your real strength and unique selling point is. Focus on what you are most passionate about and make a collection of 4 to 6 cakes to begin with. Take as many cake decorating classes as you can, even if you feel that you  have already mastered the technique, there is always more than one way to create the design and knowing a few different ways is a PLUS! The cake industry is very competitive and can be very overwhelming.


5. As we can all see, Cake in a Cup NY is making moves! What should we expect to see from you in the near future?

 At the moment, I am mostly focused on building my corporate clientele and also moving into creating more abstract, out the box wedding cake designs.  Teaching via online web classes is a thought that will be coming to you soon!


Keep up to date with Cake in a Cup NY!  Be sure to follow and become a fan on Facebook!

Stay tuned for more featured vendor interviews from "The Amethyst Corner!"

Black Bride Presents "The Bridal Brunch NYC"

(L)Mary Chatman, CEO of Black Bride (R) Charreah Jackson, Relationships Expert & Editor at Essence Magazine

 

(Photo Credit: Ilene Squires Photography)

 

On Sunday, May 19, 2013 we had the privilege of partaking in the bridal event of the season. Black Bride.com, the #1 online destination for women of color, made its mark in New York City kicking of their first "Bridal Brunch" Harlem Renaissance Edition! 

 

This first class event was sold out within weeks of promotion and brought out the who's who in the black bridal community.  Held at the The Akwaaba Mansion, a Bed and Breakfast establishment in Brooklyn, NY with locations in DC, NJ and The Poconos, was the perfect location to host an event of this caliber. The culture, history and ambience of this 1860s landmark mansion set the tone for this affair as it welcome its own into its intimate space.

 

The purpose of the brunch was to provide an intimate atmosphere where engaged couples were able to mix and mingle with wedding vendors, enjoy a fine dining experience brought to them by TomCookery and gain exclusive access to the fashion showcase of Black Bride's Gown Collection By Therez  Fleetwood. Additionally, the couples received valuable wedding advice from industry experts who offered valuable tips and guidance in creating not just a wedding, but a lifetime experience. The perks did not end there as fabulous prizes and giveaways from well-known bridal brands were made available to the attendees.

 

Fallon Carter of Fallon Carter Weddings, Makini Bereton of Makini Regal Designs, Charrana Alexander of Love Ink and Black Bride Wedding Reporter, Mary Chatman, CEO of Black Bride, Kisha Kingston of Royale Amethyst Invitations, Charreah Jackson, Relationships Editor and Editor at Essence Magazine, Melissa McDowell of House of Papier and Shea Zephir, Make Up Artistry and Black Bride Beauty Contributor
(Photo Credit: Ilene Squire Photography)
 

We are glad to say that "The Bridal Brunch" experience was memorable and we are surely looking forward to the next one!

 

Kudos to Ilene of Ilene Squires Photography for the amazing photos! View the entire "The Bridal Brunch" album here.

 

 

Custom Stationery Designs By Royale Amethyst Invitations

Event Programs and Media Cards (Photo Credit: Ilene Squires Photography)

Menu Cards (Photo Credit: Royale Amethyst Invitations)

 

Floral Arrangements by Makini Regal Designs  (Photo Credit: Ilene Squires Photography)

View Photos.

"Featured Vendor: Blessed Events NY"

For every unforgettable event, there is always a detail-oriented and creative planner behind the scenes keeping it all together. Read on as The Amethyst Corner interviews Events Design Director {Le' Concepteur} Adrianne Harris of Blessed Events NY (Baldwin, NY).

1. With over 17 years of experience in the creative world of fashion, what led you onto the path of event design and planning?

Throughout the 17 years of my career as a Fashion Designer, I simultaneously planned events during my free time with my Dad. You see, for me growing up as a child catering and planning events was one of the things my family was known for. My Dad, a Caterer, always kept a full schedule of events which he catered for every weekend.  As such, I received hands on training and exposure for the Event Planning industry at the age of 12. I didn't see the value of the hands on training I had received, thankfully enough, as I matured I began to see the light and recognize my God given gifts.

2. With the amount of creativity in the event design and planning industry, what sets Blessed Events NY apart?

It's the simple fact that you seldomly find companies that incorporate Event Planning & Event design together all under one roof. I work with our clients in order to deliver custom design & plan their milestone events. My background in the Fashion Industry allows me to explore various facets of design which all tie in with planning and designing events; which Blessed Events NY has the honor of producing.

3. Planning events takes a substantial amount of organization and attention to detail. What advice do you have to offer the DIYers (Do-It-Yourself) who are considering planning their own events?

Hire a professional Events Specialist to advise you through the planning process. A common DIY pitfall is that every body starts with good intentions fueled by excitement.

"This is going to be so much fun to plan." The pitfall is when the F-U-N turns into W-O-R-K, which is something they didn't bargain for. Another pitfall D-I-Yers face is that they fail to realize the amount of time that is required to plan an event. Time is a topic of interest that magazines often fail to address in their DIY articles. An undisclosed stumbling block revealed to late in the game. That's when crisis planning "fix it" damage control tactics get thrown into the planning process.
This once well thought out, organized, planned event in most cases does not add up to the end results  hoped for. Ultimately this wastes precious time, money and invites unwelcomed stress.

 

5. What should we expect to see for Blessed Events NY in the near future?

I'm so glad you asked! For 2013, we will be unveiling several exciting projects which will cater to:

• Married Couples
• Teenage Girls
• Wedding Industry Vendors

For the past few years we have hosted private events for married/engaged couples which focus on maintaining a healthy marriage. Its success has allowed us to open these events to a larger audience of couples.

We will also plan to launch our "Girls With Standards &Values" Seminar events for teenage girls.
These seminar events have been designed to mentor, inspire and educate teenage girls on what it means to be a Lady.

Lastly we will launch our WEDUCATED Professionals group in February which will appeal to wedding industry professionals and their businesses.

Please follow us on our social network sites for details and information regarding any of these events of feel free to email me directly Adrianne@Blessedeventsny.com.

Interested in learning more about Blessed Events NY and their upcoming projects and events?      Check out these links below:

 

Website: www.blessedeventsny.com

Twitter handle: @blessedeventsny

Facebook (Fan Page): www.facebook.com/blessedeventsny

Blog: www.blessedeventsnyweddings.com

Thanks for stopping by The Amethyst Corner!
 

Featured Vendor: Five Senses Tastings

The saying goes that "music soothes the soul". Who would have thought that it could do the same for our taste buds.  If you are a lover of music, cheese, wine and of course chocolate; then prepare yourself to experience the new phenomenon of "tasting" the music.

 Five Senses Tastings is the first performance-­‐based special events company that presents music in “tasting” format, pairing each musical selections with wine, cheese, and chocolate so that each element may be more fully­‐and artistically-enjoyed.

I had the opportunity of meeting Kala Maxym, Founder and CEO of Five Sense Tastings, and after our brief encounter I was so amazed by the uniqueness of her company I just had to know more.

Read on as The Amethyst Corner chats with Kala Maxym of Five Senses Tastings:

So please tell us the story behind the birth of 5 Senses Tastings?

The concept for the company comes from my discovery that oftentimes people are turned off by having to sit through an entire evening of entertainment with little more than some lackluster program notes to help them understand the motives, history, and impulses behind the music, the composer, the poet, the artists, etc. During my years as a professional opera singer both in the US and abroad, I met many people who told me they just could not face sitting through an entire opera because they were bored. Now that could have been because the opera was bad, but it could also be because opera is really hard to understand. Classical music in general is actually really hard to understand and it takes time and energy to learn about it.

I came up with the idea for tasting music in a bit of a flash moment when I realized how silly it was to expect new audiences simply to be born out of thin air. We have to cultivate them but not just by telling them they have to like something or bribing them to go to a concert or opera. I believe we must present something they do not know within the framework of something they do know.

Most people have been to a wine (or beer or whiskey or cake) tasting and we understand the concept: try four or five things, one or two of which might be familiar, but the large majority of which won’t be. We might like some, may not like others, and almost certainly we will learn something. When it dawned on me that this had not already been applied to music I knew I had stumbled upon something wonderful.

Heather, our Wine Specialist, came on very early and helped to shape the pairing with our music and language. She also prepared our first private event with the most amazing wines I have ever tasted. Our newer additions, Business Development Manager, Aimee, and our Storyteller, Mirabelle, who threads our programs together with fabulous creativity and writing.

What sets Five Senses Tastings apart from the standard set up that we commonly find at “Wine and Cheese” events?

 I absolutely love wine tastings and cheese tastings but I have always felt that I am left wanting something more at the end of it. I usually feel as though there is a story lacking that puts it all together for me, and I often leave not really remembering what I tasted.

What Five Senses Tastings offers is a full sensory experience based in live performance. We are a special events company that presents music in tasting format. We take the concept of a wine tasting, apply it to music, and then customize it to the person, place, event, country, etc that is being celebrated. We then pair our musical selections carefully and artistically with wine, cheese, and chocolate in such a way that the artistic flavors, harmonies, stories, histories of the music are brought out, explored, challenged even in the wines, cheeses, and chocolates we choose.

 It is, most importantly, however, a live-music performance event and because we do create a story around all the elements we present, there is an educational component as well that we’ve found our audiences really love and appreciate.

 The ability to “taste” the music—this is quite a unique concept! How do you create the program music and wine to fit each client’s style?

 We’ll always start with a theme: an event, a person, a country, that’s being celebrated. We’ll ask questions, lots and lots of questions.

Here is an example of the questions we would ask a man wishing to create a 40th wedding anniversary party for his wife:

•  Where did they meet?
• When did they meet?
• What languages do they speak? Love? Wish they spoke?
• Is this a humorous event? A serious one? A bit of both?
• Can we poke fun at something (or someone?) through our musical choices?
• What poets or composers do they love?
• What genres of music do they love?
• What genres are they not terribly familiar with but would like to learn about?
• What are their pet peeves?
• Do they have children? Shall we involve them in something?
• Is there a particular wine they love (or hate!)?
• What about chocolate? White? Milk? Dark?

 In terms of how we pair our selections, we take a lot of time to think about the flavors and emotions of the pieces we choose, whether instrumental or vocal. Are they languid or lively, romantic, independent, minimalist, do they evoke a color or a country, a flavor or smell that we can identify? We think a lot about this when pairing our wine selections, and then our cheese and chocolate as well.

 So you see, first of all, we really try to get at the heart of who the people are, what they are trying to explore and define through this experience, what they already know and love and also what they wish to learn about. Then we look at the music we select and analyze it very carefully and artistically so that we put together a program that is both intimate and a bit daring at the same time!

What musical styles are available at Five Senses Tastings? Who do you have the pleasure of collaborating with to create these one of a kind experiences for your clients?

Our Roster Artists perform a myriad of genres from classical to Broadway, tango and jazz, and flamenco to opera. Our artists have performed in world-renowned opera houses and concert halls and include a Grammy award-winning tango pianist, a vocal jazz quintet, a couple of amazing opera singers, a jazz saxophonist… it really does run the gamut. Of course space and budget constraints determine how many artists and instruments we can fit into an event but we’re very creative and have a wide range of artists who perform with us.

What should we expect to see in the near future for Five Senses Tastings?

We are gearing up for a fabulous public launch event at the end of February, which will be something of a “coming out” party. Our private events continue as well, and we are working on a couple of programs now for Women’s History Month, which is in March. We are currently working on a few events with some lovely wine bars and wineries around town; however, I cannot say anything quite as yet......so please stay tuned!


To learn more about Five Senses Tastings, please view the links below:

View the Five Senses Tastings' website
"Like" Five Senses Tastings on Facebook
Follow Fives Senses Tastings on Twitter

 Five Senses Tastings Credits:

Photography:  www.joelbischoff.com

Venue: www.mikhailhallak.com

We've Been Featured On "Storyboard Wedding"

We had the pleasure of working with  North Carolina Wedding/Event Producer Aisha Thomas of Aisha Thomas Events. We created layered menu cards with belly bands that seamlessly fit this classic Country Club theme.

The "Country Club Wedding: Modern Luxury for the Boho Bride" styled shoot will impress even the most classic/traditional bride, as we successfully combined luxury with boho chic.



If you are looking for inspiration for your Country Club themed wedding, view these photos from the styled shoot featured on Storyboard Wedding Blog! Enjoy!

Credits:
Event Designer: Aisha Thomas Events
Invitations: Royale Amethyst Invitations
Dress Designer: Pixton Bridal
Rentals: AFR Furniture and Event Rentals
Venue: Ballantyne Country Club
Photographer: Jim Merrill Photography

We've been featured on "A Paper Proposal"!

We had the pleasure of working with our fellow NYC wedding professionals on a Summer inspired "Bold and Bright" styled shoot!

We had the pleasure of creating invitations, menu cards and place cards to compliment the "Bold and Bright" theme. Who could not fall in love with the bursts of color on these stationery items?

If you are in love with bright and bold hues, then you will surely fall in love with the inspiration behind this wedding shoot. Read more about our feature here on A Paper Proposal!

Bold and Bright Wedding Shoot Vendors and Credits:

Royale Amethyst Invitations Silk Boxed Invitation, Menu Card and Place Cards

Photo Credits: Branham Perceptions

Linens and Coverings: Elezye's Elegant Cover Ups

Floral Designer: Makini Regal Designs
Dress Designer: Magnolia by Marionat
Makeup Artist: Natalie Cardona & Team Beauty
Event Venue: Ballrom 49
Sweets: La Belle Vita Designs and Huey's Chueys Candy Boutique

 

Please stay tuned for more tips, information and inspiration!

 

Featured Vendor: Lena Osorio Gemisic of Event Floral Creations

Bouquets, boutonnieres, centerpieces and floral decor that will truly take your breath away.

My first impression after viewing the work of Event Floral Creations, a floral boutique which prides itself in designing floral profiles that reflects each of their clients style.

If you are in search of breathtaking floral arrangements; your search has now ended!

Read on as The Amethyst Corner interviews Florist Lena Osorio Gemisic:


1) What inspired you to become a florist and begin Lena Osorio Gemisic Event Floral Creations?

Over ten years ago on my wedding day, I took a peek of the room in which my wedding reception was held. I was in awe of the beautiful work of my florist who transformed a room so ordinary into something extraordinary. At that moment, I was inspired to study floral design and become a florist.

2) What so many trends to follow, what are the latest trends in floral decor? What are your thoughts on the floral designs for 2012?

Brides today are going with more bold hues such as rust, gold and navy blue combos, which I love! Although the classic white bouquet will never go out of style; I do think for 2012, floral designs will become more modern and bold. Brides are definitely using their bouquets to make a statement about their style!

3) What advice or tips can you offer brides when shopping for flowers?

I have had brides state that they do not know what kind of budget is needed for their flowers.
My advice to brides is to set aside at least 9% of their wedding budget to cover the cost of their floral arrangements.

4)Where does your inspiration come from and what inspires you?

My inspiration comes from seeing color combinations; for instance, the color scheme inside of a home or the style of a room. To be honest, I sometimes become inspired by the work of other florist.

Lena Osorio Gemisic, a graphic designer turned florist, is labeled amongst her peers as being a "perfectionist". She is known for her attention to detail and expertise on color combinations.

Her efforts has landed her an opportunity to create breathtaking floral arrangements for the wedding of a well known supermodel. Lena has a track record of aiming to deliver visions and surpassing expectations.

Check out the links below:

Website: http://www.lenaosoriogemisic.com/welcome.html
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/#!/lenaosoriogemisicfloralcreations


Thanks for reading this post on The Amethyst Corner!

Featured Vendor: Love Ink

Last year I participated in a local bridal show where I had the pleasure of meeting C.K. Alexander, Founder of Love Ink. Ever wondered how to prepare that wedding speech or even how to confess your love in a poem? Well look now further.... your search has now ended! Read on as The Amethyst Corner interviews C.K. Alexander:

1) What is Love Ink and what made you decide to create this niche business?

Love Ink is a full service special occasions writing company that offers one-on-one custom consultation to assist clients with all of their writing needs. I specialize in helping clients create beautifully written wedding vows, personalized invitations, love stories, toast, poems, greeting cards and more.


2) What type of services does your company offer to brides and grooms?

Most brides and grooms want everything customized on their wedding day. My company offers complete custom coaching to help couples create beautifully written words for their special day. The most popular service is the wedding vow writing service but I also create custom poems, thank you cards, love stories and other written material that couples can display at their wedding. Most recently I helped a couple write their love story that was printed in the program for their wedding. I thought that this was a great personal touch to help guest feel closer to the couple.


3) Explain, why it is important to seek a professional when it comes to writing vows and wedding toasts?

As in any other industry, having a professional assist you with any service give you confidence. This service is for the couple who may have some anxiety when it comes to writing in general. There are lots of people who have a hard time finding the words to express their feelings verbally and in written form. That's where I come in. I coach couples and individuals and assist them in creating the words and the stories that their hearts want to tell. Each consultation is different. I offer as little or as much help as needed. I think that some people think that if they get help writing their weddings vows that the sentiment is lost. That is absolutely not true. In fact, the couples that I have worked with were able to verbalize their feelings in ways that they never thought they could. These words last a lifetime- Why wouldn't you want them to be perfect?


4) What inspires you to write?

Love inspires me to write. I am a hopeless romantic. I have always been the go-to person in my group when it came to writing love letters and poems for my friend's boyfriends or girlfriends. I've always enjoyed expressing my feelings through writing. Nothing is more gratifying to my than helping someone express love to another person. I am passionate about creating words that give life to the emotion of love. When I meet a couple that is truly in love it’s so easy to find the words.


5) What should we expect from Love Ink in the near future? (Future projects, features, displays of your work etc...)?

In the very near future I am going to start hosting group wedding vow and love story writing workshops for couples who want to add a special touch to their wedding day. I love working with couples and I think it will be great if I could get a group together where I can teach them some quick and easy tools on how to create tear jerking vows.


6) Please leave our followers with a few tips or words of wisdom from Love Ink?

If you are having trouble writing your wedding vows here are a few tips to help you get started.

1. Do not wait until the last minute. Start early and set time aside where you can reflect on the union with the love of your life.

2. Do not write an essay. Wedding vows should not be a dissertation of love. They should be brief and heartfelt and to the point.

3. Use music as your inspiration. Listening to romantic music is a great way to get in the mood to write about love. Also, use the lyrics as a guide on how to say I love you in different ways.

C.K. Alexander, an ambitious writer born in Los Angeles and raised in New York, is a news assistant and contributing writer for The New York Times and a freelance reporter for various publications.

Special Promotion for "The Amethyst Corner" Followers: Mention this blog post and receive 25% off Love Ink service(s).

Contact Info:

Website: www.myloveink.com
Blog: The Single Bride
Facebook: Love Ink
Twitter: @Love_Ink

Featured Vendor:: Coming Soon!

Please stay tuned as this section of "The Amethyst Corner" will feature interviews from various wedding professionals offering valuable wedding advice and tips.