Elephants play a significant role in South Asian, especially Hindu weddings. From carrying the groom on the baraat to praying to Lord Ganesha, we see elephants everyone.

Even in baby showers, elephants are loveable, intelligent, wonderful creatures. It is hard not to fall in love with them!

If you want to incorporate elephants in more than just invitations and stationary, go big. Literally. Think about getting a wedding from one of these amazing cake artists.

Forever Elephants – For a pair of elephants to last a lifetime, choose ones made out of clay. This Love in Gold couple can be your cake topper and keepsake long after the cake is devourvered.
Karly West, The Republic of Cute, Cleveland, OH.


 
Bite size of big - Elephants maybe the largest animal walking on land but that doesn’t mean you cannot turn them into bite size cakepop bites. These pink and blue cake pop elephants are sweet, tasty, and perfect.
Bianca, Cake Pop Princess, United Kingdom

 
A Royal Wedding – Ivory elephant wedding cake with gold and royal purple details. It is fit for a rani and raja!
Studio Cake, Menlo Park, CA.

 
The Golden Age – For a regal and elegant look go with cakes that are bold and beautiful. Purples, magentas, and marigold orange with trims of gold will give you that feeling. Plus, want to eat the cake topper elephants now? These lovelies are made from modeling chocolate and fondant; perfect for the sweet tooth.
Butterfly Bakeshop, New York City, NY.

 
Maharaja’s Dream – This fabulous groom’s cake screams royal. Inspired on her trip to India with beautiful, real elephants painted, Heather created a groom’s cake fit for a maharaja.
Heather Barranco, New York City, NY.

Have you had an elephant wedding cake at your wedding that you would like us to feature? Contact us and let us know!

Filed under: Cakes & Sweets, Inspiration by Preeti

Last month, we attended the beautiful San Francisco Wedding Fair at the Four Seasons. It was not a South Asian wedding show but it is exactly why I attended.

And why you ask? Because South Asians have the fortune to incorporate elements from western weddings and still be South Asian in culture!

When it comes to elegance and decadence, Four Seasons is at the top of the list. I love the hotel and even if you don’t have your wedding there, attend one of their bridal shows with your besties. It will knock the bouquet right out of your hands.

The Wedding Fair began in the morning with a VIP brunch at the Presidential Suite. Oh sweet mary and gemstones, the suite is beautiful. And the food. And the champagne and drinks. All beautiful.

Fruit cocktails, mini quiches, and scones for breakfast. Champagne and a handmade glass chandelier to step it up a notch.

Jin Wang presented the collection of wedding gowns in the suite as well as well on the runway at the wedding show. Ombre rhinestone embroidery and feathers are in season.

A wedding is not complete without a harpist. Harps are nothing like our loud and colorful tablas and drums. But harps are perfect for wanting that sense of ethereal and serene.

Of course, no wedding is complete without a dessert bar. SF Candy Bar put together a DIY candy tabble. The do-it-yourself comes into play since you get a goodie bag and can fill it with whatever you want.

Candy bars are great for our weddings because it gives people the option to choose between mitai or chocolate. And everyone loves dessert choices.

After the VIP brunch was over, we went down for the main event, the wedding fair! It took place over all the ballrooms.

First up was Floramor, a floral company. They had out a collection of bouquets from the season each focusing on something different. What’s in: colorful, offbeat bouquets like rainbow roses, succulents, and classic but updated bouquets.

Then we have a gorgeous wedding cake by Cakework.

We also met Pastry Chik, a custom cake and cupcake company. They had some fabulous cakes.

Rheena, the founder, couldn’t be a sweeter, happier person. Her wonderful personality shines through her cakes. And goodness they are delicious!

A San Francisco inspired wedding cake in fondant.

Macarons on a wedding cake – a match made in heaven. Stylish and a definite 2013 trend.

The Chevron pattern is perfect not just cakes but also lenghas and invitations.

Finally, if you love cake pops that are adorable AND elegant, then meet Sweet Lauren Cakes.

These gold dusted cake pops are beautiful. Founder Lauren can also work with your dietary restrictions to make cake pops that are right for you.

 
Table Settings & Decor

Floramor worked on very special pop star tableware collection. They featured Nicki Minaj, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Demi Lovato, Rihanna, Britney Spears and Taylor Swift.

I won’t tell you which table matches with which star but maybe you can guess!

{photograph by Danny Dong}

More Goodness

One of the most exciting companies we met was Golden Gate 3D weddings. Love wedding videos? What about 3D wedding videos? We watched a dance video in 3D from a reception, and OH MY was it amazing. You wanted to start dancing too!

Bollywood meets wedding meets 3D – amazing!

The 2D version…

… and the 3D version. Be sure to wear 3d glasses or everything will look doubled

 

If you have a chance to attend a Four Season Wedding Fair in your city, do it! Bring your MOH or besties and enjoy a day of fun. Don’t get stressed out and don’t feel you have to have every style featured in your wedding. Pick the companies you enjoy chatting with and choose elements that will make your wedding yours.

Filed under: Cakes & Sweets, Wedding Trends by Preeti

Indi and I discussed recently how the Big Fat Indian Wedding blog had never seen a blog about hen weekends. So we thought, share your hen party experience with everyone!

Thanks to Indi, the founder of the vegetarian food and event styling company, Suhaav, for her second guest piece on planning her wedding. Be sure to read her first story about wedding planning.

From Indi:
Well, what is a hen weekend? I guess it’s known across the pond as a bachelorette party, and somewhere in there a bridal shower fits in! Now, I may not be an expert in terminology but in simple terms I can tell you it is time with your besties; doing the things you love, in places you love, eating what you love, and being spoilt rotten – just before your wedding.

Perhaps the hen party can be described as a final send off as a bride graduates from single life to married life. That’s what it was for me at least. As a lover of beautiful places, decoration, and good food, my ‘hen weekend’ was simply perfect.

Not one for a traditional hen I scurried away from any conversation about such a ‘hen party / bridal shower’ cuffufle ever since the announcement of my engagement. However, I was also acutely aware that my friends would never allow such an occasion to pass by uncelebrated. I mean the chance to eat, laugh, and have tons of fun with your best buddies is always appealing to me.

I left them to it, tried to barely mention anything, and a few weeks ago was told to keep certain dates free. I hate surprises, and struggled to be kept in the dark over what would be happening. But, having managed to hold it together this far, 48 hours prior to departure I received my instructions.

So, I packed a bag and awaited pick up at 6pm from my home. There had been torrential rain all day (it is Britain!), as two friends arrived to pick me up. I thought this was going to be a pretty quiet hen. The skies cleared and we approached the rolling hills of the Peak District.

I started to get rather excited at the thought of a weekend in the countryside. The sun was blazing on arrival to the most stunning Rockfield House, a fully catered vegetarian cottage in the Derbyshire Dales. Greeted by many of my friends screaming out the window – I had a feeling the Bakewell (a sleepy town Derbyshire) was in for a bit of shock.

Styling is my thing, but nothing could have prepared me for the care and love in every single detail of the weekend. Every corner turned, every significant moment, every activity was arranged with me in mind. It had been a whirlwind and tiring few months with Suhaav’s rapid growth, so a weekend in the gorgeous sun, relaxing with the girls was just what the doctor ordered. The cottage was decorated head to toe with the most stunning flowers, vases, bottles, and so much more.

As, soon as I walked in I noticed that everything was from one of my favourite boutiques ‘Borrowed Blue’ their gifts and décor are truly stunning and to see them appear all over the cottage literally turned me into an excited little girl. I was later to find out everything they had decorated the cottage with was mine, to keep – perfect!

The entire weekend we were looked after by the wonderfully hospitable Martin and Kate, having met them previously, I was thrilled to be back in their capable hands. Three days of freshly cooked three course meals, afternoon teas, and sampling their fabulous eggless baking was just stunning. Kate is truly a genius even digging out a recipe for ‘matrimonial cake’, a historical favourite for bridal showers in America.

This is my second trip to Rockfield House, and it is just perfect, luxury, pampering and a relaxing location for couples, families and large groups. Food featured heavily in the weekend, and as an eggless baker by profession, who has tasted many poor eggless alternatives I have to say Kate’s fabulous eggless scones, and creative takes on vegetarian cooking were certainly a highlight for a dedicated foodie like me.

After a huge breakfast, we headed to the historical and gorgeously quaint village of Bakewell, to a stone building in the pretty Kings Court and were welcomed by John, of Baked Well Pottery. Twelve girls filled out the studio and we had some very interesting artistic interpretations of pottery painting! Many laughs were had and just as the stomachs started to rumble there appeared Martin and Kate, with full afternoon tea and crockery! I am a stickler for details, and good service – but these guys are just amazing.

All weekend I was lavished with gifts and beautiful family memories. All in all it was literally the perfect weekend, words could not even express how much I appreciated this beautiful gesture of love, from some of the most wonderful girls in my life!

The number one tip I offer all of you is if you’re planning a hen, bridal shower, baby shower, party or anything special for a loved one know them, love them, and think of the details they would appreciate. I certainly experienced that this weekend. What a lucky, lucky girl I am.

Filed under: Cakes & Sweets, Event Planning, Weddings 101 by suhaav

If you love color as much as I do, then a ombre wedding cake is awesome. Ombre, a French word meaning ‘shaded’, is when an object exhibits three or more tones (shades).

These colors can be different shades of the same hue or three different complementing colors, a sort-of rainbow, if you will.

After scouring the net and of course Pinterest, I found lots of beautiful wedding ombre cakes. From purples and lilacs to bright greens and oranges, you can make an ombre cake out from any color, even charcoal grey and brown!

Reds, pinks, and roses shades

source Pinkcakebox.com
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Filed under: Cakes & Sweets by Preeti

Can we say OH MY Goodness to these shoes?!

I mean cupcakes!

I mean SHOE CUPCAKES!

…

and, wait for it

…

PURSE CUPCAKES!

I totally want these for a bridal shower or teatime party!

I have died and gone to heaven. You can buy the amazing cookbook, Cupcakes, Cookies & Pie, Oh, My! at amazon.

Filed under: Cakes & Sweets by Preeti

It is Holi, a fun filled time for Indians to throw powdered colors at each other. If you want a perfect excuse to get messy and to have fun like a child, Holi is your holiday.

Being in Sweden at a balmy -2C, means no running outside in the sun and heat. Instead, I’ve decided to cheer up my spirits by making a rainbow cake (a take on the ombre cake) to celebrate the colorfulness of Holi.

Here’s a sneak peek:

Doesn’t it look like it was made from happiness?!

Final cake and directions will come tomorrow!

Filed under: Cakes & Sweets, Inspiration by Preeti

This is part two of our salute to Indian spices during the holiday season. Check out the recipes for gingerbread, mulled wine, and saffron buns.

Many of you may not think about using roses or any flower in your desserts but you’re missing out on a whole new dimension of deliciousness.
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Filed under: Cakes & Sweets by Preeti

Christmas is a few short days away and if you’re wanting to add a touch of Indian spice to your holidays, here are a few recipes to perk up the dark days.

In Sweden, we use a lot of Indian spices during the holidays. Because Sweden was a poor country until recently, Indian spices were restricted to Christmas, since it is time of year to spend with your family and splurge a little.
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Filed under: Cakes & Sweets, Inspiration by Preeti

Here’s a welcome to a new series called the Opulent Corner. Yes, it is about all things opulent and over the top. Sometimes beautiful, sometimes hideous, but always at a high price.

In reality, most of you fine ladies will not be spending $300,000 on a pair of shoes or $800,000 on a cake, but maybe, something will inspire you. Or perhaps revolt you.

For most of us plebeians cake is delicious buttercream frosting and icing with fluffy chocolate and vanilla and even raspberry. But our first opulent corner article features the most expensive wedding cake in the world.

That’s right, a wedding cake.

It’s not the 27 cakes featured at late Princess Diana’s royal wedding, this wedding cake costs is $1.3 million.

This opulent wedding cake has diamonds on it. Yes, DIAMONDS. Created by Dallas bakery, Delicious Cakes, and jewelry store, Silver Exchange, the cake has:

• 1,200 carats of diamonds
• silver luster dusting

Cost per serving?  $3,125 per slice.

Maria Antoinette may have said “Let them eat cake” but this sure takes a cake to a new level.

Filed under: Cakes & Sweets by Preeti

Today’s Flickr Foto Friday is about peacock wedding cakes. It’s an overload of gorgeous photos from modern abstract style peacocks to whimsical and adorable.

If you are looking to have a peacock themed wedding or even at one of your parties, this collection of cakes will make you drool.

Be sure to click on the artist name if you are interested in hiring their services.

By Artisan Cake Company in Portland, OR

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Filed under: Cakes & Sweets by Preeti