Dessert Meets Design: LOVE Dessert Table Sneak Peek

Since my company tagline is "Dessert Meets Design," I figured I'd give you a sneak peek into my design process.

I always start by creating an inspiration board using details that have already been chosen for the event. Here is the board for this table.

Next, I "map out" the table. I also do a quick sketch of any custom items. For this table, that included the design of the cookies, as well as creating pink-on-pink striped papers and navy logos for different favors. I like to jot down any notes about the theme or "feel" of the event. For this, I scribbled All You Need is Love for the theme and Preppy Pretty to describe the vibe. I wanted to balance the girl-y pink with more masculine navy and tan.

I wanted the plaid pattern on the cookies to be a certain style, more preppy than grunge or lumberjack. So, I sent the baker this for the design.

Check back Monday to see pictures of the completed table and all of the little details that made this a truly custom design for this event.

Sweet Science: Nerdy Cookies

If you liked Wednesday's post of the sweetly-geeky wedding treats, you'll love these nerdy cookies.

 

  

  

  

 

These would be right up my brother's alley. He's a weird, elusive jock-genius hybrid. Check out all 19 of the nerdy cookies here. 

AND...

 

Be sure to check back Monday to see the LOVE dessert table. There are a lot of custom details I pulled from the inspiration board that I think you'll enjoy.

Lemon Meringue Cupcakes

I really love the look of meringue cupcakes. There are so many styling choices for the snow-white topping. Check out all of these different lemon meringue sweeties.

 

Want to try your own meringue creation? Try out Martha's recipe for lemon meringue cupcakes here. There's a nifty little video for the visual learners.

Image 1 (Cate's World Kitchen), Image 2 (Une-deux Senses), Image 3 (Cakes in the City), Image 4 (Veg SF)

Dessert Table: Sweetly Geeky

I saw this dessert buffet on 100 Layer Cake. Isn't this the cutest geek-chic theme ever? I love how the cupcake and beaker are incorporated into the save-the-dates, invites, rsvps, and the cupcake toppers on the dessert buffet. The bride baked all of the cookies herself! Very cute.

Dessert Table: New Vintage

 

Green Wedding Shoes featured a glimpse of a sweet little dessert table yesterday. Check out the entire post to see how this modern, yet vintage table fit with the couple's event.

As Seen on TV: Oprah's Chocolate Set

Today's Oprah will feature a set made entirely out of Godiva chocolate! You can see the fireplace to Oprah's right in this picture. I'm not sure why they've devoted a day to chocolate, but I plan to tune in and find out.

Image (People.com)

Cyber Sweetness: Birthday Girl

 

Check out the other great dessert tables in Becca's round-up. I'm in very good company. Check out the pond party and the nautical event. Very cute.

Featured: Cupcake

It's pretty obvious what eatery Cupcake's specialty is. The little Minneapolis cafe serves some of the most unique cupcakes around. They all have great names, so let's get to the drool-worthy pics.

 

Pina Colada - soaked in Malibu Rum

 

Global Warming - vanilla with flowers

 

Paris Hilton - for obvious reasons

 

Monkey Business - banana cupcake, caramel frosting, and chocolate ganache 

  

Betty Crocker - vanilla cake, pink frosting, and sprinkles. So pretty.

I've been lucky enough to work with Cupcake for a few events. Their Baby I Love Lucy vanilla cupcake is a flavorful, tiny classic that I go to again and again.

Check out their yummy cupcake menu.

Dessert Table: Pink and Yellow

I love this sunny, bright dessert buffet featured on Creature Comforts. This circus-themed table is simple, but pretty. Better yet? You can get the printable drink labels here.

 

Cyber Sweetness: The Party Dress

Kelly, of The Party Dress, created an inspiration board and included this dessert table. Swing by the blog to see her other inspirations for a purple-hued event.

Dessert Table: Campy Creative

It seems that organic, rustic weddings are en vogue lately. Two great examples were featured yesterday.

Style Me Pretty featured this rustic, woodsy dessert table. It perfectly fits the event's overall DIY, earthy theme. Homemade cookies, cupcakes, and other goodies were part of the abundant spread.

Green Wedding Shoes also featured this cotton-y, woodsy wedding. The accompanying dessert table was accented with little fluffs of cotton and wood platters.

 

Earlier this year, I posted pics of this other cotton-y dessert table. Are any of you embracing the cotton trend for your event?

Dessert Table: Stationary Social

 

  

  

I love this dessert table posted on 100 Layer Cake. The table was created for 100 Layer Cake's Stationary Social. The little jam jars and chocolate cupcakes are darling. I like that they paired the sweets with cheeses, just like this table. 

Tiptoe Through the Tulips: Floral Cake Inspiration

I'm on the hunt for gorgeous, floral cakes for an upcoming project. The event has a garden theme that is overflowing with floral details. I thought you might like to see some of the lovelies I came across.

Cake 1 & 2 (Martha Stewart), Cake 3 & 4 (Brides)

Roar! The Year of the Tiger

Well, the Chinese New Year has begun. 2010 is the year of the tiger, and what's better than a few treats to celebrate?

LSU tiger cake (Cake Central), Tiger cookies (Disney), Tiger wedding cake (Pink Cake Box)

Cyber Sweetness: Inspired Bride

I made it into Inspired Bride's weekly round up! I'm in great company with the other fabulous blog finds of the week. Check out the post here.

Featured: Sweets Bakeshop

My dear hub mentioned a new bakery in St. Paul that makes macarons, but of course he couldn't remember the name. After lots of poking and prodding on my part and some Googling on his, we came across Sweets Bakeshop. Baker Krista and Artist Ly create unusual (and delicious) dessert flavor combos. I've tried many of them, but my goal for 2010 is to try them all.

 

Breakfast cupcake: made with bacon

 

Feisty Goat cupcake: goat cheese frosting, pecan topper

Brownies

 

Chile Pepper Macarons

 

Mint Basil Macarons

 If you're in the Twin Cities, don't hesitate to drop by their cute shop or have some treats delivered.

Cyber Sweetness: Eat Drink Pretty & The Sweetest Occasion

Eat Drink Pretty and The Sweetest Occasion both posted some pics and included lovely write-ups of my lilac, plum, and grey dessert table. Swing by and check out their blogs. Both aregorgeous.

Featured: Franklin Street Bakery

I've loved Franklin Street Bakery since we moved to Minnesota a few years ago. When we got married, my husband started the tradition of reordering the top tier of our wedding cake for our anniversary. Well, after moving, he had to find another bakery for our anniversary cake. Each year, we order a different flavor combination, we're never disappointed.

This cake is so similar to this one that fashion designer Betsey Johnson designed. Betsey's was inspired by her Spring 2009 collection.

The cookies are huge, not little bite-sized nuggets. I probably should have shared one with my husband, but...

 

Cupcakes that look like mashed potatoes and gravy, corn cobs, and peas and carrots? This would be perfect for Thanksgiving after-dinner treats.

Franklin Street Bakery's cake order form allows you to mix and match cake flavors, frostings, and toppings. With fillings like marmalade, white chocolate mousse, and truffle to go between each cake layer, the options seem endless. If you haven't been to Franklin, swing by their shop or check out their Flickr gallery for a little more eye candy.