A Cake Life Promo Video

We're super excited to share our new Promo Video, created by Isle Media.  We had a great time working with them to put this together.  Hope you enjoy it!

A Cake Life ! from Isle Media on Vimeo.

Travel Themed Luggage Cake

Photos by Kristin Kato

We were asked to create a “luggage cake" for a Japanese couple getting married at the Hau Tree Lanai at the New Otani Kaimana Beach Hotel.  To honor their love of travel and the 11 countries they’ve visited, the 3-tier white fondant cake was made to look like three suitcases stacked on top of each other, with different clasps and handles on each.  We handmade various sugar figurines to represent the different places they’ve visited: postcards of the Sydney Opera House for Australia and a bull fighter for Spain, flags from various countries (Germany, Malaysia, etc.) hibiscus, orchids and plumeria flowers for Hawaii and two Japanese passports.  The cake topper was provided by the bride and groom and for their flavors, they chose our Yellow Butter Cake with Strawberry Cream Filling.

Cake: A Cake Life

Venue: New Otani Kaimana BeachHotel

Cakes with Fresh Flowers

Photo courtesy of Kaua Photography

Cake topper arrangement of white garden roses and ranunculus with green lithianthus and mums

When it comes to decorating a cake, there are many different options available.  Some couples choose a figurine cake topper, sugar or gum paste designs, but topping your cake with flowers is a timeless, beautiful and cost effective way to decorate.  They can be placed in between tiers as elevated lifts to give your cake added height and presentation.  Or your flowers can be arranged as bunches around the tiers for little detailed touches of color.  And of course, as a cascade draping down the whole length of your cake from the top down to your cake table! 

When using fresh flowers it’s important to keep the following in mind:

1. Go organic whenever possible.  Florists use flowers from all over the world, and many countries do not have pesticide regulations.
2. If you can’t go organic, have your florists wash the blooms and wrap or use picks on the flowers so they do not touch the cake.
3. Always be sure to remove the flowers before serving.

Flowers like orchids and roses that have big, bright, colorful blooms and small stems are popular.  Roses and orchids are usually a popular choice for cake florals because they're available in a wide range of colors and sizes are accessible year round.  Other widely used cake flowers are mums, gladiolas and ranunculus.  Be aware that some flowers should not be anywhere near food and can be toxic.  Flowers like lillies have pollen on their stamens and plumerias have a sticky sap from their stems that shouldn't come in contact with food.  If you want to include these flowers on your cake, we will only use sugar flowers. 

Talk to your florist ahead of time as they can suggest flowers and colors to match your overall scheme.  Then upon delivery we will arrange the flowers on your cake.

Photo courtesy of Rachel Robertson

Extra large orange garden roses and light yellow carnations.  Notice the wonderful cake table bed of flowers arrangement under the cake stand! Cake table by Passion Roots

Photo courtesy of Heather Kato

Green Cymbidium Orchids flower cascade design

Soft pink and peach Ranunculus flowers.   

Red and Orange Anthuriums and Astromeria flowers

Sunset color scheme floral bunches arrangement.  Roses, orchids and filler flowers.

Featured Wedding: Ashley & Grant - Modern Glam

Photos courtesy of Visionari

When Ashley and Grant met with us for their cake consultation they described their wedding as a having a “modern glam look”.  Their color scheme was a classic black and white with accents of fuchsia and purple, mostly achieved by uplights that really transformed the Waialae Country Club.  Todd from Always Flowers created beautiful tall orchid arrangements and clusters of tulips, calla lilies and floating candles for centerpieces.

 

 

For their cake, they chose a 3-tier black and white cake with white fondant.  We used lots of sugar details to decorate their cake from black bands and white pearls, to black lace appliques and Swarovski rhinestone bands!  The natural candle light was the perfect touch to catch the shiny sparkles from the rhinestones for that warm dramatic feel.  Ashley and Grant chose our popular Yellow Butter Cake with Coconut Cream Filling for their flavor, and provided their own black lacquer cake stand with hanging crystals.

This is what Ashley and Grant had to say about working with us “I had a great experience working with Kristin. When we began the design process we didn't have a clear vision of what we wanted. Kristin and I emailed back and forth with ideas and finally arrived at a design that was simple but still very chic. Not only was our fabulous cake a show-stopper, the yellow butter cake with coconut filling and rolled fondant creation was delish. Thank you Kristin!”

Congratulations Ashley and Grant – we wish you all the best in your marriage!

Vendors:

Cake: A Cake Life

Venue: Waialae Country Club

Photography: Visionari

Flowers: Always Flowers

Linens: Pacific Party Rentals

Furniture: Pacific Party Rentals and Mood

Featured Wedding: Amelia & Tony’s Architectural Arrangement

Photos courtesy of Aaron Yoshino of HonoZooLoo Media

We’d been working with Amelia for several months leading up to her August wedding to fiancée Tony.  When Amelia first contacted us she explained that she's a local girl living on the mainland while finishing her Masters degree in Architecture, in addition to planning her Hawaii wedding, so there were many phone calls and e-mails back and forth to coordinate everything.

 Amelia emphasized she wanted to create something "visually interesting", with a country and carefree style for their relaxed wedding set in the beautiful Waimea Valley State Park.  She put together an inspiration board which helped us get an overall feel for her wedding.

After discussing a few design options, Amelia loved the idea of creating a satellite cake display!  A satellite cake system is made up of multiple individual cakes of different sizes, decorated to be a cohesive, eye-catching presentation.  Amelia finally decided on 7 individual cakes to serve their 150 guests.  While many of the guests were local, Tony's family is from Greece and would be traveling very far to attend their wedding so they chose our Coconut Cake with Lilikoi Cream filling for a very tropical dessert.

Photos courtesy of Kristin Kato

Each cake was decorated with a different textured buttercream iced pattern, in different colors, on varying height cake stands and plates, several including fresh flowers for variety.  The cake table was finished with a beautiful burlap table linen, candles, flowers and seashells.  Amelia, being the architect she is, created this amazing computerized 3-D rendering of her cake display!  How awesome is this?

Photos courtesy of Aaron Yoshino of HonoZooLoo Media

Amelia and Tony's cakes were set perfectly for their reception and they were thrilled with the end product.  Congratulations Amelia and Tony!

Vendors of Amelia and Tony's Wedding:

Cake: A Cake Life

Venue: Waimea Valley State Park

Catering: Off Menu Catering

Photography:  Aaron Yoshino of HonoZooLoo Media