Jen's blog

York & White Cocktail Party Guide

Many brides and grooms create their own cocktail menu to really make their wedding reception their own. Narrowing down the drink list is not only cost effective but often times, if the drinks are themed, really make cocktail hour more enjoyable for your guests!

Spring

Spring is a refreshing season which features cool, crisp weather, budding flowers and bright, beautiful colors. Spring may just be the most refreshing of the four seasons.

The perfect spring time cocktail? Mojitos! These are the number one choice for springtime cocktails. They are refreshing, light and pretty to look at. Mojitos are also versatile and can be modified with shots of juice to change the color as well.  Garnigh with a slice of lemon and some minty leaves to really create a beautiful masterpiece!

Summer

Even adults love the summertime. Added sunshine, warm weather and outdoor barbeques. This is the time when many brides and grooms opt for beach or park weddings.

If you’re planning an outdoor summer bash, you better make some tasty cocktails to quench the thirst of your guests!

Transform cocktail hour into a fruity affair with fun and colorful cocktails inspired by the season of heat! Cool off guests with Frozen Daiquiris! Offer the classic strawberry or lime, or jazz it up with more exotic flavors like mango, peach or pineapple!

As with any wedding cocktail, serve each frozen cocktail in a signature glass. Better yet – serve them in personalized glasses to give to your guests as favors!

Fall

Fall is a beautiful time of the year. The leaves are changing, the weather is cooling down. Cinnamon is my choice for fall, and it really works with the season’s warm, rusty color scheme. Think pumpkins, apples and really warm flavors. Maybe a spiced apple cider with a kick!

Winter

Winter is the perfect time to snuggle up with your honey and say your vows. Keep in mind that most locations get extremely chilly so focus on keeping your guests warm and toasty! Try a stiff minty Martini or tasty spiked Hot Cocoa.

Remember to transform your cocktail hour into a thing of beauty with colored/personalized napkins and pretty cocktail glasses!

Kate Aspen "Bottoms Up!" Cosmopolitan Cocktail Mix (Set of 6)

All About the Cake Toppers

When you think of wedding receptions, what is the one thing that they all have? The wedding cake! Dating back to the Roman Empire, this sweet treat also serves as a symbol of your first joint act as a married couple, your commitment to provide for each other, and the sweet life you will share together.

While your wedding cake will be delicious, it is not just a dessert. It is the base of your wedding reception and a ceremony in itself. It should be placed in the center of your reception hall so guests can "OOH and AWWW" over it. A great location would be the center of the dance floor? This way once your cake cutting ceremony is over, the cake and table can be removed so guests can dance the night away. Another great idea is to put your cake (safely) in it's own designated corner with flowers and lights surrounding it.

If you have your cake picked out, you can start planning your cake table decor. This can be done simply by incorporating a white table cloth, tulle or any other inexpensive fabric. You can also decorate your cake table with a simple white table cloth, scatter some rose petals (or other decor) and your cake table will be elegant and simple.  A length of tulle loosely billowed on the top of the table gives the impression of your cake floating on clouds.

Many copules opt to serve the cake first. I'm sure guests won't object! Whether you serve your cake at the beginning of the reception or end, it is sure to be a huge hit!

Weddingstar Cake Toppers

Signature Grand: Preserve Your Top Wedding Cake Tier

One of the most recent wedding traditions is to save the top tier (or a slice) of your wedding cake for good luck. When you think about it, sharing a slice of your wedding cake on your first anniversary is very romantic idea!   Unfortuantely, if you don't preserve it properly, it won't taste so romantic and could possibly make you ill.

Heavy cake flavors such as chocolates, carrot and banana usually do well frozen and withstand the test of time better than wedding cakes which contain fresh fruit fillings, pudding fillings, whipped-cream and butter-cream.  Most professional bakers will recommend you keep a cake frozen for no more than three months time, but waiting a year won't hurt you.  Really, the worst thing that can happen if a little freezer burn which never hurt anybody!

Here are five tips to help preserve the top tier of your wedding cake for your first anniversary:

1. After the cake cutting ceremony, ask your caterer or baker to preserve the top tier and set it aside for you.  It's tradition to have the tier whole, so be sure that it's not accidentally served.
2. Ask your venue to chill the top tier until the icing hardens.  You want the icing to harden so it stays intact and doesn't smear for the next step.
3. Once the icing hardens, fully wrap the cake in several layers of seran wrap. Do NOT use tin foil as it causes freezer burn and won't preserve the cake properly.
4. Seal the wrapped cake in an airtight freezer bag.  Place it in the freezer and label it clearly. You can also find special boxes to hold your preserved cake so it keeps a perfect form.
5. The evening prior to your first wedding anniversary take the cake out and place it in the fridge.  You will want to defrost it for at least several hours to overnight before digging in.

Signature Grand Wedding Venue