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Wedding Planners have a Team

A big thank you to Keli Fayard, Co-Chef and Co-Owner at Vanille Patisserie in Chicago. I photographed one of Kelli’s cakes last year that she used in an ad shortly after the wedding. I asked her for a blog posts and she went above and beyond. I know you will find her tips useful!

5 Wedding Cake Planning Tips:

1.Consider your budget On average, wedding cakes for 80 to 100 guests cost between $800 – $1200 (plus tax & delivery).  Pricing is based upon number of guests and upgrades you may consider, such as sugar flowers, intricate piping, figurines, multiple shapes or carved tiers, multi- flavored tiers, etc.  Does your budget fall below this dollar amount or above it?  This is important to decide before making your cake tasting appointment.   Also, the type of place that sells cakes will fall within different price ranges.  Are they a high-end boutique or a corner bakery?  Are they allowing their clients to customize or choose from a catalogue?

HOW TO SAVE: A trick on cutting costs for wedding cakes is the number of servings.  If you have the cake served to each guest at their seat then you need a slice for each guest.  If you have the cake cut and served on a sweet table then you can cut-down the amount of servings.  Perhaps supplement cake servings with other sweets that are cheaper than the wedding cake price point.  Example:  A wedding cake is generally $7 – $9 per slice.  Sweets are generally priced between $1.00 – $3.00 each.   And, sheet cakes are generally priced at half the cost of the wedding cake price point.

2.Know your designer Each designer has a different style and expertise. I suggest limiting your tasting appointments to 3 designers who best suit your design liking. Some venues have a list of suggested vendors – make sure your cake designer is approved at your location before making tasting appointments.  Narrow your choices down after the tastings by choosing the designer who fits within your budget and whose cake tasting you prefer.

3.Color swatches are very important for a cake designer. There are lots of shades of red or burgundy. Green for example has many different shades. Even descriptions like sage, celadon, sea foam green, are not as good as a swatch.  Sometimes if my brides cannot get a swatch of their accent colors I suggest matching it to the paint swatches they can find at Home Depot.  There’s a rainbow of color variations and tones to choose from and it costs nothing.  Bring a few home, match it to the invites or fabric overlays, just be able to show the cake designer the correct color.

PRO TIP: Another consideration when choosing colors is to know that purple, in any shade/tone, is the most difficult color to match when making purple fondant.  For some unknown reason, purple food color has a chemical reaction to fondant and may turn it baby blue or gray.  Make sure the cake designer you have chosen knows how to mix the color you need.  It takes practice mixing reds and blues to create the perfect shade of eggplant or lavendar.

4.Be prepared for your cake tasting.  Some designers get inspired by the first impression of meeting you, which will in-turn be reflected in your cake design.  For instance, if you come in wearing sweats, pony tail, tennis shoes then you make the impression that you are easy-going, relaxed and simple. Your cake design might be clean lines, softer edges and tone-on-tone colors.  Sounds ridiculous, but these little details can play a part in the design aspect of your cake.Have questions ready. Here are some basic questions you might want to add to your list:

1. How accurate can you match my colors?
2. What size will my cake be for my anticipated guest count?
3. What if my guest count decreases significantly after I’ve signed the contract?  Am I locked into the original numbers of servings or can I decrease it to suit the final guest count?  Am I penalized for this?
4. If you bring in a photo of a cake from a magazine, ask if there is a way to personalize it.
5. Do they offer sheet cakes to supplement servings.
6. Who does the cake delivery and how is it delivered?
7. When is the cake made?
8. If you are having a smaller wedding, around 50 guests, ask if pick-up is available to avoid delivery fees.
9. When does the design and flavor need to be confirmed?  Are you allowed to change your mind about the design & flavor after the contract is signed?

5. Know your cake style.  Clean lines and intricate piping sort of contradict each other. Being able to explain your style in detail will result in an accurate sketch.   Some descriptive words you might consider using:

• sharp edges or soft-rounded edges.
• modern and minimal design with plenty of negative space.
• Elegant.   – this is a broad term used quite a bit.  Make sure you know what you mean when you say elegant.  I often visualize fondant swags or elements pulled from the wedding dress.  Every person has a different definition for the term elegant.
• Ornate and intricate details.  Piping and string-work. Fondant decals.
• State what base color you want your cake.  Be able to provide a swatch.  There are several variations of the color Ivory.
• Shape of cake.  Round. Square. Oval. Custom carved shape.
• Sugar flowers are actually called gumpaste flowers.  (sugar flowers can also mean pulled-sugar flowers.  Completely different thing are much more expensive.)
• Chocolate fondant:  specify chocolate flavor or chocolate color.  Chocolate flavored fondant may be an upgrade.
• Stacked tiers.  Separated tiers.  A mix of stacked and separated tiers.

A special thank you to Keli Fayard from Vanille Patisserie for taking the time to share this fabulous information with us. Please click the following link to see more of her work.More cakes

Vanille Patisserie

2229 N Clybourn Ave

Chicago, IL

email: vanillecakes@gmail.com

phone: 773-868-4574

Allori Photography has photographed wedding ceremonies and wedding receptions at some of the best Chicago wedding venues. Rather than keep these great venues to ourself we thought we would share some of our favorites.

Best Chicago Wedding Venues

• Chicago Cultural Center
• Chicago History Museum
• Galleria Marchetti
• Chicago Illuminating Company
• Ivy Room at Tree Studios
• River East Art Center

Chicago Cultural Center

The Chicago Cultural Center doesn’t need much of a description. As you will se below the room speaks for itself. If your ceremony or reception will be at the Cultural Center you have quite a few options for the perfect Chicago wedding picture locations. Michigan Ave, Wacker Drive, and Millenium Park are all within walking distance. Both the gorgeous room and central location make the Chicago Cultural center one of the best Chicago wedding venues.

Chicago History Museum

The Chicago History Museum is in our list for the best Chicago wedding venue because of its many wedding options. You can have a gorgeous wedding ceremony outside then walk up the large concrete steps through the concrete pillars to a wide open ballroom. The patio out back also makes the perfect spot for your cocktail hour.

Galleria Marchetti

We love the garden behind Galleria Marchetti. Want to step outside for fresh air during the reception. It’s only a few steps from the tent to the romantically lit garden. The garden combined with an open air tent make Galleria Marchetti one of the best wedding venues in Chicago.

 Chicago Illuminating Company

You may be thinking, wait I’ve never heard of this place. That is exactly why it made our best wedding Chicago wedding venue list. The Chicago Illuminating Company is a blank slate. You can go for a minimalist approach and leave the room as is or tailor three different rooms to fit your wedding design ideas.

The Ivy Room at Tree Studios

The Ivy Room at Tree Studios has it all. It has room for your wedding ceremony, cocktail hour, and wedding reception. You can have your wedding inside, cocktail hour outside in the amazing courtyard then come back in for the wedding reception. Or, have your ceremony outside followed by cocktail hours downstairs and reception upstairs in the Ivy Room. We think you will agree They Ivy Room at Tree Studios is one of the best wedding venues in Chicago.

River East Art Center

The River East Art Center is a two story open air art museum that can be transformed into your wedding venue. We love this venue! If you have a chance you have to take pictures out front at night. The wide open two stories inside provide a space for great dancing and reception pictures. We can’t forget to mention the river out the back door. There is not shortage of great options for wedding pictures here. If there is a list of best wedding venues in Chicago, the River East Art Center will be on it.

Eagle Brook Country Club Wedding Photography from Eric OConnor on Vimeo.

Robin and Andrew – Allori Photography – Chicago Wedding Photographer

www.alloriphotography.com/blog
twitter.com/ericoconnor

St Mark’s Episcopal Church
320 Franklin St
Geneva, IL 60134-2639
(630) 232-0133?

Eagle Brook Country Club
2288 Fargo Blvd
Geneva, IL 60134-7501
(630) 208-4653

Julie ? – Aug 20, 2011
I’ve known Eric for years and have admired his work, so when we got engaged I knew we had to have him as our photographer. He well exceeded our expectations – from the moment we contacted him, he was willing and able to work within our budget, he was there to answer any questions we had during the planning process and he was extremely professional on our wedding day. He made picture taking enjoyable – our friends and family are still talking about him!! Eric has a special gift – a gift that is priceless. He has the ability to capture the most important moments – memories that will last a lifetime. Eric is a truly gifted photographer – I can’t wait to use him again when babies come along!! If you you’re looking for a fun/passionate/enthusiastic photographer – Eric is your man! We highly recommend Allori Photography!

Elizabeth ? – Jul 31, 2011
Hands down one of the best photographers the Chicagoland area has to offer – Eric O’Conner of Allori Photography. From the moment my mom and I sat down for a consolation with Eric we felt at ease and as though we were in good hands. From day 1 Eric listened intently to every question we had and gave honest and valuable feedback. When it came down to business, Allori photography surpassed expectations. Our engagement photo session was a blast and the photos came out amazing. Now, to the important stuff – wedding day! I can’t say enough not only about the photos that we now treasure, but just how easy Eric worked with not only me but all of the other members of my family and wedding party! He managed to keep our bridal party of 20 in-line after the ceremony, quickly getting us into position for some amazing shots. Prior to the ceremony when taking the “getting ready” pictures Eric had scoped out the Danada House and found the wallpaper in the upstairs bathroom to be a beautiful backdrop to take photos of the bride….so there I was squeezing in between a toilet and a tub…trusting that he knew what he was doing. Well…let’s just say the bathroom photo is now one of my favorite’s! I would recommend Eric of Allori photography to any bride and groom who value the work of a truly talented photographer!

Dan ? – Jul 11, 2011
From day one, Eric of Allori was outstanding to deal with. His work speaks for itself and his work ethic on the day of our wedding was fantastic. Our wedding was in Milwaukee, WI and although Allori is based in IL, Eric went out of his way to find unbelievable spots throughout Milwaukee for our wedding party pictures. He captured the feel of the city and did an amazing job understanding what my wife and I were hoping for in our pics. Not only did our pictures turn out incredible he also kept us on track throughout the wedding day. He knew where we needed to be and when and made sure our trolly was on time to our cocktail party. If you are in the market for a photographer, make sure you meet with Eric in person to see his work! It will amaze you and Eric himself is extremely impressive and immensely professional.

Kelley ? – Jul 10, 2011
Eric is the best photographer EVER! There are almost too many wonderful things about having him as a wedding photographer to name. First of all he is so much fun to work with, he makes everyone comfortable and is hilarious. He is incredibly organized and detail oriented, so everything goes smoothly. He is flexible and accommodating, his website and online utilities were super easy to use. Also his work is just gorgeous! He takes the most beautiful pictures and the albums were just fabulous. The turn around time was ridiculously fast. We were looking at pics on our honeymoon! Everything was just perfect and AMAZING! We would recommend him to anyone.

Rachel ? – Jul 9, 2011
Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful! I cannot say more terrific thing about Allori Photography!!! Eric and his team shot my wedding and engagement pictures and I am so very pleased with the pictures and Eric’s meticulous attention to detail. When I met Eric, I knew instantly my groom and I would be in great hands and Allori captured it all (and more!) on our wedding day. Allori is the best and I feel so lucky to have had them shoot my wedding!!

Shannon ? – Jul 9, 2011
Stunning! Allori Photography was the best decision I made for my wedding. Eric was not only a joy to work with throughout my entire wedding but the end result was more then I could have asked for. Stunning was a commen word used to describe the photos he did for my wedding. He was able to capture every moment so perfectly. My photos not only have the artistic edge I wanted but also have the natural photo journalistic result I hoped for too. My mom referred to him as a lepricon because you didn’t even realize he was there for many of the moments he captured. I couldn’t have asked for anything better.

Kate ? – Jun 12, 2009
The Best! Eric was the photographer for our wedding in May – and he was amazing! He took the most amazing pictures – all of my family and friends are still talking about them! He is such a great talent and I am so glad he was our photographer. Not only does he take gorgeous pictures – but he kept my 25 person wedding party entertained for 2 hours! He is fun to be around and such a sweet guy – I could not be any happier with Allori Photography!

Jun 11, 2009
Unparalleled Photography Experience The best decision I made for my wedding last May was choosing Allori Photography. From the first moment I met Eric O’Connor, I knew I had found my photographer. I cannot rave enough about how wonderful my experience was working with Eric. You will not find a photographer that exhibits the same professionalism, talent, passion, and personal dedication to making your wedding day an unforgettable one. Eric’s enthusiasm and genuine personality makes the whole “picture taking” experience enjoyable for everyone involved. Even the guys in my wedding party commented on how great Eric was! On top of everything else, my wedding photos are nothing short of amazing. I cried when I first saw them. He captured all aspects of my wedding in a way that is so personal and unique, I will never be able to forget any part of that day. I highly recommend Allori to anyone who is getting married and wants nothing but the best photography experience.

Jun 11, 2009
The Best! Eric O’Connor with Allori Photography was the photographer for our wedding this past April – and WOW, did we make the right choice! He did such an amazing job and we couldn’t be happier with our pictures. The photos are like no other wedding photos I’ve ever seen – they are very artistic and unique, yet traditional. I’ve sent the pictures on to all of our family and friends, and everyone has complimented them with the highest regard – not just “Oh, those are nice” but more like “Those are the most amazing pictures I’ve ever seen!!!” And, not only is Eric extremely talented, he’s super personable and a pleasure to work with. All of our questions were responded to quickly, and the pictures were delivered much faster than we anticipated. All in all, our wedding pictures are amazing and we are so glad that we went with Allori Photography – Eric is the best!

Jun 10, 2009
Divine Talent If you are looking for top notch photography and talent this is the place. Eric was the photographer for my wedding last October. He was absolutely the best. He walked us through the entire planning process. He had great suggestions for other vendors – we couldn’t be more pleased. Eric was professional, on time, always happy and always accessible. The best part about him was the end result with our pictures. He had them ready for us by the time we returned from our Honeymoon online and available for the whole family to see. To this day they are still my most valued possession. He is extremely talented and takes wonderful shots whether they are candid or posed. You will not be disappointed if you choose Allori. The only thing you have left after the wedding are memories in which Eric captures them all the way you remember it. Five Stars – all the way. It just couldn’t get any better than Allori Photography.