Mmmm…let’s talk cake!
So it seems that with Easter upon us, and wedding season just around the corner, sweets are on the forefront of my mind, which I might add, is not helping in my efforts to lose those last few baby pounds I promised would be gone by January…lol! Nonetheless, wedding season is fast approaching and what does that mean? You guessed it…time to eat cake! Therefore I found it only fitting to blog about one of my absolute favorite bakers, Judy Reese of Dream Cakes. I’ve had the pleasure of working on a number of weddings where the couple (and their guests!) were lucky enough to enjoy Judy’s delectable cakes and scrumptious shortbread cookie favors. In fact, I would kill (not really!) for a piece of her carrot cake with toffee crunch filling right about now, or a piece of her dark chocolate cake with dark chocolate ganache and whole raspberries would also do…I could go on and on but you get the point. YUM! As coordinators, we have a profound appreciation for high quality wedding cakes and always encourage our couples to taste a variety to ensure they find one that satisfies both their vision and taste buds. 
Nothing is worst than seeing a beautifully decorated cake arrive at a wedding only to find out that it’s dry as a board or has ingredients that taste artificial or simply, well, gross?…that icky fruit spread that some bakeries put in their cakes comes to mind. Judy’s cakes could not be farther from ordinary and the ingredients and taste are superior to most cakes out there. If taste alone isn’t enough to have you pulling out your checkbook the moment you take a bite of her white butter cake with fresh lemon curd and whole raspberries, rest assured her cakes are also always meticulously designed with a great deal of attention and you never have to worry whether your cake will show up because Judy is on it. This is another piece (pun intended) that we as coordinators appreciate…reliability. Judy
always delivers her cakes/favors when she says she will and puts 100% into each order she creates. The only downside is that there is just one of her and because of that she makes a limited number per year so place your order early! Judy has been in the pastry business for nearly 25 years having opened her first bakery in 1986 in Hood River, calling it Sweet Dreams Bakery. After 5 years she sold the bakery and moved to New York to study the art of gum paste, and later futher refined her skills in pastry in the LA area. Judy eventually returned to Portland in 1992 and shortly after Dream Cakes was established and has been going strong ever since. We are always proud to recommend Dream Cakes to our clients and hope you will try a sample for yourself. Whether you’re looking for an intricate design with fondant and gum paste flowers, a simple buttercream with pearl dots, or anything in between, when you order a Dream Cakes wedding cake for your big day, you are in for quite a treat. 
Looking for a tasty, affordable and unique favor for your guests? Order your custom designed shortbread cookies complete with frosting or big sugar crystals in your wedding colors…they come bagged, tied and ready to go! You just pick the shape and colors and Judy takes care of the rest. Easy peasy and I guarantee most of them will be gone before dinner is served…at least they were at my wedding! For additional information or to setup your consultation with Judy check out her website at www.judyreesedreamcakes.com or call her at 503.329.9744.
The talent behind the bow…
I am very excited to blog about my good friend, highly accomplished violinist/vocalist, and founder of Effesenden Music, Wendy Goodwin. 
Wendy is talented yet humble, successful yet gracious, and just as nice and as down-to-earth as a person gets. Did I mention she also happens to be one of the most gifted musicians I have met? Well, she is. I first met Wendy back in 2007 when I co-coordinated a wedding at the Portland Art Museum and it was then that I first fell in love with her music. After working with Wendy on countless weddings and always being impressed, it was an easy decision to hire her for my own special day back in 2008. I especially knew I struck gold hiring Wendy and her team when my musically-inclined fiance asked if she could play one of his favorite songs by Night Ranger, an 80′s rock band, and without hesitation she said, “we can learn it!” Mind you, this is not a song you would typically hear a bridal party stroll down the aisle to, but then again, ours was anything but a traditional affair. Even with just a violin and classical guitar the pair made it sound fabulous! Whether you desire a more classical piece or something truly unique, Effesenden is always happy to customize any type of music to fulfill your wedding day dreams, and they do it seamlessly. 
Check out this video and see and hear for yourself the talent that lies behind Wendy and her team. If you are in need of live music for a wedding, corporate event, holiday party, or simply a few private lessons of your own, contact Wendy at wendyfiddles@comcast.net to set up your sit down consultation to discuss your musicial needs. They will not disappoint and you will especially want a professional videographer on hand to capture the sounds of your memorable day so you may relive them time and time again. For recommendations regarding experienced and reliable videographers for your big day contact Amy at blush@blushbridalevents.com. Effesenden also offers CDs for sale which make great gifts for any music lover. For upcoming concerts and live performances check out their events page. We’re very excited to work with Effesenden again this summer on Janet & Charles’ much-anticipated wedding at the beautiful Youngberg Hill Vineyards & Inn coming up in June. What a magical day it will be and I can’t think of a better addition to their ceremony than this group of talented musicians. 
Following are a few words from Wendy’s own personal website to give you a bit more insight about her and the talent behind the bow…Violinist, vocalist, composer and educator, Wendy Goodwin has a musical range that completely overshadows the ordinary musician. Drawing from Celtic, Bluegrass, Classical and Jazz traditions with a hearty mix of storytelling thrown in for good measure Goodwin’s passionate violin playing and soothing vocals have dynamic appeal. Performing with her eight-piece band as comfortably as she shares the spotlight with a single guitar or piano, Wendy is a versatile artist. Goodwin regularly appears with other acts throughout the Pacific Northwest, and can also be found playing in other parts of the United States and the world. She has added her unique style to numerous recording projects in a variety of genres.
Meet the amazing Lauren & Lincoln…
Last week my 8 month old baby girl, Emma, and I spent a relaxing and fun afternoon with Lauren & Lincoln of Lauren Brooks Photography at their wonderful new studio…their home! They recently decided to move their SE photography studio into their cozy 1920′s home on the north side of Portland. What a delight it was to be one of the first to see it and I just know clients are going to feel very welcomed when they meet up with these two to discuss their big day. Lauren & Lincoln are some of the sweetest and most gracious people you could ever meet. I first met this amazing pair when we worked together at a fun and memorable wedding at Edgefield back in September of ’08 and we are now not only colleagues but also pals. I still recall sitting in the Meadow behind Blackberry Hall at Edgefield taking a short break during the dinner portion of the reception and instantly hitting it off with these two…they are so easy to be around and love to laugh and just have a good time! At this point we were both engaged and in chatting about our own upcoming weddings we realized we had the same date! Of course that led into all sorts of other wedding-related details and the rest is history. 
These two have a style that is fresh and unique and an approach that truly reflects who they are and it shines through in a big way in their beautiful photographs. Their focus at each wedding is to capture the natural flow of events throughout the day and to tell the story of each couple as their day unfolds. They are the type of photographers who manage to capture every detail but are barely seen, something that most couples strive to achieve while selecting the perfect photographer…not always an easy mix of characteristics to find but these two balance it exceptionally. I am always thrilled when I have the opportunity to spend time or work with this talented husband-wife team and I just know my clients will be smitten the moment they meet these two, both with their personalities and with their work. The photos in this blog are from another wedding we worked on with Lauren & Lincoln last August up at the beautiful Stonehedge Gardens in Hood River. It was my first wedding back after maternity leave and what a perfect way to hit the ground running! The gorge is always a great place for a wedding but this place in particular is just magical with its serene and natural beauty to surround the couple and their guests, and August 15th was a very special day as Evelini & Andy tied the knot. 
As professional wedding vendors, we could not ask for a nicer couple to work with and these vibrant photos really represent the joy and happiness of this day. Weddings like this are what make our job (if you can even call it that) so incredible. Thank you, Evelini & Andy, for allowing us to be a part of your truly memorable wedding day…it was an honor. Lauren & Lincoln’s work has been featured in Portland Bride & Groom, Oregon Bride, Snippet & Ink and Style Me Pretty. For more information on Lauren Brooks Photography please check out their website at www.laurenbphoto.com or their blog at www.laurenbphoto.com/blog. As a special offer to our readers, Lauren Brooks Photography is offering 5% off any wedding photography package booked when mentioning this blog. Thank you so much for your generosity Lauren & Lincoln, a wonderful lunch in your beautiful home and for some great laughs. I can’t wait to do it again soon!