In today’s Parade Magazine, one of their Unexpected Food Trends reminded us of a blog post we’ve been meaning to write for a while now.  Here’s the trend:

Many brides and grooms are skipping tiered wedding cakes in favor of childhood favorites like cupcakes. "Red velvet and chocolate are most popular," says Patty Rothman, owner of More Cupcakes in Chicago. Meanwhile, Brooklyn-based baker Sarah Magid says her biggest request is an organic spin on another childhood staple: Twinkies. "I also have made silver-dusted Ring-A-Dings," she says. Other sweets such as doughnuts and s'mores are popping up on wedding buffets, too. And some couples say, "I do" to Cracker Jacks and lollipops. Talk about happy endings.

( http://www.parade.com/food/slideshows/unexpected-food-trends.html?index=2)

We read this as we nibbled on a gourmet cupcake from Mimi’s Bake Shoppe in Cranberry Township.  Something we've needed in the North Hills area has finally arrived--a gourmet bakery!  We first met the folks from Mimi's at several bridal shows, and enjoyed their cake samples.  A lot.  Their wedding cakes are delicious.  Mimi's is a good as anyone at making your basic wedding cake, but where they truly excel is in the artistic cakes.  You can check out their photo gallery for samples of their work.

Mimi’s creates their cupcakes in a dizzying array of flavors.  So many flavors, in fact, their “Flavor of the Day” is really five or six.  You can check out their Flavor of the Day calendar so you know when to stop in and try some of your favorites (hint: their cherry cola is scary good).

Another trend we’ve seen that Mimi’s also does well is custom cookies you can use as seating cards.  These cookies also double as favors, and are customized with your guest’s names.

Mimi’s is easy to find, they’re located in the little plaza on Route 228 across from Quaker Steak and Lube and Uno Chicago Grill.

Are you a fabulous young bride-to-be planning an extravagant wedding for the summer of 2008? If so, we’re looking for YOU!

A new documentary reality series is casting the country’s most glamorous young bride-to-be and her bridal party. We will document all of the excitement leading up to the biggest and best weddings for the summer of 2008. Think if Lauren Conrad or Heidi Montag were getting married... fab, right? BUT, this could be you and your friends starring in YOUR own show!

Casting ends at midnight on 2/29/2008! (It's Leap Year, so you get an extra day)

Full information at http://www.gotcast.com/castings/Bridal-Party/50403

Instead of trashing your dress in a grungy urban setting, how about splashing your dress at a beautiful beach?  Local photogs Paul and Cyndy Meyer at White Ribbon Design have been having Splash the Dress photo sessions, and have posted some of the results on their blog.  If you're looking for an alternative to the alternative of what to do with your dress, think about a kinder gentler photo shoot.

Splash the Dress - August 14th session

Splash the Dress - August 25th session

Could this photo be any more beautiful?  If this is your type of thing, you need to call Paul and Cyndy.

<update 2007-10-27>

We saw Cyndy and Paul a couple of weeks ago, and she let us in on a little secret--many of the photos you see were taken in the same dress!  They have a loaner dress you can use for you phot session so you don't ruin yours.  In between sessions, they have it cleaned, and it's nearly good as new each time.  Since most of it is under water in their shots, no one will know!

In a recent issue of Martha Stewart Weddings, the editors wrote about a great idea called a "cookie table".  To the rest of the country, this may seem like a novel idea.  However, in our little part of the world, cookie tables are a de facto requirement at every wedding.  We have no statistics to support this, but we would assume that more weddings have occured without a groom than without a cooke table.  Just thinking about the hundreds of cookies, dozens of varieties, makes our mouths water.  Making this many cookies can be a chore for family members, and "cookie ladies" can be difficult to find.  A good cookie lady may be the most common "do you know a good..." question we are asked when working with brides.

Our friend Autumn, from Autumn's Cakes, has drafted her sister Jennifer as a cookie lady.  Autumn has recently launched a new website at http://www.autumnscakes.com, and you can even look at some pictures of Jennifer's cookies in the photo gallery.  We've tasted Jennifer's cookies, and they are as delicious as Autumn's cakes are--which is to say, very delicious.  At our suggestion, a friend of ours ordered cookies for a bridal shower from Autumn's Cakes.  The cookies were cut into the shape of a wedding cake, and frosted with a cake design.  They were a hit at the shower!

Autumn and Jennifer are based in Harmony, and are available all over the North Pittsburgh, Cranberry, Wexford, Zelienople, Butler, etc. area.  If you are looking for wedding cookies or a wedding cake, definitely contact them.

There's no doubt, chocolate fountains have become extremely popular in the last couple of years.  A luscious waterfall of chocolate, what's not to like?   We have on several occasions offered to help clean up using the "chug" method of disposing of the chocolate, but 20 pounds of melted chocolate is a lot, even for our sweet tooth.  If you are interested in renting a chocolate fountain for your wedding but don't know where to go, visit http://www.chocolatefountainnetwork.com.  This is a new site that features an easy map-based search for finding chocolate fountains in your area.

If you are in the Butler/North Pittsburgh area of Pennsylvania, have a look at http://www.chocolatefountainenterprises.com (they're the same people who created Chocolate Fountain Network also).  We have come to know Chocolate Fountain Enterprises will over the past several years through bridal shows and being hired by the same brides.  They are wonderful people, and not just because they always save us a plate of goodies at the bridal shows.  Even if you are not located in our area, their site is very informative.

We've learned several important facts about renting chocolate fountains in the times we've talked to various "fountaineers":

1) There are different sizes of chocolate fountains.  Many places offer several sizes for rent, at different prices.  Don't waste money and rent a fountain that is too large for the number of guests that will be attending your wedding.  be sure to ask what sizes are available, and check with several different rental companies to make sure you are renting the right sized fountain.

2) There are different qualities of chocolate, but the most important factor is what the chocolate is thinned with.  Many places melt their chocolate and thin it out with large amounts of vegetable oil.  This can alter the flavor, and may prevent the chocolate from hardening properly on whatever is dipped into the fountain.  Chocolate Fountain Enterprises uses their own formulation of chocolate that does not need to be thinned with oil.  Make sure to ask how the chocolate is thinned before you rent a chocolate fountain.

3) Ask what varieties of chocolate are available to you.  You are not limited to milk or semi-sweet chocolate only.  White and dark chocolate are available in some areas, and some companies even offer caramel--how perfect for a fall wedding with apples!  Although most fountains can handle caramel, the cleanup is atrocious, so most companies do not offer this option.  White chocolate can even be colored to match your event, but guests are sometimes wary of eating oddly colored foods.