Best-Dressed Desserts

Spring/Summer 2013

WRITER CREDIT:

PHOTOGRAPHER CREDIT:

Best-Dressed Desserts | Beautiful things happen when three Charleston cake pros are inspired by a host of stunning, locally designed gowns

Charleston Wedding charleston fashion week fashion fashion week wedding wedding cake Wedding Cakes by Jim Smeal White Carol Hannah Whitfield Flowers gown lulakate pearls Rachel Gordon

Style intern Kristy Lui and Charleston Weddings Editorial Assistant Molly Hutter carry gowns and mannequins (on loan from LulaKate) into the house at Lowndes Grove Plantation

Kristy steams LulaKate’s “Novak” gown smooth. The cover of the 2008 Charleston Weddings was shot in this room

The “Versailles” corset and skirts from Carol Hannah Whitefield were flown in from Los Angeles just for the day, as they on loan from a trunk show there. After they debut on the runways, the gowns travel throughout the states at trunk shows and photo shoots; getting them in can be tricky business as their itineraries are as packed as any celeb’s.

The corseted bustier retails for $2,095.

Katherine McDonald of LulaKate suggested we add this handmade flower to the “Novak” gown for a little embellishment.

6lauren_creel0095_0.jpg

The mannequin was a size 4 and “Versailles” fit it like a glove, but still, Kristy needed a little help from Charleston Weddings editor Melissa Bigner to zip it up.

Tada! Here “she” is, all pieced together.

Photographer Andrew Cebulka, of HeirloomCreative, captures details of the dress to show what inspired the corresponding cake.

Of course some options needed real champagne.

Hayden of Ashley Bakery left a repair kit for her cake, and in moving it, the icing got smudged, so Melissa tried to brush out the ripple. It may seems silly, but when you want a smoothly iced cake, sugar water and a paint brush and icing spatula are handy.

Yes, we ate it after shooting it. And yes, it was amazing.

We tried several scenarios with the cakes and dresses, and eventually we decided to pull back the pretty rugs as they competed too much with the cakes, gowns, and draperies.

Rachel Gordon's "Sirenia" gown

Check out the diamond patterns Tammy Pilcher of Cakes by Kasarda fashioned to mimic the beading on Rachel's gown. She says she stayed up till 4 a.m. the night before working on the cake.

We loved the "Versailles" gown from Carol Hannah Whitfield so much we had it flown in for the day from Los Angeles.

The handcut details on the corset give a lacey look to the fabric.

A firm believer that a cake has to taste as good as it looks, Hayden marbled the layers and spread decadent filling between each one.

LulaKate’s “Novak” trumpet gown

A custom floral pin appliqué from LulaKate inspired what Jim Smeal called “big, floppy flowers” on the cake.

The back gathering room at Lowndes Grove Plantation provided a stately backdrop for the shoot.

Jim’s collection of cake stands is rivaled only by the antiques in the plantation home, including this scrolled side table.

For the shoot, we chose Carol Hannah’s “Versailles” corset and paired it with one of her a long, flowing skirts. You can also order shorter skirt pairings for a flirty look.

The corset’s cutouts and appliqués gave Hayden plenty of design inspiration.

Tammy layered strawberry, vanilla, and chocolate cake for a Neapolitan effect.

DECADENT DESIGN: White gown, white cake—see the connection? Show off the intricacies of your fancy frock by recreating details (floral appliqués, lace patterns, beadwork) in icing and fondant for everyone to enjoy. The cake becomes sculptural, and the gown’s finer points are showcased. Scroll down to see the gowns and cakes we commisioned for this story, and click on the galleries at right for bonus images and backstage shots of the shoot.

The Cake:
“The beadwork motivated me to recreate the pearls on the cake in edible decorations,” says Tammy Pilcher of Cakes by Kasarda. “Neapolitan” cake flavors (vanilla, strawberry, and chocolate) make up the 12 layers, which are filled with fudge, buttercream, and strawberry jam. Serves: 90 ($1,030)

The Dress:
A blanket of pearls sewn into diamond patterns envelops the bodice of the “Sirenia” dress by Rachel Gordon. Each of her gowns is custom-designed for brides who come to her ONE LOVE atelier on King Street.

The Cake:
“The flowing, wavy lines on the fabric inspired the design,” says Jim Smeal of Wedding Cakes by Jim Smeal. The almond cake with almond-praline filling and iced in Italian buttercream is just as noteworthy for its lack of fondant as it is for its sublimely sophisticated look. An ace with buttercream, Jim fashioned the fluffy flowers from icing alone—a true feat. Serves: 150 ($1,200)

The Dress:
Katherine McDonald of LulaKate calls this gown from her 2013 collection the “Novak,” as its va-va-voom namesake (silver screen legend Kim Novak) made waves every time she donned her signature fitted, femme gowns. Made of cotton-silk embroidered organza imported from Spain, the strapless dress wears a wave pattern, and looks especially fetching with a LulaKate fabric posy pinned at the waist.

The Cake:
“The texture of the gown made me want to touch it!” says Hayden Campbell of Ashley Bakery. Carol Hannah’s modern interpretation of lacework and floral embellishments led Hayden to mimic those elements and offset the top tier in an irreverent way. The taste is still decadently traditional: vanilla cake marbled with chocolate ganache and filled with chocolate mousse. Serves: 45 ($700)

The Dress:
Carol Hannah Whitfield’s two-piece “Versailles” gown is crafted of silk mikado and chiffon with a bodice that cascades into a peplum of hand-cut organza. Tiny silver-gray pearls add shimmer to small flowers that dot the corset, lovingly designed by the fashionista who got her start at Charleston Fashion Week®.

Shot on location at Lowndes Grove Plantation, www.lowndesgrove.com

The Wedding Row

August 26 2019

Kylah & Daniel | The Mills House

Happy Monday, ladies and gents. First up on this week’s lineup? An adorable downtown wedding filled to the brim with beauty, sentiment, and lightheartedness. And you know it’s gotta be good when the...

August 23 2019

Chloe & Blake | Hotel Bennett

We loved Chloe and Blake’s dreamy downtown wedding from our summer print issue soooo much that we wanted to feature it here on The Wedding Row, too. So gals and gents, cozy up, grab a drink and...

August 22 2019

Lindsay & David | Legare Waring House

Cupid sure had his arrow locked and ready when Lindsay and David first met at SEWE the day before Valentine’s Day. Coincidence? We think not. Not only did they see each other almost every day the...

August 21 2019

Lauren & Bobby | The Gadsden House

Wedding Wednesday is in full swing and with Lauren and Bobby on tap, you’ll see why. Even though this pair attended different high schools and universities, distance couldn’t keep these sweethearts,...

August 20 2019

Powder Blue Styled Shoot | Lowndes Grove Plantation

OK peeps. We may be just a little bit obsessed with this next styled shoot. OK, a lot obsessed. So get ready future bridal babes, or those just plain-obsessed with pretty, as you’re going to want to...

August 19 2019

Jessica & Josh | Lowndes Grove Plantation

Smartie pants Jessica and Josh signed up for the same class during their sophomore year at the College of Charleston and that was what ultimately sparked the romantic connection between the New...

August 16 2019

Jazmin & Andrei | The Governor Thomas Bennett House

Jazmin and Andrei might have met in Boston—where they still live—but choosing Charleston as the place for them to say “I do” was like coming home for the groom. (Andrei’s family moved from Romania to...

August 15 2019

Aly & Billy | The Dewberry

Combine a few times crossing paths in Charleston, one meeting at Home Team BBQ during a Carolina/Clemson game where Billy second-guessed Aly’s availability (and passed up the chance to ask her...

Feature

Silver Belles

Use your gift registry to start your collection of silver serving pieces

Feature

Fine Print

Feature

Family Ties

Heirloom elements and family favorites come together for a spectacularly sweet—and Southern—wedding

Feature

Breezy Barefoot Nuptials

A Mount Pleasant pair say “I do”—or in the groom’s case, “Absolutely!”—along the Charleston Harbor shore

Feature

Six Simple Ideas to Steal

A wedding at the Cotton Dock shows how stunning simplicity can be

Feature

Enchanted Forest

Moss, ferns, exotic blooms, and giant mushrooms captured imaginations at this beautifully surreal celebration

Feature

Marry & Bright

A Mount Pleasant pair trade vows on the banks of Hobcaw Creek amid cheery blooms, homespun touches, and lots of laughs

Feature

I Love Kate Spade

Combine your passions (that for your betrothed ... and your favorite style icon) into the wedding of your dreams

Feature

Bare Beauty

A stunning setting, a beautiful bride, and classic appointments add up to a less-is-more elegance at this island wedding

Feature

Show Stoppers

Whether they mark a promise, seal your engagement, signify your vows, or just dress up your right-hand, these pretty pieces will steal your heart

Feature

Retro Fit

Deborah Weyman & John McKinney; September 18, 2004; a Charleston manse

Feature

Au Naturel

Logan Stout & Mark Chandler, October 15, 2011, Mt. Pleasant Presbyterian Church & RiverOaks

Feature

Backyard Beauty

Take one bride, pair her with a dear family friend with a flair for design, and a backyard reception goes from quaint to quite fabulous

Feature

At Home Down South

Romance rules at this sophisticated, shabby chic soirée

Feature

Itty Bitty Bow Ties

The Southern staple gets a mini-makeover

Feature

Pomp & Circumstance

Adhering to Indian traditions, one couple’s dream wedding dazzled some 450 friends and family with vibrant color, jubilant dancing, and ornate décor and dress