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

March 27 2020

Laurie and Graeme | Charles Towne Landing Elopement

As the COVID-19 pandemic spreads, the majority of us are anxious and overwhelmed. And when you’re engulfed in worry, you often dig further and further down that hole and forget to take in the beauty...

March 26 2020

Coronavirus and Your Wedding: Tips For Brides During a Pandemic

Maybe you’ve been planning your dream wedding for months. Maybe you just got engaged and cannot wait to start booking vendors. Either way, you weren’t expecting a pandemic like the COVID-19...

March 19 2020

Ashlyn & Tommy | The Island House

For anyone who doubts that chemistry trumps all, meet Ashlyn and Tommy. The two Charlestonians were struck super shy when they first bumped into one another at a party in 2013, but thanks to a little...

March 18 2020

Annie & Drew | The Gadsden House

Charlotte, North Carolina, residents Drew and Annie were introduced at a birthday party in a local brewery. He heard she was a physical therapist and asked her lots of questions about his “hurt”...

March 17 2020

Anna & Ian | Engagement Session

Five years ago, Anna just happened to sit right behind Ian while both were in Savannah, Georgia, at pharmacy school. Soon after, he asked her to a wedding as his plus-one, and they had a grand old...

March 12 2020

Christina & Daniel | Lowndes Grove

When bridal boutique owner Christina was struggling to lug a new desk into her East Greenwich, Rhode Island, condo, her neighbor Daniel (Dan), on a business call, saw her plight … and kept on walking...

March 11 2020

Mallory & Brian | The William Aiken House

Today we have two local lovebirds, Mallory and Brian, who were introduced through Bumble. Their first-date stops were Charleston favorites: Home Team Barbecue on Sullivan’s Island for ’cue and The...

March 10 2020

Annie & Garrett | Gibbes Museum of Art

This one brings a whole new luxe-wedding vibe to “painting the town red!” Charleston native Annie moved to Nashville on a whim, where her new home just happened to be down the road from Music City...

Feature

Plan "B" for Bliss

When the pandemic forced a pivot, this couple found Plan B to be blissfully perfect

Feature

Shades of the Seaside

Jennifer Ferland & Matt Chapman; June 13, 2009, Kiawah Island Resort

Feature

Wedding Shower

In October 2015, it was the 1,000-year flood. This year, it was Hurricane Matthew. Bummer for Big Days? We think not. See how this couple—one of many—proves love trumps any storm that rolls into Charleston

Feature

A Warm Welcome

Lowcountry love rules this kick-your-feet-up Mount Pleasant fête

Feature

Zest for Life

Personal touches dot a perfectly polished wedding weekend for a globe-trotting pair of New Yorkers

Feature

Country Chic

Click if you love wedding guests in dapper hats, a Southern garden ceremony, and a boho Big Day with a little sparkle added in

Feature

Roll With It

Ready to say “I do,” but don’t want guests to say “I don’t” to the dance floor? Here’s a smart solution

Feature

Fruitcake Fever

Revive a centuries-old tradition at your reception

Feature

Creative Wedding Details in Neutrals & Greenery

Feature

Retro Romance

Lisa Abernathy & Seth Corts, October 22, 2011, Private Home on Wadmalaw Island

Feature

Love at First Site

A Northern bride's dream Big Day—a Southern soireé complete with ancient oaks and draping Spanish moss—comes to life

Feature

DIY Day

Daisy Bowman & Benjamin Swift, November 3, 2007, I’On Creek Club

Feature

Romance Reimagined

This stunning, floral-bedecked soirée at Hibernian Hall defined organic modern romance

Feature

A Laid-Back Kind of Love

At one of the toniest plantations in the country, this groom says "I do" barefoot while the bride's (haute) gown sports sequined fern fronds

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