Here are a few from a wedding we worked together at Elmwood Gardens.

And finally, here is their interview.  Enjoy.

How did you get started, how long have you been doing this?
The Boxwood Barn was started in 2004.  I majored in Horticulture at Texas A&M University with a specialization in floral design through the “Benz School of Floral Design“.  We both got our certification in Wilton Cake Decorating for when we work with flowers on cakes. From there my mom and I joined forces to start The Boxwood Barn. And yes, we do work in a converted barn that has boxwoods around the outside. I am the artsy one, and she is the organizational one.

What is your favorite part about your job?
I love experimenting with designs and working with my hands.  This is a family business so that is a plus!

What are some things brides should look for when looking for a florist?
Brides should notice if a florist seems knowledgeable of flowers.  Also, a florist should take thorough notes during a consultation, and really listen to the bride’s desires for her wedding.  Always ask to see photos!  Also, does the florist have solutions and answers to a bride’s problems and questions?

What are some arrangements that you don’t get requested often but you think look great for a wedding?
Topiaries!!!  We love topiaries!  They can be greens only or constructed of flowers in a bride’s color palette.

What is something unique to your service that you are extra proud of?
We try to add extra touches to our designs and not be cookie-cutter.  We love embellishments!

Anything else you wanna say?
Flowers are happy!  Our favorites are tulips and sweet peas, go figure.  They are not the easiest to work with.
You can’t beat working with a hardy stem like carnations or hydrangeas.

The Boxwood Barn
http://www.boxwoodbarnflorist.com/
(903)922-1832

Every now and then when I meet with a bride, they mention that they are not getting a videographer because they don’t think it’s all that important.  A quote I hear frequently is, “We are already getting photos, and we can always have someone set up camera a in the back.” 

Now, the reason many people don’t understand the value of a great wedding film is because all they have seen is footage from a friends wedding where it was just that: a camera set up in the back.  A good wedding videographer will take your day and turn it into a movie.  Beautiful images, great camera work, a soundtrack, and most important of all, your voices.  That’s right, you talking.  This is one of the areas where wedding photos just don’t do your day justice.  You will experience so many emotions and thoughts on your day and not having someone document you saying those feelings will be something you regret.  Anyway, Vanessa actually did a little blog post contrasting the differences between wedding photography and videography a few weeks back and used some photos from Your’s Truly.  (Take a look at it here.)

Before we get to the interview, here is a short little trailer she recently finished.  Take a look at it, then scroll down to read more about her.

How did you get started & how long have you been doing this?

I think my story really starts in the 90’s, when my love for weddings blossomed. I designed wedding dresses, subscribed to Martha Stewart Weddings magazine, all that stuff. I wanted to be a wedding coordinator when I grew up. Then when I went to film school at UT Austin, I decided that I should combine my two passions and become a wedding filmmaker.

I’ve been in the industry since 2001, when I started shooting and editing for wedding videographers while I was in school. When I graduated in ’03, I used my savings to buy a camera and computer, and I haven’t looked back since!

Also, in the summer of ’08 my husband quit his day job in sales to come work with me full time, and it’s been fabulous. He brings a different eye to the table and I’m so excited with how he’s contributing with his filming and editing.

What is your favorite part about your job?

There’s no way I could pick one. First off, I love arriving the day of the wedding and seeing what the bride’s dress looks like, what color the flowers are, all those things the make a wedding a wedding. Every event is different and beautiful in its own way and I enjoy the aesthetics of it all.

My other favorite part is when I’m editing and it just “clicks” and I make myself cry. Might sound a little silly, but when the imagery and music combine to create something timeless, emotional, and touching, I know I’ve got the best job in the world.

What sets you apart from other wedding filmmakers?

For one thing, I’m female, and there aren’t a lot of female filmmakers out there. I’m a recently married bride, so I can completely empathize with everything a bride goes through on her wedding day and in the planning process. Plus, Vanessa McKellar Productions is a husband and wife team, so while I’m with the girls, there’s also someone the groomsmen can feel comfortable with too. And lastly, I have a blog that’s full of my videos and also wedding planning tips and ideas; it’s a great resource for brides.

What’s your favorite thing to film at wedding?

I love the few minutes right after the ceremony when all the bride and groom’s family and friends gather around and congratulate them. I think it’s one of the purest and most uncontrived moments of the whole day; everyone’s so excited about what has just taken place. Hugs and smiles and jokes and kisses all around. Brent likes to film crazy awesome moves on the dance floor.

When not filming weddings what are you doing?

Editing weddings! Beyond that I like to make jewelry, watch movies, read wedding blogs , eat out with my hubby, clean and/or decorate our new house, and chat with my amigas. Brent just tries to find something to do to counteract all the fufu female estrogen vibes everywhere.

OK, now that you totally love Vanessa and know you want her at your wedding, let me just show you one of my favorite things that she does. These are called Love Stories and they are AMAZING. It’s a perfect way for your friends and family to hear how you met. These are perfect for showing at your rehearsal dinner or even during your wedding. (Instead of that slideshow that has embarrassing baby photos of you growing up.) And, think of how cool it will be for your kids and grandkids to hear from your own mouth how you fell in love.

Vanessa McKellar Productions
http://www.videobrideblog.com/
http://www.VanessaMcKellar.com/
903.894.6078

Seriously, even the “mess” on the floor is fun to photograph.

How did you get started & how long have you been doing this?
Started in 1989 as a flower wholesaler..I used to drive a 24 foot long bob tail truck. Went completely retail in 1994 after the big Calif. earthquake. Our store was called Antique Flower Garden. (goggle us)  We were an award winning florist and sold it in 2006 and moved to Texas. Love it here!

What is your favorite part about your job?
Giving the bride her bouquet and seeing her first reaction…it’s worth all the effort.

What are some things brides should look for when looking for a florist?
An owner involved florist/designer. Tons of pictures of that florist work…current ones, not pics from a book. someone who understands your sense of style and will help you develop it. 


How many flowers do you guys typically go through per week?
As little as a couple of hundred to many thousands. Nothing is typical in the flower business.

What are some arrangements that you don’t get requested often but you think look great for a wedding?
Wreaths for the entry doors.

What is something unique to your service that you are extra proud of?
No drop and ditch for us..we deliver and I mean deliver. We set up, pin on all of our own bouts and corsages (don’t leave it for the photographer) we tear down….we do it all.

Anything else you wanna say?
We love what we do….our enthusiasm is contagious, we are committed and happy to be here designing and creating for such great people. We love Texans! (My husband Thomas, says he got back here as soon as he could)



And, because you can never have enough photos in a post, here are some images from Kristina & Nick’s wedding where La Tee Da provided the flowers. 

This first shot may not seem like a big deal.  But, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been to a wedding where the florist dropped off a cardboard box full of boutonnieres and no one had any idea which one went to whom. Then at the last minute, someone is walking up to a grandfather and REMOVING his flower to place it on the usher because they thought they had enough for everyone. Not a good way to start the wedding day. This labeled board makes the whole process seamless and easy.

Say hello to the La Tee Da mascot.







One last thing… not only are their arrangements beautiful and incredible to look at, Barbra & Thomas are nice people.  Think about it.  This is your wedding.  Why would you want to interact with someone who is not super nice?  About 15 seconds into our first meeting I felt like I had known these two forever and they were totally invested in my life and business.  That type of interaction is what you want from ALL of your wedding vendors.

La Tee Da Flowers
105 North Spring Avenue
Tyler, TX 75702
(903) 566-1566

Web: http://lateedaflowers.com/
Blog: http://lateedaflowers.blogspot.com/

Here is the bridal room in action. You could probably fit anywhere from 10-15 girls in the room and everyone would have some mirror space.

These two were married indoors, but The Legacy also has a great gorgeous spot for an outdoor wedding.



A few shots from the reception hall.



In other exciting news the wedding was picked up by a great wedding blog called Hot Pink Brides.

You can see their write up about it here.

Anyway, I always think getting to know your wedding vendors is super important for a bride so here is a little interview I did with The Legacy Venue’s owner, Susan Jones. Enjoy.

How did you guys get started, how long have you been doing this?
We have always loved to host special events. We even held a few weddings at our home before we built the facility. We started building The Legacy in June 2008 and completed it by November 1, 2008



What is your favorite part about your job?
Sharing a very special day in someone’s life.

What is the craziest thing that has ever happened at your venue?
(This of course does not mean that you were responsible for the crazy.)
We had someone propose to his girlfriend at “The Legacy”. That was really neat and something we will always remember. 


What are some things brides should look for when looking for a venue?
I think having many options is very important because every bride and groom visualize something different for their special day. I also think it is important that when choosing a venue, that if they want to get married outside, you also have a chapel or a place inside just in case it rains. It is a lot less stressful if you have a plan “B”.
 


What is something unique to your venue that you are extra proud of?
We love the layout of the facility and the massive window in the reception hall. We also love the fact that the bride and groom have many options for the reception hall layout. The reception hall was built so the dance floor, DJ, Band, tables, chairs, food tables, cakes, etc… can be wherever they would like it to be. They can have any of these things wherever they would like and it looks great!


Anything else you wanna say?
We have a passion for what we do and enjoy sharing that special day in someone’s life. The vows and toasts are one of our favorite parts of a wedding because what is said comes straight from the heart.

The Legacy Venue
Phone: (903) 571-9644 or (903) 586-6463 

Email: info@thelegacy-venue.com

It does NOT contain a beautiful image of a bride and groom by a palm tree at night, an opera singing bride, or a Marilyn Monroe-ish bride & groomsmen pose.  It DOES however contain information that can save your marriage.  Please.  Take 3 minutes and read it.  I promise it will be worth it.  Then when you are done you can click here, here, and here for super fun images.

So, today’s post is kinda a twist on what you typically get here. Usually it’s a couple who is giddy and in love, a bride who is giddy and in love or a bride and groom who are giddy and in love. (With an occasional post about my family sprinkled in. We too are also giddy and in love.) The reality is not everyone who is giddy and in love ends up that way. I’ve ben to weddings where parents of the bride won’t speak to each other, I’ve had couple call off the wedding because they broke up, and pretty much everyone seems to come from a blended family of sorts these days. That is why today’s Vendor Interview is one that is near and dear to my heart.

I can not say enough about the folks at We Vow Now. They do amazing work and help prepare you for your marriage. People literally spend tens of thousands of dollars and hundreds of hours planning for the first 5 hours of their married life and assume that the rest will just fall into place. There is no way to describe just how how complicated and stressful marriage can be.

I absolutely am more in love with Danielle today than the day I married her but that does not change the fact that we have had bumps along the way. Fights have occurred, temper tantrums have been thrown, and rude things have been said, and that’s just on my end. Seriously, the premarital counseling we did BEFORE we were married prepared us so much for the first few years of life together. We did an 8 week course together with a counselor, read books about marriage and communication, went to conferences, and met individually with couples who’s marriages we respected and asked them to pick apart our relationship and give us warnings on what areas they saw us struggling in. All of these things gave us tools and techniques that we still rely on every day of our life together. (Sacred Marriage is by far my favorite marriage related book I have ever read.)

All of you brides who are planning a wedding know that those days don’t just magically happen. Time, money, and energy go into making them happen. The same is true of good marriages.

Before we get to the interview, I wanted to share a few images from the family session I did for Tonya and Justin the founders of We Vow Now.

Now ladies and gentlemen, give a warm Alex M. Photography welcome to the We Vow Now Interview. (clapping sounds)

How did you guys get started, how long have you been doing this?
We have tried to always be involved in something worth while and this particular adventure definitely seemed to be worth while.  To help couples and families find practical was to improve their overall happiness and health is just something that seems to be so very needed today. The VOW Healthy Marriage Initiative was officially launched in October of 2006 when a grant we applied for was awarded.

Where are you located?
We office at our main location in Longview, where Wellness Pointe headquarters is located.  We actually offer our classes at various community locations in Gregg, Harrison, Marion, Panloa, Rusk, Smith, Upshur and Camp counites.  In addition to the Longview location, we also have offices in Marshall, Gilmer and Tyler.

What is your favorite part about your job?
Our favorite thing is to see the difference the programming VOW offers work wonders in the lives of real East Texas families.  While we don’t have any magic bullets, fountains of youth, pots of gold or any other “quick fixes,” we do offer couples, married and unmarried alike, skills that very powerfully improve their ability to communicate their needs and to resolve their differences.  Again, there is nothing magical about what we do, and we are not perfect by any means either.  All the staff at VOW love families and help couples to learn things about themselves and their partners that most of us did not learn before we got married.  It is fun to see people change their lives for good!

Why should brides bother with your service.  I thought counseling was for people in bad relationships?
Great question!  First, one of the great things about VOW is that our program is a research based, time tested education program that has helped millions couples world wide.  While counseling is critical in many respects, we teach and facilitate the learning of practical “real world” skills that help in the home, work and in general life situations.  Brides should particularly come to our classes (with their grooms) to get a head start on their marriage.  We have had countless couples say, “I wish I knew this before I got married, we are so much better at talking without fighting” or something of the like!  Others say “We sure are glad that we went through VOW before we got married.  We thought we really knew each other and that love would just automatically get us through anything!”  Another great thing about coming to our program is that, upon completion they are eligible for a $60 discount on their marrige license.  As a Twogether in Texas qualifying/participating program, couples are given a certificate that will get the marriage license fee waived.  They are still responsible for up to $12 of filing fees!

What is something unique to your service that you are extra proud of?
We are extra proud to offer programming to couples that really makes a difference!  Literally hundreds of couples have increased their marital satisfaction as a result of coming through VOW.  In fact, according to our evaluation data, 85% of couples who complete our program come out leaps and bounds ahead of where they were when they started the program.

Anything else you wanna say?
We want couples to know that VOW is NOT just for couples on the brink.  In fact, if they are on the brink, they probably waited too long already!  Just as we get the oil changed in our cars and go to the dentist to have our teeth cleaned, our relationships NEED maintenance.  Society requires skills and practical learning for almost every line of industry or even to get a driver license, yet too many people just fall in love, hoping that they will just figure life out, only to learn that the stop at the bottom of the fall hurts!  Relationship Education is maintenance for people who are trying to love each other the best they possibly can.  Please call 903.232.1700 or navigate to www.wevownow.com for more information about how our 8 hour course can help make your relationship thrive!

How did you guys get started?
In 2000 my daughter Jennifer and her fiance Shane found a place similar to The Belgium House in Austin to use for their wedding.  I fell in love with it and felt that Longview needed a place like that.  After several years of design and research, we knew it would be something that our town and surrounding areas could benefit from. 

How long have we been doing this?
The Belgium House has been in operation since December of 2007.  I have been working with brides for fifteen years or more.  Before I was a coordinator, I sewed for the public, which involved wedding dresses, and much more.  I coordinated weddings for my church for a while, then opened The Belgium House.  I have always loved being involved in the excitement felt by a precious bride. 

 What is your favorite part about your job?
There are so many things we love about our job.  The look on the couple’s face when they first see the house is pretty amazing,  We love seeing what girls and their mothers can come up with that is unique for there special day.  We get to do all the decorating and creating for the wedding day, which is a delight, then finally on wedding day when the bride and her family see the results of all the ideas and designs brought together, making for a very happy time.  As many weddings as I have witnessed, I still cry at that very special time in a couple’s life when they are pronounced man and wife. 

What is the craziest thing that has ever happened at your venue?
Some of the questions asked in this interview needed a little thought before I answered, but this question was easy.  Our craziest wedding was September 17, 2008, the same weekend we had the hurricane.  The Belgium House lost electricity for eight days.  I called the bride and gave her the news.  I offered to reschedule, or even refund, but NO she was determined to get married.  As always, it is the bride’s decision, so I said, “OK baby, come on!!!”.  We planned for generators, worked with the caterers to prepare ahead, added more candled to the decoration, and expected an unusual event.  One hour before the bride was to show up, our electricity came on.  WOW were we excited, and the bride was ecstatic to say the least.  We had a wonderful wedding and it was definitely one we will never forget.   

What are some things brides should look for when looking for a venue?
1. A bride and groom need to choose a place that will fit their personality and the mood they are trying to set for their wedding day.
2. Consider the manual labor it will take to make that venue work for them.
3. Is the date available?  For a spring wedding, venues will book as far as one year out.
4. Will the size accommodate the guests? 

What is something unique to your venue that you are extra proud of?
We are proud of the fact that this facility is service oriented.  We are family owned and operated, and we are all here during the event to make sure the bride and her guests are given special treatment.  Both my daughters, my son, each of their spouses, along with my fiance and I, and now even my niece are here to serve.  We feel it a privilege to be a part of a wedding day and we don’t take that responsibility lightly.

 
For more information, visit their website or give Jan a call.
Happy Planning!

The Belgium House
http://www.thebelgiumhouse.com/
Jan McClung
903. 660.0125

Brides listen closely while I let you in on a little secret. No other wedding vendor has the ability to “ruin” your day quite like a bad DJ can. They can be rude, awkward, clumsy, and totally kill any mood that your ceremony and or reception has. And they can do all of that while holding a microphone and pumping the sound out to your 300 guests. Seriously, this is one area you what to know what you are getting. This person is the “voice” of your wedding. From announcing you when you come in, letting everyone know about the cake cutting, telling everyone where to go line up for your get-away, they are who people will be hearing through out the night.

I have attached a little video at the end of the interview to show you what could happen. Watch the whole thing. It’s painful. (It’s also not CMB)

Here are a few shots of Casey in action and then it’s on to the questions…

How did you guys get started, how long have you been doing this?
I began DJing in 1993 at KLIS 96.7, a top 40 station running Rick Dees Weekly Top 40 on Sunday afternoons. I was a junior in High School at the time. From there, myself and the other DJs at the station started mobile DJing teen birthday parties. In 1995 I formed CMB Music Productions, and have been loving it ever since.

What is your favorite part about your job?
The favorite part of my job, is seeing the faces of the bride and groom and their guests having fun on the dance floor. Whether it’s fast dancing, slow dancing, doing a line dance or group activity. Because I know, that I’m doing my part to create those memories with them, on their wedding day.

What is the craziest thing that has ever happened at a wedding you DJ-ed (this of course does not mean that you were responsible for the crazy.)

It’s a 3 way tie!

1, multiple fights broke out after the reception while we were packing up.

2, The most absurd and inappropriate speech by a best man ever!

3, a bridesmaid fainting during the ceremony….twice. And yes, I caught her both times. (don’t wear heels for outdoor ceremonies, and don’t lock your knees!)

I have an iPod, why should i spend money on a DJ?
With an ipod, you lose so much control. Someone is constantly having to go and change the song, and the playlist you create in advance, may not be appropriate in the order you chose before the wedding. You lose the control of music programming in real time to suit the events happening at that moment. Imagine this, it’s time for the father daughter dance, and the person you pick to operate the ipod mis-cues and starts the YMCA instead. That steals from the moment. And an ipod doesn’t make your announcements, and keep your reception on track. This YouTube video best shows you what you get with an ipod wedding.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLBWFlmuo-Y

What are some things brides should look for when looking for a DJ?
Brides should look for a DJ that is professional, competent, and one whose personality and music style meets that of the bride and groom. The important thing to remember is to ask questions when interviewing. What music do you have? How many years have you been in business? How many weddings have you done? If we want songs that you don’t have, will you get them? Don’t be afraid to ask the DJ questions. It will help you make the right decision on your wedding entertainment.

What is something unique to your set-up/services that you are extra proud of?
I really could quote my top 5 reason to choose CMB here. But you can see that on our website. Our main feature is…..BACKUP. Between 4 staff DJs, and networking with other qualified DJs in the Tyler and Dallas areas, if there is an emergency it will likely be a short one. We also have backup equipment. Each CMB DJ that does a wedding takes 2 computers, and 2 hard drives. So if one or the other fails, all we have to do is swap a few cables, and the music continues.

Anything else you wanna say?
Wedding music entertainment is important. Be sure to ask questions beyond how much they charge. And go with the DJ company you are comfortable with to take the wheel on one of the biggest days of your life. With weddings, there are no do-overs.

Here is that video as promised, but 2 quick things before you watch it.
1. As awkward as it is to watch, it was way worse for those who were there.
2. This is NOT Casey.

CMB Music Productions |http://cmbdjs.com/|Phone: 903.724.3192

This place is out of a fairy tale. Seriously, it’s like an enchanted garden that you could spend a month at and still not explore every place.  

Finally, a little Q & A with the owner Dee Dee Turnage.

How did you guys get started, How long have you been doing this?
My son and his fiancee were the first wedding and gave us the idea. Since 2001. 

What is your favorite part about your job?
Being able to be creative.

What is the craziest thing that has ever happened at your venue? (This of course does not mean that you were responsible for the crazy.)
Groom arrived by helicopter while a gunfight was taking place.  (call for details) 

What are some things brides should look for when looking for a venue?
A manager and staff that are professional, courteous, and put the bride’s needs first. 

What is something unique to your venue that you are extra proud of?
The natural layout of our beautiful gardens and statuary, and the way they blend with the architecture of our buildings.

Website: http://www.elmwoodgardens.com/
Phone: 903.724.5619

Oh, and in case you need any more convincing, take a look at this smoking hot couple who choose to get married there way back in 2002.  

First up are Debbie & Joyce, the lovely ladies at Edible Art in Longview. If you are looking for a fun/unique/great tasting cake, you have to consider them. I stopped by their shop on day on my way to an engagement sessions and snapped a few shots of them hard at work.  

How did you guys get started, how long have you been doing this, why cakes?
“Edible Art Specialty Cakes & Cookies” has been in it’s current location for 18 months. Debbie was a cake decorator trainer years ago in college for a grocery company and later with Wilton Inc.  In college, she was a commercial art/graphic major until a counselor suggested to change her major to business which she did.  Joyce was also a published book author of many artistic works and worked as a manager in the corporate world for 20+ years. Both total strangers left their corporate jobs to raise a family. When our daughters started kindergarten a mutual friend introduced us.  Debbie was making a few cakes and cookies for her daughter after being unhappy with the quality of cakes available in our area. When you take a really cool 3 tiered lipstick cake to your daughters 5th birthday party, watch out other moms notice!  From that one cake,  10 moms ordered their children’s birthday cakes that year.  After those 10 cakes, a client following began.  Debbie asked Joyce one day when dropping the girls off at school if she wanted to help bake and decorate a couple of days a week while the girls were in school. Joyce said “Absolutely!” From that moment a friendship and mutual respect was born. We baked and decorated from home while researching the business.  After a few months, equipment, a building and business plan came together.  We were told bakery’s were a high risk business much less a custom cake & cookie shop and no bank would want us since neither of us had worked in over 5+ years. One day, we were prepared to visit a dozen banks with our research and business plan in hand. Our prayer was answered when we heard “We want this little business,”…it did help that we had made a cake for their grand opening a year before this presentation. The loan officer and vice president had seen and tasted our product. When the bank asked about our husbands co-signing, we both said “No” because we didn’t want them to tell us how to run our business.  Well, Bancorp South of  Longview gave us the green light. The dream of a custom cake & cookie shop was now a reality! Career women to mommy’s to business owners, what a dream!

What is your favorite part about your job?
The stories are always the final inspiration of all the cakes & cookies. We laugh and learn and meet so many people with stories to tell. Some examples:  the guy that wants his dogs sculpted in 3-D for his groom’s cake because he proposed with the engagement ring on a shoe lace around the pets neck. Pit-bulls ”G &  Miss Daisy” can be seen on the website, notice the edible shoe lace and ring around ”Miss Daisy’s” neck. Then, we have our regular “Mr. B” that comes by every few weeks and purchases 12 cookies to hide them under his bed so his family want eat them. Then, he has to find a new hiding place because a sticky note was left in an empty cookie box “Daddy, you know you aren’t suppose to have these!”  Next, the little kids that come in with a hand colored drawing of their dream cake and we get to bring it to life…what an honor!

What are some of the more fun and creative WEDDING cakes you have done?
We love the one of a kind, never before made, over the top crazy wedding cakes! Once we were asked to make a pink “Fantasy Garden” design with butterfly’s and ranunculas flowers (on the website site under Wedding Cakes). Then, there was the copper, gold, bronze and pearl glossy: The “Royal Della” was a 29 hour hand painted cake that took all of us painting with #1 paint brushes all night to complete. Personal favorite was the young couple who wanted their vows written on the sides of the cake.  The young bride-to-be brought her vows by a month before the wedding but her groom was in the service in Iraq. When this handsome solider arrived in Longview early one Sat. morning, he came straight to the shop from the airport, in uniform to hand deliver his wedding vows.  WE were the first to see him before his family and future bride because he came home a day early! What an honor to read and write this couples vows to each other on their wedding cake before anyone else in the whole word knew what they had written. There was not a dry eye on the Edible Art Design Team as we were preparing this wedding cake.

How many eggs do you go through in a busy week?
Lots of crazy cracking on a busy week. We don’t believe in frozen eggs at “Edible Art.” If we could ,we would have a hen house out back for super fresh eggs…being across from City Hall and inside the city limits, well, we guess the hen house is out of the question. On a busy week we go through about 200+ eggs.

What are some things brides should look for when looking for someone to bake their wedding cake?
There is so much more than meets the eye! Open those eyes and LOOK around the place.  Is it clean, employees professional, do they have hairnets on, clean finger nails, what are they working on while you are there?  If they answer the phone, do they wash their hands before continuing to decorate an order . Are the displays current or old? Does the place smell fresh or stale. Can you taste the product? If not, RUN!!! They have something to hide. Do they make the cakes fresh or frozen for a month? Ask to see current pictures. Ask around town before you book any special event cake, make sure you know who you are hiring for this once in a lifetime day. Do they have a payment plan for wedding cakes? Can the designer sketch your dream cake so both of you envision the same wedding cake design? If they can’t sketch on the spot, chances are they do things straight by the book without custom one of a kind, WOW!  Yes, price is important but the quality of cake both inside and out is what is the best value. Don’t settle for anything less than what YOU want on YOUR DAY!

Anything else you wanna say?
“Edible Art Specialty Cakes & Cookies” is by appointment only. First, because we are mom’s.  Yes, we lock the doors and run to school party’s and events with our kids. Second, because each cake is an honor and we want to sit with you to plan your ideas into the design you have in mind. What a blessing to be asked to make a wedding cake, then their baby shower cake and next a first birthday cake.  What about those Sweet 16’s that come to us for that coming of age design. WOW, 50 Year Anniversary cakes…we always want to interview these couples and ask how they made it 50 years without killing each other.   The lessons you can learn by listening to these married couples. Then, you have those 70, 80, 90 and what about 100 year old birthdays.  Every time we touch a cake, we truly think about the person we are making this one of a kind cake.  Is it the best cake of their life, maybe the first or eve
n last…what an honor to be asked to be a part of a special moment in someones life.

Alex, you asked why cakes? ”THE CAKE” is the gift God gave us to share with others.  This is a love and passion that is not taken for granted especially in today’s economy. It is truly a gift from heaven when you find your God given passion and can share it with others.  Every “CAKE” made is a gift to someone special and each of us on the “Design Team” is so grateful to be a part of this moment in another person’s life.  Truly blessed!!!!

Contact Info:
Edible Art Specialty Cakes & Cookies 
www.EdibleArt.zoomshare.com
504 W. South Street Longview, TX 75601
903-234-2114