A whole load of sweetness

A Darling Affair 15/04/2014 0 Comments

Cake and friends is always a great combination. The taste of the smooth mud cake melts in your mouth and you start eyeing of the persons piece next to you as you finish off the last morsels on your own plate. Ok i’m hungry are you?

Well feast your eyes on the sweet goodness that exploded onto the tables at The Gold Coast Wedding Festival. Food inspo at it’s best.

If your looking to book one of these ladies to bake, make and create your wedding cake or dessert table don’t take too long to decide. Some of them are booked months in advance!

Sweet Ruby Cakes

This lady can whip up anything. So much diversity on display…people spent a good while taking it all in at her display.

Milk and Sugar Events

Your go to crew that will last a life time and will see you through all your occasions even after the big ‘I Do’s’.

Perfect for Baby Showers, Bridal Showers, Kitchen Tea’s, Birthdays, Engagements , Weddings, Mothers Day, Christenings, Bapitisms, Graduations, Hen’s day or just an excuse to catch up the with the girls. Keep their contact number on your phones ladies.

Rebellyous Cake Co

Rebel is the best of the best. We can’t get enough of this lady. She knows her craft and delivers A class creations. As you can see the sample cake at the front of her stand was goggled up and crumbs were left!

Perfectly Sweet

The ADA crew are just flabbergasted at what Perfectly Sweet comes up with…every time they make our jaws drop…and we mean EVERY TIME!

Desert table queens hands down! Boom!

If your trying to stay off the sugar and have a detox, i think we might have might have sent you running to the fridge or you’ve opened up your office draw to have your sugar fix! Woops!

Images by: When Elephant Met Zebra

And that’s a wrap!

A Darling Affair 24/02/2014 5 Comments

Did you come to A Darling Affair – Gold Coast on Friday 21 February at Rabbit + Cocoon? If you did, then this news will be no surprise to you… but if you didn’t make it, then let me be the first to tell you how FREAKIN AWESOME it was! Seriously, we had the best and most amazing venue, vendors, models, and what a turnout!

Right from the beginning of the day when our vendors were putting in their hard yards setting up their incredible sites, the atmosphere was electric. We all knew something really special was about to go down. We had trucks, minivans, cars and caravans rocking up from 10am that morning and there were ladders, power tools, trolley’s and trailers filling up the amazing venue that is Rabbit & Cocoon.

Come 5 o’clock and we already had a line-up of people waiting for the gates to open. Our vendors had put the finishing touches on their incredible stalls and we opened the gates to get the party started! With a glass of bubbles or a beer in one hand and a totes-amazing A Darling Affair tote in the other (thanks Peachy Flamingo!), the crowds started visiting the stalls of more than 40 of the freshest and most creative wedding vendors on the scene at the moment. The crowds continued to flow through the gates all night.

Our awesome DJ, Aaron from Cut-A-Rug, provided the playlist for the evening and along with our live music acts including Sarah Head, the tone was set for a night of fun and frivolity!

Major highlights of the night included our four interactive fashion parades, made all the more enjoyable by our incredible models who were more than happy to join in the fun with the rest of our guests getting their pics snapped at our photo booths. Thanks again to The Brides Market, Begitta, Bohemian Brides, Urbanna, The Beauty Case, Elina Valttila and our super amazing models!

The piñata smash was another highlight of the night! Guests lined up to take a hit at the incredible piñata supplied by Party Pony.

And finally – the annual Dance Off was a huge success, with guests getting their dance on IN THE RAIN to win $300 off a DJ package with Cut-A-Rug.

By 10pm when we closed the gates, none of us could wipe the smile from our faces. The evening was a huge success and we had received so much amazing feedback from Brides and Vendors, without whom, this event wouldn’t have happened.

I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again, we have the BEST vendors, venues, models and Brides any Darling could ask for… thank you for being so amazing!

To see a little video wrap up, check out this sweet little video from When Elephant Met Zebra: www.whenelephantmetzebra.com/ada

Thank you to the super talented When Elephant Met Zebra for all of our official event photos.

Introducing our SWEET-TOOTHED DARLINGS!

A Darling Affair 10/02/2014 0 Comments

PERFECTLY SWEET

In a nut shell, who are you and what do you do.

Hi I’m Alicia from Perfectly Sweet and I specialise in creating a distinctively unique lolly and dessert buffet that is personalised to the theme, style and mood of your specific event.

We specialise in Weddings, Engagements, Birthdays, Baby Showers, Christenings, Kitchen Teas, Corporate Events, Product Launches or any special event. Whatever the occasion Perfectly Sweet can sugar coat your event and have your guest buzzing with excitement

What is it about weddings that you love so much

It’s such a special feeling being able to set up a buffet for someone’s wedding and seeing there reaction when they walk into the room. I love being able to be apart of someone’s special day and sweeting their event.

If you were a colour, which colour and why

YELLOW…… I love all things bright but yellow would best describe me. Bright, Crazy, Happy…..and a lot of fun!

REBELLYOUS CAKE CO.

My name is Rebel, I live with my family in the hills behind Byron Bay. I love the simple things in life, a cool breeze on a sunny day, crusty bread with freshly made soup and I LOVE to bake and decorate!

Rebellyous Cake Co was born out of a love baking and has grown into a business after many years of creating for family and friends. I only bake from scratch and use quality ingredients, I have a passion for what I do and this is what drives me to improve my skills with every cake I create.

SWEET RUBY ARTISAN CAKES

In a nutshell, who are you and what do you do?

I am a cake artist who makes wondrous edible centrepieces from the most delicious of ingredients. I transform the sweetest unexpected ideas into gorgeous, romantic, whimsical visions in cake.

What is the most unique thing you’ve seen at a wedding?

A marquee built over the swimming pool so it was transformed into a large bridge.

(Unfortunately the weight of the bridal table caused it to collapse.)

What do you do in your free time?

Dream up creative ideas; share them with my friends and family, play with recipes to create unusual edible art.

MILK AND SUGAR HIGH TEA EVENTS

What is it about weddings that you love so much?

The anticipation of the future. Families. Friends. Champagne and dancing. All polished off with the most delicious cup of tea you’ve ever tasted of course!

What is the most unique thing you’ve seen at a wedding?

Arial artists suspended from the ceiling on silks pouring champagne into the guest’s glasses. It was AMAZING!

What do you do in your free time?

When we aren’t busy with our high tea events we love searching for treasures in any place we can find them. We love op shops, garage sales, fetes, bazaars and salvage yards; there is no end of magical things you can find. Of course we also have to partake in “market research” so you might also find us sipping tea or coffee (yes, we also drink coffee) and sampling delicious sweet treats in our favourite little cafes or coffee houses.

For more information on these sweet-toothed vendors, check out their websites:

www.perfectlysweet.com.au | www.rebellyouscakeco.com.au | www.sweetrubycakes.com.au | www.milkandsugarevents.com

The Brides Market… a very cool concept!

A Darling Affair 03/12/2013 0 Comments

Last night, two thirds of the A Darling Affair team had the pleasure of seeing Brisbane’s newest bridal concept come to life in front of our eyes. The Brides Market is the vision of Jennifer Gifford (yep, the same talented lady who brings us those divine bridal gowns!) and is a bit of a one stop shop for brides. Our feedback from the evening? It’s AMAZING! This place is a must see for brides and vendors alike, there are separate sections of the store set aside to showcase different vendors, along with a gorgeous fitting room to try on some spectacular gowns and a really cool space for meetings.

This is a wonderful new way for brides to plan their special day and for vendors to showcase their work in a beautiful, creative retail space. Part bridal boutique, part wedding emporium and part industry hub in a seamlessly integrated space. It’s located on Logan Road in Woolloongabba which is a really cute precinct with lots of cool cafes and restaurants nearby.

It’s open every day, so you can pop in and look at all things pretty at a time that suits you, and if that wasn’t enough, they’re also hosting Sunday markets once a month and Thursday evening flower and food markets! We are in love. Do yourselves a favour darlings and check this one out.

xxx

Small Creations

A Darling Affair 29/05/2013 Cakes, cupcakes, gold coast wedding fair 1 Comment

Jemma from Cupcaix Cakes is here to chat about her delightful small creations, CUPCAKES!

“I’m the cake artist/designer/everything girl behind Cupcaix Cakes!

One of the big focal points of your wedding reception is the cake. It sits proudly on its own table all night while guest ooh and ahh over it, take photos and lick their lips in anticipation!

If you haven’t already decided on your cake, let me help you. Think of cupcakes and cakes like you think of fashion. There are trends that come and go and there are your classics. I like to take inspiration from fashion and fabrics when designing what I like to call “cupcake collections”

These days we have so many tools, moulds, impression mats, and cutters that we can virtually copy anything and incorporate it into your big day. Beautiful aspects of your dress such as lace, pearls, ruffles and bows can be matched to your cake and the best part is it’s all edible! You pay thousands for a gorgeous dress, but can you eat it? (ha!)

There are so many reasons why cupcakes are a great choice:

Guests can serve themselves – meaning there is no plating up at the venue which can cost around $2 per head, then no wastage from the uneaten or half eaten plates.
They’re neat, clean and easy to take home. You can even use cupcakes as your bonboniere in cute little boxes personalised for each guest.
Every guest gets an even portion – no fighting over the big piece!
You can order exact numbers for the number of guests attending – no leftovers to have to take home at the end of the night
You can still have a small cutting cake atop your tower of cupcakes, for those couples who still want the traditional ‘cutting of the cake’
You can mix and match designs to create your own cupcake collection.
We can supply you with a number of different flavours, and stuff your cupcakes with yummy treats like berries, lemon curd or whatever takes your fancy!
It makes it easier to cater to the dietary needs of guests as we can do a gluten/ dairy free batch for you at no extra cost
Super easy to transport and set up for those out of the way type weddings. I did a wedding cake to go to Stradbroke Island a few weeks back and the bride told me it was a nerve wracking bumpy ferry ride over, with a 3 tier cake on her lap! Cupcakes can be boxed up and securely transported without worry.
You can match your cupcakes to a tiered cake, macarons, cookies, cake pops and make a lovely dessert buffet that will wow your guests!

Our small creations from Cupcaix are guaranteed to wow your guests and we deliver from Byron Bay to Brisbane and out to Toowoomba. Not only will they look amazing, but the flavour will wow them all!

We make everything from scratch with quality ingredients. Choose your cake, fill it with yummies, top it with rich chocolate ganache and fondant that actually tastes nice, and voila!”

Jemma from Cupcaix cakes will have her cakes and cupcakes on display at The Gold Coast Wedding Fair and she will have plenty of time for a chat about plans for your big day!

Go ahead and buy your tickets today: https://adarlingaffair.com/tickets/

Cake Glorious Cake!

A Darling Affair 21/05/2013 Cakes, decorating, styling, Theme 0 Comments

Today we are lucky to have Rebel from Rebellyous Cake Co as guest blogger today to continue with our “The Sweet Things in Life” theme for the month of May.

Here she is to help you with all there is to know about decorating your cake:

“The wedding cake is one of the main focal points of the reception and should be both pleasing to the eye and mouth. So many options are available when it comes to YOUR cake, here are just a few things to consider:

The Outside

Fondant was once thought of as that “thick sweet icing” on a wedding cake. it can be now applied in a thin layer and is VERY versatile. Amazing effects can be created using fondant which can take on a fabric like texture – such as frills which are very popular right now.

The Colour

Traditionally wedding cakes were only white or ivory in colour and whilst these options will always remain classical, more and more colour is making it’s way onto the cake. Don’t be afraid to use colour, it is a fantastic way to tie in the other elements of your wedding from the invitation through to the flowers and beyond.

The Design

Tiered wedding cakes no longer need to have matching layers. Stacking tiers of varying heights creates a modern, alternative look.

Flowers are always stylish and are an age old tradition when it comes to being on wedding cakes. Blooms will never lose their appeal. Almost all wedding cakes will have some tyoe of flower decoration whether they be real or handmade sugar flowers.

With themed weddings becoming more and more popular it is very easy to include your cake in the theme – everything from boho and vintage right through to steam punk.”

Rebel kindly leaves us with a “Did you know?”…..

“The wedding night dream tradition – Single women traditionally have brought home a piece of wedding cake from a wedding they have attended and slept with it under their pillow. Folklore has it that the woman will dream bout the man she will marry.”

Rebel wishes you all sweet dreams! xxx

Photo credits: KISSstudio, Byron Loves Fawn Photography, Down Bangalow Road, Enigma Visions Photography.

Mouth Watering Wedding Favours

A Darling Affair 15/05/2013 dessert, favour, Sunshine Coast Wedding Fair, yum 0 Comments

Anna from Anna’s Perfect Partie’s has our mouths watering so bad right now and here’s why:

“Creating that perfect wedding favour is such an important way to end such a magical occasion, they should compliment the theme of your wedding and leave your guests with a beautiful memory. This can be quite challenging and time consuming. You want them to be personal yet fun and unique .

I just love edible favors at weddings. Gone are the days of the almonds!

My cakes in a jar add that perfect touch to your wedding whether you include them on your dessert bar or display them separately as your guests leave. Cakes in a jar add that cute factor and create a real talking point amongst your guests.

You can choose to add a small tag to each jar with a personal message encrypted. A sweet ribbon, twine and a small wooden spoon adds that finishing touch .

Eton Mess in a Jar

Lemon Curd Cheesecake in a Jar

Banoffee in a Jar

More couples are now opting for a cocktail wedding as opposed to a larger seated reception. Having a cake in a jar is a perfect accompaniment as your guest can be standing while enjoying their dessert. There is no mess and every portion is controlled so nobody misses out!

The biggest decision you will have is choosing what cake flavour to give your guests. You can choose a cheesecake to a layered sponge. I can create something gorgeous and delicious that will tie in with your wedding theme whether it be vintage or contemporary. Be original and give your guests something amazing to take away with them from your special day”.

Anna will be at the Sunshine Coast Wedding Fair August 10th.

We hope to see you there x

You have arrived at the Sweet Station!

A Darling Affair 07/05/2013 decorating, props 0 Comments

Nicky, the gorgeous creator behind Sweet Details, speaks about using furniture and props at your sweet station. Lets get into the finer details:

“One of the most effective ways to take your dessert table or candy buffet from simply being sweets on a table to conveying the theme of your wedding or telling a story is to use props and interesting pieces of furniture.

Op shops, ‘trash and treasure’ markets, vintage shops or ebay are an abundant treasure trove when it comes to finding unique pieces.

FURNITURE

Don’t be restricted to a standard trestle table – there are so many other options to choose from. Think buffets, vintage chairs, drawer units, wine barrels, stools. Use multiple pieces to create interest and height.

If you are using a table, look for unique shapes, textures or finishes to work with your theme.

PROPS

Remember to keep a good balance between the sweets on your table and don’t go overboard with display pieces. Try and think outside the box!

Use cute fabric or branches to use as table runners. Add height by using old suitcases, wooden crates, tree stumps or small stools on the table. Wooden ladders are a great eye catcher and look great displaying sweets.

Add the personal touch by using blackboards with a message. Your favourite flowers or fruit in wooden boxes or jars to add pops of colour.

BACKDROPS

Backdrops are the best way to make a real feature for you table and give it impact to further enhance your theme.

Ideas include: printed backdrops, old wooden doors and windows, blackboards, paper pom poms, ribbons, hanging flowers in jars, kraft wrapping paper or interesting fabric.

The possibilities are endless so use your imagination!

DIY

The best way to make your table really unique is to do some DIY!

Head to your local hardware store or craft shop and make your own props. Buntings in different shapes and materials look great and are so easy to make. Have a look for interesting trims such as tassles, string, ribbon, lace, buttons etc. Why not personalise your table by pegging photo’s onto a string to use as bunting?

Handmade paper items always look great and add a personal touch to your display. I have handmade rosettes using paper and pages from and old book.

In conclusion once you have a basic idea of the look you want to achieve, keep your eye out where ever you go. Sometimes pieces you wouldn’t normally look at for your home may be perfect props for your table. Try and see past the intended use for an item and be open to doing a bit of DIY.

The trick is finding the balance between using furniture and props and keeping it looking inviting to your guests. If you get this right you will have a table that is a fabulous feature at your wedding that will keep your guests talking.

Have a sweet day!

Nicky xxx

Most images are Sweet Details creations with a few Pinterest finds: http://pinterest.com/adarlingaffair/

The snow fell upon our high tea…

A Darling Affair 01/05/2013 DIY, flowers, high tea, styling, sweet things in life 0 Comments

For the Month of May on the blog we are celebrating the “Sweet things in life”

Nakita from Jhar Binx and Zave Cake Artistry is inspired by flowers and her love of cooking to bring to the table what she knows to be “sweet”:

“Baby’s breath is known to be the cheap filler flower for old fashion bouquets, well not anymore.

Beauty can come from many places and to me this fine spray of snow inspired flakes is absolutely beautiful and should not be forgotten, in fact should be utterly embraced as a sprinkling of vintage beauty either adorning your tabletops in lavish sprays or being walked down the isle of a garden wedding or just sitting on the kitchen window sill in all its sweetness.

We have been using bunches of these white soft specs on our high tea tables and I must say it has out done the rose as one of my favourite flowers.

Baby’s breath for us has added a soft vintage touch to our High tea décor and a little bit of something unique.

Remember that sometimes the most insignificant things can be the loveliest of all.

Happy caking baking and creating!” – Kita xx

Nakita has so kindly shared a little treat for you from her own kitchen:

INSPIRED RECIPE – SNOW WHITE MARSHMALLOW

500grams Caster Sugar

2 Tablespoons Liquid Glucose

2 Tablespoons Gelatine Powder

2 Egg Whites

2 Teaspoons of Vanilla

2 Cups of Desiccated Coconut

Grease and line a 18cm x 25cm x 4cm lamington pan. Combine the caster sugar, liquid glucose and 200ml water in a saucepan over low heat, stirring, until the sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil and cook over medium heat for about 3-5 minutes until a sugar thermometer reaches 120°C.

Place 200ml cold water in a small bowl. Sprinkle over the powdered gelatine, and then stand for 10 minutes. Place the bowl in a saucepan of simmering water and stir until completely clear. Stir the gelatine mixture into the sugar syrup.

Beat egg whites with electric beaters until stiff peaks form. Continue to beat while you gradually add the sugar syrup, and then beat for a further 10 minutes until mixture thickens and becomes glossy. Fold in the vanilla and pour the mixture into the pan. Chill for 1 hour until firm.

Cut the Marshmallow into Squares, the easiest way to do this is to run your knife under hot water, wipe of quickly on a tea towel and cut each line with the knife still hot but not wet.

Take each square out and roll in coconut

MMMMMMmmmmm….

Things we love – Fanciful Feathers

A Darling Affair 09/04/2013 bouquets, centrepieces, feathers, flowers, invitations, stationery, styling, vintage 1 Comment

There’s a strong boho-vibe in the wedding industry at present and along with that we’ve noticed an emergence of feathery details. I’ve always had a “thing” for feathers; I would often be found sketching feathers in my notebooks when I should have been taking notes. There is just something so whimsical about their delicate, floaty nature; something so day-dreamy about them – it’s easy to get carried away. Maybe it’s that dreaminess that makes them such a welcomed addition to a wedding celebration.

Kicking off with stationery, add that extra detail and texture with a feather – much like these designs from Gemma Lauren Invitations…

[Photo by Anna Gilbert Photography]

Or create a more dramatic bouquet by incorporating some stunning plumes…

[Bouquet by Lavish Floral Design, Photography By Dear & Tine]

Add some finer details to your centrepieces by placing feathers in vases,

[Styling by Fresh Honey Weddings, Photography by Dear & Tine]

Or take the boho-vibe that step further with some dream-catchers…

[Styling by Cherry Red Styling Co., Photography by Alyce & Colette]

I absolutely adore the boho-luxe golden feather embellishments on this cake by Rebellyous Cake Co.

[Photography by Down Bangalow Road]

And last but certainly not least, by way of Bridal accessories ask your florist to incorporate feathers in your floral wreath…

[Wreath by Lavish Floral Design, Photography by Dear & Tine]

Or absolutely indulge your fancy for feathers with this stunning “Maine” head piece, created by Heidi of Shut the Front Door.

[Photography by Karen Buckle]

All these feathers are leaving me little light headed, and certainly light hearted! I hope they’ve lifted your spirits and send you floating away with some inspiration for you big day.

Emily xxx