Thursday, January 2, 2014

Wedding cakes

Happy 2014!

Congratulations to all of the newly engaged couples! Here at Social Bites we love creating the wedding cake of your dreams! Bakers typically need 4-8 months advanced notice when making your Wedding cake to ensure your date is available! Start researching (pinning, clipping magazines, etc. ) cakes now and book after you set your budget and guest list! Here are a few tips to keep in mind when planning your cake

Taste the Cake

As you start setting up appointments, find out when each baker's next tasting is scheduled. At tastings, clients are invited into the bakery to sample exemplary cakes, ask questions, and review portfolios. This is an excellent opportunity to meet bakers and fully understand the range of their abilities.

If you're using fresh blooms, triple-check with your florist that they have not been sprayed with pesticides. Make sure all inedible decorative elements are removed before the cake is sliced and served.

Select a Style

Deal with the cake after all decisions about dress style and reception decor have been made. These elements can serve as a blueprint for the design and structure of your wedding cake. Choose a cake that's compatible with the style of the venue, the season, your gown, the flower arrangements, or the menu. If you want colorful accents (such as sugar flowers or icing ribbons), give your baker fabric swatches. The cake should be part of the wedding, not a glaring sideshow.

Size It Up

Generally, three tiers will serve 50 to 100 guests; you'll likely need five layers for 200 guests or more. If the reception is in a grand room with high ceilings, consider increasing the cake's stature with columns between the tiers. (A "stacked" cake is one with its layers stacked directly atop each other, with no separators.)

Price It Out

Wedding cake often is priced by the slice -- the cost varies, but generally ranges from $1.50 to $15 per slice (though this is a very general and loose estimate). The more complicated the cake (based on intricate decorations or hard-to-find fillings), the higher the price tag. Fondant icing is more expensive than buttercream, and if you want elaborate molded shapes, vibrant colors, or handmade sugar-flower detailing, you'll pay for the cake designer's labor.

Find Ways to Save

Order a small cake that's decorated to perfection but can only feed a handful plus several sheet cakes of the same flavor to actually feed the guests. Stay away from tiers, handmade sugar flowers, and specially molded shapes. Garnish with seasonal flowers and fruit for an elegant (but less expensive) effect. If you'll have a dessert table (or another sweet) in addition to the cake, consider a cake sized for half your guests. Servings will be smaller, but the fee will shrink too.

Get the Facts on Frosting

Buttercream or fondant? That's the main question. Buttercream is often much more delicious. But if you love the smooth, almost surreal-like look of fondant as much as we do, consider frosting the cake in buttercream first and then adding a layer of fondant over the entire confection.

Consider the Weather

If you're having an outdoor wedding in a hot climate, stay away from whipped cream, meringue, and buttercream: They melt. Ask your baker about summer icing options; You might want to go for a fondant-covered cake -- it doesn't even need to be refrigerated.

Mind Your Magazines

Keep in mind, magazines (like ours) have food stylists, editors, and assistants working nonstop to keep the cakes looking perfect. These people spend hours fixing the sweating, dripping, leaning, or sagging that can happen to a cake after it's been sitting for a while. And if what they do doesn't work, they can fix it with Photoshop. They also have the luxury of creating cakes from stuff that isn't edible -- most cakes in magazines are iced pieces of Styrofoam, which certainly doesn't taste very good. So don't expect your cake designer to be able to replicate exactly what you see in print.

Take Note: It's All in the Details

When it comes to decoration, adornment costs run the gamut. The most inexpensive option is fresh fruits or flowers that, in some instances, can be applied by your florist for a minimal fee. On the high end are delicate gum paste or sugar paste flowers, which are constructed by hand, one petal at a time. But here's the bottom line: All add-ons -- including marzipan fruits, chocolate-molded flowers, and lace points -- will raise the rate. (For the record, we think it's worth the cost!)

Encourage Cake Collaboration

If you want to garnish your cake with fresh flowers, find out if the cake designer will work with your florist, or if you are responsible for the blooms. If the florist is running the show, will she have time to adorn the cake? Be wary of elaborate floral accents if your reception space decor is labor-intensive.

Get Him Involved!

The popularity of the groom's cake, traditionally a Southern custom, is on the rise. The bride's cake -- the one cut by the couple at the reception -- is traditionally eaten as dessert. The groom's cake is usually darker and richer (often chocolate) and nowadays crafted to show off the groom's passions and obsessions. Give slices to guests as a take-home memento or cut and serve both for dessert.

Go Mini?

Many bakers agree that the idea of a mini cake (where each guest gets his or her own) is a great idea -- in theory but not always in practice. Not only does each cake require its own decoration (often as intricate, if not more, than one that's four times its size), each will require its own box. Unfortunately, boxes don't come in mini-cake sizes. Often the bakery must construct individual boxes in which to transport these cakes. Multiply by however many guests you'll be having, and you'll see what a costly, time-consuming feat this actually is. That said, if you can swing it, they look amazing being passed around by waiters on sleek silver trays (and of course, they taste just as great too).

Get It On Display

Your cake will likely be on display before it's cut and consumed. Make sure there is a designated cake table that allows the most elegant presentation possible. A round table is perfect for round cakes, but a linear cake design may call for a rectangular table. Figure out your options. Once you have a cake table, have fun dressing it up: Drape it with sumptuous fabrics and decorate it with motifs, colors, and flowers to match the cake (your florist can help).

Top It Off

There are many beautiful and unique ways to top off your cake, so you can avoid plastic figurines (unless you're going for cool-kitsch). If you have an heirloom piece -- especially a fine porcelain antique -- work with your baker to integrate it into an appropriate design. A pair of sugar or gingerbread cookies can look charming atop a country wedding cake. Finely sculpted maple sugar or marzipan figurines are quaint. Other alternatives: a bouquet of sugar flowers, a cascade of icing ribbons, or even a sugar block carved out to reveal your new monogram.

Lock Down Delivery Details

Cake delivery takes coordination. Complex cakes may not necessarily be delivered in final form. Allow time and space for assembly, if needed. Refrigeration may also be required.

After the Wedding...

Avoid freezer burn! Even if you take the most painstaking packaging measures, eating the top tier of your cake on your first anniversary sounds far better than it tastes. Think about indulging on your two-week or one-month anniversary, and treat yourself to a fresh cake in the same flavor when you've survived the first year. If you must adhere to tradition, wrap the cake in plastic wrap, then bag it in an airtight baggie. Stay away from aluminum foil -- it might not protect against freezer burn as well as plastic wrap because it's not an airtight material.

Source: Theknot.com


Also I am a big fan of timelines, here is a link to the ultimate wedding planning guide! http://www.realsimple.com/weddings/planning/wedding-planning-checklist-00000000000222/ 


We would love to be apart of your special day! If you would like to schedule a consulation/cake tasting with us, please give us a call at 318.251.2483 Tuesday- Friday 10am - 6pm, Saturday 10am -5pm.

Here are just a few of our favorite wedding cakes we've created! Enjoy !http://flipagram.com/f/177Cq4qpSM#

Happy Wedding Planning!
- Social Bites

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Paint Party- Emma's 3rd Birthday!

We had the wonderful opportunity to be apart of Emma's 3rd party! When Lindey Smith of Love photography by Lindey ( LIKE her on facebook ( facebook.com/LoveByLindey or check her website out at http://www.lovebylindey.com/ ) contacted me and told me about her little girl's party I knew it was going to be so much fun to work on! Lindey is so creative and had so many great ideas and I was so glad she asked us to do the treats for the party! Enjoy!






Monday, February 6, 2012

Now Hiring an assistant!

When I was pregnant people would warn me “ You think you’re busy now, just wait until you have kids” Of course I just laughed and shrugged it off thinking oh whatever, I couldn’t possibly. Boy was I WRONG! These have been the busiest 4 months of my life, not only with being a wife and new mom, business hasn’t seem to slow down either! I am so blessed to have this “problem” but I am faced with having to make a big decision. I have been back and forth with the decision of “ Do I hire someone”. After starting a second business (The Social Event) and trying to keep up with a growing cake business I know I can’t possibly keep going the way I’m going. I am ONE person. I have overloaded myself to the point of pure exhaustion, I LOVE cakes, I LOVE these businesses, and I LOVE my customers! I don’t want to burn out, so I have decided to hire someone to better this business.

This would be a PART TIME AS NEEDED BASIS job that would include handling social media, client emails and calls for both Social Bites and The Social event, as well as baking/decorating assistant.

DISCLAIMER: This job is not for someone aspiring to open their own business in the future.

Here is the qualities that I am looking for:

I am looking for a young hip person, Someone who knows the latest trends and up to date on the “times”. They MUST LOVE VINTAGE! I need a super organized person, because let’s face it. I am NOT organized , as much as I want to be , I am NOT! I need a friendly outgoing and fun person, someone who can laugh and play but also knows when it’s time to get down to business. I need someone who is a HARD WORKER! Gasp! I know, hard work? Yes this business is so unbelievably hard. Lots of long days and nights. It’s not going to be sprinkles and cupcakes every day. I need someone who is creative, to help with ideas and concepts. Lastly I need someone who is flexable, this is probably one of the most important qualities. I need someone who can work on the weekend, and doesn’t let their personal life interfere with work. This job is a AS NEEDED BASIS! Although I am booking up a few weeks or sometimes months in advance there may be a week that is slower than others.. This is NOT a 8-5 mo-fri job!

If you think you've got the qualities above then send me an email at socialbitesofruston@hotmail.com, I would love to meet you!

I am so excited about the future of Social Bites and The Social Event, I cannot wait to have someone to grow with!

Sunday, January 22, 2012

We're Back!

Well, we're back to blogging! Our goal for the new year is to get better at posting what we've been up to :)



To start off...



I had a baby!


.... And I'm totally in love with this bundle of joy !



I thought baking was exhausting.. but come to find out being a mom is ..well... FUN! (and exhausting) However I wouldn't trade it for the world.I would have never thought that I would ever love something or someone as much as I love this tiny human. He is my little sunshine:)



In fact here is a little video of his room and my favorite song. Mom used to sing this song to me all the time..









Okay.. I know enough about the baby, back to the caking.



We have a lot of exciting things happening! This Sunday 1/29/12 we will be apart of Weddings With Style International Magazine's Signature Bridal Show! Weddings With Style Signature Bridal Show on Sunday, Jan. 29 from 12:30 – 4:30 p.m. at the Bossier Civic Center. The ultimate wedding event includes FOUR fabulous honeymoon giveaways, and an engagement ring will be given away compliments of Bailey’s Jewelers. Brides register at the door to win THOUSANDS of dollars in prizes and services. Admission is only $8!

We will be showcasing our 2o12 cake designs and introducing our sister company The Social Event (Vintage and Wedding Rentals)!


Here is our Ad in the Weddings with Style Magazine!


And one more thing...

We now offer KING CAKES!



A king cake is a pastry dough that is rolled (similiar to a cinnamon roll) and filled with a varity of flavors. It's topped with a sugar glaze and 3 color sprinkles PURPLE signifies justice, YELLOW signifies power and GREEN signifies faith. Sometimes in king cake a little baby is hidden inside, the tradition is the person who finds the baby will have to buy the next king cake.



Our king cakes are moist and delicious!!



We have Small (FEEDS 5) for $10
Medium (FEEDS 12) for $24

OR Large (FEEDS 20) for $40




(Pictured above is a comparison of a small vs medium size)


Email us at socialbitesofruston@hotmail.com to place your order today!



Thank you all for your continues support! We are so greatful for such awesome customers and cannot WAIT to see what 2012 has in store for us!



Thursday, March 10, 2011

Dates

Just wanted to give y’all an update on the dates that are completely booked or that we are closed.

April 1st and 2nd BOOKED

May 13th and 14th BOOKED

May 31st - June 6th CLOSED

July 16th BOOKED

September 10th BOOKED

Other days that are getting close to booking up are April 16th, April 23rd, April 30th, August 6th.

If you have already contacted me about any of the dates above, I have you down. If you have an event coming up PLEASE shoot me an email at socialbitesofruston@hotmail.com as soon as possible. Thank you!

Also we just found out we are having a baby! Baby Bailey should arrive late September. So please note I will NOT be working on

September 12th through November 1st CLOSED!

Thursday, December 2, 2010

Holiday Gift Guide

Introducing Social Bites Gift Guide 2010. If you have any questions or if the font is to small to read leave your email address so I can send you a larger format. Have a great week!


















Monday, November 22, 2010

Acadian Style Photoshoot- Sneak Peek

I had the pleasure of working with Trent of http://trent-bailey.com/, his wife Dara and my fav and oh so talented Event Planner Valerie of http://southernfete.com/ on this wonderful Acadian style photoshoot in Lafayette, La.! Here is a sneak peek of the cake I did, full post coming soon:)