by Diana Warner | Apr 20, 2018 | Vendor Love
What is it that you do?
The Wicked Sugar Cake Studio is a home-based bakery located in Perry, Ohio. I make custom order edible sugar art in the form of cakes, cupcakes, cake pop truffles, cookies, truffles and sweet treats. I also custom craft sugar flowers and figurines.
Tell my readers a little about yourself and your history as a baker.
Born and raised in Lake County, I graduated from Eastlake North High School. I’ve been baking and decorating since I was a junior in high school. I have a wide range of experience in and a deep passion for sugar art. In addition to baking, I’m a wife, mother of one daughter, step-mother of three and grandmother of eight. While I have “caked”, I have also worked full-time as a legal secretary, paralegal and just started my 27th year as the elected Fiscal Officer in Perry Township and do the same job at Perry Public Library.
Why did you choose to do what you do within the wedding industry?
I love my part in the wedding industry, the sugar art, because I love to produce beautiful, fun and tasty edibles!!
What trends in the wedding industry are you loving right now?
I love the inclusion of color, DIY personal touches, beautifully different cakes
What is your favorite thing about your job?
Setting up a cake, the final view – I love to see them all put together!
What would be the most common mistake couples make when it comes to your business? (i.e. booking late,etc.)
Not being realistic with budgets and resources to accomplish weddings of their dreams.
What is your ideal day at work?
Waking up in the morning with nothing but a bowl of buttercream and fresh cake and turning it into something beautiful!
What is your ideal day off?
A long, slow day at the beach or front row at a Hall and Oates concert!!
Describe yourself in 3 words.
Detailed, customer-oriented and precise
Who inspires you and why?
Sylvia Weinstock – she’s an amazing sugar artist and is the whole package when it comes to cake. She knows what she wants taste and design-wise and gets it done!
What are three things you cannot live without? (Not including humans and pets)
Coffee, my daughter and music.
What are you reading, listening to or binge watching right now?
Music – Maroon 5, binge watched PBS’ Victoria
What is your favorite thing to do, or place to go, in the Northeast Ohio area?
Headlands State Park beach
What would you tell your 16 year old self if you could?
Don’t be in such a hurry to be a grown-up!
What is your favorite dessert?
Dark Chocolate Stout Cake with chocolate buttercream
What is your favorite drink (alcoholic or non)?
El Mayor Tequila
Thank you so much to Chris for taking the time to answer some questions. If you would like to reach out about all of the delicious desserts please do so at:
www.TheWickedSugarCakeStudio.com
Phone: 440-487-8101
Email: Goodies@TheWickedSugarCakeStudio.com
Instagram: @thewickedsugarcakestudio
Facebook: www.Facebook.com/CakeStudioOhio
by Diana Warner | Apr 13, 2018 | Vendor Love
What is it that you do?
We provide Photo Booth Rentals for all types of events.
Tell my readers a little about yourself and your history as a business.
I have been in the event industry for 12 years now and love every minute of it. We have grown from just me running the show to an entire team of well trained professionals that I trust sending out every day.
Why did you choose to do what you do within the wedding industry?
We started in the photography side of the industry and we have primarily moved to the Photo Booth Rental side 3 years ago. We now work an average of 200 events a year.
What trends in the wedding industry are you loving right now?
We stay up to date with some of the newest trends in the wedding industry and we adapt them to our business and the newest ones are the Magic Mirror Photo Booths and our Photo Spot Mini Social Sharing Station.
What is your favorite thing about your job?
I love interacting with the guests at a wedding and providing the best experience. Its not just about them taking photos in our Photo Booths its about creating an experience they will remember.
What would be the most common mistake couples make when it comes to your business? (i.e. booking late,etc.)
Obviously waiting to late to book is a big problem we book out for some events almost 2 years. (Yes I have bookings already for 2020) Biggest problem I see is Brides under estimating the cost for a quality Photo Booth Experience. There will always be someone cheaper but as much as we hear the quote, “You get what you pay for” is very true. You might get lucky with the new professional who takes pride and has just started in the industry but that is very rare. We have almost 1,000 events under our belt to make you feel comfortable when you work with us.
What is your ideal day at work?
We are a professional company we work sometimes 7 days a week. Yes this is our Day Job and we are working all week long to research new trends, attend trade shows, work on customer requests and answer any questions. My biggest thing is if we miss your call we return it within a few hours at most. If you email us we usually answer immediately. Yes even those who email at 3am because that’s when they have the time are shocked I sometimes return the email quick.
What is your ideal day off?
I do occasionally take days off in our slower season and enjoy with my Wife and 4 kids. We do small road trips and try to get a vacation squeezed in during the slower seasons. I trust in my staff to take care of things while I am away and they do an amazing job.
Describe yourself in 3 words.
Reliable, Hard-working & Diligent
Who inspires you and why?
Honestly my biggest inspiration is both Steve Jobs & Jeff Bezos…. Both started their companies with nothing in a garage and built it into one of the largest companies in the world. They provided a quality service and product that customers love.
What are three things you cannot live without? (Not including humans and pets)
Mobile Phone ( I would be lost with out it between all my email, calls and calendar), Scouting (I grew up with scouting and love watching my 2 older boys grow from it), Music (I love listening to music when I’m working)
What are you reading, listening to or binge watching right now?
I am a Sci-Fi Nerd so currently I am binge watching Stargate Seasons.
What is your favorite thing to do, or place to go, in the Northeast Ohio area?
I really enjoy going to Cuyahoga Valley Park and just take in Nature.
What would you tell your 16 year old self if you could?
I probably would tell myself to go for my dreams sooner and take the risk.
What is your favorite dessert?
Cannoli
What is your favorite drink (alcoholic or non)?
I recently gave up Pop so i love drinking Lemonade
Thank you so much to Mike for taking the time to answer some questions. If you would like to reach out about his photo booth services please do so at:
www.fcpphotobooth.com
Office: 440-406-9285
Cell: 440-506-3289
Email: mike@fcpphoto.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/fcpphotoohio
by Diana Warner | Apr 6, 2018 | Vendor Love
What is it that you do?
Ben Ricci DJs is Cleveland’s Elite Entertainment Company with focus on classy wedding ceremonies and receptions. Our number one goal is to ensure a fun filled celebration with emphasis on professionalism and class. Our team of DJ/Emcee’s have been in the business for many years. Each of our DJ/Emcee’s and team members have been hand picked among the best in Cleveland. Experience is one of the most important ingredients in making the event successful. Music plays an important role as well. All DJ companies have equipment and music. Remember, what you are paying for is the ability of the DJ/Emcee to know what to play and when to play it. Without this knowledge, an event can become disastrous quickly.
Tell my readers a little about yourself and your history with music.
Ben’s love for music started at the age of seven when he received a drum set as a gift. In the 5th grade, he started playing the trumpet. Over the next few years, he realized that the trumpet was not for him. The piano grabbed his attention and he became a jazz pianist, which he continues to enjoy today. At the age of 16, Ben and his high school friend started a mobile DJ company in Cleveland, Ohio called “The Muzic & Company”. They started out performing at school dances and private parties. During this same time, Ben played keyboards and was a singer in two pop bands, Arson and The M.O.B.B. Performing in a band was short lived as his heart was in the DJ business. Several years later, Ben and his partner merged with Cleveland’s largest DJ company. This partnership lasted 6 years. Later that year, he split awayand formed Ben Ricci Ultimate Entertainment DJs. The name has changed a few times but the philosophy has stayed the same. When you have passion for something, it really shows. Nothing gives Ben more enjoyment than seeing guests at an event having a great time dancing, laughing and smiling. The key to success in this business is experience. This is not something you learn overnight. It takes years of practice and he has perfected it!
What is your favorite thing about your job?
I love music and I certainly love when people are dancing and having a great time.
What would be the most common mistake couples make when it comes to your business?
(i.e. booking late,etc.)
Not talking to me to explain the difference in what things cost. You get what you pay for.
What is your ideal day at work?
My emails are blowing up.
What is your ideal day off?
My emails are blowing up. LOL never have a day off. Always working.
Describe yourself in 3 words.
Fun, Classy and Professional
What are three things you cannot live without? (Not including humans and pets)
I feel we need food, shelter and water. Everything else is wants. We all can live a simple life if wanted.
What are you reading, listening to or binge watching right now?
YouTube videos. How to sell to millennials.
What is your favorite thing to do, or place to go, in the Northeast Ohio area?
Walking along the beach and looking for sea glass, well its called lake glass. LOL
What would you tell your 16 year old self if you could?
I started at 16. Be nice and be honest to everyone.
What is your favorite dessert?
German Chocolate Cake
What is your favorite drink (alcoholic or non)?
A good bottle of French Bordeaux
Thank you so much to Ben for taking the time to answer some questions. If you would like to reach out about his awesome entertaining skills for your next event, please do so at:
www.benriccidjs.com
Phone: 440-357-7468
Email: ben@benriccidjs.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/benriccidjs
by Diana Warner | Mar 23, 2018 | Vendor Love
Donna & Steve Katko are an amazing couple. Not only are they both hard-workers, but they both have such caring hearts. Plus they’re pretty darn creative to boot. Donna is the lovely woman who created my ring for me that I wear every day, and I love it! The do handcrafted items that is perfect for wedding party and family gifts, and also just for yourself.
What is it that you do?
We hand make custom gifts using a variety of mediums including woodworking, metalworking, silversmithing, painting, and more. Our creations come in many forms, including, pens, bottle stops, serving ware, jewelry, decor, and more.
Tell my readers a little about yourselves.
We are a husband and wife team. Both of us graduated from the art institute of Pittsburgh. Steve has grown up around woodworking, and has integrated metal working and the repurposing of different industrial and mechanical pieces to create unique gifts Donna is well versed in mixed media, different painting styles, and sculpting. Her passion lies in jewelry design including stone setting, cutting stones, silversmithing, and advanced wire wrapping.
What is your favorite thing about your job?
Being able to design a truly unique creation for each one of our clients to make their wedding day memorable.
What would be the most common mistake couples make when it comes to your business?
(i.e. booking late,etc.)
Not asking enough questions about our products and services.
What is your favorite thing to do, or place to go, in the Northeast Ohio area?
Going to local parks, museums,and local amusement centers: swings-n-things, Dave and Busters, etc…
Thank you so much to Donna & Steve for taking the time to answer a few questions.
If you would like to reach out to them to see what custom items they could create for you, please do so at:
www.katkoscreations.com
Phone: (440) 379-0728
Email: katkoscreations@yahoo.com
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by Diana Warner | Mar 16, 2018 | Real Couples
Steele Mansion
Photos by: Johnny Joo
So many words to say about this wedding, yet so little time to put it into words. Heather & Brandon were the lucky couple to be my last of the wedding season for 2017. I was so lucky to go out on such a high note.
When I met Heather it was just a little over a year from her wedding day at the venue she had booked for her wedding. We were talking about her plans and I shared that I had a wedding coming up on October 13th, 2016. Ironically her wedding date was October 13th, 2017. It seems to be my lucky day even though this year it landed on a Friday as well. Two weddings exactly one year apart in the exact same venue. It was fate.
We had such a wonderful consultation and just clicked. I knew this was going to be a dream wedding to help design and plan, and that it was. Heather had three things in her head that she wanted for her wedding. The first was sunflowers, the second was Beauty and the Beast and the third was touches of Friday the 13th (the day not the movie). I scoured the internet and Pinterest (yes, even as a professional I use Pinterest) for inspiration to go with my ideas. With my good friend Julie Elizabeth, I presented to Heather, Brandon and her mother our vision for the day.
It started with the sunflower and fall leaves for the ceremony. Her beautiful bouquets and leaves to be thrown by her adorable flower girls set the scene. It went so well with the pumpkins on the front steps. We added some small touches of luck with signs and pennies on every guests chair. “See a penny, pick it up, and all the day you’ll have good luck.”
After the ceremony the guests were invited inside to a Beauty and the Beast themed reception. Centerpieces were designed to reflect the main charachters. Hand beaded napkin rings to be able to fold them like the dancing ones in the dinner scene. Red floating roses and a gorgeous cake topper to match. To push it home Heather had some amazing signs created that really reflected the entire look and feel of the wedding.
The evening was filled with laughter, dancing and fun filled photos from Magnet Me Now. When the end was near I know I was filled with mixed emotions myself. The wedding being over, my season being complete, is always bittersweet. Yet this amazing couple being so happy, being able to enjoy their day with their friends and family, still brings a smile to my face.
This even would not have been possible without the amazing work of the following vendors:
Photography: Johnny Joo
Venue: Steele Mansion
Hair: Katie Oskowski
Make-up: Lindsay London
Entertainment: Tommy Kozlovich
Photobooth: Magnet Me Now
Stationary: Megan Gesing & It’s All Personal
Wedding Signs: Lola’s Design Loft
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