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

February 20 2019

Rachel & Shaun | Harborside East

The Wedding Row: Tell us about how you met. Rachel: It was in Nashville, and Shaun was there on weekend trip for a University of Georgia-Vandy football game. I was there on a whim, on an impromptu...

February 19 2019

Paxton & Ryan | Engagement Session

Ryan and Paxton chose Charleston for their engagement photos because the city holds a special place in the heart—if he hadn’t been a Citadel cadet, the two may never have met. Here’s how they came to...

February 18 2019

Allison & Josh | Wingate Plantation

Allison and Josh met at a two-stepping bar, so we would expect nothing less than a seriously Southern wedding from the two, and as you can tell from the photos, they did not disappoint. After Josh...

February 15 2019

Taylor & Bennett | Rehearsal Dinner

North Carolina natives Taylor and Bennett met when the two were sophomores at N.C. State. Five years after they had become an item, they were in Manhattan where, says Bennett, “The ring was burning a...

February 14 2019

Carly & Chris | The Dewberry

After going to the same high school in Spring Lake, New Jersey, Carly and Chris’s paths finally intersected long after graduation at a mutual friend’s house. “Late nights drinking and playing games...

February 13 2019

Emily & Daniel | The Gadsden House

Trust us when we say that you won’t find a more low-key pair than these two. Nashville, Tennessee couple Emily and Daniel wanted an intimate, family-only wedding for their Big Day, and they chose to...

February 12 2019

Stephanie & Bryan | Lowndes Grove Plantation

OK, prepare yourselves—this is a sweet one. It began when Stephanie was working at the front desk of a chiropractor’s office in the Philadelphia area, one that Bryan’s father frequented. Bryan’s dad...

February 11 2019

Katie & Zane | Harborside East

You really can’t beat Charleston’s sunset views over the water, and Katie and Zane’s nuptials at Harborside East took full advantage of just that with the gorgeous harbor as their backdrop. The...

Feature

Moody Hues

The Bearded Florist turned up the color dial for this perfectly spooky soiree

Feature

More Dress for Less

Fabulous Frocks’ Sarah Black explains how to save stylishly

Feature

It’s a Guy Thing

8 best-bet barbers for Charleston grooms

Feature

Sunset Hues

Ashley Meek & Chris Dorsey July 24, 2010, St. John the Baptist & Lowndes Grove Plantation

Feature

Rustic, Remote, & Romantic

Liz Eggers & Adam Becker; May 17, 2008, Dewees Island

Feature

Midsummer Magic

Love colorful blooms and otherworldly touches? So does this bride, who said "I do" in a waterfront plantation ceremony

Feature

Psst! Did You Hear ...

A proposal service? Stunning wedding silhouette art? The latest in gilded shell jewelry? Read on for the Charleston buzz in all things matrimonial

Feature

Press On, Girls!

The printing mavens from Charleston's Sideshow Press open their online boutique

Feature

Pretty in Pink

<p>See the Ocean Course at Kiawah Island come alive in hues of magenta, hot pink, and gold </p>

Feature

Let Them Eat Cake

Preferably tiered and swathed in buttercream

Feature

Above Par

A downtown duo ties the knot steps from the Atlantic on one of Charleston’s sea islands

Feature

The Wedding Coach

Ginny Leavitt aims to get Holy City brides feeling as good as they look on their Big Day

Feature

Legacy Lace

Charleston lays claim to the country’s sole importer of a rare Belgian lace that turns veils and handkerchiefs into heirlooms

Feature

Wedding Insurance

Learn from Lowcountry couples left in the lurch how taking out a policy on your Big Day can save your bottom line

Feature

Charleston Weddings - Spring 2025

Feature

Petite Sophisticate

A King Street wedding shows how posh a party down South can be

Feature

Saving the Day - 4

Local event planners share their expertise on how to avoid or overcome wedding-day mishaps.

Feature

A Laid-Back Kind of Love

A low-key couple swap vows amid smiles galore on the banks of Hobcaw Creek

Feature

Runway Raves

We asked experts at the city’s top wedding boutiques to share their favorite fresh looks for brides planning that momentous walk down the aisle this season

Feature

In the Navy

Pink and navy meet for a cool, classic combination at Kiawah Island Goft Resort's Cassique

Best-Dressed Desserts

The Wedding Row

RELATED ARTICLES

Popular Tags

Search form

Best-Dressed Desserts

The Wedding Row

RELATED ARTICLES

Popular Tags