Review: Wedding Cake Vodka

As most of our readers know, we're big fans of creating signature drinks for wedding receptions. If you are thinking about coming up with a cocktail for your own reception, I recently tried something that might be very appropriate ingredient. It's Pearl Vodka's new flavor "Wedding Cake".
When I sipped it, my first thought was, "Yes. No doubt about it. It definitely tastes like a wedding." It was sweet, light, and fluffy, with a hint of vanilla and buttercream. I recommend it. It would be great with any of the less-sweet fruit juices, or with ingredients like blue curacao or grenadine. Once you have this as your base, odds are you'll be able to create something really yummy for your guests. I know, because I had a great time testing it out for you.
I'm told Wedding Cake will also be available in wedding favor sizes in the near future.

(This image courtesy of BrideFinds)

If you're interested in more information, visit Pearl Wedding Cake.

Falling in Love with Autumn Weddings

by guest blogger Lisa Leonard of Lisa Leonard Designs

Your wedding day is a celebration of two lives coming together, and there are 3 great ways to make sure your autumn wedding plans “fall” right into place this season! This year Mother Nature’s fall bounty can be found in weddings from coast to coast.

From the vibrant colors, to the food in season …… we have your autumn wedding basics covered for 2012.

1. Autumn Color Selections: Let’s face it; selecting wedding colors can be tricky, but autumn wedding’s offer natural hints when it comes to the “color schemes” and selection. Rich, natural and earth tones are wildly popular choices when it comes to autumn weddings this year. Color schemes such as: orange and green, brown and orange or purple and green, are top contenders for 2012’s most popular picks. Plus, using natural and earthy décor such as wooden cake plates (that can often be found at thrift stores) and painted to match your special day are great ways to incorporate any color into your special day. Also consider using slices of tree bark for a rustic look.

2. Appreciation for the outdoors: Fall weather is often more temperate than summer and yet still warm enough to enjoy the outdoors. Why not think outside of the box for a personal and fun wedding venue? Is there a park nearby where you and your partner take walks? Getting married under a large oak tree with white lights and chairs arranged in rows can make for a magical celebration. Perhaps you know someone with a rustic barn or you’re lucky enough to live near the ocean. By adding in a few handmade signs with your own personal message, some warm candles and fresh flowers, a simple outdoor location can become a magical backdrop for your special day.

3. Fall Harvest & Food: Let the bounty of fall’s beauty influence your wedding from tabletop to bouquet. This autumn we’ll see bouquets and floral arrangements full of richly colored roses in hues from orange to burgundy. Succulents are the rage right now and add a modern look to fall bouquets and centerpieces. And don’t forget the men’s boutonnieres! Succulents, herbs and even a fiddlehead fern add the perfect autumn touch to your wedding. And for the finishing touch? Use fresh fall fruits, such as grapes, sugar apples and cranberries to bring fall’s natural beautify to each table setting.

About Lisa: Lisa Leonard is a popular blogger and designer of meaningful jewelry and gifts. She and her husband run their business, Lisa Leonard Designs on the central coast of California. Visit her blog at LisaLeonardOnline.com/blog and her shop at LisaLeonard.com. Image from Wedding-Planning-101

African American Cloth Bridal Doll

I spotted this doll earlier today and thought, "What a cute gift for a flowergirl!"
Sold by Joelle's Dolls

Wordless Wednesday: Anonymous

Found on Tumblr.

New Looks from Tekay Designs

It's been a while since we've written about Tekay Designs, run by designer Kimma Wreh. Back in 2005 we were just discovering her elegant, African-influenced bridal gowns. The company has always been known for creating custom dresses at an affordable price, and for paying attention to the maternity bridal market. Kimma was born Liberia and you can definitely see the West African influence in all of her designs. Inspired by pregnant, soon-to-be bride Jessica Simpson, Kimma recently sketched her vision of Simpson's wedding dress. Here's a look at that design, as well as some of her other gowns:

Finding Wedding Readings

-Special guest contribution to African-AmericanBrides.com

Why do we need readings at weddings? For the purpose of standing there longer in our exquisite dresses basking in the admiration of our friends and family, right? Sure, that’s one reason. Of course, besides prolonging the ceremony, finding the right reading for your wedding is important for several reasons. Finding the right reading is crucial because it helps set the tone– be it romantic, light-hearted, emotional, reflective. The right reading can be the perfect complement to your already special day and with everything in order from your wedding insurance to your dress fitting, you need to set some time aside to choose readings which mean something to you.

How to Choose

The best advice is to choose based on what hits your gut first, and draws you in. Then, make sure it’s something that’s not so obscure and vague that no one will understand it. Also, you don’t want it to be something that will be too shocking. There’s no point in giving your old prudish aunt a fit in the front row. Besides, you want the focus to be on you when you exit the room, not people leaning to each other whispering about how sexy the poetry was.

Who Should Read

The reading is an excellent way to involve your bridesmaids in the wedding ceremony. Also, you may be able to include a friend who didn’t have the time to be a bridesmaid or who lived too far away and couldn’t commit to the schedule you set. Make sure the person you’ve chosen is comfortable speaking in front of a crowd. Remember that public speaking is the number one fear in America, right after death, so you may encounter some resistance. Don’t give up, though, you’ll find the right person.

Start Searching For Your Reading

There’s no harm involving the groom in your choosing process. We at African-Americanbrides.com recommend cuddling up with your husband-to-be and starting with the two poems below, a couple of great pieces by poets whose works are seminal pieces of American literature. You may choose one of these for your ceremony, or it may just start a dialogue that gets your search heading in the right direction.

Touched by an Angel by Maya Angelou

We, unaccustomed to courage
exiles from delight
live coiled in shells of loneliness
until love leaves its high holy temple
and comes into our sight
to liberate us into life.

Love arrives
and in its train come ecstasies
old memories of pleasure
ancient histories of pain.
Yet if we are bold,
love strikes away the chains of fear
from our souls

We are weaned from our timidity
In the flush of love's light
we dare be brave
And suddenly we see
that love costs all we are
and will ever be.
Yet it is only love
which sets us free



Juke Box Love Song by Langston Hughes



I could take the Harlem night

and wrap around you,
Take the neon lights and make a crown,

Take the Lenox Avenue busses,

Taxis, subways,

And for your love song tone their rumble down.

Take Harlem's heartbeat,

Make a drumbeat,

Put it on a record, let it whirl,

And while we listen to it play,

Dance with you till day--

Dance with you, my sweet brown Harlem girl
after loving you

Hopefully, these two poems got you in the mood and you're ready now to go on your own search for the perfect reading. While you're sampling, go ahead and pull your fiance close, light some candles, and get ready for some very happy hunting. Other recommended poems include 'Love Of My Life
' by Mr. Dvyne

, 'My Soul Mate' by Jessica Ammons, and 'I Wrote A Good Omelet' by Nikki Giovanni.