Culinary Crafts

The Art of Catering Food Conference! | Trendy Tuesday

Tuesday, 15 May, 2012

We are so thrilled to attend The Art of Catering Food conference this July!  And we a equally honored to have been asked to speak and share ideas and advice with so many of our fellow caterers!  Mary Crafts, Kaleb Crafts, Ryan Crafts, and Jocelyn Ball will all be speaking and we can’t wait to hear it!  If this is something you just can’t miss, here is the info to get registered:

We can’t wait – it looks like its going to be AMAZING!!!  Happy Tuesday everyone!

Check out our website at www.culinarycrafts.com!

Mercury Glass Is In! | Trendy Tuesday

Tuesday, 8 May, 2012

I love mercury glass!  It can add such an elegant touch and be added to all different kinds of events!  A vintage romantic wedding, a rustic wedding with an air of elegance, a clean and contemporary wedding with a touch of whimsy – the possibilities are endless!  Mercury glass has a home in each setting!  Plus, it is coming back BIG TIME.  We are seeing mercury glass in tons of our events this year (which you will definitely see in future blog posts) and we couldn’t be happier!  Take a look at some of the FANTASTIC decor that we love – all with this super versatile glass!

A romantic, gold accented wedding – not overly vintage, more traditionally pretty and understated.  Perfect for the classic bride!

A chic, contemporary dessert table – exposed brick, a floating feather table, and pops of saturated reds…  What’s not to like?

A natural, rustic, and elegant centerpiece – perfect for a ranch wedding in the mountains, with a little sparkle to set it off!

Vintage, romantic decor – perfect for the bride looking for a setting filled with gorgeous flowers, rich linens, and vintage touches.

As you can see, mercury glass can be used in all kinds of settings.  From rustic to high glam – and it’s all STUNNING!  Plus, if you want to try your hand at making mercury glass yourself (like the hurricane vases below) take a look at this tutorial here.

Happy planning everyone!!!

Check out our website at www.culinarycrafts.com!

Photo credits: First image from Martha Stewart and Wedding Bee; Second image from OneWed; Third image from Entwined 2012; Fourth image from Belle Magazine; Fifth image from Take the Side Street

We Won KSL’s A-List Best Caterer! | Trendy Tuesday

Tuesday, 1 May, 2012

Hi all!  We are so very thrilled to announce that we have won KSL’s A-List Best Caterer in the Wedding Vendor category!  We are so thankful to each of you who voted for us and honored to have won!  Thank you!  You can also see the other winners here.  What a list to be a part of!  Happy Tuesday everyone!

Check out our website at www.culinarycrafts.com!

You May Kiss The Blog Feature | Trendy Tuesday

Tuesday, 24 April, 2012

Today, we are thrilled to share that we’ve been featured on the FANTASTIC Bride Access blog, You May Kiss The Blog!  They are always brimming with the best ideas, vendors, and events and we were tickled pink to have them feature Culinary Crafts!  You can check it out here.  Make sure to check out all of their other fabulous posts too!  Thank you again You May Kiss The Blog and Bride Access!  We are lucky to have such an amazing resource partner like you!

Check out our website at www.culinarycrafts.com!

Tangerine Tango & Cool Grey Inspiration Board | Trendy Tuesday

Tuesday, 10 April, 2012

Today, I want to show you all one of my FAVORITE colors, which happens to also be one of the pantone colors of the year for 2012: Tangerine Tango!  Pair this with one of Holly Fowler’s picks for what’s hot – cool grey – and you have a stylish, modern, and GORGEOUS color palette!  I’ve taken the liberty to create an inspiration palette for a bold (yet elegant) bride!  The orange wedding dress is amazing, by the way – take a look!

I love the vibrance of the orange and the way the greys balance it out just perfectly, making the palette pop without being too overwhelming.  So pretty!  I hope this inspires you to use some of these bold ideas in your wedding!  Happy planning everyone!

Check out our NEW website at www.culinarycrafts.com!

Photo credits – Row 1: Bride via Green Wedding Shoes, Dahlia Cake via Pinterest, Invitation Suite via Sada Lewis; Row 2: Program via Sada Lewis, Escort Card via Modern Girl Invitations, Grey Straws via Etsy, Bouquet via Wedding Chicks; Row 3: Chevron Table Runner via Wedding Bee, Spun Sugar Shrimp Hors D’oeuvres via Culinary Crafts, Boutonniere via Wedding Chicks; Row 4: Bridesmaids via Inspired by This, Soda via The Knotty Bride; Row 5: Sweet Potato Hors D’oeuvres via Culinary Crafts; Shoes via One Wed, Earrings via Tangerine Jewelry

Using Texture in Weddings | Trendy Tuesday

Tuesday, 3 April, 2012

Today we have one of our wedding planners, Miss Holly Fowler, back to fill us in on more of the trends in wedding design and decor!  I am thrilled with the movement towards texture and depth and love what our stylish wedding planner has come up with on this very subject!  Take it away, Holly!

Using Texture in Your Weddings

Many of you may be too young to remember this, but there used to be a time when pretty much all wedding receptions used plain white linens. If it was a wedding, then you used white. Period. Of course nowadays, it’s all about color, texture, layers, and personal expression, and really, the options are endless. To spark some creative fire we’ve identified six new trends appearing now in wedding reception design!

#1 – Color my world


As mentioned above, color in weddings is huge. Any color family that appeals to you will offer a huge range of shades that are beautiful and current. In fact, there really isn’t any color that’s considered “out” – so the sky’s the limit! Love “blue”? That could mean midnight navy, Tiffany blue, pale ice blue, bright aqua, ocean blue… You get the idea – the list goes on! A few new colors worth pointing out are persimmon – a spicy, vibrant shade of orange; saffron – a rich, deep yellow; and butter – a warm, soft, golden yellow. 



#2 – Texture is hot


Texture in weddings – from bridal gowns to napkins – is huge. In linens, this can mean a crushed look, pintuck fabrics, damasks, or other tone-on-tone designs. It can also be expressed through layers, such as using sheer overlays on tables or table runners on buffet tables, and accessories such as beaded candlesticks.



#3 – Think metallic


As you may have noticed in the fashion world, metallic is sparkling hot these days! Mixed metals, matte metals and texturized metals are all very current looks that can be incorporated into your wedding reception design, through metallic fabrics, accessories or even the furniture.



#4 – Cool grey is hot, hot, hot


You’ll find that many of these trends are interrelated, such as grey, which can be expressed using metals such as silver, aluminum or nickel. Using a brushed aluminum planter for your centerpieces would actually incorporate three trends: texture, metallic and grey. A wide range of styles and shades of linens in grey tones is also a beautiful, trendy look, and can be accented with other colors such as black and/or white, any shade of red from blush pink to fire engine red, and so on. Experiment!





#5 – Lace is back


In wedding gowns and now in wedding design, lace has made a big comeback after being missing in action for many years. It’s a beautiful way to incorporate a sense of tradition, history and romance into your wedding day. Table linens, especially, have appeared in a variety of tone-on-tone laces, and more colorful options as well. Incorporating a metallic lace over a solid color fabric is another new look.



#6 – Geometric designs offer a modern look


Looking for a clean, modern, streamlined wedding day look? If “no frou-frou” is for you, then consider applying some 1960s-style geometric design elements. If you’re feeling casual and funky then use lots of color with strong geometric designs – like white, bubblegum pink and chocolate brown; or black, white and lime green. If you want a more elegant, formal feel use tone-on-tone designs or a geometrically designed fabric like a pintuck.



A final thought – the best advice, really, is “don’t be a slave to trends!” Follow your heart, trust your instincts, and create your own unique wedding style. Of course, don’t underestimate the help, input, and advice of wedding professionals who can make your dream a reality with minimum stress and maximum results. With their professional guidance and years of experience, your wedding day will be beautiful expression of your personal style.

What amazing advice!  I love all of the possibilities out there to make a wedding day truly your own!  Have fun with it and happy planning everyone!

Check out our new website at www.culinarycrafts.com!

Gold Is In! | Trendy Tuesday

Tuesday, 27 March, 2012

We here at Culinary Crafts are gearing up for this upcoming wedding season and let me tell you, GOLD IS IN!  We are seeing many of our brides move away from stainless steel, platinum, and silver and moving to gold – but not necessarily bright polished golds that may instantly come to mind.  Burnished golds, aged golds, and rose golds are definitely the stars of this trend. I love the versatility and warmth of this metal!  From elegant rustic, bright modern styles, romantic vintage, and high fashion drama – gold can enhance it all!  Take a look!

Love this rustic, elegant board mixing the pops of burnished gold with natural touches of ivory and wood.  It adds an air of glamour to even the most rustic decor and is visually captivating admist the neutral palette – it elevates the table from pretty to show-stopper for sure!

Gold is a fun an unexpected element in these bold color palettes!  I love the added whimsy and polish it lends to even the most adventurous details!  (The gold horse as a plate ornament is simply amazing, I must say!)

This vintage, romantic style brings in gold tones through florals and sets them off with chandeliers, the ribbon sash on a wedding dress, and the STUNNING yellow sapphire.  This adds warmth and depth to the sometimes subdued vintage palettes.

Finally, this dramatic board takes the gold to a rich and gorgeous level.  Setting off the jewel toned palettes and amping up the drama of such deep colors is not for the faint of heart!  The result, however, is a sumptuous and breathtaking opulence that really sets the tone for a one-of-a-kind event!

I love this trend and the many ways to incorporate it into any event!  Gold is a metal that simply stands out and cannot be ignored – which is definitely a good thing!  I hope this inspires you to think of the many possibilities gold could lend to your wedding day – whether it be a ring unlike any other or a show-stopping decor!  Happy planning everyone!

Check out our new website at www.culinarycrafts.com!

Photo credits – Board 1: Table setting from Pinterest; Tablescape, invitation and couple from Sitting In A Tree Events; Ring from Cartier / Board 2: Bride from Bridal Musings; Bouquets from Green Wedding Shoes; Table Setting from Sitting In A Tree Events / Board 3: Bouquet and boutonniere from Be Imbued; Wedding dress from Maggie Sottero; Ring from Linda Penwarden Jewelry; Chandelier from Logan Walker of CAKE Photography / Board 4: Dress from Maggie Sottero; Ring from Tacori; Table Settings, Table Decor, and Flatware from Culinary Crafts

Wedding Planning on the Internet | Trendy Tuesday

Tuesday, 13 March, 2012

As I’m sure ALL of you know, the internet is an amazing and viable source for many aspects of planning your wedding.  From hunting down your dream dress to selecting the best local caterer (we know one, if you are looking!), the internet has it all – and WAY more.  We at Culinary Crafts see first hand how easy it is for our brides to get overwhelmed with the downright massive amounts of information that are available to them and how it can make the process of planning that much harder.  Here are some tips we’ve come up with to help navigate the process!

1.  Pick a style/theme/color palette – and stick to it.  Now, I know that you’ll use the internet to look at many possibilities as to the colors you may want or the theme you are going for and there will be a whole list of options you’ll be narrowing down.  Once you and your honey hone in on the one you love (and keep going back to) stick with it.  It’s really easy, however, to be tempted to change your wedding’s direction over and over again.  Especially if you are visiting blogs that show the creme de le creme of any and all color palettes and styles!  But changing it again and again will only add stress and overwhelming options to you (and most of the time we see bride’s returning to that first color palette or theme they selected because they really did fall in love with it in the first place!)

2.  Identify what’s important.  Now that you are armed with the direction you are headed in, identify what’s important to you both as a couple for your wedding.  Have you always wanted a kick-butt DJ to rock the night away or and intimate dinner with delicious food pairings (definitely talk to us at Culinary Crafts for this one!), or is it all in the details?  Make a list of the ‘must haves’ and the ‘nice to haves’ (and even the ‘it would be cool, but I don’t have to have its’).  This is also a really good time to outline a budget and figure out what money you’d like to be spent on which things.  Starting with the must haves and working down your list will simplify and direct your searches so you aren’t wandering the internet becoming enthralled with the latest and greatest trends – although, its nice to visit that side every once in a while, you know, for ‘research’.  :)

3.Do your research!  It’s all to easy to be taken by the ‘best’ deal or a price that’s too good to be true – and since its on the internet, you are only seeing pictures and the company’s boast that they are THE best.  It’s time for research.  You want to make sure your monies go to a product that you will love and will be exactly what you are expecting (or more!).  So take the time to read the company’s return policies and satisfaction guarantee (if there is one).  Read the fine print that may or may not say ‘item pictured may or may not be exactly what you are sent’ and decide if that’s okay.  If you are needing to have it shipped, read the shipping times and cost and make sure it’ll get to you on time.  And most importantly (especially for vendors), read customer reviews!!!  Make sure that you don’t see a trend of unhappy clients who mention the same problem time and time again.  Make sure you do your homework and you’ll (hopefully) safe guard yourself.  (On a side note, Wedding Wire is a great resource to see local wedding vendors’s reviews and here is Culinary Crafts, if you are so inclined!)

4. Have fun!  Remember, planning your wedding should be fun.  You are embarking on a very special and wonderful event in life and your wedding day is the start of that time together.  It will go by so fast and so you should enjoy the planning and time you put into it beforehand had and then really relish the moments during the day of your wedding!  Also, having an awesome caterer, like Culinary Crafts, can help you select the best vendors and also help you coordinate your wedding details to help alleviate some stress, just sayin’! :)   Happy planning everyone!

Check out our NEW website at www.culinarycrafts.com!

Photo credit: Forbes

An Elegant Destination Wedding | Trendy Tuesday

Tuesday, 6 March, 2012

Sometimes, we at Culinary Crafts never get to meet the bride before her wedding and this was definitely the case when Representative Becky Edwards planned an elegant wedding for her son!  The couple chose to have their reception right here in Utah, but the bride had to plan the celebration from Boston – a mere 2,400 miles away!  What more fitting place than the State Capitol Rotunda with pewter and black linens and the perfect Culinary Crafts December menu. Guests were greeted with tray-passed hot cocoa and a station of warm homemade soups (with New England clam chowder as a selection, natch).  We also made sure to give another nod to the bride’s roots with New England crab cakes on grilled ciabatta with bleu cheese coleslaw.  Yum!  Oh, and the dessert!  Ooh la la!  Culinary Crafts’s signature chocolate whoopie pies with our homemade peppermint gelato were a fantastic and delicious treat!  A completely perfect winter event!  Even the flavor-infused waters joined in the celebration of fabulousness!  Check it out!

Congrats to the happy couple!  We were so honored to be able to create this perfect day for a bride so far away!  This is also further proof that if you seek out the best vendors there are, whether you are near or far, you can trust that they will help you create the day you’ve always dreamed of.  Happy planning everyone!

Check out our new website at www.culinarycrafts.com!

Photos courtesy of Logan Walker with CAKE photography

New Website Launch! | Trendy Tuesday

Tuesday, 28 February, 2012

Check out our DELICIOUS new website at www.culinarycrafts.com!