Bay Area Bridal Shop Directory

One of the starting points in wedding planning, is finding the bridal spot that houses your wedding dress. So for this post, we put together a mini directory of Bay Area bridal and formalwear shops. We've mostly included South Bay locations to help spark the initial hunt. Click on the images below to be directed to each shops website. 

Is there a shop that you recommend? Comment below!

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BAY AREA BRIDAL, CUPERTINO T: (408) 517-5700

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Gabrielle's Bridal Atelier, Campbell T: (408) 370-4999 

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Sarah Seven, San Francisco T: 510-928-4607

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Trudy's Bridal, Campbell T: 408-377-1987

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eDressit Bridal and Formal Wear, San Francisco T: 415-638-6956

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Elegant Lace Bridal, San Jose T: 408.978.2230

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Haute Bride Los Gatos, T: 408 827 4775

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This post was done in collaboration with Rosey Gonzales

Gift Giving and a Q&A with 7SOULfriends

When you're getting married, a first thought would be, who you want to be part of your bridal party. Usually they are close family members and friends, that will support you through the process as they witness the vows you will be making.  These are special people and they probably mean a whole lot to you. 

A simple token of appreciation for your loved ones can be showcased through the giving of a gift. Down below you will read about 7SOULfriends, a company that focuses on creating bracelets that are more than jewelry to wear - but also carry significance per each bracelet made. 

And to make the deal even sweeter 7SOULfriends is offering a 10% discount for those who mention djgwrex.com. With orders larger than 5, special pricing is also available.

7SOULFRIENDS

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How long have you've been running 7SOULfriends?

My friend Jayme and I started 7SOULfriends back in April 2014. 

What inspired you to form 7SOULfriends?

Jayme and I have also been into gemstones, chakra healing and Reiki separately and one day learned we were both into and decided we wanted to learn more. We took classes to gain more knowledge and then wanted to start using gemstones to help us through some tough times we might have been going through. We searched for places to buy them but one day Jayme said we could probably make these ourselves. We bought the material and started making them for ourselves. Our friends and family started asking us about our bracelets and when we told them they wanted us to make them as well. We enjoyed the happiness it brought to them and decided we wanted to share this with anyone wanting to learn and have cute healing jewelry.

What do you think sets you apart from other in your similar industry?

I think what sets us apart from others is that we really take the time to get to know our customers and what they are really looking for. We go from emails, to texts, to phone calls and even rare occasion we might meet up with them to really go into depth for what they are looking for. We want them to be part of this process since it's their piece and their healing. Some don't know much about gemstones and chakras when they come to us but we try to educate them as best we can so so they can continue on their journey when we aren't there. They start out as our customers but in the end they become our friends. That's the best part! 

What goes into the creative process?

Once someone requests a custom piece we typically try to find out what they are trying to attract in their lives, what they want to work on, or if they have specific ailments they need aid with. From there we do research on what stones might work best. We will ask the customer if they will let us take full lead and create something or if they want to be part of the process. If they let us take the lead we create the best possible design and it can take up to a few times to get it right. If they want to be part of the process we still do research on stones unless they've told us what stones they'd like and from their do several designs and show the customer. Once everything has been decided on I will do Reiki on each piece to give it a better energy flow on the gemstones so it can help the person receiving it even more. After we package everything and each bracelet comes with a brief description of each stone we use for their reference. 

Why do you think your bracelets would make a great gift?

We think our bracelets make a great gift because they were especially made for the person wearing it. That's already special in itself whether you're making it for you or someone else. They also go with anything from fancy to casual. 
One of our friends told us "These make the best gifts because they give people hope...NOTHING BEATS HOPE!"

Contact 7SOULfriends 

7soulfriends@gmail.com

www.7soulfriends.etsy.com

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This post was done in collaboration with Rosey Gonzales

FALLING

 

     As the weather changes, and the air becomes brisk, your senses are in tune with the season of Fall. Music speaks to you differently, and your mood begins to change. With that in mind, I bring to you Falling. 

The Recap Pt. 2

It's that time to compile the last few posts we've been doing, into another recap. Starting with our most recent post and working our way to the last recap, please take a quick journey through the information provided in the blog. You never know, you might find something you can use or something worth sharing with someone else. 

Thanks for sticking around with us this far! Don't forget to share and/or comment on this post!

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The Sweet Spot(light) on Bay Area Bakers

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'TILL DEATH DO US PARTY, PLAYLIST

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SPOTLIGHT : REAL ESTATE AGENT - RONNIE LOU HERNANDEZ

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TOP WEDDING PINTEREST ACCOUNTS TO FOLLOW

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Q&A INTERVIEW : WEDDING PLANNERS

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WEDDING DEALS

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THE RECAP PT. 1

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This post was done in collaboration with Rosey Gonzales

The Sweet Spot(light) on Bay Area Bakers

Wedding cakes have been a staple for many, many, many years. However, the tides have been shifting and alternative routes are taken to serve sweet treats in a new way.

We had the pleasure of interviewing two independently owned and operated bakers in the Bay Area. In this post they shared their delight for bridging both the artisan aspect and the palate appeal in the world of baked goods.

Read below and feel free to contact them with further inquiries! And please share and/or comment on this post!

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Pleased To Sweet You

What sparked your interest to get into baking as a business?

My sister Shirley and I wanted to make cute desserts for Shirley's daughter's 1st birthday. We got so many compliments on how cute our cake pops turned out. So, we decided to turn baking into a hobby.

How long have you been in the baking industry?

We have been baking for friends and family for about 4 years.

What are some of your favorite wedding desserts to create?

So far, we have made only cake pops for a few of our friends on their special day. So, I'd have to go with cake pops!

What is the current wedding dessert trend?

A lot of the trends that we see are candy or dessert tables filled with all sorts of sweets like cake pops, cupcakes, cookies, and macarons. I have been to some weddings where the couple chooses to replace the traditional wedding cake with a tier full of cake pops or cupcakes. Some couples still want the traditional wedding cake as their main centerpiece while adding a variety of other desserts. No matter the type of desserts, you'll see that they play a big part in the theme and decor of the wedding.

What makes your product or service different from others?

We strive to achieve two things: cute designs and tasty treats. Not only do we want our treats to look amazing, we want them to taste great too. We work closely with our friends to get the design they want. We're always looking to improve. So, we're always listening and learning to continuously expand our designs and provide the best flavors in our sweet treats.

Do you provide catering services or a display set up for your creations?

We provide a display setup for a weddings. We do not provide catering services.

Connect with Pleased To Sweet You : Email @ pleasedtosweetyou@gmail.com || Facebook || Instagram || Twitter ||

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Sweet Liko Tings

What sparked your interest to get into baking as a business? 

Honestly at first, I didn't even think of making my craft my business. I've always been into baking and cooking even when I was younger, it was just something that  I enjoyed doing. So initially, my intention wasn't always to make it a business. At first, I'd make my bake goods and treats as gifts for friends for different occasions and from there I'd get referred to someone and they wanted me to make something for their events and from then on, I thought to myself this would be a great business to get into since I love to create things for people to enjoy.

How long have you been in the baking industry?

 I've only been baking for 4 - 5 years. I haven't been in the baking Industry for that long, since I am a self taught baker. I never went through culinary school or held a position in that profession.

What are some of your favorite wedding desserts to create?

 Some of my favorite wedding desserts would be cake pops and French Macarons. Cake pops because they are the easiest to make and the detail and time that goes into decorating and customizing them to fit themes for customers challenges you and at the same time, you learn different techniques and how to improve on your skill. French Macarons are in my opinion one of the hardest desserts to make. Everything is a factor on how well these cookies come out. I've gone through so much trial and error to try to get them to come out the way that  I like them to and they didn't always come out the way that I've wanted them to. There are days that I just want to give up on making them but after A LOT of egg whites and almond flour, I can say that I've pretty much mastered it. With the French Macarons, I have also been able to experiment with different flavors and textures. Baking has allowed me to go beyond my comfort zone in creating new and wonderful things to eat! :) who doesn't  benefit from that?

What is the current wedding dessert trend? 

Currently, I'd have to say dessert tables and candy bars are the what's in right now. I don't think I've ever been to a wedding that didn't have that set up. As far as desserts go, There are a whole multitude of desserts that are customized to fit the theme of the event and all of these types of desserts are so detailed that you almost don't want to eat them. Desserts range from cookies, cake pops, cupcakes, pretzel rods, tarts with an assortment of different candy to fill up the candy/dessert bar. Nowadays, buying an entire cake is not nearly as popular as having mini cupcakes or cake pops to hand out to your guests at your wedding.

What makes your product or service different from others? 

I try to incorporate my whole craft into my product as well as my service. I make baked goods for all events as well as customize them to fit my customer's vision. My customers have the option of having my baked goods into something memorable for their guests. I turn all my baked goods into favors complete with customized tags, ribbon, and packaging. This is has been the most popular item so far and mainly used with Macarons. As far as my baked goods, I try to create something out of the ordinary, flavor wise. I wanted to make something different and step out of my box. I specialize in island-inspired flavors such as Haupia (coconut pudding) Li-Hing Mui Mango, Lilikoi (Passion Fruit) Guava, Kona Coffee Crunch to name a few.

Do you provide catering services or a display set up for your creations? 

Yes, I do depending on availability. I usually have a customer consultation beforehand to see exactly what my customer has envisioned for their event and how they wanted to execute it.

Connect with Sweet Liko Tings : Email @ sweetlikotings@yahoo.com || Facebook

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The post was done in collaboration with Rosey Gonzales