big budget kids party
Anne of Clafoutis reached out to us to provide tables and chairs for a Thursday birthday party at the Pier 62 Carousel in Chelsea, NYC. The decor elements combined gingham, florals, and stripes to achieve a whimsical carousel themed sixth birthday.
Design + Style: @Clafoutisny
When the decision was made to start Petite Seats, I decided event planning would be a thing of the past and my free time would be devoted only to a rental company. Well fast forward to the present . . . I am planning events. Not just any events, but specifically over-the-top kids party. I fell in love with planning kids birthday parties last January when I produced a Safari themed 5th birthday extravaganza. I'm actively planning a super cute ombre infused, pink Union Jack, first birthday fete for a precious little girl named Londyn. The big event is next weekend and I wanted to share several aspect of the party with our blog readers. First up is the stationery suite designed by the amazingly talented Vannesa, of Vanessa Grant Events.
BANNER OPTIONS
CENTERPIECE ELEMENTS
WOODEN PLAQUE
INVITATION
We had the pleasure of interviewing Laury Saldana, owner and baker of NYC's There Should Always Be Cake. Laury was kind enough to answer a few questions, in spite of her super, busy schedule. We are so appreciative!
Years in the Business: 3
You’ve been in the Arts industry for many years. As a seasoned professional do you feel it’s a necessary requirement to have certifications or affiliations to go along with your title? Yes, I believe being talented on its own its excellent but having certification is what gives you that extra confidence and its also that extra tool that allows your customers to trust that they are dealing with a professional.
As a little girl did you envision yourself being a baker? What was your dream job back then? As a little girl I never even thought about it lol!!! I was born in NYC and my mom sent me to live to Dominican Republic when I was 10 years old. At that age I remember making and enjoying all sorts of confections like taffy also known as canquiña in Dom Rep, candied fruit (dulce de toronja, dulce de naranja), flan, dulce de leche, etc. I came back to the US at the age of 16 and also found myself voluteering my desserts and cakes at every family and friend's gatherings, without realizing this was my passion. I came to that conclusion years later when I decided to attend culinary school.
What’s your current obsession? Well... I think that would be cake stands and china lol!! I have a collection of over 120 cake stands. They are just so pretty to me and add that special final touch to your finished cake.
What’s your must have fashion need, particularly when you are baking? My must have fashion need is a fabulous handbag lol!! I don't necessarily need it for baking but I can for sure bring my Chanel to the wholesale market when I buy my cake ingredients lol!!!!
What would you like to learn to do? Photography!!!! I would love to learn how to photograph. I bought a super high tech camera and have no clue how to use it lol!!! I want to be able to take a shot of a simple green pea and allow it to say a million things when someone looks at the photo.
Do you admire anyone’s style (i.e., fellow bakers)? Oh yes!!! A few I totally admire are Elisa Strauss at Confetti Cakes, Stevi Auble at Hey There Cupcake, Peggy Porschen. Those are just a few I can think of.
I am a magazine junkie and I read multiple ones each month. What are your three favorite sources for inspiration? I absolutely love flowers and sugar flowers are my to go item when I want to glam up a cake. So to find inspiration I love to take a stroll sometimes at the botanical garden or page through botanical books, specially flower ones. Also, since I am a flight attendant as well, I love to travel and use the different architectural structures I see as inspiration. And last but not least, fabrics!!! I love couture, so looking at different fabrics helps me find inspiration when constructing cakes.
What lead you to setup shop for yourself? What was your motivation? My motivation was mainly the effect my creations have on people. It gives me great satisfaction to see how happy I can make people with my work and this is what motivates me every single day.
You have developed a well known brand; you name is synonymous with opulently created desserts. What do you think are the three most important skills needed to be successful in building a company brand? Perfection which is achieved by working super hard and making sure your work is flawless top to bottom even if it takes a million hours to finish. Love for what you do, since that is what motivates you to wake up every morning and create something that will make people happy. And perhaps the most important, a great team because you can't do it on your own. Your team is what keeps you running and acknowledging their hard work every single day is what makes your brand solid and successful.
What has been the biggest frustration in your career? To be quite honest... I don't have any yet because I love what I do. That's not to say I won't ever have any, but for now I am quite happy 😊
In need of a uniquely designed sweet treat contact the Bronx's own There Should Always Be Cake.
All Photos Are From Laury's Instagram Page @LSALDANACAKES
Gone are the days when children's parties consist of a homemade cake, a few streamers, a dozen balloons, and extended family gathering around the kitchen table as everyone sings an off key "Happy Birthday" song. Today, parents are spending more on their little ones celebrations which creates a niche market for special events business owners to thrive. The sky's the limit and parents want nothing more than to host a party their children will remember for a lifetime.
Our all time favorite over-the-top celebration for little girls can be had at the world renowned Plaza Hotel in New York City. An Eloise themed birthday party at the Plaza Hotel includes one of five options and a list of upgrades. The packages are included below:
Photo Credit: www.judithrae.com
