District Weddings

Kendall’s Cakes… where do I even begin?! I think the easiest way to describe cakes made by Kendall is that they are equally gorgeous as they are delicious. Trust us here at District Weddings when we say your wedding party WILL want a second piece! On top of that (as if it could get any better), Kendall is one of the most kind, warm, and talented people in the business, so working with her is simply delightful.

An honors graduate from L’Academie de Cuisine, Kendall creates all of the cakes for the elegant Hay Adams Hotel and has been noted by several significant DC metro publications. Using only the best ingredients including European-style butter, French chocolates, King Arthur flour and the freshest fruits and berries available, Kendall is sure to create a wedding cake that exceeds all expectations. Read on to hear more from Kendall…

What kinds of questions do you ask a couple when you begin working with them to create the image, design, and flavor for their wedding cake? What kind of information can they initially provide for you?

The very first part of the consultation is simple. We discuss dessert, flavors, textures. What cakes do they just LOVE to eat. I have my favorite flavors (lemon and Tupelo honey…) and they have theirs.

I frequently design new flavors with my couples while we are talking about their cake. We discuss what things about the cake are most important to them. Are there any food allergies? Would they like for me to get the ingredients locally or organic?

Then we go over the details of the wedding. Invitations, dresses, linens, flowers. This is usually where the designs come from. But sometimes the designs come from the venue. The John Hay room at the Hay Adams has a lovely ceiling and I have designed cakes for that room based on the architecture.

I ask the couples to bring with them any details of their wedding that they have ready and any photos of cakes that they are drawn to.  When we are designing the cake I let my couples know that I make my cakes a bit larger than the usual cakes are made at no additional charge to them. I have found that guests want seconds when the cakes taste really good!

What are a few of the most outrageous cakes that you have ever made?

I have been doing some celebrity “heads” as grooms cakes. They are amazing. Ray Lewis saw a photo of the bust of him that I made and wanted to order one right away.

I also made a birthday cake for Maya Angelou that was a copy of the mosaic tiles on the cover of her new book. That was certainly a high point for me in my studio.

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The wedding cake has been a central part of the wedding celebration since the Roman times.  This being said, you can only imagine then how important the act of cutting the cake has become.  Friends, family and photographers alike gather around in the hopes to witness and document this sentimental moment.  But before the bride can demurely cover her husbands face in thick white icing, the cake must be cut.

So what do you cut your beautifully elaborate and expensive cake with?  A regular knife simply will not “cut” it on a special day like today.  Personalized cake knives or knives that go with the theme of your wedding, can add something special to the day and serve as a keepsake for years to come.

Vera Wang for Wedgwood, April Reed Cakes, Waterford

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