Dessert Meets Design: Southern Weddings Sneak Peek

I teamed up with the creative team that I collaborated with for the Graphic + Glitz (Part I and Part II) shoot again, and we created an inspirational wedding for Southern Weddings Magazine. The issue landed in mailboxes last week, and is probably on newsstands across the country by now, so I figured I'd share a few pics of the spread.

I'll be back in a hot second to share some lovely, detailed close ups of our shoot. See you soon!

images: paper antler.

Holiday Recipe Heaven: Day 2 - Pear Cranberry Hand Pie

Yesterday, was the first day of the Holiday Recipe Heaven series. Today, I'm back with a fabulous spin on mini pies. Food & Wine's Pear Cranberry Hand Pie is a self-contained, flaky wonder. Isn't this pic by I Want the Pie just gorgeous? As genius as this idea is, it's made even better because the recipe calls for a store-bought crust.

Sweet Floral Centerpiece

Event planner to the stars, Preston Bailey, shared this great floral centerpiece idea yesterday on his blog. Preston created a pretty floral pie for a Williams-Sonoma event.

Simply fill a ceramic pie dish with roses or any other berry-hued flower of your choice. Reds, blues, and plums would look great. If you don't already have one of these dishes, check discount retailers like TJ Maxx. You can also paint the outside of a plain white ceramic pie pan to match a golden crust. Using golden ribbon, create a crisscross pattern to mimic a lattice pie crust.  

Voila! You have an easy, fun centerpiece for your holiday meals.

Very Crusty, Thanksgiving Style

I thought pie options applied only to fillings. You're as likely to find a pumpkin pie or apple variety at the Thanksgiving table as you are a pecan. But I never realized that the crusts themselves could vary so much. Cluster the pies around simple bowls of fruit and candles for the guests who want something a little more healthy for dessert to create an easy tablescape. A display this lovely would be a show-stopper on an all-pie dessert table. These almost look too good to eat. Almost.

Pumpkin Desserts

These pumpkin desserts are perfect for any fall event. The pumpkin muffins would be an easy make-ahead breakfast goodie for Thanksgiving guests, and the pumpkin pudding-filled pumpkins would look great next to each dinner guest's plate.