Simple, Elegant Wedding Favor

As my first time joining a challenge, I'm certainly glad I did!!  What an exciting first!  I thoroughly enjoyed testing my design abilities--especially since I've not been lucky enough to be tasked with making wedding cookies!

I do sell cookies as part of my bakery, so my first goal during this challenge was to explore different ways that would save time and profit, yet maximize wow factor and be in my mid pricing range.  I also knew that this favor required simple elegance that made a statement and evoke a memory of the special day for the cookie recipient.

After baking the heart-shaped cookies, and completing the edible lace making process to allow for adequate drying, I used marshmallow fondant rolled and cut to the shape of the cookie using the same cutter, attached the fondant with a light brushing of corn syrup, then stamped the fondant with a date stamp (from a snap-together number and letter set), and larger patterned stamp to achieve a pillow/quilted effect.  

Then, I painted the stamped intersections with 2 Poppy Paints - 1 is a metallic (gold) poppy paint in a color that would coordinate with the peach and the pale pinks of the wedding palette.  The other, at the center of each metallic floral medallion is a paintbrush dot of Unicorn Elixir color of Poppy Paint, which gives a very nice jeweled effect that captures both the pale pink palette and adds a very light blue hue.  As opposites on the color wheel, this light blue makes any orange family colors really pop!  (Metallic "glitterizing" cookies never hurts either!  It would certainly be an event if I DIDN'T add some sort of bling to all of my work, but I did restrain myself from using Sugar Art's white diamond dust--my absolute favor decoration element in the whole world.)

I also used fondant for the leaf, but I piped royal icing rosette transfers, which can be mass produced quickly, then also added to finished cookies quickly.  I added a touch of Unicorn Elixir Poppy Paint to the pale pink rosettes to tie in the colors to the bridal palette.

My packaging is a simple clear box purchased from Amazon.  And the edible lace is a strip simply placed behind the cookie and adhered with a light brushstroke of corn syrup in the center in case the box is tilted up.  So, every bit is edible except the clear box.  And it's pretty tasty, if I do say so myself.

I was surprised how quickly it came together and am very pleased with the result, both in pretty cookie and time saving experience!  It's hard to stop embellishing, but I think in this case, simple is more elegant and definitely makes a statement with just the date and a simple flower (ok, maybe a few more than one. lolz).  It would certainly give me pause to recollect the day's lovely event before I ate the cookie!

I hope I haven't forgotten to add anything, but please feel free to ask me any questions!

Love it, Bev - especially the clever and beautiful addition of edible lace in the box!

I also like the edible lace addition to the box. I've never tried fondant on cookies. Do you buy premade fondant or make your own?

@Kyra Manthe posted:

I also like the edible lace addition to the box. I've never tried fondant on cookies. Do you buy premade fondant or make your own?

Thank you, @Kyra Manthe!  I make my own marshmallow fondant, that way I can adjust flavoring additions, sugar ratio, etc. depending on ambient temps.  When it is more humid, I need a bit more powdered sugar; other days I don't have the right amount of mini marshmallows. lolz

@Julia M. Usher posted:

Love it, Bev - especially the clever and beautiful addition of edible lace in the box!

Thank you, @Julia M. Usher, that's very kind of you to say!

Elegant cookie BevH @BevH. I love the gold coloring on the flowers. That edible lace has a nice touch. Great job.

Congrats to your first challenge!
Simple elegance - but still wonderfully thought out, adapted to the colors and above all wonderfully described! Love the edible lace too. Very great dear cookie friend!! ❤️  @BevH

Such a beautiful wedding cookie @BevH!! I love the intricate fondant work of the diamond shapes with the subtle stamped date of the "wedding". You definitely accomplished the goal of combining elegance with the emphasis on simplicity for mass production in order to maximize profit. That can be very challenging to do!! I also sell cookies and know how difficult it can be to create that balance between detail and profitability. I struggle with it all the time!!!! I almost always end up on the short side of the profitibility scale. Ugh. Lots to learn in that area.

I really appreciated your focus for this challenge, Bev, as I don't think there's enough emphasis on how to make a cookie selling business more profitable when there's so much time that goes into decorating! When I ship my cookies I'm always very detailed and careful to package in order to prevent breakage of any kind. That gets expensive, too!!

Awesome work ❤️❤️❤️ Hugs...

@Icingsugarkeks posted:

Congrats to your first challenge!
Simple elegance - but still wonderfully thought out, adapted to the colors and above all wonderfully described! Love the edible lace too. Very great dear cookie friend!! ❤️  @BevH

Thank you, @Icingsugarkeks!  Simple is not easy by any means.  It actually requires more careful consideration, so thank you for that appreciation too!

@Cookies Fantastique posted:

Such a beautiful wedding cookie @BevH!! I love the intricate fondant work of the diamond shapes with the subtle stamped date of the "wedding". You definitely accomplished the goal of combining elegance with the emphasis on simplicity for mass production in order to maximize profit. That can be very challenging to do!! I also sell cookies and know how difficult it can be to create that balance between detail and profitability. I struggle with it all the time!!!! I almost always end up on the short side of the profitibility scale. Ugh. Lots to learn in that area.

I really appreciated your focus for this challenge, Bev, as I don't think there's enough emphasis on how to make a cookie selling business more profitable when there's so much time that goes into decorating! When I ship my cookies I'm always very detailed and careful to package in order to prevent breakage of any kind. That gets expensive, too!!

Awesome work ❤️❤️❤️ Hugs...

Thank you, @Cookies Fantastique, that's very kind of you to say!  You're quite right--profitability is possibly the biggest challenge of a cookie business.  How does the saying go...we gain experience 5 minutes after we need it?  Never more so than how we can maximize profits yet maintain beauty and taste in our cookies!

@Zeena posted:

Elegant cookie BevH @BevH. I love the gold coloring on the flowers. That edible lace has a nice touch. Great job.

Thank you @Zeena!  Blinging a cookie is one of my favorite things about cookie decorating!

I really like how you thought through the whole process of minimizing costs while still creating an elegant wedding favor as per the customer's specifications. Using a stamped pattern is a very smart way to create a wonderful detail that isn't too time-consuming. And the painted accents add just the right touch of understated elegance. I can imagine the guests admiring the lace in the packaging, and being pleasantly surprised that it, too, is edible. The whole thing came together nicely, and it shows that you put a lot of thought into it. After all costs were considered, do you think something like this would be a profitable endeavor for your business?

@Sweet Prodigy posted:

I really like how you thought through the whole process of minimizing costs while still creating an elegant wedding favor as per the customer's specifications. Using a stamped pattern is a very smart way to create a wonderful detail that isn't too time-consuming. And the painted accents add just the right touch of understated elegance. I can imagine the guests admiring the lace in the packaging, and being pleasantly surprised that it, too, is edible. The whole thing came together nicely, and it shows that you put a lot of thought into it. After all costs were considered, do you think something like this would be a profitable endeavor for your business?

Thank you, @Sweet Prodigy, you're very kind.  Designing the entire project as if I were working on a real client order, it was almost an "easier" process to have the price cap before the design.  So for me, this particular project would be quite an earner for my business.  

I can hardly wait for the next challenge!  This challenge really ignited some creativity I didn't know I had!

@BevH posted:

Thank you, @Sweet Prodigy, you're very kind.  Designing the entire project as if I were working on a real client order, it was almost an "easier" process to have the price cap before the design.  So for me, this particular project would be quite an earner for my business.  

I can hardly wait for the next challenge!  This challenge really ignited some creativity I didn't know I had!

@BevH That is awesome to hear!

solid design for mass production!