{"id":135,"date":"2011-08-16T09:03:57","date_gmt":"2011-08-15T23:33:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ale.chenonetta.com\/blog\/?p=135"},"modified":"2011-08-16T09:50:07","modified_gmt":"2011-08-16T00:20:07","slug":"wedding-blogging-guest-post-3-by-connell-wood","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ale.chenonetta.com\/blog\/2011\/08\/wedding-blogging-guest-post-3-by-connell-wood\/","title":{"rendered":"Wedding Blogging (Guest Post #3 by Connell Wood)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Oops, didn&#8217;t have stuff ready for today. But luckily, Connell has put together an extra-special guest post this week! I feel really excited and privileged to be able to share this with you all.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>So, today I thought I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122d share with you the creation of the wedding cake for myself and my lovely wife Helena. We\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve been married 3 months already! Time flies when you have an awesome wife~<\/p>\n<p>So, our wedding was very geeky in theme, but not to a degree that it overshadowed the importance of the day. But for the cake, we knew that traditional was not going to cut it. Looking online, we quickly fell in love with the many Mario cakes that people have made over the years. The idea we had was to make a custom wedding topper made to look like us, and place that on top of a cake where each tier had the appearance of a Mario level.<\/p>\n<p>The initial design for the topper was Helena and I high fiving, which we thought would be a very cute idea. To account for our rather amusing height difference, Helena was to be standing on a Mario item box:<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/ale.chenonetta.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/08\/picture-1.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-136\" title=\"Cake Topper\" src=\"https:\/\/ale.chenonetta.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/08\/picture-1-300x230.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"230\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ale.chenonetta.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/08\/picture-1-300x230.jpg 300w, https:\/\/ale.chenonetta.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/08\/picture-1.jpg 983w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>We have a friend who makes his own toys, and had hoped he\u00e2\u20ac\u2122d be able to hook us up with someone who could make a specific resin toy of this design. Sadly, for size we wanted, it was going to be expensive and time consuming, and instead, we found a local cake topper designer who uses wooden pegs and makes custom clothing for each topper, which all looked <a href=\"http:\/\/www.madeit.com.au\/storecatalog.asp?userid=16498\">incredibly cute<\/a>. We sent her descriptions of our clothes (including Helena\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s wedding dress, so I didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t get to see the topper until the night of the wedding), and I designed faces to look closer to my art style than hers:<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/ale.chenonetta.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/08\/picture-21.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-145\" title=\"Topper Faces\" src=\"https:\/\/ale.chenonetta.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/08\/picture-21-300x216.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"216\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ale.chenonetta.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/08\/picture-21-300x216.jpg 300w, https:\/\/ale.chenonetta.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/08\/picture-21.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>With this being made, we had to find a cakemaker who would be up to the challenge of making our cake. A local cakemaker Helena found showed some pretty <a href=\"http:\/\/www.takesthecakesa.com.au\/takesthecakesa\/Takes_The_Cake_SA.html\">amazing talent<\/a>, and once we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122d met her and tasted her cake (oh my god her cakes) we knew we had the right cake craftsperson.<\/p>\n<p>So, I had to design the thing. I wanted each tier to be unique, and thought it would be cute if each level was as if they were connected via pipes, making the entire cake effectively one Mario level. Firstly came a basic planning stage, the cakemaker and I had to come to an agreement on what was feasible based on the limitations of icing. Here\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s the sketch we started with:<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/ale.chenonetta.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/08\/picture-3.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-137\" title=\"Cake Draft\" src=\"https:\/\/ale.chenonetta.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/08\/picture-3-247x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"247\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ale.chenonetta.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/08\/picture-3-247x300.jpg 247w, https:\/\/ale.chenonetta.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/08\/picture-3-844x1024.jpg 844w, https:\/\/ale.chenonetta.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/08\/picture-3.jpg 1629w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 247px) 100vw, 247px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Initially it was only two tiers, but the cakemaker recommended a third (who can say no to more cake?). With that, the top tier was also going to be a cliff rather than the sky and trees I settled on. While the top tier could have been made with a darker brown, it really wouldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t have been as unique as I wanted. \u00c2\u00a0From those decisions, an overall cake plan was determined:<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/ale.chenonetta.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/08\/picture-4.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-138\" title=\"Cake Plan\" src=\"https:\/\/ale.chenonetta.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/08\/picture-4-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ale.chenonetta.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/08\/picture-4-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/ale.chenonetta.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/08\/picture-4-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/ale.chenonetta.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/08\/picture-4.jpg 591w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>With that worked out, I searched for as many Mario images as I could find. I ended up chosing the look of New Super Mario Brothers, the colours in that game have an almost\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6 sugary feel to them already (for want of a better, more correct phrase). The first step was to create the building blocks that I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122d be needing for all the tiers: blocks, goombas, pipes, pirhana plants, and so on:<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/ale.chenonetta.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/08\/picture-5.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-139\" title=\"Goombas and Piranhas and Coins!\" src=\"https:\/\/ale.chenonetta.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/08\/picture-5-300x119.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"119\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ale.chenonetta.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/08\/picture-5-300x119.jpg 300w, https:\/\/ale.chenonetta.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/08\/picture-5-1024x409.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/ale.chenonetta.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/08\/picture-5.jpg 1181w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>And once that was done, I started building Mario levels, which was actually kind of fun! I made sure to keep in as many nods to classic Mario level design as possible. The final designs are quite large, as I designed to scale, so they\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re linked below.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/ale.chenonetta.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/08\/picture-6.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-140\" title=\"Level Design 1\" src=\"https:\/\/ale.chenonetta.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/08\/picture-6-300x35.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"35\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ale.chenonetta.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/08\/picture-6-300x35.jpg 300w, https:\/\/ale.chenonetta.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/08\/picture-6-1024x122.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/ale.chenonetta.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/08\/picture-7.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-141\" title=\"Level Design 2\" src=\"https:\/\/ale.chenonetta.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/08\/picture-7-300x28.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"28\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ale.chenonetta.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/08\/picture-7-300x28.jpg 300w, https:\/\/ale.chenonetta.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/08\/picture-7-1024x97.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/ale.chenonetta.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/08\/picture-8.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-142\" title=\"Level Design 3\" src=\"https:\/\/ale.chenonetta.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/08\/picture-8-300x23.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"23\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ale.chenonetta.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/08\/picture-8-300x23.jpg 300w, https:\/\/ale.chenonetta.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/08\/picture-8-1024x81.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>And with that, the planning was complete! And the result was completely and utterly worth it:<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/ale.chenonetta.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/08\/picture-9.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-143\" title=\"Finished Cake\" src=\"https:\/\/ale.chenonetta.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/08\/picture-9-200x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ale.chenonetta.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/08\/picture-9-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/ale.chenonetta.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/08\/picture-9.jpg 683w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=pJurbxrVTQ4 \">Video Link<\/a><\/p>\n<p>In the end, the cake designer took some liberties in the design, but that was to be expected. I loved how the colours came out, and of course, the taste&#8230; As for the topper, I think it is so damned cute.<\/p>\n<p>Helena and I still have the top tier with the topper on it kept in a case \u00e2\u20ac\u201c the actual tier is Styrofoam, and the sugar icing will keep for a very, very long time. Best wedding cake ever? I think so.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Thanks Connell! I hope you&#8217;ll provide another post about the <em>other<\/em> awesome cakes that made an appearance on the night, too! Every table was graced with its own original cake and an accompanying story. Our table especially enjoyed our Pikmin themed cake, but I couldn&#8217;t resist sneaking over to the Tetris brownie table and playing some pretend Tetris&#8230; I mean, uh, congratulations to you and Helena!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Oops, didn&#8217;t have stuff ready for today. But luckily, Connell has put together an extra-special guest post this week! I feel really excited and privileged to be able to share this with you all. So, today I thought I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122d share with you the creation of the wedding cake for myself and my lovely wife Helena. &#8230; <a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/ale.chenonetta.com\/blog\/2011\/08\/wedding-blogging-guest-post-3-by-connell-wood\/\"><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[11,31,18],"tags":[85,86,87,35,33,89,20,34,88],"class_list":{"0":"entry","1":"post","2":"publish","3":"author-admin","4":"post-135","6":"format-standard","7":"category-behind-the-art","8":"category-colour","9":"category-crafts","10":"post_tag-cake","11":"post_tag-connell","12":"post_tag-connell-wood","13":"post_tag-fan-art","14":"post_tag-geek","15":"post_tag-mario","16":"post_tag-process","17":"post_tag-video-games","18":"post_tag-wedding"},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ale.chenonetta.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/135","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ale.chenonetta.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ale.chenonetta.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ale.chenonetta.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ale.chenonetta.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=135"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/ale.chenonetta.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/135\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ale.chenonetta.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=135"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ale.chenonetta.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=135"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ale.chenonetta.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=135"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}