A Week at Custom Cakes in Savannah!

In early October, I had the wonderful opportunity to visit Minette Rushing, of Custom Cakes in Savannah, Georgia. When I was at Custom Cakes last March for the class with Ron Ben-Israel, I was overwhelmed by Minette's gracious hospitality and her genuine encouragement and support of me building my cake design business. Since that class, Minette has become a wonderful business mentor, and a very dear friend.



Minette graciously offered to host me during one of their busiest weeks of the wedding season, to allow me to gain a better understanding of how a custom cake business is run...including daily operations, production schedules, staffing, consultations and working with customers, supplies, deliveries, marketing and networking! It was an amazing opportunity, and an absolutely invaluable week of learning for me.



I was also happily included in the preparation of some of the decorations for a few of the wedding cakes that week. I "helped" by working on sugarpaste flowers, leaves, petals and bow loops as best I could...although I really I spent most of my time asking questions and standing around in awe of the talent in the shop!

Ashlee's amazing groom's cakes:





Some of Kerry's beautiful cake details:





My workspace:



Rose petal cake topper:



Phalaenopsis orchids drying:



At the end of the week, Minette and I drove out to the beautiful Ford Plantation to deliver one of the wedding cakes. The parts of the huge property (1800 acres!) we drove through were stunning, and it was a wonderful treat to be there!

The Ford Plantation Main House:



The view from the back of the Main House...look at the weather rolling in! :



The gorgeous trees filled with moss:



The wedding cake we delivered:



The week passed by too quickly, and once all of the cakes were delivered, it was time for me to head back home! My many, many thanks to all of Minette's staff for allowing me to take part in their busy week and for (I'm sure) disrupting their streamlined production schedule.

And my heartfelt gratitude to Minette (and Jim!) for taking such wonderful care of me, and for sharing so much time and information with me.

Minette, I can't thank you enough for the fabulous week and the positive impact it had on me while I was there, and the tremendous impact it will have on my business!