The Perfect Reception

by Megan Downey

You've been dreaming about it since you were 5 years old, planning it for years, and obsessing over it for weeks. The perfect wedding reception is almost as important to brides as the perfect groom. Here, local vendors share their top tips to make it unforgettable.

The Perfect Cake

While fondant has become increasingly popular thanks to its finished look and ability to assume almost any shape, the debate between fondant and butter cream is ongoing. "You can make a lot of dramatic statements with fondant, but you have to have a huge sweet tooth for it," says Cathy Fieberg, wedding consultant with The Patisserie in Naperville, the bakery division of Culinary Enterprises and Gaper's Catering. Fondant is twice as sweet and at least double the cost of butter cream.

Color is another consideration: bright icing can look garish, Fieberg says, and to give a cake a dark color, bakers need to use a lot of food coloring that can stain guests' teeth. The hot color combination these days is white on white, with square rather than circular layers, and a few fresh flowers or an elegant bow adding a pop of color.

Flavor selections for both cake and filling have become downright sinful. Summertime welcomes the tart tastes of lemon and strawberry, while carrot, hazelnut and red velvet reign year-round. For more casual, laid-back weddings brides are requesting towers of cupcakes in every flavor under the sun, and some brides have different cakes at each table to enhance the table setting and get guests in on the fun.

Or, you can throw out the whole cake theme altogether and serve something else entirely, like a selection of gourmet pastries or homemade apple pies at an informal backyard reception. As long as you serve some variation of dessert, your guests will be satisfied.

Above all else, make sure your cake is what you want-after all, it's your day!

The Patisserie, Culinary Enterprises,
716 W. 5th Avenue
630.355.1208, www.culinaryenterprises.com

The Perfect Favors

Kernel Fabyan's
Give your guests a pop of flavor with gourmet popcorn. Caramel, cheesy, white cheddar, kettle corn and movie theater butter flavors can be mixed and paired with custom labels and guest boxes. $1.25 to $3.25 per bag depending on type and size of order.

22 E. Chicago Avenue, Ste. 118.
630.717.259, http://kernelfabyans.com

Wayfarer Candle Company
Owner Mike Peek and his staff hand-pour each candle and create personalized labels with wedding details. The Pikake Lei scent is most popular with brides (the Pikake flower is worn by brides in Hawaii). $3.75 each for votives, $4.50 each for travel tins (price includes labels and graphics).

34 W. Jefferson Avenue
630.355.5877, www.wayfarercandles.com

Penzey's Spices
According to Penzey's experts, nutmeg, star anise and rosemary are considered the traditional wedding spices, but the store has hundreds-like Sunny Paris and Cinnamon-to create a unique set for your guests. The store sells spices and glass jars in bulk. Price varies depending on spice; 4-ounce glass jars $1.25 each.

235 S. Washington Street
630.355.7677; www.penzeys.com

Morton Arboretum
For a nature-themed wedding, the Arboretum gift shop has a garden of unique and useful ideas for favors. Check out Eco-Source's Home and Garden indoor herb growing kits for $9.50 or vials of linden honey made from trees on the grounds, from $6 to $8.

4100 Illinois Route 53, Lisle.
630.719.2454; www.mortonarb.org

Naper Nuts & Sweets
Did you and your fiancé find true love over a box of non-pareils at the movie theater? Share it with your guests! At Naper Nuts and Sweets, choose from endless jars of old favorites like Lemonheads, Necco Wafers, Sugar Daddys and Candy Buttons. Store associates can assemble individual gift bags for an additional fee. Stop in or call for pricing.

10 W. Jefferson Avenue, 630.355.5330;
www.napernutsandsweets.com

Sur La Table
This shop is a dream for cooking enthusiasts-and offers a surprising variety of options for culinary-themed favors. A rainbow of Le Creuset spatulas and silicone brushes are at your disposal, as well as S.L.T. mini-whisks and cookie cutters in the shape of wedding gowns and champagne glasses. Prices vary.

55 S. Main Street, Suite 1D
630.428.1110, www.surlatable.com

The Perfect Table Setting
Denise Pape, owner of Weddings by Denise, and Melissa Martija, wedding planner with Chris Owen Events, have planned weddings in the western suburbs for years. Here, they give their top tips for the perfect table setting.

1. Menu cards are a huge hit. Have your calligrapher write a card for each guest in the same stationary as your invitation, or put one larger card at each table.
2. Brainstorm a unique way of displaying place cards-handwritten cards clipped to string with clothespins for a backyard affair, or stuck in potted grass for a nature-themed wedding.
3. Less is more when it comes to centerpieces. Swap expensive orchids with floating votives that add a warm glow to the table. Come up with a creative DIY centerpiece and employ your bridal party to help.
4. With minimal flowers throughout, a single bud tucked in each napkin provides an attractive presentation when guests first arrive at their tables.
5. Whatever you do, upgrade your linens to satin or bichon. It gives a more elegant, finished look to the table.
6. The days of disposable cameras are behind us; to capture intimate moments, rent an old-fashioned photo booth. Digital versions compile a photo cd for the couple at the end of the evening.

Denise Pape, 630.527.1933 or www.weddingsbydenise.com
Melissa Martija, 630.200.0297 or www.chrisowenevents.com

The Perfect Music

The Soloist: Barbara Ann Fackler, Harp
For more than 30 years, Fackler has been performing beautiful music for wedding receptions-and not just your traditional Pachelbel's Canon. Her repertoire includes rock and roll, folk tunes, Slovenian waltzes and even Beatles songs.

"Music choices are as specific as your favorite color, and I can play just about anything," she says.

In addition to a long-standing gig with the Marriott in Lincolnshire, Fackler's performed at all of the standard wedding reception locations around Naperville. She encourages brides to be specific about what they would like to hear, and guest requests are always welcome.

"I never get bored and I never run out of music," says Fackler, who has more than 20 hours of music under her belt. "People won't remember what they ate for dinner, they won't remember the flowers, but they'll remember the music."

630.665.6098, http://hornandharp.com

The Trio: Trio Caprice
Anne Kreft (flute), Ann Hendrickson Griffin (violin) and Mara Gallagher (cello) have been playing together for 10 years, and have more than 50 years of combined experience. Naturally, they've experienced their fair share of wedding day surprises.

"At a ceremony in the backyard of a private residence, it was raining so hard, the couple actually had to convert the garage into a chapel," says Kreft, the trio's manager.

The group has also come across some unusual requests-like Hedwig's Theme for a Harry-Potter-themed wedding. They regularly perform Irish jigs, opera, tangos, waltzes, pop tunes, and even some Disney, along with the traditional wedding classics.

"There's just nothing like live, acoustic music," Kreft says. "It really speaks to your soul."

630.712.5458, www.triocaprice.com

The DJ: Sounds Abound
Can't decide whether to go folk or Phantom, classical or calypso? You don't need to if you book a DJ with Sounds Abound. The company has thousands of MP3s on file that cover every genre imaginable-and some you've probably never heard of (yacht rock, anyone?).

With more than 20 DJs on staff, you can choose someone whose personality fits your needs and your crowd. Some have toured with bands, others run recording studios. And none of them is shy when it comes to entertaining a crowd.

Sounds Abound offers an impressive selection of packages that can include computerized light shows, smoke machines, and even an old-fashioned photo booth.

630.718.1152, www.soundsabound.com