This weeks interview features Karen Rowe from It Tops The Cake. Karen is located in Rome, New York.

Tell us a little about yourself.
I live in Central New York with my husband and our two cats Frodo and Delilah. After our wedding in 2009, I found myself wanting to create wedding items for others, and thus It Tops the Cake was born. I have always loved arts and crafts, but floral arrangement never jumped out at me until I needed to create cake toppers for my own wedding cake!

What special things do you create for weddings?
I create silk floral wedding cake toppers for cakes of all shapes and sizes! I love mixing different kinds of flowers to create unique looks that florists using real flowers might not be able to achieve. While cake toppers are what I consider to be my specialty, I can also create custom bouquets, boutonnieres, and corsages for brides who want all of their flowers to be beautifully arranged with silk.

Who or what sparked your interest in making wedding-related items?
As a young bride, I was always looking for ways to save a little money! I found that by using silk for different aspects of my wedding, I could have a high class look for a small price point and still have beautiful looking flowers!

What is a little known fact, or something unique about your work that is interesting?
One little known fact about my work is that making smaller arrangements is actually much more difficult than larger arrangements, but most people request smaller cake toppers! I have had to come up with different techniques to achieve that smaller size, but each topper poses a challenge!

If you are married, what’s the one thing you wish you had for your wedding that you didn’t?
I had a pretty good wedding, though I tend to be a perfectionist so thinking back I can remember all of the things that didn’t go as planned! I think I would have liked to have a different dress to be honest! I lost a bunch of weight before the wedding and the dress I picked needed to be taken in. Needless to say, I didn’t look quite the way I had envisioned myself, but I think everything else turned out great.

What is your favorite wedding song?
There are so many good songs! I would have to say Shout! by the Isley Brothers. Everyone runs to the dance floor and just has a blast dancing.

What trends do you see happening in your specialty at the moment?
It’s difficult to peg any trends, because we’re in the middle of the holiday season and not many people are thinking about their weddings. However, most couples are looking for roses and gerbera daisies, but hydrangea is becoming very popular.

What is your favorite part of the wedding journey?
Walking down the aisle )

What advice can you share for all the brides getting married this year?
Stay organized! I created a wedding binder with sections for each aspect of my wedding with a spot for receipts. Keeping a list of things you need to get done is key to assuring that you don’t miss a step before the big day!

What is your perfect honeymoon spot?
I never got to go on my honeymoon ( I’m sure it will happen some day, but I would like to go to Hawaii or to Paris!

If you could pick anyone famous that would purchase your items for their wedding, who would they be?
I can’t think of a specific person, but I would want someone who would appreciate the longevity of silk over the quick life span of real flowers.

If you could choose 1 item from your shop that you wish every bride could have, what would it be?
Since most of my toppers are unique, I would want every bride to have the perfect silk arrangements that met their every expectation!

What are some of your favorite shops on Etsy, wedding or otherwise?
I would encourage all brides to check it out! I also love BeadfloraJewels on etsy. Her work in absolutely stunning and I wish I had the patience to create pieces like hers!

To learn more about It Tops The Cake visit:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/ItTopsTheCake
http://facebook.com/ittopsthecake
http://twitter.com/ittopsthecake

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