Noly and Dave's Wedding & My 1st Wedding Cake!!!

I last left you, knowing about my insurmountable soreness Mike and I were going through, on our 7 hour car ride, to South Florida at 2 in the morning. Thankfully we made it safe, sound, and with all of the wedding cake intact. After we unloaded the car, and stowed the cake safely in Mike's mom's kitchen, 

we passed our faster than I've ever fallen asleep before. 

The next day we woke and made the executive decision to let our sore bodies have a day off from working out, and get started on the long process of icing the multiple layers of cake. We headed out to first wash all those dang Love Bugs off my car (thanks UF for creating the bugs that are only good at dying upon a wind gust and eating the paint off of really nice cars...) and then went to get the finishing supplies needed to make the buttercream for the cake.

Nothing special to show on this day, due to the fact that we only did the crumb coats and outside layers on the cakes and decided to decorate the following day. We finished the day with a nice meal and got some shut eye so Mike and I could head out to the beach the next morning for a Beach workout!

The next morning we got up, made our protein shakes, and laced up our shoes to go run some miles on the beach. It was a beautiful morning out, with blazing rays of sun shining down on us as we completed 6 miles divided between the sidewalk beside the beach, and the actual sand. Running on the soft sand is some of the hardest leg work you can do, however, it feels great on your knees and takes off so much pressure. We did a couple plyometric sets and headed home for some lunch. After eating an apple with a sandwich, it was time for the decorating to begin.

Bottom tier, simple and elegant...

Then the middle tier...

To honor FSU with the Garnet and Gold ribbon...

and for the grand finale, the top tier...

This took a while to pipe, so I saved it for the smallest layer. Also because I knew this is what the bride and groom would keep :)

After this, we headed to the Palm Beach Gardens Mall. I needed some fresh air from decorating all day long, Mike wanted to get a professional shave done at 'The Art of Shaving' (awesome store and great products for men) and I had heard they had a Lululemon store and had to check it out!!!

Mike getting pampered, haha, he is so cute.

It was a nice way to try and calm my nerves about the looming 'stacking of the cakes' at the wedding, and I'm glad Mike and I got to spend some quality time together.

On the day of the wedding I was a nervous wreck. Mike and I loaded up the car, and basically froze ourselves, so the car would stay cold enough not melt any of the buttercream on the cake. The restaurant said we could start setting up at 4 o'clock on the dot and not a second earlier so we headed to Miami around 1:45. We thought we would have time to check into our hotel first, but traffic in Miami was so congested, we headed straight to the wedding venue. We arrived right on time and set up went well with only slight fix-ups needed, and best of all, my nightmares did not come true. I had been dreaming the entire week that once we put the cakes on top of each other, they would either topple to the ground or collapse inside each other. Luckily, this was not the case and I actually was starting to feel proud of what I saw...

TAAA DAAAAA!!!!

I was so elated, but had absolutely no time to fixate on the cake, because the ceremony was in 30 minutes and I was covered in buttercream iced clothes, and needed to change. Good thing all of our stuff was in the car parked outside because there was no time to go to the hotel and change, so we got out our stuff, and made a quick outfit switch in the bathrooms at the restaurant, and were able to witness two our of very dear friends get married without missing a beat.

Beautiful arch looking onto Miami

Ocean View

Then the wedding party started to walk down the aisle...

The groom Dave, in a dashing white tuxedo...

My beautiful friend Noly, who looked amazing in her dress. I could have sworn I saw some of the fraternity boys of Dave's choke back some tears.

I tried to video their vows but the file was too big and I had to upload it in two parts. The next video might be the first one so play that first if this one sounds like it isn't in sequential order.

It was a beautiful ceremony and an even better reception. The tables were decorated with a beachy theme and Mike and my table cards were on starfish!

And they spelled my name right! Thats the sign of a true friend. Everyone always spells it Hillary (with two 'l's )

Too cute! They also sat everyone at tables with memories they each had experienced with those particular people and had adorable signs made to explain them.

Since Mike and Dave are fraternity brothers, and that is where Noly and I met, it was fitting to be at the Phi Kappa Tau table. The night went off without a hitch and the cake went over really well, thank goodness. I, of course have my own critiques on how it tasted, but you learn a little every time you complete a new task, right? I was just so incredibly grateful that Noly let me contribute something so special to them, on a day that will be in their memories forever. I wish you both the best of luck, and I know your lives will be filled with great achievements and best of all, each other!

I also need to thank my amazing boyfriend, and personal assistant for this feat, Mike, for helping me, putting up with me, and at times, just explaining to me that my best is my best and I can't do it better :) He is truly the only one who could have kept me from having an aneurysm from this cake.