Spotlight on: FOOD, part 1

We're going to present these spotlight posts for your enjoyment every once in a while; we've interviewed the people who are helping make our wedding happen, and we're sharing those interviews in groupings. The first one is FOOD...because what's a shindig without great food?! Remember that our dinner itself will be potluck, but lots of treats are being offered and accepted. Here's the first round:

Close up of Baked apple tea from DAVIDsTEA

What is your business’s name? DAVIDsTEA

How can people find you? Stop by one of our stores or visit us at www.davidstea.com

How did you hear about P:P? Through our wonderful Westboro manager, Brian!

What are you contributing to the project? We’ll be serving tea to all the guests.

What made you want to help out with the project? We think that this project is such an incredible idea and wanted to contribute however we could. And the fact that Brian is involved was the icing on the [wedding] cake. 

Pink Flamingo Tea, DAVIDsTEA

What does your business do? We sell loose leaf tea and accessories! We’re trying to bring a tea revolution to Canada, one cup at a time.

How long have you been in business? Almost 3 years! About one year in Ottawa.

What is your favourite thing about weddings? Everything! We absolutely love weddings. From the ceremony to the reception, they’re just fantastic affairs. 

What warms your heart? Why, a nice warm cup of tea, of course!

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The Candy Store

What is your name?  Katie

What is your business’s name?  The Candy Store

How can people find you? We're at 350 Richmond Rd. or thecandystoreottawa.ca or @TCSOttawa on Twitter

How did you hear about P:P?  Let's just say we've got some connections on the inside ;)

What are you contributing to the project? CANDY!! [A candy buffet, to be exact.]

What made you want to help out with the project?  How could we not give malt balls to Jordan on her wedding day?? She won our first ever Candy Memories contest with her malt ball story.

What does your business do? We make life sweeter ;)

How long have you been in business? Since June 2, 2008

What is your favourite thing about weddings? Adding all the personal touches to make it really about the couple.

What do you hate about weddings? That they only *fingers crossed* happen once - we love so many of our clients that we wish we could do a wedding for them every year!

What’s was your most unusual gig/project/product you’ve created?  We've done it all - from pulling together a wedding buffet with less than five days notice, to making a birthday present for the Prime Minister, to sending cotton candy to the Rough Riders - in the candy world nothing is unusual!

How did your business get started? Diane Lenihan, the owner of The Candy Store left dental to pursue a business in her favourite neighbourhood that would make people smile.

What warms your heart? Connecting people with an amazing treat and watching their faces as they take that first bite.

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What is your name? Marta Chartier

What is your business’s name? I don't have one

How did you hear about P:P? : Sue Kent [Jordan’s mom] is a very special friend.

What are you contributing to the project? lots and lots of cookies [Enough to feed everyone instead of cake, as our cake won’t be big enough…and we love the idea!]

What made you want to help out with the project? : Sue has done so much for us I just wanted to help Jordan and Brian anyway I could.

What does your business do? Make my children hate cookies :-) [Note: Marta does not (yet) make her cookies for profit; she is wildly creative with them, however, yet for some reason her children despise them. We find it funny and we don’t mind: more for US.]

What’s was your most unusual gig/project/product you’ve created? Trying to convince my children that my cookies are not poison and are better than the pre-made store bought ones.

What warms your heart? doing something for people that makes them happy, watching my dogs play, my child sleeping past 3am, watching my children do something they were told by the doctor they might never do (Jared reading and Logan making eye contact).

[That warms our hearts, too, Marta.]

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What is your name? : Shakira Whitton & Colleen Rhedey (we are co-owners)

What is your business's name? : Little Cakes Cupcakes

How can people find you? : www.littlecakes.ca

How did you hear about P:P? :  We met Jordan & Brian at the Wed By Hand wedding show. Brian approached us, gave us a flyer and told us about Project Priceless.

What are you contributing to the project?:  We are catering cupcakes for Jordan's bridal shower :)

What made you want to help out with the project? : We admire the couple for taking on this endeavor and we thought maybe if we participated, it would be a challenge to other wedding vendors to pitch in.

What does your business do? : We specialize in cupcakes & cake pops. We cater all events, big and small, and we also bake every order fresh on the day of the event.

How long have you been in business? : Two years.

What is your favourite thing about weddings? : Shakira - I LOVE WEDDINGS so I can't pick one thing. I love seeing the bride walk down the aisle, the dress, the vows, the bouquets, flowers, and touching speeches that make me cry.  / Colleen - Watching the groom’s face when he is watching the bride walk down the aisle.

What do you hate about weddings? :  Shakira - nothing other than my feet hurt at the end of the night :) / Colleen - The greeting line.

What's was your most unusual gig/project/product you've created? : We cater lots of bachelorette parties and we are frequently asked to put fondant 'male private parts' on the cupcakes.

How did your business get started? : We've been friends for over 10 years and we wanted to start a business together that allowed us to operate from home. We did some market research, tested recipes, designed a logo, started a website and a Facebook page, and the rest is history!

What warms your heart? :   Shakira - my 2 children.  / Colleen - Seeing the bride dance with her father.

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What is your name? : Jenny Burgesse

What is your business’s name? : Geek Sweets

How can people find you? : www.geeksweets.net, @geeksweettweets on Twitter, or call me at 613-809-GEEK.

How did you hear about P:P? : I heard about P:P from the lovely Amy Karlin of Splendid Events. She brought up your idea over coffee and I thought it was just brilliant. And wished I had tried it out for my own wedding! ;)

What are you contributing to the project?: I'll be contributing some tasty assorted macarons as wedding favours. They're such a hip and fun cookie right now and I feel I have to spread their chewy crispy, rich sugary gospel out unto the land. Via your wedding.

What made you want to help out with the project? : I remember being a young couple looking to get married and worrying about paying the bills. Also, it's just fun to be a part of Ottawa's foodie community. Everyone's so friendly and helpful, and I enjoy giving back a little in return when I can.

What does your business do? : I create custom cupcakes, cookies, cakes and cake pops for just about anyone who needs a little sweetness in their life. Everything is made from scratch with the freshest Ottawa ingredients, just like grandma used to make. If grandma made cookies shaped like weighted companion cubes and Battlestar Galacticakes. From a specialty Simpsons wedding cake to a dozen halloween brain cupcakes, no order is too big or too small for me. 

How long have you been in business? : I started with a bang last fall when I won Best Decorated cupcake at the Capital Cupcake Camp. It was the big boost I needed to get my small business up and running - and I've been running ever since!

What is your favourite thing about weddings? : I feel like I *should* say the feeling of love in the air, or the coming together of friends and family, but it's totally the food. And the caaaaaaake. Also the dance floor. ;)

What do you hate about weddings? : When vendors gouge you because they see the word 'wedding' or 'bride' and get all glassy-eyed and crazy-pants. "What's that? It's for a wedding? Oh, in that case, this usually $900 is $1,900. Because I'm a JERK."

What’s was your most unusual gig/project/product you’ve created? : The craziest gig I've done lately was making cookies for the celebrity swag bags at the Genie Awards. It was a super fun event and I got to meet some great Canadian actors. Also William Shatner tweeted at me from backstage at the awards ceremony; which he was hosting. It pretty much made my day / year / life.

How did your business get started? : It started off as baking specialty cakes for friends, as most of these things do. Everyone said "you should sell these!" and I finally decided "Yeah, you know what? Maybe I should." Then I drew a little doodle of myself as a cupcake and the rest is geeky baking history. ;)

What warms your heart? : The first flower of spring. The first smile of a new born baby. Fluffy clouds that look like sheep. For real though, my husband. Often on a daily basis. Ooh - also, hot chocolate. *runs to go make some hot chocolate.*

 That's all for FOOD, part 1; stay tuned for more great spotlights!