I’ve been making wedding cakes full time since 2010, but like many of us, it took me a long time to figure out what I wanted to do with my life. I thought about becoming a lawyer, but after working as a paralegal, I found it wasn’t for me. I tried the real estate business, but that was also not quite right. But when I found a job as an office manager at a small bar and restaurant, that clicked.  I loved the excitement and drive behind the hospitality industry.

I spent over 10 years learning everything about the restaurant industry and realized hospitality was my destiny. But then I started baking in my spare time, mostly to handle the stress. My first cake was from a box mix, but soon I was making chocolate truffles, trailing pastry chefs, creating sugar flowers, and doing sculpted cakes with fondant. My “Aha” moment came when I was watching a documentary about wedding cake designers. I saw the care and passion they put into creating these stunning creations, tiered beauties meant to symbolize love and commitment, and I knew that was what I wanted to do. 

I reached out to one of the designers from the documentary, Ruth Drennan, and took a class with her. We became friends and she became my mentor. From there, I enrolled at the Institute for Culinary Education, attending their pastry program at night, while interning with Ruth and working at the restaurant during the day. 

After culinary school, I learned about A Simple Cake, a custom cake business owned by Gail Watson, a company founded on the premise that beautiful wedding cakes could be affordable. I continued to work in restaurants and do cakes on the side, but then in 2017, I got an e-mail that set my whole life on a new course. It was A Simple Cake; Lauren White, who had taken over the business from Gail. She was wondering if I was interested in acquiring the business. It was full circle, and it was at the perfect time. I was ready for change. 

I officially acquired A Simple Cake at the end of 2017, and then in 2018 became pregnant with twins. So really, I had three babies: two children and one business. During COVID, I baked Quarantine Cakes and started doing all sorts of mini-cakes for pandemic-era weddings on stoops, in parks, and on rooftops. Finally, in May 2021, we were back in full swing, baking simple, stunning cakes for all sorts of weddings, both big and small. 

I’ll leave you with one last thought: I love what I do. I love the intimacy of the wedding—the beginning of a lifetime for a couple. There is such sweetness there, both in the cake and in the love between two people starting their lives together. Being a part of the big day is truly an honor. I hope to be able to work with you to create the cake of your dreams.