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Vendor Spotlight: B Sweet Designs

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Back in the day wedding planning was pretty easy, (at least from what we’ve heard…). That’s because every wedding pretty much followed the same rules. Pick a date. Pick a place. Pick a dress. Pick a cake. Get married. Finito!

These days, when it comes to picking your options, things are a bit more involved than they were in the good old days. One of the things that seems to be getting harder and harder to decide on is dessert! Do you go traditional and stick with a fabulous cake? Or perhaps go a touch more modern and opt for cupcakes instead? Then there’s cake pops and individual mini cakes…. Hmm. But what if you want to ditch the cake idea all together?! Well then the options are really endless! There’s pie. So many flavors of pie! And what about donuts?? And candies! And chocolates?! And donut flavored chocolates and candy flavored donuts!! What’s a girl to do?!

In the days of 2019, we have a solution. And that solution is… PICK ALL OF THEM! Every sweet your little heart desires! And there’s truly no better woman to help your sugarplum dreams come true than Marisa Battaglia, owner of B Sweet Designs! Marisa sleeps, breathes and eats (well, obviously) sweets! She creates the most incredible custom dessert tablescapes that your taste buds could only ever imagine. Marisa takes all of the delicious desserts that your sweet tooth is craving and turns them into one giant extraordinary edible display of beautiful chocolate and candy coated daydreams. You’ll be swimming in a lovely sea of custard, floating along on a big cakey donut ring, tossing bonbons into your mouth and eating caramel corns like they were blueberries. And the best part is, you don’t have to lift a finger except to grab another bite sized cannoli. Marisa does everything for you.

We love Marisa and her amazing dessert table displays so much that we absolutely had to feature her wonderful business, B Sweet Designs, as one of our Vendor Spotlights. She’s such an awesome person and she really loves what she does! And really loves weddings! And really loves sweets! Which is probably why she’s so darn good at making dreams come true for her sweet craving brides! We talked with her all about her unique business, her eye for design and herself! Read on to learn more about B Sweet Designs and the woman behind the table!

How would you describe yourself in three words or less?

Happy :-)

Tell us a little bit about B Sweet Designs!

At B Sweet Designs, we specialize in custom dessert tables for weddings and special events! We like to be as “full service” as possible, so we provide everything from custom designed desserts and candy, to themed decor, serveware, scoops/tongs, treat bags, custom signage and tags, linens, delivery, setup and tear down. We can even provide custom designed backdrops! I like to say that desserts, no matter what the occasion, should be as dressed up as the guests at a party. Desserts are one of the last things your guests will taste and see at your event, leaving that ever-lasting impression. It’s really important to us that your desserts not only taste great, but look incredible as well.

How did you decide to start your own business?

After graduating college with a degree in Journalism and Marketing, I dove head first into the corporate world. I worked in Design & Marketing for about five or six years and developed a foundation that has certainly guided me throughout this whole process of starting a business. But I’ve always had that entrepreneurial itch inside of me and knew a 9-5 desk job just wasn’t going to cut it anymore. After planning my own wedding out of the country and seeing how my guests reacted to our dessert table, I just knew in that moment that I needed to bring custom dessert tables to the Buffalo/WNY area (my hometown, born & raised)! It’s been over four years and we’ve designed countless tables for all sorts of events, from weddings and showers, to corporate events, holiday parties and everything in between!

How do you go about creating the perfect dessert table display for each couple? Share your process :)

The first thing we do before even considering what the dessert table is going to look like is we meet with our couples/clients face-to-face (my favorite part!). I am a big believer in meeting in person. I just think it’s so important to get to know my couples’/clients’ personalities and get a feel for who they are because when I design, I design with them in mind. We discuss all sorts of details about their big day, from tablescape design to dessert and candy preferences, theme/color palette, florals, etc. Every aspect of their wedding or special event is important because every last detail helps me coordinate the design of the dessert table perfectly with the style of the event! We then spend the time between our first meeting and the actual event just brainstorming and throwing around ideas, coming up with new dessert designs, etc. And once we’ve settled on a layout (which varies greatly) and specific desserts (based on preference), we lay it all out and finalize any remaining details. We also love collaborating with other creatives in the area such as florists, backdrop and signage artists, linen rental companies, etc. to really bring the dessert table to the next level! On the day of, you’ll usually see us picking up our custom desserts all around the city, delivering everything to the venue, setting up the display, putting our final touches on everything and coming back at the end of the night to tear everything down! The best part is getting to see our couples’/clients’ faces when they see their dessert table for the first time. We don’t always get so lucky, but when we do, it reminds us why we do what we do :-)

What sets you apart from other sweet shops in the Buffalo area?

We’re a dessert table design business, so we provide a variety of custom designed desserts from bakeries and chocolatiers all across the Buffalo/WNY area. It’s completely based on preference, so we’re able to provide almost endless options of flavors and varieties. We work with each bakery to design every last detail of each dessert, right down to the way the gold leaf and sprinkles, for instance, are placed on a doughnut or the way the frosting is piped onto a cupcake! What I love is that our couples/clients get to offer their guests a variety of sweets, from baked goods to gourmet chocolates and candies, you name it and we can probably make it happen! Our tables usually consist of anywhere from 9-12 varieties of desserts and candies when all is said and done. What’s even better, our dessert tables also act as a piece of decor. Each dessert item is carefully thought out and placed strategically on the table to bring a cohesive design to life. And the best part…no two tables are ever the same!

What is it about Buffalo that makes you love living and working here?

I was born and raised in Buffalo, so I may be biased, but I just feel like we breed the most generous, hard-working, kindhearted people. I’m also really close with my family, even my extended family, so I’m really grateful that I get to do what I love every day in a city where I can be so close to the support of my loved ones.

What is your favorite thing to do in Buffalo?

If I’m being honest, it’s probably eating, lol! Buffalo has the BEST food! Brunch is my fav ;-)

Summer or Winter??

Summer (it IS wedding season after all!)

What is your favorite part about what you do?

I really love getting to know my couples/clients. I love getting to know their stories, especially my brides’ and grooms’ love stories. Being asked to create a custom dessert table just for them and to play a role in one of the most memorable days of their lives is truly an honor.

Chocolate or Vanilla?

Chocolate. All. Day. (But with salted caramel too please!)

What is it that keeps you coming back to this job day after day?

The look on our couples’/clients’ faces when we see them at the end of the night. Not only do we feel an incredible sense of accomplishment, but you can just feel the love in the air. The whole room is swarming with good vibes and energy. We love playing a part in one of the most special moments of their lives.

If you were to plan your own cake and dessert table for your wedding, what would it be like? What types of sweets would you include and why?

I actually DID plan my own cake and dessert table for my wedding (we had a destination wedding, so that’s what inspired me to start this business back here in Buffalo). We had everything from mini pies, cupcakes, doughnuts, chocolate covered Oreos and pretzels, sugar cookies, cake pops, fudge, peanut butter cups, popcorn, etc. to an assortment of candies such as gumdrops, fruit slices, gourmet wrapped chocolates, sour candies, etc. People still talk about it to this day! We even designed a three-tiered cake just for cutting ceremony purposes (one layer real, the others fake), a trend I see is very popular these days! The whole thing was so beautiful; I just knew my Buffalo couples would adore having a dessert table at their wedding as much as we did!

Do you offer any specialties? Unique flavors? Novelty desserts? Anything out of the ordinary bakery experience that is uniquely B Sweet?

We are constantly brainstorming and playing around with new designs and dessert ideas to offer on our dessert tables. Some of the more unique items we offer are glitter doughnuts, pyramid truffles, and we just recently created a “cakesicle”: a beautiful blend of cake and frosting wrapped up in a little chocolate shell on a Popsicle stick! They are so adorable and soooo delicious!

What do you love most about working in the wedding industry?

I love collaborating with some of the most incredibly talented individuals I’ve ever had the privilege of knowing. From bakers to florists, artists, stylists, photographers, etc., it is so energizing and humbling to work alongside such creative energy. Together we really can make magic happen!

When meeting with brides and grooms, what is the biggest piece of advice that you find yourself giving out over and over again?

I always tell my couples to make it a point to purposefully carve out some time during their big day to walk away together from all the hustle and bustle and soak up everything that’s going on. Cherish the moment because as cliche as this sounds, it really does fly by so quickly! Also, don’t sweat the small stuff. That’s why you hire us, the professionals ;-)

What’s the best compliment that you’ve ever received from one of your couples?

One bride told me I made her dreams come true (melt my heart). And another couple told me as soon as the band announced the dessert table was open, it was devoured in 10 minutes flat. What an incredible compliment!

What’s your favorite color?

Blush! Also, does Rose Gold count?

What has been the happiest moment of your life thus far?

The day I married my husband (maybe that’s why I love weddings so much!) He’s my best friend and my partner on this crazy ride! A few weeks after we got married, I told him I wanted to start this business and he’s been so supportive since day one. I seriously couldn’t do what I love each and every day without him.

What is the most unique (and/or your favorite) dessert display that you’ve ever created?

I can honestly say I have loved each and every table we’ve created over the years because they are all so unique to the couple or guests of honor. We design with them in mind after all, so every single table really does hold a special place in our hearts. Personally, I do love a good neutral color palette, so any time I get to design around a blush/nude or champagne vibe, I get pretty stoked. We did create a gorgeous dessert table that was featured in the September 2018 issue of Martha Stewart Wedding Magazine that we were pretty excited about!

Fondant or Buttercream?

Oooo….I LOVE Buttercream (I could seriously eat it by the spoonful), but I love the beautiful designs we can create using Fondant.

If you could only eat one type of cake flavor for the rest of your life, what would it be?

That would be a sad day! But if I had to choose….carrot cake with cream cheese frosting, extra frosting please ;-)

And lastly, share some fun facts about yourself! Anything that will amp up how awesome we already know that you are!

Believe it or not, but I LOVE to Hip Hop dance. And I’d be down for a dance off, anywhere, anytime! I also really love to travel and used to live in London (my absolute favorite city in the entire world). In February 2018 I went to Bali, where my husband officiated the wedding of our two best friends!

Want to see more incredible work from B Sweet Designs?? Click here!

Find B Sweet Designs on Facebook and on Instagram and give Marissa a follow to see more of her amazing creations!

hannah + max // Private Residence Backyard Wedding

Filed in nicole, weddings shot by on at

Hannah and Max’s wedding was absolutely stunning. It was a real coming together of friends and family, and we’re not talking about just the day’s events. Every bit of this wedding was made possible by the love, support and hard work of their closest and most loyal comrades, even the set up and breakdown! It just goes to show how big of an impact friendship and family can have on your wedding day, and you know we’re all about that!

Our amazing associate Nicole had the honor of documenting this beautiful day, and we think she did a fantastic job of it. She has a lovely gift for capturing the moments in between, and if you scroll through Hannah and Max’s day you’ll see just what I mean (a little unintentional poetry for you). Hannah and Max were kind enough to share some really beautiful words about their big day and their love for each other, their family and their friends. I encourage you to read along as you check out all of the stunning details :)

Hannah: “Before we got engaged, (we’d been discussing it for a few months), Max came to me one day and told me that he wanted to propose but didn’t want to get me a ring I didn’t like, and asked for my help. We ended up designing a custom ring together and even selected some specific stones. The proposal itself was still a surprise, but I absolutely cherish the ring and view it as a real symbol of our partnership since we created it together.“

Hannah: “My mom was visiting for the weekend, and we thought we’d go look at some dresses just for fun. I hadn’t really done any looking, but thought it would be nice to find a dress with pockets, if there was such a thing. I was nervous – friends of mine who’d recently been married had told me stories of 50+ try-ons, dozens of visits with multiple groups of people, trips to NYC and Toronto and Chicago just for dress shopping. I was prepared for this to be the toughest part of planning my wedding. It just so happened that the first dress I tried on was perfect, exactly the silhouette I was looking for, in my mom’s favorite fabric (raw silk), and HAD POCKETS. We both fell in love and that was it! It turned out to be the easiest part by far – after saying yes, of course :)“

Hannah: “We decided to do a ‘First Look’ and I am so glad we did. It gave us a few beautiful moments together to let everything sink in.”

Max: “Originally I didn’t quite understand the idea of the First Look, but it was actually so helpful to re-center myself before the wedding, and it was such a nice moment between the two of us.“

Hannah: “I wore my grandmother’s bracelet and a veil borrowed from a lovely woman I met through my work that she’d worn in her own wedding in the 70s.“

Hannah: “We hosted our wedding at our home, and many of our friends stayed there for the weekend or came several hours early, to hang out and help set up. This set up two of my favorite moments: the first, looking around at all of our friends doing everything they could to set up chairs, hang decorations, lay place settings, etc., without a complaint or question, made me feel so incredibly grateful to have such a loving and generous chosen family. We truly could not have made the day happen without them. The second came on our way back to the house to gather our parties for more photos. Since so many of our friends were already there, we got to have a ‘first look’ of sorts with them too, a private moment to celebrate with them before everyone else arrived, to express our love and gratitude. It was so special and the photos from those few minutes are still some of my favorites.“

Hannah: “Our pup Sammy was our ring bearer with my brother, and wore a bow tie that matched the groomsmen. We’d intended to put him back inside after the ceremony, but he was having such a good time making the rounds and guests were having fun with him, so he stayed out. He’s family too, and we were so happy he could really be a part of the day.“

Max: “Both of Hannah’s parents walked her down the aisle, and seeing them all, so happy and crying tears of joy, felt so special and loving – it was a really nice moment.“

Hannah: “The ceremony itself was a bit of a blur. I had to hide my face in my bouquet coming down the aisle because I was ugly crying already.“

Hannah: “Neither of us is religious, so one of my best friends who has become a mutual dear friend married us, ‘by the power vested in [him] by the internet.’“

Hannah: “We wrote our own vows and made them very personal and fun – still one of the parts I get the most comments about from guests! I do remember that I got a laugh during my vows, which I’m still proud of!“

Max: “It was so cool to see the tent progressing, from the beginning when we were laying down tablecloths to the flowers being set up and everything was in it’s place. Then finally walking in when it was full of all our friends and family was so heartwarming and emotional.“

Hannah: “Our friends had a giant, epic dance off. It was so much fun in the moment and the pictures are incredible and some of my favorites from the day.“

Hannah: “Max’s groomsmen printed a notorious photo of him from our college days on a giant poster and displayed it at just the right moment during the Best Man’s speech. It was truly hilarious.“

Hannah: “Max and I danced to ‘I’d be Waiting’ by Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats. It’s one of our favorite songs by one of our favorite bands, and we knew we wanted to do it after seeing them live. We attended dance classes for several months to create a perfect routine that ensured no toes were stepped on :)“

Hannah: “It felt good to actually do our first dance that we had been practicing and working on for several months until we knew it by heart. It was another really nice moment to connect with Hannah.“

Hannah: “Our wedding day was also my dad’s 64th birthday, so he and I danced to ‘When I’m 64’ by the Beatles.“

Hannah: “We briefly blew a fuse and the music went out for a couple of minutes. It could have ruined the party, but instead we started a sing-along until the music came back on, which ended up being a ton of fun instead of a party foul.“

Some truly great planning advice from Hannah: “So much pressure is put on weddings and creating the perfect scene, but the key to remember is that at the end of the day, you are hosting people. They will remember their experience and how they felt long after they’ve forgotten your color scheme or the perfectly coordinated tablecloths. This made such a difference and helped us prioritize where to focus our energy and our budget. It’s much harder to get caught up in the agony of choosing things like chair ties when you’re able to say ‘how will this affect my guests’ experience?’ and just let that guide you. Was the food good and plentiful, did the bar have enough servers, were the chairs positioned so guests wouldn’t have the sun in their eyes, in short, have we created a comfortable and welcoming experience where guests can really relax and enjoy themselves. This is what made the difference for us, and it kept us from getting overwhelmed in planning or upset if anything went off-plan during the day. We still get so many comments about our wedding being one of the most fun weddings our guests have ever attended (you can see in the pictures that even our parents’ friends were breaking it down on the dance floor, it’s amazing) and I really credit this approach.“

Hannah: “We could not have had a better experience with Ayres! We loved working with Jenn and Nicole so much. They were super receptive throughout the process, and really helped us hone in on what we were looking for with patience and thoughtfulness. Nicole was fabulous on the day, and we, along with our friends and family, love the way the photos turned out.“

Want to check out another amazing wedding from our associate Nicole?? Click here!

Wedding Vendors Include:

Photographer: Nicole of Ayres Photography
Venue: Private Residence
Wedding Coordinator: Live Inspired Events
Makeup Artist: Amanda Lee Shamrock
Hair: Groom Service Beauty Bar
Dress Shop: Lovely Bride Rochester
Dress Designer: Rue De Seine
Men’s Suits: Indochino
Florist: William’s Florist
Ceremony Music: Rob Montone
Catering: Dinosaur BBQ
Tent and Rentals: McCarthy Tents and Events
DJ: Moving Music