From 'I do' to let's bake: Raleigh couple makes baking dream a reality
RALEIGH (WTVD) -- The night before she said "I do," Ashley stayed up until midnight making her own wedding cake - hand-piped lace and all!
Little did she know, the cake would be a hit!
The venue was so impressed, they asked if she would be willing to make cakes for their brides!
Ashley and her new husband Josh Lattier, were starting a life together and a cake business!
That was 13 years ago.
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Today, Ashley and Josh operate "Ashley Cakes" out of their home addition in Raleigh they affectionately call their "cake cottage."
Clients start by sampling a wide range of cake flavors from traditional to snickerdoodle, banana pudding, and pink lemonade.
Then, together they create a custom design, which can incorporate themes, colors, and flowers.
White buttercream and fresh flowers are still a favorite of the traditional, southern couple.
Modern couples are choosing accents like gold and silver metallics, textured tiers, bows, and rosettes.
"Rustic chic" weddings that feature naked cakes (and nearly naked ones) are popular again this season, where the cake has minimal icing, exposing the luscious cake layers.
Prices are determined based on the size of the cake.
A three-tier wedding cake starts at $700 - that's about $7 a slice.
Prices increase based on servings and design difficulty.
A five-tier blush and gold cake with fresh flowers, featured in a video attached, was $1,200.00.
The Lattiers like to add special touches, gifting their clients with a watercolor replica of the cake design, and instead of freezing the top tier, they provide a fresh cake for the couple's first anniversary.
Ashley is self-taught. She started teaching Josh when they were dating. She made her very first wedding cake for a friend.
"She wanted a cake that had sugar flowers around every tier; I think 72", Ashley explained, smiling at Josh.
"Yes, 72, I remember it well," Josh added. "It took about 20 minutes each to make. So, for about two weeks, our dates were making sugar flowers."
Ashley laughed, resting her head on Josh's shoulder, "Yep, he was a keeper."
The couple company is a labor of love that started with love.
Watch them deliver an absolutely stunning cake to a wedding at the Carolina Inn.
