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VUE | Bridal 2021

The Digest | New Jersey Magazine

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"If they've already chosen the flowers, I have to see them. If they've picked the tablecloths, I have to see them. And if they're working with a wedding planner, I would like to meet them. Our styles have to blend together," said Julie Deffense, explaining her detailed, nuanced process from idea to confection. From there, once settling a deal with clients, the mad cake genius plans her itinerary, only accepting one cake per week or three cakes per month to dedicate proper attention to detail. Creating hundreds of sugar flowers normally requires two months plus, so Deffense devotes her off-time on prepping them and additional décor. Once it's game time, Deffense knows exactly what needs to be done. Let's say the wedding is Saturday. On Monday, Deffense paints and finalizes the sugar flowers and begins decorating cake parts that are not real. Thursday is baking. Friday is assembling. Saturday is delivery. "And Sunday is a day off, usually," said Deffense. Deffense signs every cake with a hidden golden dragonfly to pay tribute to her grandmother, who inspired her, along with her mother, with her baking. Inspired by the motif of a kaleidoscope of butterflies, Deffense's latest creation pays homage to the graceful garden creature. Hundreds of hand-made royal icing Monarch butterflies painted with a lustrous, golden edible oil paint danced in circles around one of her latest five-tiered creations, which appeared on Portuguese television in late March. Deffense created wafer paper butterflies and attached them to thin floral wires over the sugar flowers to create the illusion of the fluttering friend. "The wedding cake is so symbolic. The cake cutting is the first real job a married couple does," said Julie Deffense. Location Credit: Monserrate Palace, Sintra, Por tugal V U E N J .C O M 65

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