GayWeddings.com

Just like fashion designers are often inspired by overseas travels, my wedding and event planning tips are informed by my tastey gay getaways. Amsterdam was no exception—and no, I’m not talking about the infamous coffee shops and Red Light District. In the revitalizing neighborhood of Westerpark, I met up with artist-chefs-innovators Marjolein Wintjes and Eric Meursing at their De Culinaire Werkplaats, a design studio, restaurant, store and more for food concepts.

Marjolein and Eric are trying to inspire people to eat more grains and fruits through innovative and tasty ways. And Marjolein has introduced a new approach to speciality bread—making it the centerpiece of sharing for life’s sweet and savory moments like farewell breads (funerals), new life breads (births), and always together breads—for weddings. She calls the result emotion.bread.

Instead of a traditional wedding cake, Marjolein has created for brides and grooms a whole range of interesting concepts, including two interlocking swans—the birds mate for life (picture above). She also has developed two interlocking flavored wedding rings, since as she says, “Marriage is a combination of two different flavors.” She decorates the rings with edible paper she makes from strawberries or other fruits.

If you’re traveling to Amsterdam for your gay destination wedding, make sure to contact Marjolein three weeks in advance so she can tailor her design to your specification. At that time, book a reservation to experience a full, interactive sustainable food experience at De Culinaire Werkplaats. You can watch and learn as they cook for you—it’s like being in a friend’s kitchen—only these friends are artists with a special eye for stylish design.

For my gay wedding, I’m already searching for a baker-artist who might translate this tastey concept stateside.

About Jon Paul

Jon Paul Buchmeyer writes regularly as a columnist for GayWeddings.com and shares his globetrotting expert advice and tasteful tips on gay honeymoon and destination wedding planning. He is a contributor to Bon Appétit and Condé Nast Traveler, voice of ABCityblog.com, and the award-winning author of hilarious memoir Alphabet City.