Sweet Details GR

10/23/2026

Hi friends,

If you know me even a little, you know I’m not a big fan of scary things. But a witch hat with a bow and a little ghost in a vintage frame? That’s my kind of Halloween.

I’ve designed a brand-new set for this Tuesday’s Spooky Night cookie class, and I’m so excited to decorate it with you! Think candlelight, apothecary details, pretty bows, and the perfect mix of spooky, cute, girly, and elevated.

Whether you’ve decorated with me before or have been waiting to try a class, I’d love to have you at the table. Come on your own or bring a friend for a creative evening and a little Halloween fun.

A little holiday planning, too…

Can’t make it Tuesday? Holiday classes are already selling fast! Pick your date and make a sweet outing of it.

Planning something for a group? Our Private Experiences are a lovely way to gather your team, celebrate with friends, or start a new holiday tradition.

And if gifting is on your list, we’re also taking holiday cookie gift orders for clients, employees, and the people you want to thank. Made in small batches here in Grand Rapids and thoughtfully packaged for giving.

Hope to see you soon,
Vanessa

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10/01/2026

Hello October! We’re welcoming a new month with fall weddings, holiday preparations, and more opportunities to gather around something sweet. Here’s what’s happening at Sweet Details GR.

Wedding season is still in full swing

We have a few more wonderfully busy weeks of fall weddings before the season begins to slow down, and I’m excited for the celebrations still ahead. I’m also looking forward to receiving the galleries from our recent weddings so I can share more of the beautiful celebrations we’ve been part of on social media!
Our 2027 calendar is already filling up, and soon we’ll begin planning the cakes and dessert experiences for next year’s couples. If you’re planning a 2027 wedding, now is a great time to reach out and reserve your date.

Pssst: I’m dreaming up a tasting event at the studio, so stay tuned!

Let’s plan something sweet for the holidays

The holidays are almost here, and we’re looking forward to working with the teams and businesses already on our calendar! From branded cookies and delicious gifts to private decorating experiences, there are so many ways to celebrate your employees and clients. We’ll continue accepting holiday bookings throughout October as availability allows, but space is limited. Reach out early so we can plan something special together.

Gather, decorate & celebrate

As the season shifts, I’m looking forward to more creative gatherings at Alma Mia Studio. Our decorating experiences are a lovely way to spend time with friends, celebrate an occasion, or bring your team together. If you’re considering a private holiday experience, reply to this email and tell me what you have in mind. I’d love to help you plan it!
October experiences include cake, cookies and french macarons!

Thank you for making Sweet Details GR part of your celebrations.
Vanessa

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09/02/2026

One of my favorite messages to receive after a wedding is from a photographer sharing a gallery.

When Meg Pearson • Michigan Photographer shared these images, I was particularly excited to see how she captured not only the cake as a whole but also the tiny details that made it unique.

Because those details matter.

And not only to me.

I can remake a design. I can pipe another ruffle, print another cookie, and arrange another dessert table. But for the couple, those details belonged to one day only.

They chose them intentionally. They planned them. They invested in them. Sometimes, a tiny detail has a story behind it that no one else in the room even knows.

So when a photographer or videographer takes a few extra moments to capture the texture on a cake, the flowers tucked between macarons, the personalized favors, the little finishing touches on a tart, or the dessert table once the guests are actually interacting with it, they are preserving something the couple will otherwise never get to see again.

I know wedding days are chaos. I know shot lists are long, timelines move, people need to be gathered, light changes, and there are a hundred important moments competing for attention.

This is exactly why I appreciate the creatives who still notice the small sweet details.

This is part appreciation post and part gentle plea from someone who spends many, many hours bringing those details to life:

Please photograph them.

Please film them.

Especially when they are temporary.

A cake gets cut. Desserts disappear. Favors go home with guests. An interactive dessert experience may exist for only an hour.

The couple can not recreate that moment later.

Beautiful detail photography isn't just lovely content for the vendor who made it. It becomes part of the couple's memory of everything they so carefully chose for their wedding.

So to the photographers and videographers who make room in an already very full wedding day to capture those details: THANK YOU.

We notice. And I promise, the couples will be grateful you did too.

08/23/2026

Want to guess the flavors?

08/23/2026

A sweetheart cake inspired by the groom’s parents’ wedding cake. Such a meaningful way to bring a piece of family history into the celebration.

Inside: Pink Ch*****ne cake with raspberry filling and Lemon cake with lemon curd.

I especially love when a wedding cake is more than just beautiful. It tells a story.

07/27/2026

Modern in its movement, timeless in its elegance. A wedding cake that feels sculptural, romantic, and entirely at home in this beautiful celebration.

Captured by Kelsey Pasma

07/22/2026

En estos dias en que extraño tanto a mi familia es particularmente especial compartir sobre lo que me ha traído a este punto de mi vida. Aquí les dejo un pedacito de mi historia y espero que les ayude a entender un poco mas de lo que hay detrás de cada dulce detalle. La entrevista es en Inglés pero esto lo escribo en Español desde el corazón para le llegue directo a mi madre, sin traducción, sin demora, sin distancias.

https://canvasrebel.com/meet-vanessa-shmanske

07/18/2026

Daydreaming with these Peach Bellini cupcakes, the beautiful setup and the wonderful people that got to enjoy them.

Photos Shirley | Grand Rapids Wedding Photographer

07/03/2026