Birmingham Holiday Dessert Tour

We can all agree that the holidays are best spent surrounded by twinkling lights with your favorite sweet treat in hand. There is just something special about Christmas in Birmingham. The spirit of love and creativity is never in short supply in The Magic City. We decided to take a tour of our favorite places to find holiday desserts and we are bringing you with us - YAY! We hope you can take a trip to some of these local wonders and find a treat that puts your heart (and appetite) at ease this holiday season.

Delicacies from Chocolata.

CHOCOLATA

Chocolata is an ethereal chocolate shop, beautifully nestled downtown on 2nd Avenue North. Each treat is incredibly special and always starts with the highest quality chocolate made with ingredients from South America. You will immediately feel like you have arrived in a chocolate heaven upon entering this place. The smell of sipping chocolate fills the air and it’s truly something straight out of a fairytale. The bonbons are so beautiful that you hardly want to eat them (but I promise you will). 

The holidays are all about sharing with loved ones and the Moonscape Peppermint Bark, Sipping Chocolate, Hot Cocoa, & Bonbon Boxes are great ways to share in the spirit of the season. The Sipping Chocolate is made with whole pieces of dark chocolate and a pinch of spice for a luxurious fireside treat, while the Hot Cocoa mix is prepared with a traditional cocoa powder and has hints of cinnamon. We’ll take one mug of each, please!

Chocolata changes their bonbons seasonally, so no matter when you choose to give this delectable gift a try, they are always such a treat for the recipient. As for the item that is the first to disappear from the candy dish - the Moonscape Peppermint Bark! This holiday treat is made with creamy Ecuadorian white chocolate, crunchy cacao, and festive peppermint for the sweetest Christmas dream.

You absolutely have to see this mystical chocolate shop for yourself to take in the true beauty. We could stare into their chocolate display case for HOURS. You can visit Chocolata’s website to find out more or check out their instagram (@chocolata_bham).

Cake by Daughters Baking

Daughters Baking

We might be a little bias because some of our team has personally used Daughters Baking as their own wedding cake vendor and we cannot get enough of this delightful bakery. Their shop is the epitome of cozy and fits right in-between Brombergs and Oulser’s, in the heart of Mountain Brook Village. Their Holiday Cake Menu is what Christmas wishes are made of: Almond Amaretto Layer Cake and Gingerbread Layer Cake.

Almond Amaretto cake at Daughters Baking.

Almond Amaretto Cake

The Almond Amaretto Cake is layered with almond cake, amaretto custard, coffee buttercream, and an almond crumb. We love that while this cake is decadent, it is also incredibly light and easy to eat in copious amounts. We obviously had to try it ourselves…for science, you know?

Gingerbread Cake at Daughters Baking.

Gingerbread Cake

The Gingerbread Cake pulls on your heart strings because it marries together all of the most nostalgic flavors from your childhood. This masterpiece is layered with gingerbread cake, brown sugar cinnamon buttercream, graham cracker crunch, and salted caramel sauce. This flavor feels like home for the holidays in the best way.

Daughter’s Baking let us know that they will have a SURPRISE limited addition flavor launching on December 15th - eeek! Give them a follow on instagram (@daughtersbaking) to find out what flavor they are gracing us with next. If you need any thoughtful Christmas gift ideas, Daughter’s just premiered the sweetest gift sets now available in store. You will not regret a visit to one of our favorite cake shops in Mountain Brook. We highly recommend snagging a few of these festive cake cups then taking a stroll across the street to Starbucks and enjoying a holiday latte - true Christmas magic.    

Delicacies by Last Call Baking Co.

Last call baking Cooperative

This awe-inspiring micro bakery was born out of a passion for French and Asian cuisine, as well as the love for feeding friends and family. The heart of Last Call is to make all feel invited to bring a chair to the table. At Bustle, we make very frequent stops to The General, located on the beautifully historic Clairmont Avenue. Inside The General you will be able to behold the delicacies of Last Call Baking. These sweet selections are always baked fresh and the menu is constantly changing. We love how the confectionary case is a surprise every morning, so there is always an opportunity to try something new.

Matcha Chocolate poundcake by Last Call Baking Co.

The Matcha Chocolate Poundcake is a wonderfully light & moist poundcake, flavored with Japanese ceremonial matcha and dark chocolate. You will feel right at home with this one, while also experiencing the excitement of something new with the matcha flavor. Comfort in a slice.

Olive Oil sandwich loaf by Last Call Baking Co.

The Olive Oil Sandwich Loaf is filled with citrus Swiss meringue buttercream and topped with roasted strawberries and fresh herbs. This cake is both decadent and light, while hitting the savory and tangy parts of your taste buds. An absolute citrus dream.

Black Sesame Mochi cake from Last Call Baking Co.

The Black Sesame Mochi Cake was originally sold at Shu Shop and quickly became a fan favorite. This dreamboat is served with a dollop of rosemary whipped cream and fresh herbs. We will take two slices, please!

You can keep up with Last Call’s daily delicacies through their instagram, or pop in to The General and try something for yourself. In October, Chanah Willis, the founder of Last Call, made a HUGE announcement stating that they are in the beginning stages of opening a STORE FRONT here in Birmingham - EEK! Chanah shared their gofundme page in the hopes that as a community we can help make Last Call Baking Co. a forever home in our favorite city. You can visit this link if you would like to spread a little holiday cheer through a generous donation.

Curateher Winter Box Launch

During the pandemic, over six million women lost their jobs and were left to navigate the world in a way that none of us had before.  Michelle Chandler, the founder of Curateher, saw that a vast number of women were honing in on their hobbies and taking this time to create, imagine, and play.  It is beautiful that in a time full of uncertainty and worry, women were able to come together and find an escape in the things they are most passionate about.  Michelle is an interior designer and the owner of Harper James Home.  She has two brilliant daughters, Phoebe (8) and Nia (5).  Michelle grew up in Northern California and went to college in SoCal, where she lived for twelve years before moving to Birmingham in 2015.

“ I finally found a way to combine my expertise in interiors with my passion and vision for helping women.”
— Michelle

Michelle couldn’t help but notice how the landscape of delivering products was changing and booming with direct-to-consumer subscription models.  She started to think about how the interior design industry had not evolved to meet the new way we all live, and then began to dive into how she could connect women makers with the massive market of buyers in the home decor industry.  Michelle had a growing desire to make design accessible without sacrificing quality.  She became determined to help female entrepreneurs grow their businesses and that is when Curateher was born. 

 Curateher is a home decor subscription box sourced exclusively from female makers, artists, and small business owners.  Michelle wants your home effortlessly styled in every season.  Each box comes with six products that have been thoughtfully selected to keep your home updated with the latest classic styles. These curated boxes are mailed out every three months and are crafted to work together interchangeably, giving you a designer level home collection to build on over time.  When you subscribe, you also gain access to her online member library, where Michelle will host empowering events and inspirational design workshops to provide a hands-on style experience.  Michelle believes the home of your dreams should be accessible to everyone.

“I want every person to have the confidence to be their own interior designer.”
— Michelle

Michelle shares that her heart for Curateher is the ability to connect home with our wellbeing. Our homes should feel as good on the inside as they look on the outside and that is a daily practice.  One of our favorite aspects of this business is how intentionally the products are married together.   This has always been one of Michelle’s strongest skills as a designer: finding unique pieces that work together to make a statement.  Each box is seasonal, but that doesn’t mean it has to be literal. You will definitely get a feel of each season through texture, color, and the details of each piece.  The Winter Box is perfect for Christmas because the high quality, classic pieces will add the perfect touch to your holiday decor, but can absolutely be enjoyed well beyond the Christmas season.

“Our homes should bring us back to ourselves. Mindfulness is the key to not only a beautiful home, but a beautiful life as well.”
— Michelle
“We are so stimulated by the rush of everything this time of year, I want to make homes light, classic, and easy to be in.”
— Michelle

We are swooning over Michelle’s Winter Box!  The effortlessly neutral color palette will fit into any space while celebrating the classic Christmas nostalgia that we all love.  This box is “cozy” personified and we couldn’t ask for a better way to wrap up with the people we love most this season.  Each item in this box is selected with comfort and ease in mind.  Michelle wants every client to come home and feel relief.

Curateher is a yearly subscription, but Michelle has made it possible to exclusively purchase the Winter Box from now until Christmas by itself. YAY! The Winter Box would be a beautiful gift for a loved one or yourself.  If you want a little holiday magic for your interior decor this Christmas, visit www.curate-her.com to make your spirits (and home) very bright. 

 

Bustle Bride: Brittney Vigna Wysong

In a world full of online dating horror stories, it is beautifully refreshing when one of those “swipes” ends in real romance.  While Brittney and Rory’s story may have started in Bumble DMs, it is no question that the authenticity of their connection is something that each of them had never experienced before.

Brittney hugging her husband Rory before their wedding.

When Brittney met Rory she was working at The University of Alabama while Rory was temporarily located in Tuscaloosa for work.  Brittney is a huge craft beer fan (we love a girl who knows a good brew!), so it is fitting that they chose Loosa Brews for their first date.  When Brittney arrived to the brewery, she had so many butterflies that she completely darted past Rory and tried to calm herself down.  In true hallmark movie fashion, the warmth of their conversation quickly put Brittney at ease and she laughed more that day than she had in a long time.  Rory failed to mention that he had NEVER tried craft beer before, so Brittney took the lead and introduced him to her favorites.  Needless to say, he quickly realized that craft beer hits a little different - instant fan!  

The back of Brittney's Bustle gown with her windswept veil.
“ I knew he was the one when he became the first person I wanted to call for anything. That person had always been my mom. It sounds funny, but that’s when I recognized the fact that this is my person, this is my family.”
— Brittney
Brittney and Rory sharing a laugh during their wedding ceremony.

When Brittney felt that shift within herself, she knew Rory was her person. It was undeniable that Rory had put himself in her heart and she would continually find him residing there.  The earnest thing about love is that sometimes there isn’t one instance that tells you someone is “the one.”  It is all of those little feelings that build onto each other until it is absolutely impossible to see that person as anything else.

Brittney's bridal details and stationary.
Brittney with her Mom on her wedding day.
Brittney having a first look with her bridesmaids.

Brittney’s wedding day encompassed all of her most significant dreams.  She never saw herself in a ballgown.  When she had her Bridal Appointment at Bustle, Brittney went in thinking that she would go for something backless with long sleeves.  It is no surprise that she did not choose either of those things.  When Brittney tried on the ballgown, she felt like a bride for the first time.  She was no longer just a girl trying on white dresses.  She was THE BRIDE and had all the confidence to go along with her showstopper gown.  Brittney’s dress did not need a single alteration, so she felt like it was quite literally made for her.

“I finally felt like a BRIDE in this gown and the confidence that came with that is the most I’ve ever experienced in my whole life.”
— Brittney
Brittney twirling in her bustle birmingham wedding gown.

Brittney’s gown is an ethereal masterpiece from the designer, Mikaella.  The high neckline and lace bodice exude sheer elegance while the chiffon skirt is playful and romantic.  We’ve never met a tulle skirt we didn’t like!  Brittney is a true vision in her gown.  She was able to dance and enjoy her wedding comfortably while simultaneously feeling the most beautiful.

Brittney fluffing her Bustle Birmingham wedding gown.

We asked Brittney to share with us the most memorable aspect of her wedding day and her answer has us all reaching for the tissue box.

“My favorite part is when I walked down the aisle and saw Rory. I truly felt like time stopped. I didn’t see anything but him. It was so special and I had no doubt that our forever would be just as beautiful as that moment.”
— Brittney
Brittney and Rory with their wedding party at the Clubhouse on Highland in Highland Park.
Brittney and Rory sharing a kiss after their wedding ceremony.
Brittney and Rory dancing on their wedding day.

Vendors:

Hair: Shelby Cox

Venue: Clubhouse on Highland

Florist: Three Things Floral

Tent Rental: Pre Events

Catering: Happy Catering Co

Suits: Black Tie

Bridesmaid Dresses: Lulus

Videography: Kate Elaine

Photography: Hannah Sharriee

Officiant: Chris Clevenger

Expert Tips from a Christmas Tree Stylist: How To Trim the Perfect Tree

“There’s no such thing as a bad tree. All it needs is a little love. ”
— A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS

If there is anything that has become abundantly clear in adulthood, it is the fact that it is never too early to begin celebrating Christmas.  The pure serotonin that is felt when the storage containers labeled “CHRISTMAS” start coming out of the attic is unmatchable.  We can all relate to the nostalgia of unboxing our favorite ornament or playing the Michael Bublé Christmas album for the first time in a year.  We recently had the pleasure of sitting down with the Holiday Queen herself and gleaning from all of her Christmas Tree decorating mastery.  If there is anyone who embodies the meaning of “Merry & Bright,” it’s Madison! 

Meet The Stylist: Madison Box Robinson

Madison began professionally decorating trees last year after coming to the aid of her best friend and co-worker, Leah.  What was originally intended as a routine girl’s day turned into Madison kindly asking her best friend, “what is going on with your tree?” After Leah told Madison that she needed to go out of town for her daughter’s gymnastics meet, Madison decided she would surprise her friend with a little Christmas magic.  Leah returned home to the gorgeously trimmed Christmas tree of her dreams and Madison discovered a new passion.  Now, with over 25 trees under her belt, she is quickly becoming the Belle of the Holiday Ball.  Madison has graciously shared with us her top seven Christmas Tree decorating tips, so that we can all twinkle a little brighter this season. 

“Growing up in Mobile, I remember watching my Mom and the women in my community decorate like this and it just feels like home.”
— Madison

The Stylist’s Top 7 Christmas Tree Decorating Tips

1. You don’t need a huge budget to decorate a stunning Christmas Tree. Cultivating an enchanting tree experience is all about taking your most valuable decor and marrying it with affordable options to craft the best look for your own personal style. Don’t be shy about buying ribbon from Amazon or some staple ornaments from Walmart. You can even utilize natural aspects like pinecones from your family home to adorn the perfect tree.  The sky is the limit. 

2. NEVER mummy wrap your tree. Ribbon is one of Madison’s favorite decor components for Christmas trees because it can really add so much texture and fullness to your tree’s overall aesthetic.  The term “mummy wrap” refers to the technique of wrapping ribbon around your tree horizontally which can take away from an elevated look.  Instead, Madison recommends her signature technique where the ribbon starts at the top of the tree and beautifully cascades down vertically.  This elongates your tree and feels incredibly special.

3. Buy ornaments in various sizes! Don’t be afraid to play with different sizes and textures. Madison is adamant about never skipping out on the big ornaments. She usually adds a minimum of 3 very large ornaments to every tree because it immediately catches your eye & feels grand.

4. Let your family be part of the process. If your spouse doesn’t have an eye for decorating, but wants to be involved, let them help by putting ornament hooks on your ornaments. Kids love doing that too and it often helps create the sweetest memories together. One Christmas when Madison and her brother were children, their Mom let her younger brother help decorate the tree. He was just barely walking at the time and put Vanilla Wafers & Goldfish around the entire bottom of the tree. They always look back at those photos and get the best laugh!  We have to agree that edible decor is the best type of decor.

5. Always buy decor in odd numbers. Whether you are buying ornaments, sprigs, or ribbon, always buy in odd numbers. This helps to avoid anything looking too “perfect.” Incorporating this technique will ensure that your tree will always have an organic and effortless look.

6. Get creative with your tree skirt! If you have a hard time finding the tree skirt that lives rent free in your mind, don’t be afraid to get creative. Blankets and fabric from a local craft store can be transformed into the most beautiful tree skirt. If you come across the perfect fabric for your tree’s aesthetic, you can absolutely drape it around the base of your tree for a stunning image that is completely your own.  No sewing required!

7. Coordinate the gift wrap for your holiday gifts with your tree’s color scheme. If you want to elevate your decorating game to the next level, try coordinating your gift wrapping paper with your Christmas tree. The overall aesthetic will make you feel so put-together and allow you to give your tree it’s full moment!

“I always listen to my favorite Christmas playlist while decorating because it puts me in the best mood.”
— Madison
Susan Gordon Christmas Tree decorated by MBR trees.

If you would like to keep up with Madison and her Christmas masterpieces, you can find her on instagram (@MBRTrees).  While she is officially booked for this season, she will be taking new clients for Christmas 2022.  You can reach out to her via instagram to book your own holiday magic for next year!  Madison is eager to work with your budget as she brings the spirit of Christmas into your home.  When she isn’t spending her time creating a winter wonderland for clients, Madison teaches a precious second grade class in Homewood.  This year she decorated her classroom to the theme of Candyland, complete with the sugarplum-filled tree of her students’ dreams.  That is what we call a very Merry Christmas!

Bustle's 8th Birthday

We recently celebrated 8 years of Bustle! To mark the occasion we gathered for a birthday picnic at the home of Meredith Carter (Bustle’s owner). Southern Charm Picnic Company set up a luxury picnic spread complete with candles, cushions, flowers and festive decorations. We enjoyed our time together, sipping wine and eating from the ultimate charcuterie board put together by Martha May Designs. Then we took turns getting treated to manicures by Lily Wen. What an incredibly fun way to ring in Bustle’s 8th year!

We’re so excited to share the photos from the evening, taken by the talented Meghan Murphy Gray.

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“I am so grateful to be able to celebrate 8 years of Bustle. I could not be more proud of the women on my team — you ladies make this place special and I love you more every day. You are bright and lovely and have a special way of making other women feel beautiful. Thank you for sharing your time with me and with our brides. I could not do this without you. ”
— XO Meredith
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Expert Tips from a Personal Stylist: 4 Quick and Easy Halloween Costumes

Meet the Stylist

We all love to look good, but style definitely isn’t something that comes natural to everyone. So many women walk in our doors saying “I have no idea what my style is” and we get it - styling yourself can be HARD! That’s where Emma comes in! Emma is a personal stylist and closet consultant who owns The Chic Next Door. She offers virtual and in person styling and is a fashion expert. Basically, she’s every gal’s dream best friend! With Halloween coming up, we asked Emma to help us pick out 4 couples costumes that would look great on any dynamic duo and she did NOT disappoint. If you want to pick up any of the items from these costumes, be sure to click the images to shop for all your costume pieces.

Cruella & Dalmation:

Have you seen the new Cruella movie? Personally I’m obsessed. SO much fashion but also such a great plot - a must see! Cruella will need the right accessories to pull this look off but it’s all easy to find. You might already have a red dress and heels in your own closet! For the Dalmatian, paint some spots on a white tee and on your significant other, tail and ears aren’t imperative but they do make the outfit look complete!

His & Her Scarecrow’s:

Last Halloween, my husband and I needed a super quick and easy costume (pictures of us). We used blush and eyeliner to make the patches and the rest came together on it’s own!

Sandy & Danny:

Black? Leather? Hair? That’s all you need! This costume can be super easy to pull together for a last minute party. I’ve linked some extra’s that will make Sandy & Danny truly come to life!

Barbie & Ken:

This costume can be executed SO many different ways. I chose to use the Barbie Dream date idea because these are pieces you can either easily buy or already own in your wardrobe. Want to stand out even more? Create your own “barbie boxes” with some cardboard and paint!

Thanks again Emma for curating these amazing costumes for us! To learn more about Emma and her business, click here.

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House of Rêve Brand Launch

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Left: Julianne Dean, Right: Scout Campbell

Julianne Dean started working at Bustle this past spring, and last month she launched her new fashion brand, House of Rêve, with her best friend, Scout Campbell. Julianne and Scout also run a balloon styling business in Birmingham and Tuscaloosa called For Love and Loons. These ladies are so talented and full of amazing ideas, and we are so excited to share their most recent one with you. We asked Julianne a few questions about House of Rêve so we could give you all the details!

What made you decide to start House of Rêve?

Being best friends with different body types, we have learned everyone has insecurities even when you don't realize it. Fashion has always allowed us to express ourselves and feel confident in our own skin. By creating House of Rêve our mission has always been to do this for others by eliminating the standard that there is only one definition of beauty.

How did you come up with your business name?

This took us a minute to get right. We knew we wanted something unique and something that really represented us as a brand. After going through a million different names, we first landed on the name Stevie. However, clearly we went in a different direction. The word Rêve means ‘to dream’ in french, and was actually the name of my first design collection. This became such a key part of House of Rêve, because we wanted to make every girl feel like a "dream girl" . We run the store out of our home in Tuscaloosa and thought "house of" combined both the fashion flare and our actual reality.

Tell us about you and your business partner. How did you meet and decide to start your business?

My business partner is also my roommate and best friend. We have always shared a love for fashion and creativity. We have known each other since 6th grade. In fact, House of Rêve is our third business together. We ran a t-shirt business through instagram when we were in high school, and realized we were the perfect team when it comes to running a business. In college we decided to start our own balloon styling company, For Love & Loons, which we still continue today.

I am so lucky to be able to do what I love, especially when I get to do it with my best friend. House of Rêve is built on our two different styles. Scout has a western chic style and I bring the west coast flare. Having had three businesses together now, we have really gotten to know each other and how we work together. Knowing each of our strengths and weaknesses has become a huge part of why we work so well together. What I lack, she has and vise versa. Could not do this without her talented self and I am so thankful for her!

If there is one thing you wish every girl knew about fashion what would it be?

At House of Rêve we strive to bring out the most confident you and I believe fashion allows us to do just that. It gives us a way to express ourselves without talking. If we could say one thing to the women that shop with us it would be - you are so much more than the size of your dress, the tag does not define you! You are fearfully and wonderfully made and YOU and your own style are what makes fashion so fun.

What can we expect from House of Rêve in the future?

We would love to have a Rêve Girl campaign where we can feature some of our amazing customers. We may even try out carrying mens clothing.

Want to learn more about House of Rêve? You can shop the website or visit their Instagram page @shophouseofreve.

Scout Campbell

Daughter's Baking Grand Opening

We’ve been huge fans of Daughters Baking for the past few years and did an interview in 2019 with owner, Mallory Webb, about this fabulous boutique cake shop and how it all started (read interview here). At the time, it was being run out of a shared kitchen in Homewood, AL by Mallory and one assistant. Since then, the business has grown to a fully staffed team and now Daughters Baking is opening it’s first storefront in the heart of Mountain Brook on July 29th, 2021. During this busy time, Mallory was kind enough to answer some questions for us about her blossoming business, so we hope you’ll take a look!

What made you decide to open your own storefront?
In our previous location, we were limited to only serving customers via online pre-order, and we had limited customer engagement. We have dreamed of having a storefront for awhile so that we can serve customers more conveniently, and accommodate last minute and walk in orders - as well as smaller cake portions for those cake cravings! We also plan for the storefront to allow us to accommodate our bride and grooms more easily in working with them.

What do you wish your customers knew about your cakes/your business?
I hope our customers know that this business is so much more than just about making great cakes. we truly want to be a positive influence in the community and beyond, and to spread joy and hope to people through these cakes and the business. This is both to our customers and to our staff.

Do you have a favorite cake flavor? If so, which one?
My favorite is a special item we did last year - the Coffee Banana! I love our Banana Layer Cake as well. and the Pumpkin Brown Butter!

What's your favorite part of running your business?
It is hard to say at the moment! It feels like i am doing so many different things at once. I think goal setting, building up team members, and building a foundation to a positive work culture is fun to me. I enjoy the leadership element of establishing overall operations and work culture.

What are you looking forward to for Daughter's Baking?
I am looking forward to when all new people are fully training, and we are operating smoothly being located in the new storefront, and we can start getting creative with what we want to do with the space — like wedding tasting events, bridal events, parties, and more! We can also start playing around with new products that we may want to serve!

Our goal is to never sell out of our menu item cakes. However, all cakes are first come first serve for the day, unless pre-ordered 3 days in advance via online or paying in the store. Once we open the store, we will have smaller versions of our cakes - served in 5 ounce cake cups. We also will have a “tasting package” option that gives customers an opportunity to try four different seasonal flavors in a 2.5 cup portion.

Daughters Baking store hours are Monday - Friday from 10—5pm and Saturday from 10—2pm. If you’ve never tried one of their cakes, we highly recommend visiting the new storefront! To read more about how this wonderful Birmingham business got started, visit Daughters Baking’s website.

Bustle Team

Bustle started 8 years ago this August, and since then we have grown and changed a great deal. As we’ve added to our numbers, we knew we had to introduce our Shop and Media team to you. The Bustle Team is the heart of our business, and we are so excited for you to meet everyone!

Meredith Carter - I’m the creator and owner of Bustle. Friends often ask how Bustle was started and it really is sort of funny - I was at a Birthday dinner when a friend and I started talking about what I wanted to do with my career. She threw out the idea of opening a bridal shop, which had never even crossed my mind. Her comment spiked my curiosity so I did a little digging. At the time, Tiny Weddings Bham had a space in Bluff Park that they allowed me to share with them. It was really only a matter of weeks from that birthday dinner that we opened Bustle’s doors to sell “pre-loved wedding gowns” or, dresses that had been altered and cleaned. We transitioned a few years ago to exclusively selling new or sample wedding gowns off-the-rack. This is the perfect fit for Bustle because it allows us to sell gorgeous, designer gowns at a fraction of the cost. When I’m not at Bustle, you’ll probably find me at my brother’s house watching Tiny Kitchen with their 3 year old!

Cherry DeRosa — I’ve worked at Bustle as a bridal consultant for an amazing 8 years! Meredith (my daughter) had a vision for a bridal shop, and she opened Bustle within 4 months. I joined her and I’ve had such fun meeting sweet brides over the years. When I’m not working at Bustle I’m spending time with my grand babies — that’s the best! I also enjoy sitting at an outdoor restaurant sipping a cappuccino, or having dinner with my husband or shopping at At Home in Homewood.

Jessica Hammock — I’ve worked as a bridal consultant at Bustle for the past 6 years. I started working at Bustle after I purchased my wedding gown from Bustle and instantly loved Meredith and the shop! When I’m not working I’m spending time with my husband Jamey and our two sons, Levi (3) and Oliver (almost 1). I love sweets — two of my favorite places to visit are Hero Donuts and Big Spoon Creamery.

McKinley Landen— I’ve been a bridal consultant at Bustle for 2 years and I love helping brides find their perfect dress! I came to Bustle to shop for my own wedding dress and I enjoyed the experience so much. I am a full-time therapist, so I wanted something light and fun to do on the side. I have loved being able to serve brides. When I’m not working I love spending time with my husband and our two pups. We love going to Local No. 39 in Homewood — they have the best sweet tea chicken sandwiches and a fun environment!

Julianne Dean - I just started as a bridal consultant at Bustle and I’ve had so much fun helping brides find their dream wedding gowns so far! I own a balloon styling company called For Love and Loons so when I’m not at Bustle I am usually decorating different events. I also love going shopping and getting brunch with the girls. My favorite local Birmingham restaurant is VINO for amazing food, wine and art.

Lily Willis — I am new to the Bustle team and just started as a bridal consultant. I followed Bustle on Instagram and wanted to be a part of this sweet environment, especially because I had shopped here before and knew how special it was. When I’m not working at Bustle I’m most likely studying. I’m a full-time student and currently completing my Dietetic Internship and Masters of Science at Samford (I graduate in December), and then I hope to work in clinical nutrition. In my free time, ideally I would be outside by the pool or eating at my favorite restaurant, The Essential.

Laine White — I’m the Media Director for Bustle, so I get to curate our social media feed, plan photoshoots and giveaways and collaborate with my friend Claire. I am most often with my little girl, Rowan who was born in January of this year. She is quite the adventure and my husband, Tucker, and I have enjoyed every moment of parenting her so far. I also work as a manager at Breakout Birmingham and for the Breakout Games marketing team. When I’m not working you might find me at my favorite bagel shop, Homewood Bagel Company, or at Seeds Coffee.

Claire Jackson — I’m the blog manager and marketing assistant at Bustle, so I get to do fun photo shoots, write blogs, and collaborate with Laine on ideas for social media. I got my wedding dress at Bustle, and I just loved the people and the atmosphere here. I’m so glad I’ve been able to work here 3.5 years so far! I’ve also started doing real-estate photography which I really enjoy. I spend much of my time hanging with my one year old daughter, Eleanor and my husband Daniel, and we have a little boy on the way! You might also find strolling around a garden or plant shopping (my favorite is Shoppe in downtown Bham) or having coffee and pastries outside at Continental Bakery.

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Business Feature: Cala Coffee Company

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Cala Coffee Company is a new local coffee cart business that started in Birmingham run by Josh and Melanie Cosio. They launched the business in February. Josh and Melanie are both from California and moved to Alabama 5 years ago, which is how they came up with “Cala” Coffee (California + Alabama). They roast, package, and ship their coffee beans and also serve hot and iced handcrafted coffee drinks from their coffee cart. We did a Q&A with the owners so you (and we!) could find out all about it.

How did Cala Coffee get started?

We ask ourselves the same question (haha)! Cala Coffee started off as us buying a small roaster to roast coffee for ourselves and as gifts for friends + fam. Once people caught wind of this, we started getting orders and we outgrew our first roaster before we even unboxed it! That’s when we knew we had something and we decided to run with it.

We’ve always dreamed of owning a small business, we just didn’t know what it would be until earlier this year. Coffee has always meant a lot to our relationship - first, it fueled our drives to visit each other while we attended different colleges, next it became our favorite way to connect with a new city we visited, and now it is a way for us to chase our dream together.

What was the biggest challenge?

There aren’t enough hours in the day!
We both work full-time jobs (Josh is an event manager with Framework Events, Mel is a physical therapist at Birmingham Physical Therapy) in addition to Cala. Thankfully we are passionate about all of the hats we wear, so we stay motivated (+caffeinated ).

What is your personal favorite coffee blend? What's the most popular blend?

We both have been LOVING beans from Ethiopia. We prefer a light roast with fruity notes, so our favorite offering right now is Just Peachy. Our most popular is Happenstance, which is our medium roast.

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What do you wish customers knew about your business or about your coffee?

You can rent our cart (+us)! We love doing private events such as weddings, employee/teacher appreciations, and parties/showers. Pricing is determined on a case by case basis and we work with our customers to curate a menu that’s perfect for their event. Shoot us an email to calacoffeebhm@gmail.com for more info!

Additionally, we can do custom bags for gifts/wedding favors! We can create a label that fits our customer’s vision + package our beans of their choosing in 4, 8 or 12oz bags.

What's your favorite part about running your business?

We love the challenge and working together, especially at events! Josh’s full-time job has him traveling quite a bit throughout the year, so we really enjoy getting to park our cart somewhere for a few hours to connect with each other + our customers!

What’s the mission and heart of your business?

Our mission is to help others feel present, connected + energized!

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This comes in several forms, such as enjoying a cup of Cala with loved ones at home, grabbing a handcrafted drink from the cart and shopping at Birdsong Farmers Market, or teaming up with local vendors + organizations we support to broaden their reach.

What does the future look like for Cala coffee? What are you looking forward to?

Only time will tell! Right now we are working on getting our bags + cold brew concentrate into a few local shops. We are looking forward to getting more events on the calendar because we love getting to see people’s first sip!

Do you ship your coffee?

We offer free local delivery and we ship nationwide for a flat-rate of $5!