Our Story

Aaron and I met in the spring of 2009. I was just starting as a server in a fine-dining restaurant in our hometown. Aaron worked in the back of the house and was quick to pester the new girl. As time passed we became good friends, spending more and more time together after our shift. Aaron is eight years older than me and at the time I felt that was waaaaay too old. 😜 (I was 19).  We enjoyed each others company but I was fairly certain that was all it would ever be.

Towards the end of the summer I had warmed up to the idea, perhaps this could work. 🤷🏻 After one kiss in late August, we were all in.  We continued our relationship until I finished my schooling in the spring of 2011. After that, we loaded up all of our worldly possessions and moved to Dallas. 

The move was challenging and tested our will, courage and strength. But in the end was the best decision we have made together. 

On a Sunday in April of 2012, I spent the day out with my bestie. Upon return Aaron and Adreena met me at the car, they insisted I close my eyes and let them lead me. Of course, I obliged and they lead me up the walkway to a beautiful porch swing Aaron had built. There Aaron got down on one knee and asked me to be his, always and forever. It was such a special moment for our family, I was finally to be a Bidwell! 

Our Special Day

Over the next 11 months, I spent most weekends running between garage sales and Hobby Lobby looking for the perfect decorations (at the BEST prices). As a young couple, we wanted to keep our wedding cost low so taking my time to find the best deals was very important. In order to save time and money, I chose to do silk flowers for all of our arrangements. This decision caused me to run from one side of the metroplex to the other in search of my chosen flowers. (I was very lucky to live in a place where there are so many locations!). Every aspect of the wedding was created by me over those months, a labor of love I thoroughly enjoyed!

When choosing a location for the wedding I was always pulled to these barns that Aaron and I had driven by a hundred times in east Texas. They were huge, gorgeous and rusty (all my favorite things 🙌🏻). After doing some research we found that they were the Blow Family Barns and that they were erected in 1898 & 1899 (115 years old 😱). What an amazing omen to get married at the feet of such a beautiful building that had already stood the test of time! We tracked the family down thru a manager at the local grocery store and were able to negotiate a wedding ceremony! My dreams had come true!

In the sketches for the ceremony, I had drawn in a series of doors, paneled together to create separation between the guests and our staging area. Much to Aaron and my parent’s dismay we set off in search of the doors. No more than 15 minutes into our first stop, we stumble on 6, white, 8 ft doors – for a mere $ 3.50 each! It was amazing! Such a great moment of

Ask and You Shall Recieve!

As the details came together it was time for the dresses to be selected for myself and my girls. I am so blessed to have a seamstress for a mother!!! She amazingly handcrafted my wedding gown AND all of my wedding party’s dresses! Every detail was gorgeous and the perfect reflection of my vision. So thankful for all her hard work.

I was constantly working on some aspect of the wedding whether it was Save the Dates, Invitations, Centerpieces or Bouquets. The corners of our home slowly but surely filled to the brim of supplies for the big day. Every detail was perfect; it all fell in to place exactly as I intended. ✨

The Cake

When it came to the cake we knew we wanted Lemon Poppyseed; such a light, and refreshing cake. The decision for us was what kind of filling we wanted. One night after work we baked up a cake and tried four different fillings; raspberry jam, blueberry jam, buttercream and lemon curd. Adreena and I hovered around the cake samples working thru likes and dislikes. When it was all said and done raspberry was the winner! Although Aaron enjoys cake, he opted for miniature pies instead of a grooms cake! Such a fun twist on the traditional.

We were incredibly lucky to have a team of talented family members helping to set up, cook and organize our wedding weekend. We could not have made it through without all of them!

My Aunt Marie was in charge of the cake so we opted for her infamous Buttercream Frosting – which is soooooo good!

As we come up on our fifth wedding anniversary I thought it would be fun to share a similar recipe. 

Give it a try and let me know what you think!

3.6 from 15 votes

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Lemon Poppy Seed Cake with Raspberry Filling

Ingredients

For the Cake:

• 2 1/3 cups cake flour
• 2 3/4 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 1/2 tbsp. poppy seeds
• 5 large egg whites at room temperature
• 1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 tbsp. finely grated lemon zest
• 12 tbsp. unsalted butter at room temperature
• 1 cup whole milk

For the Raspberry Filling:

• 8 tbsp. unsalted butter
• 1 pint ripe raspberries or 1 12-oz. package frozen raspberries thawed
• 5 large egg yolks lightly beaten
• 3/4 cup sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 2-3 tsp. fresh lemon juice

For the Lemon Buttercream Frosting:

• 16 tbsp. unsalted butter at room temperature
• 2 tbsp. finely grated lemon zest
• 3 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
• 3 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• Fresh raspberries for garnish

Instructions

Cake

1. Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour a 9×13″ cake pan. 

2. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and poppy seeds in a bowl; set aside. 

3. In the clean, dry bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on medium speed until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and increase the speed to medium-high. Beat just until stiff peaks form when the whisk is lifted. Transfer the egg whites to a separate bowl, clean the mixer bowl and reattach it with the paddle attachment.

4. Add the butter to the mixer bowl and beat on medium speed until smooth. 
   

5. Gradually add the sugar and beat until incorporated. Mix in the lemon zest. Beat the mixture on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. 

6. Add 1/4 cup of the milk and beat until just blended. Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture alternately with the remaining milk in three batches, beginning and ending with the flour, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Beat until just blended. 

7. Using a rubber spatula, fold one quarter of the egg whites into the batter, being careful not to deflate the mixture. Once incorporated, add in the rest of the whites and gently fold in until well combined.

8. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 24-26 minutes. Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Run a thin knife around the outside of pan and gently turn the cake out. Allow to cool completely.

Raspberry Filling

1. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. 

2. Add the raspberries, egg yolks, sugar and salt, and cook, mashing the berries. Stir frequently at first and then constantly at the end, until thickened, about 10 minutes. 

3. Pour the mixture through a coarse strainer set over a bowl, pressing hard on the solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Cool to room temperature; the curd will continue to thicken as it cools. Stir in lemon juice to taste. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
   

Lemon Buttercream Frosting

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and zest on medium speed until light and fluffy. 

2. Gradually add the sugar and beat until smooth. 

3. Add the lemon juice and beat for one minute longer.  

Recipe Notes

Layer cooled raspberry filling between cake rounds. Let assembled cake cool in fridge while prepareing the frosting. 

Frost cake once chilled. Garnish with fresh raspberries.