Just a little over a month ago, the owner of Lush Cakery, Kathryn Steed, was married and became the now Kathryn “Kat” Perrie! Before our interview started, we swooned over Kat’s wedding pictures, especially the ones taken right here in her own adorable studio in the square of downtown Marietta.
We met on a Monday evening at Lush Cakery and Kat welcomed us with hugs and a glass of red wine. She sure does know the way to our hearts!
Let’s get started with the basics.
Photo Credit: Robin Rayne
DS: Where are you from?
KP: Rome, Georgia
DS: What is the most recent show you have binge watched on Netflix?
KP: Gilmore Girls
DS: What was your first job?
KP: Baskin Robbins
DS: If you could move anywhere in the world, where would you go?
KP: I would love to live in California, but if I could choose anywhere in the world, I would live somewhere in wine country Italy near the Tuscan sun.
DS: What is the best compliment you have ever received?
KP: An older gentleman walked into the store the other day and said I reminded him of Nicole Kidman. I definitely took that as a compliment!
DS: Do you have any pets?
KP: I have a pit mix named Abbott. She loves to go fishing with my husband, Thomas.
We immediately asked to see pictures of Kat’s sweet fur baby and let me just say, Abbott is absolutely adorable!
DS: What is the last book you have read?
KP: Present Over Perfect. It’s a Christian author talking about living in the present instead of being sucked into social media. I would highly recommend it.
DS: What advice would you give your younger self?
KP: Do not lay in a tanning bed!
DS: What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?
KP: Treat others how you want to be treated.
DS: What is the most worn item in your wardrobe?
KP: My Lululemon align pants. I literally have these pants in every color.
Kat was wearing these exact amazingly comfy pants during our interview!
DS: What is the last photo you took?
KP: Fabric samples for a roman shade
DS: If you could be featured on the front page of any magazine, what would it be?
KP: Martha Stewart
DS: Who do you miss most?
KP: My grandfather. He raised me and he was my world.
DS: Who are you listening to right now?
KP: A Spotify playlist called “Relax and Unwind”
DS: What is the one sport you wish you could play?
KP: I wish I enjoyed running.
DS: Who is your role model?
KP: Is it bad if I say Martha Stewart pre-incarceration?
We all laughed at this and agreed that Marta Stewart will always be a classic!
DS: What is your favorite way to de-stress?
KP: Being around girlfriends
DS: What is the last country you visited?
KP: Iceland two years ago. I saw the Northern Lights! I would highly recommend going in late February or early March and it’s actually a really affordable trip.
DS: What is your favorite country that you have visited?
KP: Brazil. That was my first time out of the country and I was studying abroad. I love to travel and wish I had more time to travel.
DS: What country do you wish to visit next?
KP: Greece is next on the list hopefully
DS: What is the best gift you have ever received?
KP: My car when I graduated high school from my grandfather. That was very special and very hard to get rid of!
DS: What is your favorite thing about yourself?
KP: I know a lot of girls struggle with comparing themselves to one another on social media, but I really do not care what other people think about me and I love that about myself.
We definitely admire that about you too, Kat!
KAT’S FAVORITES
Photo credit: Robin Rayne
DS: Animal?
KP: Dog
DS: Smell?
KP: The smell of a campfire
DS: Drink?
KP: Americano
DS: Food?
KP: Italian. Anything cheesy, breads, and carbs.
DS: Band?
KP: Zac Brown Band
DS: Movie?
KP: The Family Stone, but I really love any Christmas movie.
DS: Hobby?
KP: Listening to live music and enjoying a cocktail with my husband
DS: Season?
KP: I hate winter! I love fall and am so ready for it to be here!
DS: Diamonds or pearls?
KP: Diamonds
Kat laughed at herself saying that she really prefers neither. She said that the only jewelry she ever wears is the same necklace every day and of course her flawless wedding ring.
KAT’S THIS OR THAT?
DS: Android or iPhone?
KP: iPhone
DS: Twitter or Instagram?
KP: Instagram
DS: Coffee or tea?
KP: Coffee
DS: Sweet or savory?
KP: Savory. I want potato chips, baked potatoes, and all the pasta all the time!
DS: Scary film or happy ending?
KP: Happy ending
DS: Introvert or extrovert?
KP: I am more introverted. I am an observer. My best friend is super extroverted, so whenever we go out somewhere, I like to sit back and observe while she does all the talking, Kat giggles.
LET’S GET DOWN TO BUSINESS
Photo Credit: Robin Rayne
DS: What is your overall favorite cake and method of décor?
KP: It has always been Red Velvet, but my latest favorite is cinnamon. Both red velvet and cinnamon have a vanilla bean cream filling. For décor, I love fresh flowers. It adds so much life to a cake.
DS: How many deliveries do you make over the weekend?
KP: Usually 4-6 in peak season, but on October 20th this year, I have 8!
DS: How do you plan all of your deliveries out?
KP: I usually like to deliver all of the cakes myself, but thankfully Thomas [Kat’s husband] helps me out too.
DS: What is your typical cake schedule during the week?
KP: On Monday’s, I buy all of the ingredients for the week. I usually bake on Tuesdays for and do fillings on Wednesday’s. Thursdays and Fridays are for decorating and of course, Saturday’s are for delivering.
DS: What inspired your brand?
KP: Coming up with the name of my company was the hardest thing. I literally looked up adjectives in the thesaurus to find the perfect name. I love cool, clean, crisp colors.
DS: How long have you been in business?
KP: I have been doing cakes since 2009, but I started my own business in 2012.
DS: Who is your ideal client?
KP: I like for people to have some type of vision, even if it’s as simple as being drawn to a piece of fabric or dress or flowers. This gives me an idea of where to start.
DS: What is your favorite part of the wedding day?
KP: Seeing all of the wedding pieces coming together.
DS: What is your most commonly asked question by brides?
KP: How do you deliver your cakes and have you ever had a cake incident?
Thankfully, Kat has never had any cake accidents!
DS: What is your average budget for most clients? Minimum budget?
KP: I would say my average is $700 to $800. I have a minimum of $500 during high peak season.
DS: What is the most stressful part of your job?
KP: Delivering!
DS: What is your one piece of advice for brides? Grooms?
KP: Take a step back with your groom, and really see everything come together. All of the people you love are here for you for one time in your life, and it is just such a wow, perfect moment. It is all so surreal and I hope brides take in every moment they can on their wedding day.
Ironically, three days before our interview, Courtney said the exact same words to her associate coordinator, Kelley, who is getting married in November. Courtney still gets tears in her eyes thinking about how special it was to have everyone she loves in one place for her own wedding five years ago.
DS: What made you start your own business?
KP: I hated working for other people and not doing something that I loved. I did the whole corporate thing for a while and it just wasn’t for me, but I have always had a passion for food.
DS: If you did not own your bakery, what would you be?
KP: An Interior Designer. I love following all the bloggers and designers.
Looking at Kat’s perfect décor in Lush Cakery, she would definitely be an AMAZING interior designer too!
DS: Where is Lush Cakery in 5 years?
KP: I will still be in the Lush Cakery studio for the next 5 years. I want to focus more on selling baked goods, t-shirts, and merchandise. I eventually want to teach cake making classes too. I have dreamt about having this exact studio for so long, and I’m so excited for Lush Cakery to grow even more.
We ended our interview looking at the sweetest article featuring Kat in Cobb Life magazine and of course sharing more pictures of our puppies! On our way out, Kat treated us with the most delicious macaroons we have ever tasted! We couldn’t have asked for a more perfect Monday night. -DS
Check out more of Kat’s beautiful work @kat_lushcakery and www.lushcakery.com
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