Honeycomb Pastries | Your Flagstaff Wedding Vendors

Welcome to a new series I'm appropriately naming Your Flagstaff Wedding Vendors! Listen, Flagstaff is a hidden gem for many reasons but one of the biggest ones is our phenomenal selection of wedding vendors. From Photographers (represent!) to DJs, Florists, Rental Companies and Chefs I want to try to highlight as many as I can so you can make the most informed decision or referral when your next wedding comes up.

In this series of blog posts I'll be doing quick interviews with our vendors and share more about what they offer, who they are and how you can get in touch with them.

A vendor I've been especially excited to interview is Vicky with Honeycomb Pastries. She is one of the first vendors I connected with in Flagstaff when I got into the wedding industry and she should be one of the first you know about too! If you have a sweet tooth like me, you're in for a treat!

Who are you and what service do you offer in the Flagstaff Wedding Vendor arena?

My name is Victoria (Vicky) Poull, owner and pastry chef of Honeycomb Pastries LLC. I offer cakes and dessert bars for weddings in Flagstaff, but am open to requests! I love bringing your vision to life, I can’t wait to create something unforgettable! I'm currently servicing the Flagstaff Area but have taken Sedona orders as well. I'm always open for discussion!

How long have you been creating in your space and what made you decide to offer these services for Arizona couples planning their weddings?

I started Honeycomb Pastries LLC during the summer of 2020 in the heat of Covid, but have been working professionally as a

pastry chef for the past 8 years. Originally I did not have weddings in mind when I created Honeycomb Pastries, but the demand was so high, I couldn't turn down helping be a part of such a big day for clients. Now, I can’t imagine turning weddings down, it's

been such an amazing experience not only working with couples to make their dream day come true, but working with all the amazing vendors and having that connection anytime a couple asks for local vendors to work with.

What is your favorite thing about your business?

When I started Honeycomb Pastries, I was trying to figure out how to sustain myself during a worldwide pandemic. But the most rewarding thing about it has been the ability to have creative freedom. Yes, a customer can tell me what flavor cake or frosting they want and give me an idea of what kind of decorations on the cake, but in the end, the cake is my original work. It’s such a great creative outlet, and helps me try out new techniques or designs I’ve been wanting to experiment with. I’ve always had that artistic side, and this is my way to express it.

What was the biggest challenge or most unexpected obstacle you've had to overcome? This can be a general challenge or a specific project that tested your abilities.

Currently my biggest challenge is working as a one woman bakery, but I’m hoping to expand and grow my team to be able to accept more orders! As far as the business side of things, I have had to learn the hard way to implement policies to protect myself and my clients to ensure we are both getting what we want.

What is your favorite review or piece of feedback you've ever gotten from a client?

It’s hard to pick one! Most recently though, I had a client looking for a birthday cake for her husband. As far as decorations, the only thing she told me was that he liked the outdoors and dogs. Looking through her instagram I saw that they had three dogs, so I tried to incorporate them by doing a little campsite set up by a stream, with two dog snouts and tongues peeking out of the tent and a dog searching for a fish in the stream with his tail sticking out of the water. She told me that he absolutely loved the cake and even cried because he was so excited to see one of the dogs who had recently passed. Obviously I had no idea they had lost their pup, but was glad I included him to help make a special cake more meaningful. It’s always awesome to hear back from customers on how much they love their orders and what they want to do for future cakes.

What is your favorite pastry to create / make?

Obviously I have a lot of creative freedom with what I want to bake, how I want to decorate an item and what flavor combinations I’d like to try, but I think my favorite really has to be decorating cakes. The options for decorating truly are limitless. Just like seasons for fashion ebb and flow, so do decorating styles and there is always something to learn.

How would you describe your "dream client"?

I love a customer who comes with a vague idea of what they want and gives me the creative freedom to complete that idea and really give it life! It really is the best when they come for pickup and their faces just light up when they see my interpretation of their design.

Do you have a price range for your services you feel comfortable sharing here?

Currently my rates range from $70-$500 depending on if you’re looking for a small cutting cake, or a large three tier cake with varying sizes in between. Dessert bars are also an option, and I typically charge around $40-$60 per dozen treats. Of course this can differ if there is more intensive decorative work.

What is the trickiest part about being a Flagstaff-based vendor?

Being a Flagstaff baker is challenging in itself because you have to bake at high altitude. In my 6 years of living here, I’ve grown accustomed to how altitude can change the final result of a baked item, and what to do to a recipe to make sure it comes out as it should, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t hiccups every now and then.

From start to finish how long does it take you to complete your creations?

Totally depends on what I’m working on, but let’s talk cake! From start to finish it takes anywhere from 3-12 hours to compete a cake. From measuring ingredients, baking, allowing to cool, making the frosting, cut layers into the cake, make any intricate decorations (fondant/chocolate work) ahead of time, frost and stack, frost and decorate the outside, to finally boxing, there is a lot of time and detail that goes into each cake. Some cakes are more simple, that I can decorate in 20 minutes, but some are more intricate and I can spend hours working on small details.

Is there someone in your industry that inspires you to keep going when things get tough?

I have so many badass ladies in my life who also run their own businesses, and I will always call them for advice! My top gals are Abby Chan, owner of EVOLVE, and Dara Wong, owner of Shift and Oeno. Any help I need whether it’s financial, inspiration, or just a glass of wine after a hard week, I couldn’t stay sane without them!

Who are some vendors you feel could use some more recognition in Northern Arizona?

Junipine Platter Co - I love their charcuterie spreads, always look gorgeous and tasty. I love the idea of a spread at a wedding instead of servers walking around, it lets people mingle more and get to know each other during the event.

Four Sisters Floral - The most gorgeous flower arrangements! I love their attention to detail and use of seasonal flowers. Every time they post an arrangement or tablescape on their stories, I’m blown away.

Peak Scents - This may not strictly be a wedding vendor, but you want to have that glowing skin for your perfect day and I love what Peak Scents does for my skin! Moving out here from Chicago, my skin has had a lot of adjusting to do with the dry climate, and my skin loves Peak Scents plant based skin care.