Beyond THE FIVE & DIME: Melting Pot Gifts

Personalized antique: An original biracial wedding cake topper

Michelle Emerson founded Melting Pot Gifts after shopping for greeting cards and finding none for people in interracial relationships. While her site has grown to offer not only cards but artwork, Real Kidz dolls, and other products, she wins my vote for her collection of mixed-race wedding cake toppers and figurines. I could have used her help fifteen years ago! I got all sorts of odd looks back then when I walked into bridal shops and asked for a biracial bride-and-groom cake topper. Flowers just would not do, and I finally bought a “traditional” bride-and-groom topper and asked an artist friend in Nashville, Jeanne Forsythe, to touch it up for me. Later Jeanne confessed to having suffered a serious case of anxiety when faced with the task I’d dropped in her lap. She did a great job, though, right down to my husband’s mustache. Thankfully such headaches for brides (and their helpful friends!) can now be avoided. Gotta love Internet shopping…and sites like Melting Pot Gifts.