A Website for an Essex Gelato Business: Sundae Cycle & Co.
This might be the most delicious project I've ever worked on!
Sundae Cycle & Co. make handcrafted, small-batch gelato. Jess and Dave started with a bike and a love of great ice cream, and you'll now find them serving at weddings, parties and events across Essex and Suffolk.
And they're about to open The Parlour in Fordham, near Colchester. So they needed a brand new Squarespace website that could take them into this next chapter.
The brief: one website, two very different customers
This was the big challenge.
On one side, Sundae Cycle are a food vendor that do a lot of work at weddings. Couples planning their big day need to see what's on offer and how to book.
On the other, The Parlour is somewhere you can host events, parties and workshop, all with ice cream in mind. Those visitors want opening times and directions, not wedding packages!
So the website needed to do both, without it ever feeling confusing. Every visitor had to find their way to the right place quickly.
A website that tells a story
Jess and Dave wanted the website to flow like a story from top to bottom. Nothing too chunky or divided.
So I kept the sections flowing into each other, and used Squarespace's wavy section dividers in a few places to separate them gently. It just felt right for an ice cream brand!
Soft shapes, like ice cream
I used lots of soft, rounded edges, with box shapes that meet the edge of the page. They felt soft, like ice cream, and friendly, just like Jess and Dave's service.
Fonts that feel on brand
For the headings, I pulled through the font from their logo, so everything feels consistent. Then I added a cursive font as a little highlight here and there.
A little bit of fun on the homepage
The homepage splits everything into three ways to enjoy Sundae Cycle: The Parlour, Weddings & Events, and Experiences & Parties. This is what keeps the two sides of the business clear.
And as you scroll over each service, it changes to a pastel purple. A small touch, but it adds some visual interest and makes you want to explore.
Polaroids from the guests' point of view
Sundae Cycle get lots of lovely photos and videos from wedding guests. So I displayed them as polaroids, which really shows the guests' perspective of their service. It's like flicking through a wedding album!
Testimonials throughout
Rather than one big reviews page, I drip-fed testimonials throughout the website. I also used a slider so we could fit more than one review into one space.
The Hire Us page
Sundae Cycle offer lots of ways to hire them. Rather than giving each option its own chunky section, I designed them to flow down the page in a less-than-vertical way. It keeps that storytelling feel, and makes the page a joy to scroll.
The result
Sundae Cycle now have a website that feels just like them: playful, friendly and full of personality.
Couples planning a wedding in Essex or Suffolk can see exactly how to hire them. Locals can find The Parlour in Fordham. And everyone gets a little taste of what makes their gelato so special.
This website was built as part of my Bespoke Build package. You can see the live site at sundaecycle.co, or have a look through more of my work in my portfolio.
Are you a wedding supplier or food business in Essex or Suffolk?
I'd love to help you create a website that's completely, unmistakably you.
I'm Ellie, a Squarespace website designer based in Ipswich, Suffolk, working with small businesses across Suffolk, Essex and beyond. Book your free discovery call and let's have a chat!
