- Story by Christina Rice, Art by Brenda Hickey
After attending a wedding catered by the Cakes, Rarity sees the potential of she joining business forces with the Cakes. The Cakes are worried but agree to see what happens.
Rarity heads to Canterlot to get some fabric, where she runs into Touring Wind, an influential fashion magazine editor. Touring Wind has heard of Rarity and welcomes the chance to see her outfits and makes time in her busy schedule to come to Ponyville a few days from now. Rarity is a bit panicked but believes she can do it, until she gets back to Ponyville and finds that the Cakes have accepted catering another wedding the day after Touring Wind's visit. The ceremony is for AJ's cousins, Ginger Gold and Apple Crisp, who want a rather simple wedding. Rarity, knowing she can't work to impress Touring Wind and design for the wedding in the limited time, pushes the Cakes and the wedding couple to go with a much fancier ceremony and an over-the-top cake. The Cakes fear they can't pull it off, but Rarity assures them it will go fine.
The day of Touring Wind's visit comes and Rarity goes to see her at the train station. When they get back to Sugarcube Corner, however, they find that Ginger Gold has come down with an allergic reaction to the strawberries Rarity insisted they use for the cake, and that the giant cake Rarity demanded is on the verge of collapse. Touring Wind walks out, and works out how to get back to Canterlot as soon as possible. Rarity breaks down, but is surprised at how calm the Cakes are taking the situation, having prepared a quick remedy for Ginger and cleaned up the mess the Cake had made. They explain that having twins helps them keep their cool in tough situations, as well as to be extra prepared - they knew that Rarity's desires may have been out of reach, and had prepared the batter and frosting for the simpler cake that the couple wanted in the first place. Rarity takes this advice to heart, and begins re-working the dress for Ginger.
The next day, the Cakes are able to stop Touring Wind from leaving, and invite her to attend the wedding. After Spike causes the trains to become delayed, Touring Wind has little reason to decline. At Sweet Apple Acres, she finds that Rarity has developed a fashionable yet simple dress for Ginger, and that the Cakes' new wedding cake - a simple tower of cupcakes - works quite well for the rustic setting. Touring Wind promises to write this up in her magazine, and Rarity apologizes to the Cakes for going overboard, but they remind her that her confidence is part of the reason why they love her.
This issue provides examples of:
- Awesome, but Impractical: Pretty much every "improvement" Rarity makes to the wedding. Kinda makes one wonder if she ever needed the Inspiration Manifestation...
- Expy Touring Wind's name and look (the helmet-like mane and glasses), as well as her attitude towards her assistant (who has a red high-heeled shoe for a cutie mark, to boot) evoke a ponified Anna Wintour.
- Mythology Gag: The wedding topper that Ginger provides is styled after Generation 1 ponies.
- Puppy-Dog Eyes: Rarity does this to guilt trip the Cakes into working with her when they try to back out and assert themselves with her. And it works.
- Visual Pun: When Spike lays down to stop the Friendship Express, he is basically a railroad spike.
