August 18T00:00:00.000Z, 2015
“In all the
wedding cake, hope is the sweetest of plums”
As special as your wedding proposal....that passionate emotion when your beloved takes a glance at the sparkling
engagement ring or when your best man makes a toast all the memorable memories will stay in forever, and as you wipe off the tears of laughter, joy, happiness and perhaps a bit of embarrassment, there is still a sweet delectable tradition to look forward to. Yes, the cake cutting ceremony, so let them dig in! But before the couple starts pasting each other’s face with sugared icing and share a sweet kiss (literally), let us tell you a story of how these popular tiered cakes became the trend that caught on like wild fire.
As the legend goes, in late 18
th century London, William Rich, a young apprentice in Ludgate hill, had fallen love with the beautiful daughter of his master. As grand gesture of his affection he created a huge multilayered cake to impress her, and through it gain her approval for marriage. His inspiration it seems came from the towering spires of St Bride’s Church. Isn’t that sweet? Now who wouldn’t say no to such a romantic tribute!
The art of making an elaborate wedding cake has inspired bakers and artists around the globe to create the most beautiful towering cakes that are not only a vision to behold and a centerpiece that drives every eye at the wedding, but this creation holds a true essence of the happy duo’s personality. Today designs range from uber modern beating the tradition, vintage inspired to downright homemade naked cakes according the theme of the wedding. Whether, you love theme weddings or not, you would want your wedding cakes to be a magnificent showpiece of entire celebration. We have rounded a few of the best bakers and cake designers who specialize in creating masterpieces for different styles of weddings. Have a look:
Layers - It’s Tradition
Do you know how this tradition of inspiring tall cakes came to be? Interestingly enough it was a popular practice in Britain in medieval times to stack up small spiced buns and scones brought to the ceremony by the guest. The newlyweds then tried to kiss over the pile without toppling it over. Success assured prosperity and lifetime of happiness. Appalled by this crude custom of simply piling, a French chef took upon himself to bring a sophisticated edge by coating the stack with flavored icing. From there it has been an upswing with cake designers taking tradition to its epitome.
One such brilliant designer is Jennifer Harrison owner of Layers Cakes
, who is known for designing extraordinary layered cakes with intricate detailing giving traditional cakes a modern makeover. Layers specialize in delicate gum paste flowers, also known as sugar flowers. Hand-made intricate work of art molded and crafted to reproduce the succulent blossoms in icing. If you love tradition with twist, this is your spot to be.
The Pastry Studio – Victorian Vintage
Is Vintage your wedding theme? Then your wedding planner would probably be advising you to match your wedding cake with bridal gown, so it goes without saying that white confections are your customary choice. But a hint of gold, silver and pastels with pearls and floral embellishments and opulent chandelier like arrangements add a quaint touch. In fact it was during the Victorian age that the popular belief, that a white frosted wedding cake symbolized purity and created a visual link between the virgin bride and the cake came to be. So if you want to go all the way with classical vintage theme, make sure your color palette stays as pristine as possible.
The Pastry Studio takes an artistic and modern approach by fusing the conventional designs with a fresh chic touch creating beautiful couture confections. Just a glance through their glorious portfolio is all it takes to gauze their creativity; the fact only confirmed by its cake design been features in notable magazines and blogs like Brides , Grace Ormonde Wedding Style, The Knot, Weddings Illustrated, Brides Florida, Beautiful Bride and many more. What more could you ask for?
Lovely Cakes – For Boho Brides
A step down from all too formal Vintage, but more refined than rustic; nature inspired Boho chic is fast becoming the bridal look of the year. This much relaxed natural theme with softer dreamy colors, a touch of lace and beads and loads of flora and fauna is obviously being incorporated in wedding cakes. Soft pastel colors, frilled layers and topped with delectable sugar succulent flower and trailing in attractive shades and viola, you have your beautiful Bohemian wedding cake.
Lovely Cakes court some of the most artistic works perfect for boho brides. Be it multi-toned cake with climbing ranunculus floral arrangement, frilly butter-cream tiers with delicate foliage or a multilayered naked cake with over the top cascading trails and tendrils, every cake is a pastiche of effortless beauty imbibing the very essence of a boho style.
Cake Crumbs – Break With Tradition
Tired of same old boring traditional cakes? Want to flaunt your individuality? For the bold and beautiful you, looking for something new yet something you, break the tradition and pursue the alternative style. Why settle for a classic white confection when you can infuse your unique style in your wedding cake, after all your wedding day is solely yours only. It may be stacks of multi-flavored doughnut arranged in tiers, layers of cupcakes, assortment of pies, chocolate croquembouche mount, miniature individual layered wedding cakes or cakes with design unlike any. Alternative style wedding cakes puts your very own personality in the lime light allowing you to share your taste with the guests.
If are the person who eschews customs or just aren’t a big fan of archetypical wedding cakes, a mere glance at Cake Crumbs wide gallery of gorgeous unconventional cakes is all you need to know that this is the place to get your big-day cake. Browse through multiple choices including intricately decorated lifelike three tier pin cushion cake or layered box cake with incredibly realistic fondant tree sculpture and many more; their cakes a nothing short of work of art.
Carrie’s Cake – Tickle Your Funny Bone
Are you big on theme weddings? A fun theme like Alice in Wonderland, The Wizard of the Oz, Harry Potter, Cinderella or perhaps Mario calls for an equally whimsical cake that matches the occasion. Show your playfulness and sense of humor and add more color and zeal to your wedding reception with a decorative piece right out of your childhood fantasy and fanfare. For this you need experts who understand and deliver exactly what you want.
Gateaux specializes in baking and making most awe-inspiring wedding cakes custom designed to reflect the personality and singular style of the couple getting married. Be it a funky Honeymooner cake picking inspiration from couple’s London, Lisbon and Amsterdam trip or Enchanted Woods with hand painted wood, succulent flowers and mushrooms along with woodland critters, or a gamers dream Mario cake topped with Mario and Princess Peach figurines. These are just a few from the many designs this talented team has as yet came up with. So if you have a penchant for out of ordinary, this is your one stop shop to make your dream a reality.
Erica Obrien: Go Retro
Fashion keeps rebooting and what was then chucked off as old-fashioned, time and again makes a comeback with zeal. Retro theme is one such that can never go out of style. The polka dots, the intoxication music, fusion of vibrant shades and soft pastel, tight skirts and plead jackets, funky hairdos and gowns harkening back to the glorious period all puts a fun element in the wedding. But what delivers the final punch-line nailing the entire ensemble is the kitsch of the retro wedding cake.
Retro can range from the jazzy 1920’s, pop 1950’s to rolling 1980’s. Pulling inspiration from these eras Erica Obrien’s cake designs provides a wide range of retro inspired wedding cakes; like ivory cake with huge black bow, bright pinwheel tiered cake, or Brides magazine’s favorite pick, the midcentury mi x with an airbrushed wall paper pattern dazzled by a hand-cut medallion. Every cake is a masterpiece in itself that gives the finishing touch to the whole wedding arrangement.
Kakes By Karen – A Nautical Affair
Who wouldn’t want a beach wedding; the soft crashes of waves as a musical background score and salty breeze caressing your skin while you make your vows? There is a mesmerizing beauty to a seaside wedding celebration that creates an enigmatic aura and magical moments for the blessed couple. Be it a big bash wedding or a low key ceremony, one can never be tired of a beach wedding. So it goes without saying that a wedding cake showing the very spirit of this beach-side affair, whether in aqua marine colors or fondant art work of sea shells, pearls and anchor, is a must to seal the deal.
Kakes By Karen presents you with a humongous range of nautical wedding cakes with design inspirations pulled right out of the sea and sand, sticking to the theme and yet giving a non-traditional nod to the ocean. Some of her best designs include white fondant layered cake with cluster of edible sea shells, dusting of sand colored sugar and edible wood fencing topped with Mr & Mrs armchairs, a sand castle cake topped with a bunch of star fish and sea shell, or a simple two tier cake with navy ribbon and a simple knotted rope circling the top layer. Nothing can be more perfect for your sea-side ceremony!
Wedding cakes have come a long way from being a simple ritual of breaking bread loaf on top of the bride’s head to bestow good luck and fortune on the couple, to this glorified version of mesmerizing art work which is dotted as a prime attraction of the wedding reception. Though in spirit the custom still remains the same, a wedding cake is so much more now. You spend months in immaculately planning and tailoring every little aspect of the wedding according to your likes and dislikes, so why stop now by choosing a mediocre cake. No matter what style your ceremony is; traditional, alternatively, vintage, retro, boho chic or beach, this is your one opportunity to flaunt your unique style with a wedding cake that is anything but ordinary.