46 a movie buff, an avid gamer, or simply love a good fairytale, a themed cake can be a fun and creative way to express yourself. You can even take it a step further with a hidden theme! Imagine a seemingly traditional white cake with elegant flowers, but when turned around, it transforms into a vibrant scene depicting your favourite video game characters! This playful twist is sure to surprise guests." YOUR DAY, YOUR WAY “Whenever I speak to couples at wedding fayres or through enquiries, I always say to them, ‘your wedding your way” because so many couples talk about what they think they should be having and not what they actually want,” says Stacey at The Mad Batter’s Baked Goods. She continues, “Your wedding day should be about the two of you and a complete reflection of you both without thinking about what anybody else would want from your big day. I love speaking to my couples, finding out their favourite things, and working out how we can incorporate them. You can combine many things into your cake, from colours to flavours and little design touches that reflect you both to create a completely unique cake.” THE LITTLE DETAILS “It’s so important to have a cake that reflects your own personalities”, says Lucy at Heaven is a Cupcake. “We always suggest that if you go for a three-tiered cake, you pick a favourite flavour for each and then a third universal flavour that can cater to everyone. We specialise in buttercream and modern fondant cakes, so we love it when our couples want to add something with meaning to the cake to reflect themselves. That could mean having personalised figures on top, adding paw prints to the cake to include your furry friends or even a little hobbit door for those Lord of the Rings fans. We love creating unique cakes for unique couples!” THE DREAM TEAM “Find a cake designer who matches your style,” comments Sarah at Layers & Graces Cake Design. She follows, “When looking at your local cake suppliers, be sure to look through plenty of pictures on their website and social media accounts to ensure they have experience making the kind of cake that will suit your wedding style. This is particularly important regarding complicated sugar work or custom designs! “Also, have an idea of your cake budget and look on the company's website for a price guide. Once you find a designer you like, look at their online reviews as many have testimonials on their website. Ensure to check other sites, such as Google, as well. You can then contact them and check if they’re available for your date. Many cake designers will be happy to have a ten-minute call to discuss your ideas, which will help you decide if they’re the right one for you. “It’s best to choose a supplier at least six to 12 months in advance as the best companies get booked very quickly!” DIETARY REQUIREMENTS When guests have all sorts of dietary requirements, including gluten and dairy intolerance, ensuring everyone is catered for can be stressful, as no one should miss out on the big day. Luckily, we’re seeing more bakeries from around the region provide perfect alternatives to keep everyone happy. Nancy at Motley Bakes says, “All of the cakes we create are vegan and can, therefore, cater to those with dairy or egg intolerances. We can also make most of our cake flavours gluten-free. Your guests will never suspect that the bakes are free-from as they taste that good. So many of our customers aren’t even vegan or gluten-free but just love the taste of our cakes. We also understand the seriousness of allergies and take extra care when creating cakes for customers with other allergies – nuts, soya and sesame. It’s always worth checking that your baker holds a Food Allergy and Intolerance Certificate.” Stacey at The Mad Batter’s Baked Goods comments, “I started my business because I wanted my creations to taste like cake and not a typical free-from-bake. If you’re set on a big design, ask about free-from samples to make sure you’re 100% happy with how it’ll be on your big day. You could also go for a dessert table option and keep some bits under coverings or in their boxes to avoid cross-contamination. AQsk for separate versions of what you’re ordering as a free-from version for those guests. Dietary requirements are really important, definitely check your cake maker has the capacity to avoid cross-contamination.” Lucy at Heaven is a Cupcake adds, “There’s no reason anyone should go without HEAVEN IS A CUPCAKE LAYERS & GRACES CAKE DESIGN THE MAD BATTER’S BAKED GOODS LAYERS & GRACES CAKE DESIGN www.samrundlephotography.com www.margessonphotography.com
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