Your Berks, Bucks and Oxon Wedding - April/May 2020 (Issue 82)

Our local professionals answer your wedding woes HOT TOPIC CAKE, CAKE AND MORE CAKE My hubby-to-be and I would love to wow our guests with a flavoursome wedding cake. Which interesting flavour combinations do you think work well and will keep our guests talking about the big-day cake long after the wedding?  Lynne says: Think about what flavours make you really joyful, or even nostalgic. If Jammie Dodgers are your favourite sweet treat why not recreate it with a buttery vanilla cake with sweet sticky raspberry filling? My chocolate orange sponge is always a hit at tasting sessions – perfect for chocoholics in need of a twist! Dark chocolate sponge with hazelnut filling or caramel mocha cake are sure to tempt your guests and energise them for the dancefloor. Floral flavours are wonderful for summer weddings, or for creating the illusion of summer if it’s dreary! Rose water, orange blossom, elderflower, lavender or even Earl Grey tea all make for delicate sponges that smell irresistible. Boozy cakes can divide opinion but there are options here – champagne sponge with strawberry filling can add some subtle sophistication, or for the braver guests you could offer sponge with rum soaked raisins and honey buttercream filling or an Amaretto and coffee sponge. Even in 2020 some people still say a wedding cake should be a fruit cake… you can play with this though – how about a nutty carrot cake or a warming ginger and currant loaf style cake? The beauty of a multi-tier cake is you can have a range of flavours – go with what you love and your guests will be very happy. Lynne Hassani | Lynne Hassani Wedding Cakes | 07801 933 402 | lynnehassani.com  THE EYES HAVE IT I have quite thin eyebrows and was wondering how I can work with my make-up artist to get them picture-perfect for the big day? Sian says: Brows are one of the most important parts of the make- up as they frame the face and really bring out your eyes. Everyone has different expectations with their brows and it can be quite daunting to some. So, make sure you discuss this thoroughly with your make-up artist so she or he knows how much definition you want and that they choose the correct shade for you. To make your brows appear thicker or fuller there are several different products you can use to achieve this with. I love using a matte eyeshadow from Bobbi Brown cosmetics, along with its brow angled brush for application and brow setting gel. Using the angled brush, I always start at the arch of the brow, filling in the end first as this will be the darkest and most pronounced part. Looking at the brow I always look for any gaps needing filled and connect any gaps in the edges. This will immediately make your brows appear fuller and defined. When I get to the inner brow, I use the edge of my angled brush and placing it along the bottom edge, I brush upwards. This will give a much softer and graduated approach. After this I then use a clear or tinted brow gel (close to the natural colour of your brow) and fix the brow hairs in place by brushing them up from the inner brow and then across as you work your way across to the arch and the outer brow. You can easily adapt this approach by adding more product if you wanted a more intense brow or using a lighter concealer along the bottom edge mainly to give a more slick look, but also to give a lovely clean finish. Sian McCauley | Sian McCauley Make-up & Beauty | 07960 563 937 | sianmccauley.com EXPERT ADVICE 83