Your East Anglian Wedding - December 2020/Janaury 2021 (Issue 46)

BACK GARDEN BEAUTIFUL We’re going ahead with our wedding ceremony and would like to do something to mark the occasion, without getting carried away and blowing the budget for our big day next autumn. What would you suggest that’s simple but memorable? Alison says: One of the many reasons couples choose smaller weddings is to break away from tradition and set their own style to reflect their personalities. An intimate relaxed wedding gives you the chance to really interact with your guests, allowing more time for quality conversation. An intimate get together doesn’t mean basic, just more personalised. You could even use your own home, a place that’s meaningful to both you and your guests. Look at all the space available, not just the tables, and think how you can turn it into a stunning backdrop. Consider lights, plants, flowers, fabrics, and anything else that will create an ambience such as an overhead floral arrangement to coordinate with the setting. Take the inside out, if the weather’s fine, with sofas and rugs to create inviting outdoor areas in the garden where your guests can relax and use stunning floral displays to link the areas together. Adding small, memorable touches is much simpler in a smaller space and using family heirlooms such as vintage china, can all help to make your day extra special. Alison Mortlock | Floral designer | www.albertroseflowers.co.uk THE SWEET STUFF Is it worth having a cake for our micro wedding as we’re only having our closest family and friends and we wouldn’t want it to waste? Caz says: Whether you’re planning to have a big reception later on or just prefer the romantic intimacy of a smaller wedding, a beautiful wedding cake is always a great idea. Just because your downsizing your guest list, doesn’t mean you have to compromise on the style or quality of what many consider to be the centrepiece of their wedding celebration. A smaller cake can be just as stunning and eye catching in whatever style suits your theme.The current trend for taller cakes allows more scope for your designer to get creative too. However, if you’ve always dreamed of a multi-tiered masterpiece but feel you can’t justify that amount of cake for your micro wedding, one option is to use dummy tiers to achieve the look. This isn’t necessarily a much cheaper option as a dummy tier still needs to be iced, decorated and put together with the same amount of skill. It does mean less risk of waste though and personally we pride ourselves on the fact your guests will never know the difference! Another alternative is to have a tower of mini cakes or cupcakes either with or without a top tier for cutting. They can be decorated to match your theme and can be as ornate or simple as you like. These individual portions are ideal as they can be easily served to your guests or they can help themselves. Ask your cake designer for some individual boxes too so you can deliver some to family and friends who can’t be there. If you decide to opt for a smaller simpler cake, you can always provide extra sweet treats such as edible favours for your guests or a dessert table with individual servings. Geo cake hearts and cakesicles (a tempered chocolate shell filled with cake mix, ganache or other deliciousness) can be decorated in a variety of ways to match your style and colour scheme. Iced biscuits can be personalised with guests’ names and wrapped individually to double-up as place settings and favours to be enjoyed later. Caz Dennis | Cake maker | www.facebook.com/cazscakesandsugarcraft Images, www.stevehobartphotography.co.uk; Fl owers, www.albertroseflowers.co.uk ; Accessories, www.facebook.com/norfolkpropshire EXPERT ADVICE 97