The New York Times reported recently that extravagant wedding cakes are on the rise again. And even though we really didn’t feel the full force of the GFC as much as our counterparts in America, there is definitely much truth in their article. Big is back. Gone are many of the events that we’d assist with, with simple cupcake towers, or many without a cake at all. So with peak wedding season shortly ahead of us, the trends for 2014-15 are not going to disappoint. The really lovely thing about your wedding cake order (unlike your wedding gown), you usually have some flexibility to change your mind until just before your wedding date with your vendor. The only thing which of course may change is the price. So take a look at what we have ahead of us this season.
Last season, we started to see many couples take up on the trend of the naked wedding cake. Exquisite in its simplicity, the naked wedding cake works really well at less formal events, looking fabulous at outdoor weddings, or where you are really wanting to intertwine rustic elements. They are very fragile though. A cake in a non air conditioned environment during the middle of summer would usually not withstand the elements. So be warned! We’ll expect to see many more naked wedding cakes in the upcoming season.
Naked Wedding Cake, Photo by Katherine O’Brien Photography via Green Wedding Shoes
This season the biggest trend we are expecting to see coming into Australia, are cakes with water colour painted effects applied directly on to the cake, with or without adornments. From intricate details with floral patterns, to just solid layers of colour, the overall look can speak volumes. The beauty of this effect is that as all the work is carefully painted by hand. You can quite easily match artwork from your wedding stationery right down to the design on your wedding cake.
Image courtesy Brides.com
Images Left: Elysia Root Cakes. Right: AK Cake Design.
On a local note, Black Star Patisserie continues to crack its way into the wedding scene with their signature watermelon wedding cake, becoming popular now at many weddings across Sydney. It’s a feast for your eyes and your stomach, and it really has the quintessential flavours of summer. It’s constructed using their own custom cake stand and each layer is secured with tape. This is a cake that is delivered in separate layers and assembled just prior to serving. Unfortunately because one of the key ingredients is watermelon, it can’t sit on display at the reception, and it really should be served immediately after cutting. And by the way, check out the rest of their pastry range for your dessert buffet. To die for.
The signature Watermelon Cake from Black Star Pastry. Image courtesy Black Star Pastry
And finally for our Melbourne friends, our money is on LuxBite out in South Yarra, with their delicious signature Endless Love cake. Does it really get any better than just ticking every single yumminess box? Inspired by Chef Pierre Hermé’s classic Ispahan macaron recipe, flavours of lychee, rose and raspberry are infused into the top layer, with cake underneath (or not if you wanted to keep it simple). Tart it up with flowers to match your bouquet and as many macarons as your heart desires. Yum yum.
LuxBite Wedding Cake. Image courtesy LuxBite
At one stage a few years ago, there were many weddings we worked on without any cake at all, many brides wanting to save their coin on a superfluous touch. But it really is great to see this now morph into a trend where brides not only want a cake, but the want the cake to be both playful on the eye and their palette. It’s not such a bad thing for their guests either! If you’re confused about finding the cake that’s right for you and your wedding, get in touch with us today and we can help pull your ideas together and put you back on course.
