Real Wedding – Carey & Pep
2 years ago I was asked make my friends wedding cake and I said yes!
You would think that being friends with the bride and groom would make things easier when it comes to making a wedding cake, especially when there was an unrestricted design brief. This is not in the least bit true. In fact it makes it even harder. And oh my – the pressure is even more intense – as I would be attending the wedding as well., so nowhere to hide if the cake went down like a lead balloon.
Starting Point – Getting to know the Venue
The venue had been booked just before Covid hit and lock down started, so I was unable to visit to get a feel of the place, but I was lucky that Carey and Pep had take a video during their walk around and they were able to share this with me. Not only did this give me a good idea of the set up location for the cake but I was also able to see the stunning Gold Room where the actual wedding would take place. I also reached out to the venue co-ordinator and talked through my questions with them to make sure I was clear on what I needed for the delivery on the day.
Design Elements
The first design element came from the gorgeous monogram that was included on their wedding invitation. I knew as soon as I saw it that I had to include it somewhere on the cake. This would require hand painting onto the cake – along with a very steady hand to ensure all the lines were as straight as possible.
(Have to shout out to my amazing mentor Emma Stewart who taught me how to transfer monograms on her fabulous virtual course ‘Wedding Cake Sketch to Reality‘ )
Next I needed to understand what Carey and Pep wanted for the cake. It had to be classic, with sparkle and contain some of Carey’s favourite flowers (Peonies, Roses) along with some hints of black to tie into the black suits that Pep and and his groomsmen would be wearing (hence the black centred Anemones).
Flavour wise we knew what we wanted
- Lemon & Limoncello
- Orange & Poppyseed
- Champagne & Strawberry
Drawing It Up and Creation
Once the brief was finalised I was able to draw up the design showing my plans for the cake. This gives Carey and Pep a visual idea of what it would look like. I then use this as my guide throughout the creative process and the final set up at the venue.
The final stage was to find the perfect cake stand. I have to admit that this was one of the hardest things to do. After a couple of false starts (including a cake stand that will NEVER see the light of day again) we found the perfect Rod stand from BrambleSky to elevate the cake from the table.
The Big Day
The entire day was perfect, the bride and groom looked stunning, the venue was beautiful and all the work on the cake paid off. So massive congratulations to both Carey and Pep. Thank you for asking me to make your cake and letting me play a small part in your special day.
Venue: Holmewood Hall
Date: July 2022
