You’ve chosen a venue and found the dress, but you’re yet to find the perfect cake. From tropical and rustic styles, to flavours of pink champagne and coconut, Emma Phillips explores the different cake varieties available to suit every style of wedding.

You’ve been meticulously planning every aspect of your wedding day for months – matching flowers to your venue and choosing bridesmaid dresses that complement the groomsmen, but what about the cake? Gone are the days where your cake had to be a traditional three-tiered tower; it can be just as bold and unique as you’d like it to be.

Style

The style of your cake can be one of the hardest aspects to consider, but once you have come to a decision, everything else will fall into place. Round cakes are a classic choice that can now be made with a modern twist. Similarly, a single-tier cake is a popular choice as its shape allows couples to get creative with its design. A square cake is also a sleek and modern take on the classic sweet treat. With the use of sharp lines and geometric shapes, this style of cake can be transformed to suit any theme. If you’re after a hassle-free style that provides endless flavour options, a cupcake wedding cake is the way to go. A tower of miniature treats in an array of flavours will certainly please the crowd!

Location

Your chosen venue can have a huge impact on the style of cake you’re after. If you’ve decided to embrace a country-style wedding and have chosen a reception venue that features beautiful exposed beams and elegant lanterns,

a rustic cake is ideal. However, if you’ll be saying your “I do’s” by the beach, a tropical cake is better suited. You certainly don’t have to conform to tradition when creating your cake, either – you can make bold choices with flavours and colours that will still look classy and modern.

Theme

Your wedding cake should also tie in with the overall theme of the day, and most cakes can be tailored to suit any theme or style; you can get as creative as you’d like! Some brides have even opted for a ‘groom cake’ so their partner has something special for the day that reflects his personality and interests. These cakes can feature superheroes, a favourite sports team or even his dream muscle car. Bohemian cakes are also becoming extremely popular, which will often feature contemporary, crepe-like icing and floral features that adorn the sides. If you’re after something more modern, consider using soft, pale colours for a clean and sleek look. Play around with marble icing and geometric shapes for a vibrant effect, while metallic colours create an artsy design.

Seasonal

When choosing your cake, you may need to consider any seasonal restrictions that could limit your choice of decorations. If you plan to have fresh fruits adorning your cake, you’ll need to know which fruits will be available at the time of your wedding. If your nuptials will take place in winter, lemons, limes, kiwifruits and oranges will be the perfect accompaniment to your cake. For a summer wedding, you have a selection of vibrant-coloured fruits to choose from, including strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, cherries, figs and raspberries. Seasonal flowers will also need to be considered if you choose to decorate your cake with beautiful floral arrangements. Make sure you discuss your options with both your florist and cake baker to achieve the perfect design.

Decorations

Decorating your cake can be an exciting process – you can be as creative and bold, or refinedand elegant, as you’d like. If you have seasonal limitations with flowers, you can always create an edible alternative. Fondant flowers are timeless decorative pieces that can be tailored to suit your colour scheme and theme. Ombré icing is another up-and-coming trend; a white top tier that gradually changes to a vibrant hue towards the bottom will introduce a wonderful pop of colour into your cake. For a minimalist approach to colour, play around with bright adornments on and around your cake. Consider warm floral garlands that cascade from the top of the cake, or floral assortments that wrap around it. Similarly, if you’ve chosen a naked cake, colourful macarons and vivid fruits are the perfect accompaniment.

Flavour

There are so many cake flavours to choose from, so it’s important to get the right balance if you plan on experimenting with bold flavours. Going to cake tastings is an important part of the selection process to ensure you choose a flavour combination that will not disappoint. For a tropical-themed wedding, try a coconut-flavoured cake with cream or white icing. If you’d rather add a modern twist to a more traditional flavour, a champagne-infused cake with vanilla buttercream is a delectable choice that will have everyone returning for seconds.

When choosing your wedding cake, make sure it’s one both you and your partner are completely happy with. It’s also important to build a close rapport with your cake baker; they will help guide you through the process and ensure you end up with the cake of your dreams!

Image Credit: Kevin McGinn Photographer