Here at St Audries Park we are privileged to see so many marvellous wedding cakes from professional masterpieces to shop purchased to lovingly made creations given as wedding gifts made by family or friends. Each cake could tell a story and reveals much love and passion. To see just a hint of the super wedding cakes seen at our weddings during 2012 check out our Facebook page.
In Medieval Times wedding cakes were stacked as high as possible for Bride and Groom’s to see if they could lean across and kiss each other, if they succeeded then a prosperous life was granted. Fruit cakes symbolised fertility and were given to the Bride in the belief she would produce off spring for her husband!
From Medieval traditions, the concept of stacking the Croquembouche was born and the idea was taken back to France. Today at St Audries Park, chef’s Croquembouche is to die for….profiteroles and strawberries drenched in chocolate and finished in a halo of spun sugar!
Many years later the Victorians had become more refined and sensible favouring the two tier iced wedding cake – one for the Groom and one for the Bride. Today this remains the most popular option we see at our weddings, although there is a move away from all fruit cakes to a selection of flavours including carrot, chocolate, lemon and vanilla sponges. Still we see many Bride and Grooms being ‘advised’ by parents and grandparents that a fruit option must be selected and ‘saved for the baby’s christening’ – we love tradition!
The last decade has seen some additional popular wedding cake options, more recently the popular Cup Cakes, Pavlova Cake and the St Audries Park famous Cheesecake!
The ever popular Cheesecake, often served as an additional course with a glass of vintage port!
The Pavlova Cake is making a comeback and is in demand and often served to compliment the evening buffet.
Cup Cakes have grown in popularity and are often chosen with a small 6 inch top tier cake.
….and finally, especially for the Groom – we have the Groom’s stag cake!
What a choice Bride and Grooms have to choose from! What would you choose for your wedding cake?
Alyson at St Audries Park