Tag: luxury cakes

THE MOST BEAUTIFUL ONE TIER LUXURY WEDDING CAKES

Wedding Photography by Anna Marie

According to folklore, traditionally,  a wedding cake is made up of three tiers. The bottom tier, the largest, is meant to be served at the wedding for guests to eat at the reception or wedding breakfast. The middle tier would be cut, wrapped in parchment and sent out to friends and family unable to attend the wedding feast. Finally, the top tier was preserved and saved for the christening day of the first child of the union.

With our current “new normal”, intimate weddings with fewer guests will be de rigueur in the immediate future. This then leaves us with a problem of the three tier cake being surplus to requirements. Fear not, for at Elizabeth’s Cake Emporium we have the solution for you!

If you’re looking for beautifully crafted luxury wedding cakes that make as much impact as multi tiered confections for your intimate wedding, you may want to  consider serving several smaller, one-tier luxury wedding cakes. This has the advantage of providing your guests with the option of a variety of flavours and a pretty cake table better suited to your needs.

Our cakes have often been described as edible works of art as each one is bespoke and custom made to the needs and requirements of our clients. A lot more thought and time has to be put into crafting one tier cakes in order to make an impact but thankfully this can be achieved with the following tips:

– Ask your cake maker to make your one tier luxury wedding cake extra deep. This will create some extra height and drama (think of all those layers when the cake is cut), and the bonus is, you will also get more cake!

– Cake stands make a luxury wedding cake look more elegant. If you opt for multiple wedding cakes, cake stands with differing heights create a very cool and contemporary look. Alternatively, you may choose to display your cakes  on beautiful cake stands of the same style, shape and colour for a unified look.

– Texture can be an amazing way to create impact with a one tier luxury wedding cake. Sugar frills, gold leaf, crackled sugarpaste/fondant and bas relief are some of the ways to add detail and interest.

– Explore the possibility of having an unusual shaped one tiered luxury wedding cake. Geometric shapes like hexagons, octagons and even heptagons work very well for a contemporary wedding.

–  You may also want to consider having your cake decorated with the same monogram from your wedding stationery and handcrafted sugarflowers that match those from your wedding for a pulled together and finished look.

As the lockdown begins to ease and we look forward to celebrating weddings again, creating a beautiful one tier luxury wedding cake for your intimate wedding will be our pleasure.

Email us at info@elizabethscakeemporium.com or call us on 07958069116 for a chat about how we can create something special for you.

ONLINE RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO THE WEDDING INDUSTRY DURING THIS CORONAVIRUS CRISIS

Photo by Scott Webb on Unsplash

These are very unusual times. The novel coronavirus (Covid-19) has been sweeping the world, since it’s emergence a few months ago.

At Elizabeth‘s Cake Emporium, we believe that our health and the health and well being of our clients is of utmost importance, and understandably a number of events have been sensibly postponed. We do not advocate cancellation at this point for the reason that when all this is over, we all need something lovely to look forward to and what better than a special celebration! We are also offering a cake delivery service, subject to a minimum order, with consultations held via the telephone or online.

In the meantime, we have compiled a list of the best online resources available to our clients and industry colleagues with the hope that we are in some small way contributing to their mental, emotional and physical well being.

The list is by no means comprehensive but it’s a start. I hope you find this helpful.


If you have any more resources we should be aware of, kindly email it to me at info@elizabethscakeemporium.com

Please keep safe and stay healthy!

Elizabeth’s Cake Emporium named Best Cake Maker at the Bridelux Awards

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We are delighted to announce that Elizabeth’s Cake Emporium has been named as the best luxury cake maker at the Bridelux Awards. The only prestigious luxury wedding award of its kind in the world, this award was the latest accolade for Elizabeth Solaru who was also a speaker at the Bridelux Symposium.
Presented at The Savoy, London, the illustrious judging committee included Simon Leadsford of Conde Nast, Jade Beer former Editor of Brides, George Hammer founder of The Wedding Gallery and Caroline Neville.
According to Elizabeth,  “To be named as best luxury cake maker at the Bridelux awards is incredible and its one of the highlights of my career so far. To be chosen from such a talented line up of nominees is a huge honour, especiallly in my speciality area, which is luxury wedding cake”
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To commission your luxury wedding cake contact us at info@elizabethscakeemporium.com or on 07958069116.

Top Ten Wedding Cake Trends for 2020 by Elizabeth’s Cake Emporium

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In many wedding receptions, luxury wedding cakes are often a most welcome sight and as we often joke, the only guest at a wedding with it’s own table! At Elizabeth’s Cake Emporium, the sheer diversity of our luxury wedding cake designs range from grand wedding cakes that grace exclusive palaces to the most delicate one tiered wonders.

Our reputation for producing some of the best luxury wedding cakes in the world often precedes us and we constantly endeavour to keep abreast of trends by actively listening to our clients and creating original designs and delicious cake flavours.

The start of a new decade, 2020 is set to be an exciting year for weddings, and individuality will be huge. Couples are no longer content to be offered cookie cutter, identikit wedding cakes and are now proactive participants in the design process and flavour choice.

Wedding cake flavours are also set to be more adventurous in 2020 with sophisticated flavour pairings, seasonality and sustainability being huge considerations.

1. Grand wedding cakes

 A grand wedding cake symbolises bringing a fantasy to life and is the pinnacle of luxury wedding cakes. Usually tall and imposing in size, these multi tiered confections tend to be the focal point of a wedding reception. In some cultures, it is believed that the number of tiers is directly proportional to the longevity of the marriage, so the more cake tiers, the merrier!

2. Pearlencia 

Known as the queen of gems, pearls have been a part of bridal couture for many years. No longer consigned to grandma’s jewellery box, they have even been seen on the red carpet, with Harry Styles causing a stir when he wore a single pearl earring to the Met Gala. Pearls are set to be huge in 2020 and luxury wedding cakes adorned with edible pearls even more so.

3. Floating tier wedding cakes

We made our first floating tier wedding cake in 2012. It was inspired by the wedding cake from the film Sex and The City 2 and featured thousands of crystals on custom made cake stands. A clever way to add height and illusion to a luxury wedding cake, it’s great to see this trend is now a firm favourite with luxury brides.

4. Split wedding cakes

Split wedding cakes or half and half wedding cakes have gone from wannabe upstarts and have taken on a life of their own. They range from quirky and fun to elegant and intricately crafted. For a couple who crave something different, split cakes reflect the two sides of a whole and offer a way of incorporating a couple’s histories and passions into a cake.

5. Something cake, something blue

Pantone has declared Classic Blue as the colour of the year for 2020. Instilling calm, confidence, and connection, this enduring blue hue highlights every couple’s desire for a dependable and stable foundation on which to build their partnership as they cross the threshold into a new era. We look forward to seeing couples make bolder choices by incorporating ‘something blue’ into their wedding cakes.

6. Carved cakes redefined 

Carved cakes are a wonderful evolution and expression of individuality and are set to take the luxury  wedding cake landscape by storm.  These gravity defying edifices can be studded with coloured rock candy or pearls for a more sophisticated look.

7. Rococo love

Rococo emerged in Italy and France as a very significant movement in the art world.  Created by craftsmen, this highly ornamental style is perfect for wedding cakes as it allows for the use of mouldings and gilding which is often suited to stately homes and royal palaces.

8. Textured wedding cakes

There are different types of textures that can be applied to a luxury wedding cake surface and these can range from barely there geometric iterations (perfect for contemporary designs), smooth frosting stripes, wafer paper frills to bas relief. Texture is a great way to add interest and  dimension thereby creating elevation and personalisation.

9. Fault line wedding cakes

As a keen student of geography, I was aware that fault lines represent fracture lines on the surface of the earth. Years later, I never knew it would be the inspiration for a whole new cake design. Fault line cakes are all the rage at the moment and at Elizabeth’s Cake Emporium, we have created a very sophisticated version which is already popular with our 2020 couples.

10. Watercolour cakes

Painting a  wedding cake is the ultimate way to personalise one. Anything from, pretty florals to contemporary graphics and scripted calligraphy are some of the ways. In 2020, we predict that darker, bolder colours will come to the fore and we will also see art and wildlife inspired hand-painted wedding cakes.

We hope that what we see as the wedding cake trends for 2020 provides some inspiration for you.

If you are getting married in the near future, do not hesitate to contact us for a consultation at info@elizabethscakeemporium.com or by speaking with us at 07958069116.

Visit our instagram page at @elizabethscakeemporium and let us know what you think about our latest creations.

Heuchera Magic

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When you get a call from  renowned florist Zita Elze for a commission, you know it will be for something pretty special. Zita has a unique floral embroidery style that is delicate and ethereal and unique to her. Undoubtedly one of the most talented floral artists in the world, Zita’s original vision and creative concepts know no bounds.  For this reason, she attracts so many students from all over the world who consider themselves lucky to learn from this floral maestra.

We’ve worked with Zita in the past and this time she wanted a simple cake adorned with Heuchera leaves as well as matching cupcakes.

Bred for heat and humidity tolerance, Heuchera or Autumn Leaves is a particularly interesting variety of Coral Bells, and its foliage of lobed, rounded leaves changes colour throughout the seasons. In spring, the mid-sized leaves emerge red, change to taupe in summer, then deepen to ruby red in fall.

The CAKE

We created a four tier white luxury wedding cake with a green watercolour effect flecked with gold leaf. Creating the sugar leaves was pretty special as the sheer diversity of the leaf colours gives room for  many possibilities.

Once the green leaves were cut and veined, we used shades of red, burgundy, plum, foliage green and even orange to paint and dust the sugar foliage.

We arranged the sugar leaves on the cake in a cascade and softened the look with some hand made tendrils. The result was a luxury wedding cake stunning in it’s simplicity!

With thanks to Fiona Caroline Photography for the images.

Celebrating Pride

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At Elizabeth’s Cake Emporium we are often approached to collaborate on styled shoots due to the fact that we have a reputation for being one of the best cake companies in the world. When Amie Bone approached us we did not hesitate to say yes as we knew this was going to be rather special.

THE SHOOT CONCEPT

This concept, conceived and styled by Amie Bone with additional styling and co-ordination by Charlotte Munro, takes a different look at relationships. In an era when men and women are supposed to be from “different planets” and unable to communicate, many gay men and straight women seem able to connect almost effortlessly.

This shoot was created as a celebration of PRIDE and modern relationships and friendships.

THE VENUE

The beautiful and unique Aynhoe Park was the location for this shoot. At the heart of 250 acres of Capability Brown Cotswolds countryside, the 17th century 28 bedroom home is a country house of stories and surprises – a place where the extraordinary happens every day. It was therefore perfect for this unusual shoot.

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DECOR AND DETAILS

Amie designed an incredibly wild cascading floral tablescape featuring an explosion of greenery and flowers. She used runners of coral peonies, gloriosa, orange and deep pink roses, pink sweet peas and hydrangeas, orange gladioli, green guelder roses, yellow calla lilies, ranunculi and tulips in abundance to create the most opulent look. Interspersed within the floral runner were bespoke bird cages and luxurious gold candelabras.

Each place setting had a charger plate by Whitehouse Crockery which was topped with gold-edged watercolour men and place card from EG Lettering and sweet treats from Elizabeth’s Cake Emporium.

THE CAKES

We designed a trio of luxury wedding cakes and sweet treats in black and gold. Black sugarpaste is  tricky to work with as it marks easily and any errors tends to be exaggerated. Thankfully, we only use the best sugarpaste on the market, Massa Ticino, which we are brand  ambassadors for.

The main cake was a tall and dramatic 7 tiered confection in black decorated with baroque detailing and sugar flowers in pink, yellow and orange. The cake was set with a lush greenery backdrop and looked absolutely incredible.

The other two cakes included a one tiered crackle effect cake topped with sugar roses and a three-tiered cake black cake with pink marble veining accented with gold. There were also matching black and gold cupcakes, mini magnums and cookies for the dessert table.

PHOTOGRAPHY

The shoot was brilliantly captured by San Shawe of Sanshine Photography, one of the top wedding photographers in the World. I am sure you will all agree that this unique luxury shoot is simply stunning!

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THE CREATORS:

Venue: Aynhoe Park www.aynhoepark.co.uk

Photographer: Sanshine Photography www.sanshinephotography.com

Floral design: Amie Bone www.amieboneflowers.com

Styling & Coordination: Charlotte Munro Weddings www.charlottemunro.co.uk

Hair & Makeup: Team Glam www.teamglam.com

Luxury Wedding Cakes and Dessert Table Treats: Elizabeth’s Cake Emporium www.elizabethscakeemporium.com

Stationery: EG Lettering www.eglettering.com

Charger Plates & Glassware: Whitehouse Crockery www.eventcrockeryhire.co.uk

Wedding & Engagement Rings: The London Victorian Ring Co www.london-victorian-ring.com

Dress: Chantal Mallett http://www.chantalmallett.com/

Furniture: The Prop Factory www.propfactory.co.uk

Candles sticks, birdcages & table décor: Wedding Day Hire www.weddingdayhire.co.uk

Models: Meg Makin, Michael Gray, Sam

Suits: Tailor-Made www.tailormadelondon.com, Chester Barrie www.chesterbarrie.co.uk

Van Gogh’s Lucid Dreams

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THE CONCEPT

The idea for this Van Gogh’s lucid dreams shoot came to me during a chat with Joanne Fleming, one of the most talented couturiers I know. I love, love doing styled shoots. It’s one of the best ways to test out luxury wedding cake ideas and concepts, build a portfolio and show clients your style.

To me, Vincent van Gogh is unmistakably one of the best known painters in the world. A pioneer of modernism, this master of colour and innovator produced an impeccable oeuvre which continues to inspire many artists today.

As a young painter in Holland, he had loved yellow and used it liberally in his early paintings.

In honour of the major exhibition at the Tate which brings together his dedication and thoughtful art, I came up with the concept of a happy, joyful styled shoot based on  Van Gogh’s love of yellow and blue.

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THE VENUE

Number 10 and No. 11 Carlton House Terrace currently houses the British Academy. The  premises built in 1831 to designs by John Nash, is steeped in history. It was previously occupied by four-times Prime Minister William Gladstone, and was a First World War Hospital for Wounded Officers.

The atrium with its very high ceilings and beautiful light was the perfect setting for this shoot. Whilst the white alcove with the yellow gold baroque detailing provided exquisite framing for a number of the shots, we took the presence of the modern art paintings on the walls in the shoot colours as a sign that our Van Gogh’s lucid dreams shoot would be best presented at the venue!

DECOR AND DETAILS

For this shoot, we tried to capture in 3D form, the textures and vivid tones found in several Van Gogh’s paintings including Cafe Terrace at Night, Irises, Chair,  Girl in White and of course Starry Night. We also referenced the fact that he loved a tipple or two and his pipe.  The tablescape created by Wild About featured their signature tall and elegant floral design. The outstanding overhanging flower canopy ran across the length of the table and featured different hues of yellow flowers from the deepest ochre VanGogh was famous for, to the palest and creamiest yellow. The flowers used included sunflowers, roses, oncidium dancing lady orchids, cymbidium orchids, Craspedia, Fritillaria, tulips as well as assorted greenery.

The texture and tone theme continued with WildAbout using texturised vases  some in glass, crackle glaze and velvet, in different hues of blue, including midnight blue, navy, teal and cerulean.  The vases housed clever groupings of more gorgeous yellow flowers. The gold candlesticks were topped with candles in royal blue and cornflower blue.

Each place setting featured ornate gold charger plates which were topped with yellow plates sourced from Italy and hand carved sunflower ceramic plates. The charger plates, etched gold rimmed crystal and gold cutlery were from Classic Crockery.

Ananya Cards, created beautiful deep blue stationery edged in gold which featured a specially created monogram and the most elegant calligraphy. The menus were placed on mini easels, as a nod to the artist.  The table linen was from Just 4 Linen and gold edged yellow velvet chairs completed the look.

WildAbout also created three bouquets for the shoot. Two were  yellow and the third made up entirely of Irises.

THE DRESSES

Reminiscent of Van Gogh’s Girl in White, for the first look, our model wore a high waisted skirt with boned foundation and deep pockets  made in heavy ivory French linen and paired with a silk chiffon and swiss-dot tulle peasant bodice for an informal bridal look. The skirt  embellished with a pair of Victorian embroidered sunflowers from Joanne’s collection of vintage trims, and the luxuriously ruffled sleeve cuffs were made from lengths of unused old stock antique lace.

The look was finished with a pair of Harriet Wilde’s classic block heel ‘Lana’ shoes in bridal ivory, and the hat from Jo’s personal collection which is trimmed with the same Swiss-dot tulle as the blouse.

For the second look Jo wanted to conjure those iconic VanGogh paintings of yellow ochre wheat fields and Provençal sunflowers. The corset waist skirt was constructed in slubby silk tussah for a homespun rustic look, and  embroidered with knee high stalks and ears of wheat. The high ruffle-necked blouse was made from tulle embroidered with little sunflowers that have all been hand tinted in shades of golden yellow and burnt sienna. Again, Jo used a length of antique Victorian lace, hand painted to match, for the collar and cuffs, to provide that connection to the past.

A wonderful flower trimmed yellow straw hat by inspirational milliners Lomax and Skinner references the straw hats VanGogh depicted in several of his paintings.

The shoes are a pair of Kurt Geiger ‘Daisy’ linen platform sandals, with the daisies converted to sunflowers with the help of silk paints!

For the third look, Jo created a more sophisticated look inspired by that glorious yellow ochre shade that glows from so many of Vincent’s paintings of the South of France. Supple shimmering silk satin skims and flows around the body, catching and reflecting the light. A huge stylised sunflower is the only embellishment on this gown, which is paired with Harriet Wilde’s fabulous ‘Arabella’ shoes in midnight blue velvet….. the combination of golden yellow and rich blue evoking the jewel tones of  ‘Starry Night over the Rhone’ and ‘Café Terrace at Night’. A Lomax and Skinner curled feather headdress adds a little Moulin Rouge showgirl glamour to the look.

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BEAUTY

The hair and make up for this shoot was by the amazing duo of Sylwia Kunysz and Stacey Goodwin. For the first Girl in White look, we used a soft and natural palette on the face, the hair in a soft tousled up do with some loose tendrils framing the face, working with the models own natural curls to create a relaxed look. It was good way to pay homage to the painting, giving it a modern twist. For the second look, the hair was soft and loose, the team creating a 30s inspired look with bold lip to complement the gorgeous silk ochre dress.

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THE CAKES

For this shoot, I created four luxury wedding cakes, cupcakes, cookies and mini chocolate magnums. The main cake was a 7 tiered Van Gogh mottled deep blue baroque confection. The baroque detailing gave the cake grandeur and the yellow sugar flowers adorning the cake were in different shades of yellow. The handcrafted sugar flowers included tulips, roses, dahlias, peonies and gold leaves. The second cake was a blue gravity defying split cake  with hundreds of yellow sugar flowers seemingly cascading out of the centre. This cake was created to reflect the prolific art that poured out of  Van Gogh despite the darkness that often over took him. The other cakes were distressed and decorated with bas relief, gold leaf, wafer paper and crackled effect and symbolised the fact that art is often never perfect!

PHOTOGRAPHY

We were honoured to have one of the most sought after luxury fine art photographers in the UK, Roberta Facchini capture this shoot in all its glory. We can all agree that she has succeeded in showcasing the essence of Van Gogh’s Lucid Dreams.

SUPPLIER CREDITS

VENUE   

10-11 Carlton House Terrace SW1 5AH htttps://10-11cht.com@10-11cht

CONCEPT, PLANNING, STYLING AND CAKES

Elizabeth’s Cake Emporium https://www.elizabethscakeemporium.com 

@elizabethscakeeemporium

FLOWERS AND FLORAL STYLING

WildAbout https://www.wildabout.co.uk/ @wildaboutflower

DRESSES AND BRIDAL STYLING

Joanne Fleming https://joanneflemingdesign.com/@joflemingdesign

PHOTOGRAPHER

Roberta Facchini https://www.robertafacchini.com/@Roberta Facchini 

HAIR and MAKE UP

Sylwia Kunysz http://www.sylwiamakeup.co.uk/@sylwiakunyszmua

Stacie Goodwin www.staciegoodwinhairdressing.co.uk@staciegoodwinhairdressing

STATIONERY

Ananya Cards https://www.ananyacards.com/@ananyacards

CHARGERS, CUTLERY AND CRYSTAL

Classic Crockery https://www.classiccrockery.co.uk/@classiccrockery

RINGS

The Exquisite Collection http://www.theexquisitecollection.co.uk/ @theexquisitecollection

SHOES

Harriet Wilde https://www.harrietwilde.com/@harrietwildeshoes

Kurt Geiger https://www.kurtgeiger.com/ @kurtgeiger 

HATS

Lomax and Skinner Bespoke Millinery https://www.lomaxandskinner.co.uk/ @lomaxandskinner

Elizabeth’s Cake Emporium collaborates with luxury brand Fendi 

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Elizabeth’s Cake Emporium is immensely honoured to have been commissioned by renowned Italian luxury maison Fendi to create 12 Peekaboo luxury handbag cakes for both their Peekaboo Handbag Bar and their Pop Up Caffe in Harrods.

Fashion, food and Fendi is one of Italy’s greatest exports and all three have come together in glorious harmony at Harrods.

The late legendary Karl Lagerfeld first sketched Fendi’s first Double F logo back in 1965, in all of  three seconds, no less! The iconic insignia of the Fendi brand  has since been through hundreds of variations. It has been emblazoned on everything from BMX bikes to Kanye West’s head, and now, for the first time, the acronym of the famed fashion house has been placed on cookies, cakes and foam latte.

Fendi invited LA-based streetwear designer and street artist Joshua Vides to design both the Peekaboo Handbag Bar and Caffe interior in his trademark black and white illustration graphics, creating a contemporary monochrome dining experience . He cleverly made it sleek and Fendi monogram heavy and it delivers the most stunning visual impact. Everything,  from menus, floors, walls and plates to palette has been branded with the “FF” logo. Even taxis in the area got in on the act and they also display the distinctive black and white branding.

On the menu in the Pop Up Caffe are delicious breakfasts, cappuccinos and  filled focaccias for lunch. Larger appetites can indulge in full-course repasts of antipasti, insalate (the beef carpaccio is a house special) and mains of lasagne, aubergine parmagiana.

The one of a kind, Fendi themed wonderland pop up cafe, set to run till the end of August, has been deemed the coolest and most instagrammable pop up cafe ever by Vogue.

The pop-up Peekaboo Bar, located on the ground floor of Harrods, features a vibrant and glitzy array of handbags in bold colours and enables you to customise your own Peekaboo Mini bag with an array of mix-and-match bodies, handles and straps. There are more than 20 different handbag bodies, 25 handles (some with glitter finishes) and seven straps to choose from, epitomising customisation at its best.

The Peekaboo Handbag Cakes by Elizabeth’s Cake Emporium

After we had calmed down from the excitement of being selected to create a range of mini Peekaboo handbag cakes by Fendi, we were understandably very nervous as the enormity of the task we faced hit us.

We knew it was important for the handbag cakes to look chic, realistic and stylish, and they also had to be presented beautifully since they were to provide the only source of colour to the monochromatic colour scheme.

After a few visits to view the beautifully crafted Fendi bags at their flagship Bond Street store, we produced some drawings and our fabricator produced a prototype form. This was experimented with, and after a few trials, we produced the 12 mini Peekaboo handbag cakes, matching the vibrant Fendi colours as closely as possible.

As you can imagine, the handbag cakes were delivered to Harrods in time for the opening of the bar and caffe on the 1st of July with great care and excitement! We were very honoured and proud to see our stylish handbag cakes make their debut lined up along the length of the breakfast table for press and influencers, with most, including the photographer, assuming our hand bag cakes were the actual Fendi Peekaboo handbags.

Even the Peekaboo Bar and Fendi Cafe customers were not left out, as many often tried to pick up the handbag cakes thinking they were the actual Peekaboos! This has led to on going repairs to the handbag cakes but it gives us an excuse to keep visiting Harrods.

The Harrods Fendi Caffe is a must-visit for anyone who likes fun fashion with a side of hearty Italian food. Buon appetito.

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We are very grateful to have been given this unique opportunity by one of the most iconic and best known fashion brands in the world.

If you would like us to collaborate with you on similar or other projects, kindly contact us at info@elizabethscakeemporium.com or on 07958069116

info@elizabethscakeemporium.com

Award winning author of OPULENCIA available at http://amzn.to/1TLIIBP

10 Wonderful Creative Twists on Wedding Traditions

Photo by Sweet Ice Cream Photography on Unsplash

Wedding season is among us and love (and planning) is in the air! For guests, this time of the year means hunting for that fashionable wedding outfit and unique wedding gift. But for the bride and groom, it means hunting for ways to make the wedding itself modern and exciting.

Today weddings are a chance for couples to show their creative personality through certain aspects of their big day. Old-fashioned customs are up for debate, and creative twists on old traditions are becoming increasingly popular. If you’re a modish couple looking for ways to give your nuptials a twenty-first-century spin, you’ll find that these next few tricks take old-hat traditions to a whole new level. 

Photo by Scott Webb on Unsplash
Photo by Scott Webb on Unsplash

Putting on the Veil

The veil traditionally symbolizes modesty and a means to prevent the groom from seeing his beautiful bride until the ceremony is complete. It acts as a long sheer mask or the opportunity for the bride to make a dramatic statement. A new take on wearing a veil is not wearing one at all! Brides have moved away from the elaborately long veil, and on to a barrette with flowers and pieces of a veil attached. This creative trend emphasizes the DIY era and shatters the original meaning behind wearing the mask. 

Switching Out the Place Cards

The process of choosing a seating chart is stressful, especially when there’s drama in the family! Once the placement is finalized, getting guests to their seats is the next challenge. Couples have started to use fun and creative ways to seat their guests rather than having place cards. A unique idea is to have some guests arrive and see a sign that reads “Take A Shot and Take A Seat” and below sits a full shot glass with their seat assignment attached. 

Another fun twist guests will be excited to see is a sign that reads “Snap a Photo and Sit Down” with a photo wall and a Polaroid camera. This is particularly creative because the photo taken replaces the seat assignment card on the wall.

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Making Memories Last

A guestbook is the most fabulous keepsake from this special night. It’s where you will get to look back years down the road on the day you tied the knot and see what your attendees had to say. The typical sign-in book is a thing of the past because couples want a more creative way to remember their night. A fun example is using a photo booth, where two copies are printed but one is put in a scrapbook where guests can write a meaningful message to the couple. Another example is a “Words of Wisdom” box, where guests write their marital two cents on a card and slip it into a box.

Dancing in Style

Slow dancing with your partner and all eyes are on the two of you for what seems like an eternity- nothing in the world seems to be more nerve-wracking. To give the crowd a goofy surprise, try an exciting choreographed routine! This is sure to bring laughs from around the room, and give you and your loved one a fun-filled memory you’ll never forget.

Personalising the Bar

Who doesn’t love an open bar? Well, modern couples are adding an even more fun addition to the wedding bar scene. Signature cocktails are an opportunity for the bride and groom to reflect their personal traits or characteristics. The bride’s tipple might be called “Blushing Bride,” and the groom’s might be named “Blue-eyed Groom.” This is a fun way to get the guests to enjoy a drink in honour of the happy couple.

Changing the Food Scene

Steak, chicken, or seafood? It’s that big decision that will be a defining factor for your big day. This crucial part of a wedding will stick with guests for years to come; if you completely change the norm of what is expected for dinner, it’ll be twice as memorable. Popcorn station, a s’mores bar or all-you-can-eat grazing table – the opportunities are endless! Imagine showing up to a wedding and seeing a fully stocked burrito bar in the far corner. This creative culinary twist is something you wouldn’t expect. 

Personalising the Bar

Kicking it off on the sweet side, the most exciting change in the wedding world is how wedding cakes are presented. If you and your bae want to stay up to date with fashion trends, then deciding on a hip wedding cake is very important. A wedding cake on display is the ultimate eye catcher when you walk into reception, and the traditional pure white cake just isn’t surprising anymore; people want excitement. Glam cakes, themed cakes, and alternative cakes are providing the surprise element to most modern weddings.  

Glam Cakes

A glam cake is a simple twist to traditional cakes that has the word “bling” written all over it. This style adds a bit of spice to the plain white base. Glitter and diamond jeweled ribbons line the cakes to make them sparkle and shine. Some couples might even add pops of colored flowers or edible intricate designs to make it really stand out. 

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Theme Cakes

Themed cakes have become all the rage over the last few years. It’s not just kids who get to express their love for fantasy and fiction in their cakes! Whether it be Game of Thrones themed, Star Trek, or even something as simple as a botanical garden, couples have been doing it all.

Alternative Cakes

For all non-cake lovers, there’s plenty of other options for you. Another rising trend in the world of wedding cakes is not even having a cake at all. Not everyone has a desire for an elaborate three-tiered cake, and that’s entirely okay. A chocolate covered strawberry mountain, three tiers of brownies and cookies, or a three-tiered donut cake! 

The most popular alternative to the cake as of 2019 is a cake pop or cupcake wedding cake. Cupcakes and cake pops are no longer considered children’s treats; they’re now wedding must-haves! This trend snowballed as people began to realize that not everyone wants to take a whole piece of cake, plus grabbing a cupcake or cake pop is so much more inviting. 

Taking the Pain Out of Dancing

The dance floor is arguably the most popular part of a wedding reception. It’s also the perfect place to show off your sexiest dance moves and totally let loose after a few glasses of celebratory champagne. But what’s one thing that puts a big damper on the dancing festivities? For women, the answer is definitely high heels. Couples are now placing a basket next to the dance floor filled with foam sandals for their female guests to wear so they can dance the night away pain-free. This simple fix is extremely creative and a must-have at your wedding.

Finding the Perfect Favours 

Wedding favours have always been tricky. How do you choose gifts to say thank you to your loved ones who attended your wedding? It’s traditional to give a box of candy that has a ribbon attached with a saying of love. Lately, it has become popular to mix it up. Mini succulents with the date and couple’s last name engraved into the pot is a cute way to say thank you. Another option is personalized pint glasses! My favorite example and one I would run to grab is the after wedding snack box. This handmade box comes with fries and a coke, or any food you wish to provide so that guests can have a snack from the bride and groom on the way home.

Photo by Sweet Ice Cream Photography on Unsplash
Photo by Sweet Ice Cream Photography on Unsplash

Spicing Up the Send-off

The formal exit of the bride and groom from the reception is the customary way to send off the happy couple on their honeymoon. Traditionally, guests throw rice above them to symbolise prosperity and good fortune. This tradition has taken on new forms as it has become increasingly common to get creative with wedding gestures. Instead of throwing rice, guests have found new objects to throw above the couple. Some objects include confetti, flower petals, balloons, and bubbles. These give a unique aesthetic to the wedding send-off, which will also undoubtedly make for amazing photographs.


For more information on how we can create your bespoke luxury cake contact us at info@elizabethscakeemporium.com or at 07958069116

Elizabeth’s Cake Emporium at The Langham

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THE VENUE

Recently, Elizabeth’s Cake Emporium was commissioned to make a wedding cake for an incredible wedding at The Langham. This luxury 5 star hotel in the heart of London is home to Michel Roux’s restaurant The Landau. With him being a major, major crush of ours,  it was all we could do to stop fangirling when we met him.

The venue holds all types of celebrations, from the lavish to the intimate. The Grade II ballroom has been recently lovingly restored with contemporary features that enhance its period detail.

As you enter the room, the  dramatic neo-classical pillars and sparkling hand blown Murano glass chandeliers will take your breath away. There is also direct access from the  Grand Ballroom to the Courtyard Garden a hidden gem oasis of calm in the middle of a very busy London.

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THE CAKE

Our beautiful bride wanted a tall and elegant show stopper cake  befitting of her special wedding reception. A very positive and enjoyable first meeting and consultation revealed a bride that was right up our street. She wanted glamour, drama and a huge, huge cake different from the norm!

We responded by designing an eight tier luxury wedding cake in silver and white, embellished with iridescent and sparkly cut out scrolls, leaves and flowers inspired by the glittered embellishments on her custom Galia Lahav dress.

We created a bespoke luster dust mix which we painted the cake which gave the wedding cake a pearlised sheen. The cake was finished off with flowers from acclaimed florist Ricky Paul. The delicious cake flavours included Raspberry Ripple, Luscious Lemon and Chocolate.

Our bride was absolutely over the moon with her cake and the day after her wedding we received a lovely message that  read “Elizabeth, the cake blew me away!! It was 10 times better than what I expected. Thank you so, so much”


We would love to create your luxury wedding cake, so give us a call on 07958069116 or email us at

info@elizabethscakeemporium.com

Award winning author of OPULENCIA available at AMAZON 

www.elizabethscakeemporium.com