Wedding Cake

Our lovely friend S recently asked us to write a testimonial about the sumptuous wedding cake she made for us. As we haven´t had all that much to blog about lately I thought I´d stick what I´d written up here. So here we go:

The cake is one of the highlights of any wedding. Along with the vows, the exchange of rings, the procession, the speeches, and the first dance, cutting the cake is one of the standards of modern western weddings. No matter how out-there and avant garde your nuptials or traditional your marriage ceremony, it's going to feature in some way as a means of including and sharing the ceremony with your guests. The couple cut the cake and pieces are shared out among their loved ones; it's a beautiful, inclusive and poignant moment. It's a way of saying, in an echo of the eucharist, “take, eat; we wouldn't be here without you; you've given us gifts both emotional and physical and you've helped us make this marriage; help us keep it.” The cake is important.

Our cake was important. More than that, it was beautiful, delicious, special and so very us. Our favourite flavours, chocolate, ginger and fruit, were layered artfully on top of each other in stunning colours - bright, cheerful and joyous, with a subtle homage to Bristol Rovers! The gorgeous hand-made fascinater that topped-off the cake was later transferred to our honeymoon vessel to supply a constant reminder of the wonder of our special day. The cake, and its decor, was a perfect reflection of us. Not ones to be traditional about things - the bride didn't wear white and Nina Simone replaced Offenbach - the towering, delicious artifice reflected the festival feel of our boda, in both its conception and realisation. It looked stunning, laid out in the entrance hall as it collected congratulations cards around it, never diminishing in its impact and continuing to attract heartfelt comments and hungry eyes, even as the tables around it began to groan with the culinary contributions other guests had brought. Asymmetrical and delicately balanced, but laced with colour, passion and love, the cake seemed to reflect the reality of marriage - a difficult balancing act that can bring forth great beauty and happiness when worked at. If we put half as much work - and love - as S did into making our cake then we're going to be more than just fine; our marriage will be full of flavour and colour.