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Here is a selection of Q&As from Your East Anglian Wedding magazine whether it be about flowers, hair and makeup, fashion, wedding themes, health & beauty, cakes, stationery, legal advice. If you would like your question answered by our experts, please email it to editor@youreastanglian.wedding
To view more expert advice on a different topic, please select one from the list below.
Pure Luxury
| Q | We'd love to have a luxurious cake on our big day, but we're worried about the price tag. Do you have any ideas of how we can keep the cost down? |
| A | Terri Newman says: Luxurious wedding cakes come at a higher price due to their size and the intricate details often requested. One way to get maximum detail without spending hours piping on the cake is to use stencilling; there are some amazing designs available that will get the intricate finish you require. Increasing the quantity of cake can be costly, so you could use stands to create a big impact without having hundreds of portions of cake, such as filler tiers that can contain lights and fresh flowers, hoop stands that continue the floral theme of a cake or the new gravity-defying stands that give height to a cake. The best advice would be to find a cake designer with experience, give them a set budget and work together to create a luxurious design. They will quite often be able to offer options you may not have thought of. |
Terri Newman, Erivica Cakes
By The Seaside
| Q | What would you suggest for a summer-themed wedding cake? |
| A | Emma Thorburn says: When putting together a design for your cake, think about your favourite memories together and incorporate them to add some personality to your big-day bake. For example, if you're opting for a seaside theme, a cake like the one pictured would be perfect. This lemon cake was decorated with barnacle meringues, buttercream baby barnacles with lots of coastal flora and foliage and seagrasses with a red kelp dressing under the stand. |
Emma Thorburn, Buns of Fun
Summer Loving
| Q | My wife-to-be and I are having a summer wedding and would love to incorporate the season into our cake. Do you have any ideas? |
| A | Terri Newman says: The best thing about summer is the flavours; ripe berries and sharp citrus flavours are perfect for reflecting bright and warm summer sunshine. I encourage you to go large on the fruit flavours available this time of year. Whether they are baked into the cake, a filling or decoration – nothing says summer better. Your cake maker should be able to use fresh fruits in their sponges or freeze-dried fruit, sharp curds and fruit purees to really give that fresh summer punch. In our opinion, the inside of a cake says as much as the outside. |
Terri Newman, Erivica Cakes
A piece of cake
| Q | What are the latest cake trends? |
| A | Terri Newman says: In 2023 we are seeing a lot of non-traditional designs such as: Floating cakes – these give the illusion of floating tiers using sidebar stands. Spiral and waterfall style cakes – this is a clever technique where the flowers are arranged either in a spiral around the cake using wires so that it stands free, or in a waterfall design that cascades down the front or side of the cake using wires to make them stand unrestrained. Pressed flower/ edible flower cakes – this method utilises fresh, edible or pressed flowers that are stuck to the side of the cake in a pleasing pattern or design. Buttercream flower cakes painted using a palette knife – this design utilises oil painting skills to paint 3D buttercream flowers onto the sides and top of the cake. Small cakes made bigger using stands – if you're having a small wedding but still want your cake to stand out, then the clever use of stands and clear acrylic tiers will help increase the overall size without increasing the number of portions of cake. |
Terri Newman, Erivica Cakes
Statement cakes
| Q | We want a cake that will wow our guests; do you have any suggestions? |
| A | Emma Thorburn says: If you're after a cake that will impress your guests, this can be done in several ways; think about the flavours and finish of the cake and the colours used. The cake pictured used autumnal tones, echoing the AW23 Pantone report, in tender peach, rose violet and Persian jewel. Teamed with spiced carrot and an orange-blossom buttercream, zesty lemon and triple raspberry, it's finished with bright colours and quality fresh and dried flowers. This style works well with small and large budgets and will create the wow factor every time. |
Emma Thorburn, Buns of Fun
Matchmade in heaven
| Q | We're completely unsure of what cake design to go for, we like so many on Instagram/Pinterest it can feel quite overwhelming. If you were given completely free rein on a cake design, what would you opt for, we're looking for some inspiration! |
| A | Becky Coverdale says: If I was given free rein for a wedding cake, I would go for a natural more muted colour background, with a range of beautiful handmade flowers to give that pop of colour and focus point. I think its lovely when the flowers on the cake tie in with the bride's bouquet. |
Becky Coverdale, Becky’s Cake Bakes
Mmmm Cake
| Q | What trends do you see emerging in 2023? |
| A | Two Magpies Bakery says: - Bold colours — accompanied by coordinating flowers. - Stencilling. It can elevate a classic simple cake with a touch of texture or gold leaf. - Texture. A free-hand textured design can be most striking between smooth iced tiers. - Naked or Semi naked cakes — decorated with fresh berries and blooms, coordinated with the venue décor. |
Two Magpies Bakery
Blooming lovely
| Q | We're great cake lovers and want something that looks and tastes delicious for our summer wedding. What would you suggest that's on trend? |
| A | Terri Newman says: Small cakes and single tiers are hot for this summer and next. The semi-naked cake remains popular, but increasingly with white chocolate ganache as opposed to the more traditional sugarpaste finish. Painted cakes always make a statement and can reflect a seasonal theme beautifully. We're also seeing lots of interest in hooped cake stands which are amazing as they allow you to extend the design of the cake creating a stunning showpiece for the big day. |
Terri Newman, Erivica Cakes
Sweet sensations
| Q | We're big cake lovers but can't make up our minds what to choose for our big day. What's popular currently for an on-trend showstopper that looks and tastes great? |
| A | Fern Harman says: The colour trends we're seeing for 2022 are hot pinks alongside orange hues and also gold and green shades. Both are popular themes but if the bolder colours aren't for you, ivory, green, gold and peach tones remain on trend for more traditional cakes. Floral decorations can add a seasonal touch such as bold coloured tulips to provide that extra punch of colour. Not only do we use seasonal flowers and decorations, we also try to incorporate seasonality in our jams and preserves too, such as lemon curd, elderflower and rhubarb |
Fern Harman, Two Magpies Bakery
Seasonal flavour
| Q | We want our wedding cake to reflect our autumn wedding theme – any ideas? |
| A | Trudy Copeland says: Trudy says: There are a number of ways you can do this with the look, taste and staging of your cake. Things like adding some seasonal flavours, such as apple spice, and using autumnal colours especially rich tones like burgundy and burnt orange. Incorporating natural elements into the design is also a good idea, like fallen leaves. These can be edible, pressed foliage or decorative sugar work; dried fruits and fresh seasonal berries work well too. To make a focal point of your cake go for a moody look and create a seasonal ambience. |
Trudy Copeland, The Iced Vegan
