BOTANICALS

Described by Pantone as "a refreshing and revitalizing shade, Greenery is symbolic of new beginnings". 'Greenery' is a perfect symbol for new marriages and has been announced as Pantone's Colour of the Year which leads in nicely with the trend of leafy, plush foliage as well as fresh flowers. Flowers have been central to cake decorating for many, many years but sugar-crafted flowers have taken more of a backseat as ostentatious and innovatively used botanicals will be prevalent this year whether fresh, faux or painted. I look forward to working with The Flower Deli in Nottingham that grows fresh, organic, seasonal edible flowers. They are fantastic option and give you and your guests something new and fun to try!

LUXE

Opulent wedding cakes that look a million dollars are an aesthetic that many couples are choosing and luxe metallics are just one way to create a stunning effect as part of this trend. Esteemed cake designers Faye Cahill and The Caketress have been at the forefront of this glamorous look with pearlescent shimmer and gold sequins. Gold looks have topped this trend but copper, rose gold and silver hues are set to make a bigger impact in 2017. Whether it is a super shiny painted application, a softer but glamorous pearlised look or 24ct precious metal leaf, this trend is here to stay for the foreseeable future as other shades come to light. Inspired by royal weddings and haute couture, you will also be seeing monograms, marbling, hand painted details, finely decorated with royal icing, molded trims, rich colours and plush florals.

Au Natural

Rustic, natural and homemade looks seems to be leading where vintage left off with more relaxed, casual, simply styled weddings being popular. Buttercream cakes with a homemade look, cakes without any icing at all and semi-naked cakes have all found their place in weddings. Gypsophila garlands are a popular adornment along with script cake toppers and log slice cake stands. Naked wedding cakes are still popular but semi-naked cakes are an increasing trend. Covered in more buttercream but still slightly opaque, semi-naked cakes look fresh but still have a relaxed vibe that is still a little bit more rustic but a little more dressed up. The extra masking of buttercream adds a brighter, fresher look to your cake. Adding fresh flowers, gold leaf, buttercream swirls or coloured buttercream are all popular options to create a bespoke look.

Your Wedding, Your Way!

There are some traditions that are being held on to, whilst others are being thrown out of the window. Couples are creating weddings that reflect their personalities and interests. If you have a penchant for unicorns, you are a massive Star Wars fan or you love rainbow sprinkles, what's stopping you from bringing these elements into your wedding cake design? Who said you even need cake? Maybe you'd prefer a dessert table with all of your favourite sweet treats to choose from? Let's mention cake flavours too - don't be a crowd pleaser and feed your guests a slice of vanilla cake filled with buttercream and raspberry jam if thats not what you really want! Whatever your taste; have your wedding, your way! You may want to check out Un-Wedding and Rock'n'Roll Bride blogs for alternative wedding inspiration and check out the glam, fun, brightly coloured cakes and dessert tables on my website.