Your Wedding Day is probably the most important day of your life. Of course, the Bride and Groom will always be the focal point of your celebration, but the Wedding Cake must come a close second. The tradition of the wedding cake dates back to at least Roman times, and is meant to symbolize both union and fertility.

When choosing a wedding cake, look through magazines and books for ideas. You will need to decide how many tiers you will need and what size they will be. Will you have fruit cake or sponge cake or will you have a tier of each? And for those of you who are chocaholics you could always have chocolate cake decorated in white chocolate fondant icing. 

Some brides like to decorate their cake by having icing flowers to match the ones in their bouquet while others like to get away from the traditional cake and have different shapes and bright colours. The choices are endless. Visit several cake makers and get advice and quotes from them before making your decision, alternatively ask our chef at Howards House Hotel to make the cake of your dreams.

If you choose to employ a specialist cake supplier, you should ask to see their portfolio before any orders are made. You will also need to give yourself plenty of time to order your cake, as the most extravagant of creations will take many months to create. Even a traditional three-tiered cake must be ordered at least three months in advance, as, ideally, a cake should be left to stand and mature for six to nine weeks before it is iced. But once a supplier has been chosen, your imagination is the only restraint for the cake. Although the traditional choice is a three-tiered fruit cake, why not opt for something a little different like a lemon cake, or a Swiss-style roll filled with morello cherries and fresh cream? Of course, a traditional fruit cake could also be iced in a fun way, as many original designs are now possible with fondant icing. Why not opt for your fruit cake to be made and iced in the shape of a pile of wedding presents, or even Sleeping Beauty's fairytale castle?