Photography by Wes Battoclette
Once the vows have been made and the rings exchanged, the reception and celebrations can begin. A major showpiece of a wedding reception, besides the happily married couple, is the cake. Many couples have begun to look outside the box to find new and exciting ways to display and accent their decorations with a cake that is both beautiful and delicious.
Finding a balance between appealing and appetizing can be tricky, especially for couples who simply aren’t sure what direction to take. With a variety of decorating possibilities, including fondant, color-coordination and flowers, it’s easy to feel unsure of which styling to choose.
Patricia, from Patricia’s Wedding & Custom Cakes, says it’s important for a wedding cake to be delicious and visually appealing. “Brides should be aware of the setting and the colors she’s using,” says Patricia. “This helps us get a feel for what she may be looking for, and we can narrow down options from there.” She adds that it’s ideal that couples have some sort of a plan for what they want before shopping around.
With the rise of websites like Pinterest, there’s no shortage of inspiration available for a bride who may not know exactly what kind of cake she wants. Patricia says Pinterest is a great inspiration for her staff as well, and they can recreate just about anything from a photo.
Patricia and her staff have created extravagant designs, from hanging cakes to replications such as the Leaning Tower of Pisa.
While it’s important for the cake to be beautiful, brides shouldn’t forget that the basic purpose of a cake is to be eaten. Patricia suggests that, if a cake is to be cut up and set out for guests to choose pieces, couples can diversify their cake. “Every layer can be a different flavor,” she says. If the couple chooses to have the cake served to guests, however, fewer flavors is best. “I would suggest only two at most,” says Patricia. “We have 27 different combinations of flavors to choose from, so many brides get excited about the options and change their minds about having a cake served.”
Patricia’s Wedding & Custom Cakes also utilizes a special recipe of buttercream icing that has the smooth look of fondant but maintains the delicious taste of buttercream, providing brides with more options for flavor and presentation. “Fondant cakes are nice looking, but many people don’t like the way it tastes,” says Patricia. With the buttercream recipe, cakes still look polished, while providing a better taste to complement the cake itself.
With a multitude of themes and color schemes available for brides, choosing a cake to match in flavor and presentation can be a very fun experience. For a beach theme or a destination wedding, Patricia’s Wedding & Custom Cakes offers a tropical flavor with pineapple, coconut, pecans and papaya. On the other hand, flavors like raspberry with a cream cheese filling are widely appealing to guests as well. Patricia suggests brides frequent bridal shows in the area, where the ability to sample different cakes from different areas is simple and stress-free.
Patricia’s Wedding & Custom Cakes is located at 1009 Jefferson Avenue, Reading, OH 45215. You can reach them at 513.733.3100, by email at sales@patriciasweddings.com or visit their website at www.patriciasweddings.com.