I don’t know about you, but I love cheese wedding cakes – they’re by far my favourite alternative to the traditional wedding cake. It’s not just the abundance of delicious cheese (cheese!) but the fact that they can be so prettily styled. Fruit, crackers, edible flowers, herbs, drizzled honey, ribbon and of course different varieties, colours and shapes of cheeses can make each cake look unique and work to suit just about any wedding style. Plus, it’s easy to put this together yourself (see our cheese wedding cake DIY instructions here). Don’t get me wrong, I’m still a big fan of actual cake, but it doesn’t suit all couples and I think it’s great that nowadays people don’t feel pressured to spend a fortune on something they don’t want to eat themselves. A few weeks ago we looked at dessert table alternatives, but today I thought I would round up 20 gorgeous examples of cheese towers to give you style inspiration! Which is your favourite? Oh and PS, you can see more of the latest cheese wedding cake looks on our special Pinterest board.Read More
Hello lovelies! Since we’ve been looking again at dessert alternatives this week, I thought that we should have a peek at some traditions from other countries. If you’d like to do something different, this is a great option, particularly if you have some kind of heritage or tie to the country, or have travelled there. For example, did you get engaged in Paris? Well, why not have a French wedding cake? It’s a really fun way to make things personal and surprise your guests. Of course, many countries don’t have specific wedding cake traditions, or they share the tradition of tiered cakes, and some of the examples below are not so much wedding cakes but special occasion cakes that could be used as a wedding cake. But they’re all so pretty, that I had to share!Read More
Over the years, I’ve seen all kinds of fun cakes and not-cakes at weddings but by far the biggest trend has been the candy buffet or dessert table. And it’s not hard to see why, since it’s more than just a dessert – it doubles up as decor, as a favour – even as entertainment. It creates a gorgeous focal point in one part of your reception, a striking visual reinforcement of your colours or theme. I love these tables, but what I love even more maybe are the ways that even this alternative has sprouted alternatives! With personalised menus being a big trend for weddings, the specialised food station really comes into its own, and can be a fun twist to the dessert table, especially if you’re planning something a bit different like a brunch wedding. And it’s not limited to food either – you can apply the same principle of taking a basic treat and turning it into a visual feast and apply it to drinks as well. Here are ten of my favourite dessert and candy buffet alternatives, along with some ideas for creating the look at your wedding. *Links in bold denote affiliate links. The cost to you remains the same, but SBB may receive a commission for any sales made.
Not a far cry from a dessert table, the great advantage of a cookie or biscuit bar is that it’s something you and your friends and family can DIY, since it’s possible to make ahead of time if properly stored. You could ask your loved ones to each contribute a specialty, or you could make a few bases and then provide toppings and dips for guests to choose their own. Add little glassine bags to the spread and encourage guests to take a selection for the trip home or a midnight snack.
I’m a big fan of this one, in case you hadn’t already noticed. I styled the one pictured above, and I had so much fun playing around with different artisan breads and cheeses. I think this makes a great accompaniment to a pre-reception wine tasting, or an alternative to a sweet dessert for savoury-loving couples. You can have a cheese cake as your centrepiece and then surround it with breads, fruits, chutneys, etc. or spread out the cheeses themselves in belljars and on different stands and platters. Make sure there’s a variety of heights and include textures like ribbon tied around loaves or cutlery.
Speaking of savoury loving couples, charcuterie is another delicious way to spoil your guests during cocktail hour, as this couple did (don’t you love the idea of presenting it on a cart?). As always, variety is key, so get a range of meats, cheeses, breads and crackers, dips, chutneys and butters, as well as extras like different kinds of olives. Add lasercut tags or special labels so guests know what everything is. This is perfect if you have a bit of a Mediterranean theme to your decor (although it isn’t necessary, of course!) or just a rustic vibe going on.
Show me the way to the next whisky bar… no need to ask why, when it looks as pretty as this one. Add cigars and this is a little paradise for the boys, one they’ll be talking about long after the big day. We have a great little DIY article on how to put your own whisky bar together from a real SouthBound bride.
The perfect beach version of a candy bar – your guests will love the childhood delight of being able to build their own ice creams and sundaes and it’ll keep them cool on a summer day too. Styling the ice creams, cones and toppings to look like an old school ice cream parlour adds to the fun and nostalgia. See here for a DIY tutorial including downloads and templates if you like the look above.
Okay, you KNOW that many of your guests are going to just adore this idea! I mean, who doesn’t love popcorn? By all accounts, this is a really simple alternative to a dessert bar, and one that guests can interact with if you include a number of toppings and flavourings. I love the rustic styling of the one above (you can get all the printable elements here), but you could make this work for any setting by customising the labels and table.
If you’re hosting a morning wedding or if the bride or groom have a real passion for tea or coffee, this is a fun way to go. Provide a number of varieties, beautifully laid out, and encourage guests to try a few. Make sure you include lots of visual variety so it doesn’t just look like the tea table at a PTA meeting.
Brunch weddings are so awesome, and the food is a big part of what makes them so fun. I love the idea of a cereal buffet (even if I personally loathe cereal) – it’s such a fun breakfasty twist on the candy buffet! This kind of cheeky twist is exactly what makes alternative food stations so fun, and a real talking point for guests. Who hopefully like cereal more than I do.
Donut even joke, donut displays are where it’s at right now for wedding treats! And there are so many cool ways to display them, from donut walls, to towers of donuts, to donut wedding cakes, etc. etc. Yum.
Some days, my job as a wedding blogger just doesn’t feel like work, and I have to say that this morning, as I put these gorgeous pictures of sparkly and shiny cakes together, the only difficulty was in narrowing down the selection. You’ll know by now that I’m a total magpie, and in love with everything that glimmers, but I think that love went to a new level when foiled wedding cakes came on the scene. I saw one for the first time in person last year in Durban, and it really does make an impression. I also love the way that it can be used as a texture, mixed in with ruffles, patterns, flowers, etc. As always, the line between glitzy and gaudy is a fine one, but here are 20 wedding cakes that I think walk the line perfectly. They’re almost too pretty to cut into, but the contrast between cake and metallic makes them look, if possible, even more delicious!Read More
I’m hardly the first to this party, but I thought it was high time I shared this gorgeous trend that has taken the wedding world by storm in the last year. Hand painted cakes are the ultimate in cake art – fondant that has been either stencilled or painted free hand for spectacularly lovely results. Each cake is as unique as the artist who creates them – some are super feminine and delicate, with representations of flowers, birds and romantic patterns like delft and toile. Some use more graphic patterns. Many have been inspired by decorative wallpaper at venues, wedding invitations, etc. As someone who has zero art skills, this is definitely one I would leave to the pros, but in fact if you or someone close to you is a talented illustrator, I’ve read that the technique is relatively straightforward and plain fondant cakes are definitely affordable. So it doesn’t have to be a trend reserved for celebrities and zillion dollar brides, although it certainly requires patience and talent! Here’s some eye candy from around the web to show you just how many lovely possibilities there are.Read More
This post was going to be about a whole other cake trend, but when I asked myself what sort of cake I could see SouthBound brides really going for in the next year, one answer immediately sprang to mind: lace. I mean, we love lace, right? It’s a beautiful texture to add to a cake without having to go too bold – in fact it’s the perfect way to amp up a classic white cake. Not that you can’t do something more colourful, as you’ll see below – the base cake or the lace itself can be any number of colours. I think my absolute favourite look for lace wedding cakes is the blush/nude cake with a white lace overlay, since it reminds me of the illusion/portrait back trend we’re seeing in dresses so much at the moment – so gorgeous! I’ve gathered up my top 20 wedding cakes with lace details – which is your favourite?
Let’s get naked, people. If you’ve been following my inspiration boards you will already know that I have a style crush on the biggest trend to hit wedding cakes since pies and donuts, and if you follow any other international blogs you probably will have seen a good few of these already, but I thought it was high time we had some naked cake roundup goodness here on SouthBound Bride. So what is a naked cake? In short, it’s a sponge cake that remains un-iced. It might have icing in between layers (although cream cheese frosting, cream and fruit are also common) and it might be beautifully dusted with icing sugar or dribbled with caramel, but the sides are generally left au naturel. And unlike Britney getting in a cab without her undercrackers, it’s a beautiful sight to behold, especially if you’re having a rustic wedding. Decorate with fruit, flowers or both, and stick to a series of smaller cakes or follow the traditional tiered round or square cake. You can go for a classic deconstructed Victoria sponge, or have different layers in different flavours and colours, which also looks pretty amazing! Of course, not everyone is a fan – some cake pros I know feel it looks unfinished and worry about the cake drying out – and, of course, there’s no hiding any cake mishaps under fondant here. Despite this, I think we’ll be seeing lots of these in the upcoming season.
**UPDATE** See our latest roundup of naked cakes (especially for autumn weddings!) hereRead More
Good afternoon, lovelies – hope today has been treating you well? I’m stoked to be bringing you another in our ‘Behind the Menu’ series, where we celebrate weddings where food is at the centre of proceedings. Being a bit of a foodie myself, I love looking at how a great menu is customised for each couple, although by the end of working with these pics I am dying to eat the food! Never more than today, in fact, because this lucky Dutch bride and groom had several incredible courses including a fresh crayfish entree. One of my all-time favourites! It really makes me miss home, and especially remember my last meal before going off to university, when we spent the day at Betty’s Bay with my cousins and feasted on crayfish they’d brought in fresh from the sea that morning. Wow. Food flashback! Anyway, I love that the executive chef at Stir Food, Gustaav Boshoff, included it here, alongside a menu that really shows off the best of South African cuisine. Oh, and PS, how much do I love the hanging floral decor? Just gorgeous. Perfect execution from The Aleit Group, as always!
Here at SouthBound Bride, I love bringing you all the latest trends. As you know, I believe that each wedding should be an expression of a couple’s unique style and personality, but it doesn’t hurt to get a sense of the ideas that are floating around out there. Eventually, those ideas can get a little repetitive. And while in some ways that doesn’t matter (remember that most of your guests don’t sit on wedding blogs all day and won’t have seen it before), it can be fun to consider fresh twists and new options. So here are eight of my top alternatives for creating your favourite effects.
Here’s my disclaimer: I’ve loved and promoted all of the ‘old’ ideas here, and I’m nobody’s fashion police. So if you love something, you DO IT. This is just about being creative and exploring other avenues along the way!
I don’t know about you, but I’ve been in love with dessert tables ever since I discovered the genius that is Amy Atlas. It takes such a simple concept – a spread of sweets, usually including a cake (but I’ve seen them done with all veggies, or cheeses, or whatever you like really!) and elevated it to a level where dessert meets design. I’d hate to be the first person at these buffets, because it must feel a little like taking a bite of a museum masterpiece, they’re just that pretty. And the best thing is, you can be really creative with them, and incorporate one into just about any style of wedding and make your dessert table a real feature of your reception that your guests will be talking about for years to come! To show you how, I’ve paired up some gorgeous dessert tables with matching Cap Classique inspiration boards. So fun!
VINTAGE BIRDS
This is one of my all-time favourite dessert tables, combining gorgeous green, brown and blue with vintage elements and a bird motif. It’s so usable, and all the different containers at different heights make it so easy on the eye. Perfect for an elegantly rustic wedding, or for a lovebirds theme. It’s paired here with (and partly inspired) the Vintage Birds inspiration board.
