Five couples that ditched wedding cake (and what they served instead)
Is wedding cake mandatory? Absolutely not! Look, if cake isn’t your jam, we hereby grant you full licence to ditch it entirely. In fact, that goes for any conventional wedding custom that doesn’t gel with you and your boo.
Don’t fret though, absence of cake doesn’t mean depriving your guests (or yourself) of a little post-dinner treat. It’s just a matter of thinking outside the box, and to help get the brainstorming started, we’ve gathered up five of our favourite wedding cake-less newlyweds for inspiration.
These couples ditched tradition and, in doing so, recognised the opportunity to further personalise their day by instead serving sweet stuff symbolic to their personalities and love story.
If you actually flippin’ love cake and have stumbled upon this by some kind of accident then discover our favourite cake bakers and designers. Or for more assistance making your menu truly bespoke, connect and get brainstorming with one of these local catering legends.
But first, scroll on for a handful of delish cake alternatives, sure to win over even the most discerning cake connoisseur on your guest list.
Wedding piñata
Jemma and Jeremy, whose WA wedding graced the pages of Issue 40, knew a traditional cake just wasn’t their vibe. “Our proudest DIY achievement had to be the piñata we made,” they laughed. “We aren’t huge cake eaters, so it was only natural to smash one instead.”
And smash it they did! A cheeky twist on the classic cake-cutting moment that left everyone grinning and cheering, and made for some super-fun photos, as you can see. Cake not your thing? A lolly-filled paper piñata might just be your new favourite wedding dessert.
Photography Emma Macaulay
Espresso Martini Tower
“Warm, wholesome, country and FUN” – that was the brief for Jordan and Doug’s ‘I do’s. There wasn’t an inch of this backyard soiree that wasn’t deeply intentional and personal to the pair – from the setting (the bride’s parents’ picturesque property in Victoria’s Barrabool Hills), to the subtle Western Bulldogs references (the groom’s favourite AFL team), to the espresso martini tower. “I’ve never wanted a cake at a wedding at 8pm,” the bride told us. “But an espresso martini will always hit the spot!”
Photography O Lemonade
Creme Brulee
Married by the seaside at Peterborough Community Hall, Kayla (owner of bridal boutique Ivory Bride) and David (a chef by trade) swapped cake cutting for creme brûlée caramelising, resulting in this epic photo op. That’s not even the coolest bit. The couple actually made the creme brûlée THEMSELVES, as well as all the cocktail spirits used on the day. Iconic.
Photography Kinship By Kristy
Ice Cream & Chocolate Cigars
Remember Lisa and Thierry’s Melbourne city love-fest? Let’s be real, how could you not? Adorned in cowgirl couture and corduroy, the couple kicked off married life with an incredible ‘2am Vegas’ meets ‘not-a-wedding’ celebration. Lisa and Thierry report that guests loved their custom pink ‘McDonalds-esque’ late night feasting packaging, and the couple were really glad to have served ice cream and chocolate cigars instead of cake. “We are both super anti-tradition, and both coming from creative fields. We really wanted this to shine through on the day.”
Photography Ricky Gestro
Giant Pavlova
“We opted for a giant pavlova – a favourite amongst our parents!” The summer-time staple, sourced from Maison Lassiaille, was just one of many highlights at Dani and Tayte’s day, which is featured in issue 41 of Hello May. Hot off the press, get your hands on a copy to see more of this Euro-summer-meets-vintage-inspired celebration, hosted in Western Australia’s Margaret River region.
Photography Emma Macaulay
