Designing a cake for a Bride is a privilege to be an artistic part of their special day shared with their friends and family. For this cake , I was so grateful to be asked by this bride as I had designed her sister’s wedding cake and she knew instantly she wanted me to create something unique for her own wedding. 

For this design , we brainstormed on the phone things she’s loved visually for her wedding feel and decor. I prefer to have an organic  design process ( with no references to other cakes), so that I can create an original masterpiece that represents the style of the client.  From there I sketched a design incorporating an “english garden” feel with spring blooms climbing like an over grown garden. 

I tend to start with the shape and proportions first when sketching. This can takess a dozen attempts but I want to make sure my canvas is the perfect balance ( while keeping in mind the size of the ballroom and proportion of the planned florals and decor.) We went with with a round 7 foot tall cake that was risen like it was floating on a garden bed of flowers and with an ornate cake stand enhancing the top portion. Originally we had planned to create a vase topper as well but as it was coming together it seemed  too much and with the wedding planner ( Carousel Events) , we decided to omit. 

As for the Sugar Flowers and Wafer Flowers I went with mostly blooms you’d find in an english garden with some mix of seasons. The best part about creating edible florals is that I have the control to make any season , any colour , and any proportions . As long as I have adequate time to create, there are no limits or lack of availabilty of flowers out of season. So we grew our sugar garden with Peonies , pink/white anemones , blossoms, Lavender , Lilacs and buds. In total there were well over 5000 individual flowers that were hand created. Keep in mind each petal need to made , cut , formed, dried , shaped, coloured and arranged so this process takes several weeks and extra hands. The sugar paste recipe is adjusted to prepare for humidity and heat of the destination wedding so that the flowers are strong and stable.

Now let’s talk about the lace. The bride had one of the most beautiful and intricate gowns I have ever seen that it was a must to incorporate into the design. She had a custom Elie Saab ( a famous haute couture Labanese fashion designer known for his intricate lace fabrics .) I knew this was going to be the greatest challenge as the dress took months to create and I had a limited timeline of less than a week to recreate ( and make edible) actual haute couture fabric.

Since it involved tens of thousands of tiny flowers cut and bouquet in the pattern and brush embroidery lace, there were points in the week ( especially through long nights ) I questioned the decision of incorporating and almost wanted to only adorn the front. Then I found myself almost pretending it was the week before Paris fashion week, and the pressure was on that made the long days and all nighters worth it. The further I got in the endless edible embroidery work , the more it felt like a marathon towards an artistic challenge. I could have given up or made more simple ( and yet it would still be stunning) but my goal is to make the most beautiful cake every time and that challenge drives me to see the full dream design through. Regardless of the several years in weddings and having made many beautiful cakes design that are internationally recognized , I believe I am only as good as a designer as my last cake I designed and smile on my client’s faces when they see their dream wedding cake.

Location : The Ritz Al Bustan Planner/Designer : Carousel Events