Wedding cake ideas for smaller weddings

Let’s face it, 2020 has not panned out the way we imagined in many ways, but weddings in particular have taken a bit of a change in direction.

As it currently stands, thanks to the dreaded Coronavirus pandemic, we can only have a wedding for 30 people in the UK. Whilst this may not be for everyone, which is completely your own choice, many couples do still want to tie the knot in a more intimate wedding celebration.

So what does that mean for your wedding cake?

Do you have to have a wedding cake at all?

Of course, whether you have a wedding cake or not would be completely your choice. I would like (and hope!) to think that all couples would still want a wedding cake at their smaller wedding celebration, not least because I wouldn’t have a job if they didn't!

But, the wedding cake is a tradition that dates back to medieval times and the cake cutting itself, represents the first activity done as a married couple. I think it’s important to keep these traditions alive and not only that, everyone loves cake, right?

Do you have to have a really tiny wedding cake?

So a wedding cake for 30 people, may only need to be one or two tiers of real cake. And whilst this can be beautiful, you may still want more of a ‘wow’ factor for the cake cutting moment. So what can you do to achieve this?

You could have a small amount of real cake (just the portions you need) and then have some dummy tiers to add extra height. Dummy or fake tiers are cake tiers made of polystyrene, which are iced to look exactly like the real cake. From the outside, no-one would be any the wiser!
Traditional cake design states that each cake tier would have a 2 inch size difference between them e.g. 10”, 8”, 6” & 4”. For a more modern look, you can have just a 1 inch size gap. This gives the illusion of a taller cake but without the extra width and the extra cake portions.

Style the cake area right

Make a real focal point of your cake. Style it up! Don’t just pop it on a table in the corner on a white tablecloth on a silver platter stand. You could use acrylic plinths, a hanging cake swing, a lovely, tall cake stand and dress the area right up! Think big florals, neon lighting, a soft, swishy fabric backdrop, candles…..you can really go all out here to make the cake have a big impact even if it’s smaller in stature.

You don’t just have to have a cake

Dessert tables have been popular for a while now for weddings. With a smaller wedding, you can go all out to make sure that your selected guests feel extra special that they have been able to spend your wedding day with you. Alongside the cake, why not have lots of smaller morsels for your guests to tuck into - macarons, sugar cookies, cake popsicles etc. They can be arranged on beautiful platters and cake stands to create a real feast for the eyes. You could always serve this as the main dessert then too rather than have a more traditional dessert after your meal.

What about the guests who couldn’t come?

I’m sure COVID has left many a wedding guest feeling disappointed and left out, which sadly just can’t be helped with the current guidelines.

Why not consider some individually wrapped treats to give out to those guests who were not able to attend? Macarons, cookies, cake popsicles or hand made chocolates would all be a good option here. They could be personalised with your name and wedding date, and be made to match the theme of your wedding cake too so everyone can feel like they have celebrated with you a little, even if they can’t be there in person.