One of the perks of being in the wedding industry?... Cake

I have seen some beautiful confections at weddings I have officiated. Unfortunately, I have not always stayed long enough to see let alone taste many cakes though. I love cake. It's no secret. That wonderful moist layer of deliciousness hits your tongue and it's like cake nirvana on your taste buds. I have to say I am not that fond of fondant, and not really crazy about coconut. But I love the artistic detail that can be achieved when fondant is used. I have not tasted a rum cake yet that I have liked much at all, but I realize that's a personal problem. Maybe if the rum was not so prominent I could be swayed in the other direction. There are many other masterful cake details achieved by different baking skills such as gum paste flowers and spun sugar, edible bubbles and a variety of other baking creatives I am looking forward to tasting.

Cupcakes are also becoming more prevalent at wedding receptions. They certainly are convenient and everyone gets the same size. Sweets by Good Golly Miss Holly is a wonderful vendor to get your wedding day cupcakes from, located right in Waterford Lakes and also in Jacksonville, She is the cupcake queen and several time champ in cupcakes wars so you know she is constantly cranking out the deliciousness. Yes I am a frequent shopper and I love my pink cards. I always keep at least two on me.

So this post is going to be just a bunch of pictures of wedding cakes I have taken pictures of, from some of the weddings I have done in the past. Publix made a few of these cakes but a lot of them were made by bakers. I had no idea I would be blogging about cakes one day, so I apologize for not being able to provide where you could get one of these oh so wonderful confections. But maybe the design will inspire you. Some show in the description if you hover over the picture. Below, there are cakes made expressly for intimate weddings and then there are others made for obviously much larger affairs.

-My ode to wedding cake...by Sheri Thomson-

Oh how I love to look upon thy creative and unique grace,

but am so much happier with just a little taste.

Chocolate, red velvet, butter cream, vanilla, I am not choosy,

luscious filled centers creamy and gooey,

My vise, my addiction, my caloric obsession,

I love you wedding cake, and that is my confession.

Here's a (not so) funny wedding cake story. Early in my officiating days I thought it would be a good idea to increase the options I was offering for destination weddings by offering wedding cake by Publix. Well suffice it to say after a car accident and destroying two weddings cakes on the way to the wedding (one in the accident and the other just on those horrible cobblestone streets in Winter Park), that idea went out the window literally, very quickly. However, I must give uber props to Publix in College Park for totally remaking the cakes each time in record speed and then finally delivering the cake themselves to the couple's hotel room. Over the years Publix has increased there wedding cake line up. I personally had the Forever Faithful cake made by Publix in Maitland at my wedding. The cake I destroyed was a vanilla version with jelly center based off of their Irresistible cake but updated to be in line with the European version of wedding cakes. They also made a frosting flavor that was not on their wedding repertoire of choices for a bride out of Canada. The result? ...Delicious.and a happy bride.

*See Publix cakes. Fresh and tasty ingredients. I have never had a Publix cake I did not enjoy.