Blog
Planning your wedding leads to lots of questions, some that you may not even have really considered but just drop in when you are getting stuck into the planning. I thought it would be useful to share some of the questions that I get asked a lot in consultations with clients as the conversation normally goes wider than just talking cakes, cars and decor. I have been in the industry a long time (I will let you guess) so can answer most things with confidence!
So, here are some useful answers to some often asked questions!
1. Which suppliers do we need to feed?
I was asked during a chat with one of our couples what time I ate. It took a couple of seconds for that penny to drop to be honest, as it’s the first time in 25 years that anyone has asked if I would like them to order a meal for me too.
I think I actually blushed… but quickly explained that although it was a lovely gesture, I wouldn’t be on site when they sat down for their wedding breakfast.
There is a particular set of suppliers who you would expect to cater for… your Photography team. There can be a main and second shooter these days, which means they eat when you do. You don’t want them snapping away while you’re trying not to spill tomato soup down your gown or tie..lol. This gives them a break and a chance to review some shots and keeps them fueled during the long hours that they’re with you.
Some Photographers have a food clause in their contracts, but it’s nice to ask if they have any intolerances or dietary requirements first. You could include your Videographer too. Happy people give a brilliant service.
2. How many wedding invitations do I actually need to order?
I’m nosey by nature, but my honest interest in your wedding is all about me getting right down to the core of the vision you have in your head for your perfect day.. I often ask my clients about ‘on the day’ stationery and if it will match their invitations.
A number of times the reply is that the couple found bespoke invitations expensive, as they need 80 or so. As I’d have already touched on their daytime guest numbers, I know they wouldn’t actually need that many. It’s a common mistake, as everything else is based on exact numbers, like bums on seats for meals, but your invitations can be reduced, as you’d need one per couple or family group, so more often than not, the number of invitations that need to be ordered can be at least halved.
On the Day stationery, with Runner & Charger Plates at Shottle Hall, Derbyshire
On the day stationery relates to table numbers signs, place cards, seating plans, welcome signage and order of the day information. This all creates a lovely paper trail through your entire wedding and the design you choose can also help guide the style of the decor and the cake on your wedding day.
3. When do we get the welcome drink?
As the options of where and how you can marry have changed over the years, lots of things are still referred to by their old names. Welcome drinks were served to guests on their arrival at the reception venue after the church service. However, with so many couples opting to marry and celebrate in the same place, some couples think the welcome drinks are served to guests before the ceremony but this is not the case.
No alcohol in the ceremony room at all, so it’s a dry bar before the ceremony but nce you’ve tied the knot, it’s a different story.
Enjoying the wedding celebrations at Carriage Hall, Nottinghamshire
Guests are served for the drinks reception that follows the marriage ceremony but some venues may call them “welcome drinks” so it can be easily confusing! If you are not sure what the plan is for your day, ask your venue, there are no silly questions!
Bonnie from I Do Wedding Cars ready to whisk her happy couple
4. Will we get to eat any of our own Wedding Cake?
Obviously wedding cake is something close to my heart, and I have lots of tips for you when it comes to how to deal with any leftover morsels. What I wanted to concentrate on here is the number of times I hear that couples don’t get to have any of their own wedding cake. I have a solution, which helps to cut down on leftovers, but also helps you to continue your celebrations in the days after your wedding day.
2 tier wedding cake with ruffles & sugar roses
During your chat with your cake designer, why not request that your top tier is kept intact?
Have it boxed up when the other tiers are cut and served, so that you can take the complete top tier home with you the day after your wedding.
Having the top tier of your wedding cake to share with your parents and close family, while you open gifts and record what was given and by whom, extends the wedding fun and makes sure that everyone gets a piece of your wedding cake.
I’m still hearing it from my Mum that she didn’t get a piece of ours… 26 years on
Lots of couples choose their favourite flavour as the top tier, just so they know they’ll be able to have some and thoroughly enjoy it too.
Love Letters on the dance floor at Shottle Hall, Derbyshire
If you’d like more tips on how to best deal with wedding cake leftovers, or any other parts of the day that you’re having trouble getting to grips with, drop me an email or a message through our social media feeds and I can help you over any speed humps on your wedding planning journey.
There are no silly questions!
It is hugely important to us that our couples feel really comfortable with me so that they can ask those slightly random niggly questions that can pop up in consultations. There is honestly no silly question – you have not done this before so you are not supposed to know all the answers! Lean on me – I have many many years of experience in this industry and will have come across something the same or similar I am sure! If you are still to decide who to use for your wedding cake, decor or car then get in touch and let’s have a chat. I would love to hear your love story,
Love Jo x
Blog, Cakes
In this edition of the Wedding Traditions blog series, I want to look at one of the things I love to talk about the most.. Wedding Cakes!
I’m known for being a chatterbox, but once you get me started on wedding cakes, then there really is no stopping me! I love talking styles, flavours, toppers and I love bringing into vision the cake that a bride has in her head. You can take a look at the cake portfolio here >>>
So, let’s look at the history behind Wedding Cakes, why they’re such an important part of any wedding and how styles have changed in the years since Iced and Spliced by Cakey Wakey was born.
Cutting the Cake at Shottle Hall, Derbyshire
In Roman & Medieval times, Wedding Cakes were actually piles of buns, not the fabulous sugar confections we create today. They appeared to be a superstitious lot in those times, as the idea was to stack the buns as high as possible, with the Bride & Groom trying to share a kiss over the top of the tower without it falling over. If they were successful, the couple would have a prosperous life.
Knowing how tall some of the cakes I’ve been commissioned to make have been, I’m pleased this superstition isn’t observed these days, as the sets of ladders needed by the happy couple would spoil any photos!
Tall 5 tier wedding cake with sugar flowers between the tears
Roman guests were invited to break a wheat or barley cake over the Bride’s head, showering her in luck.. and crumbs…!
Medieval guests took things a little further.
They threw cake at the couple, for good luck and fertility apparently. They would then gather up as many crumbs of cake as they could to take into their own homes for some of the same good luck.
The first sweet Wedding Cake is known as Banbury Cake, which became popular in 1655
3 tier Semi Naked Wedding Cake with silk flowers at Shottle Hall, Derbyshire
In the 1800’s it became a custom to have silver or gold charms baked into the cake. These would have been rich fruit cakes at that time. Our modern love of flavoured Sponge cakes was a long way off. Each charm had its own meaning and whoever found that charm could look forward to being blessed with whatever the charm represented.
Wedding Bells were a sign of marriage.
A heart signified true love
A rocking chair foretold of a long life, while a high chair meant that children were part of that person’s future.
Thankfully, this tradition hasn’t moved into the 21st century.
Can you imagine the health and safety issues of putting something that could be easily swallowed into a cake these days…! Still a lovely sentiment that you could always think about incorporating into your day in some way.
5 tier Monochrome Wedding Cake, in a traditional style
The Victorians introduced the ‘White’ Wedding Cake.
Sugar was a very expensive commodity in those times, so the whiter the cake was, the wealthier the family would appear to their guests. This also applied to the number of tiers too. The bigger the cake, the richer the family seemed White cakes were also known as ‘Bride’s Cake’ as the colour was a symbol of her purity.
Early traditions saw the Bride cut the cake on her own too, in reference to the loss of her virginity. The cutting of the cake eventually became a two person job, to represent the couple’s first unified act.
I bet you didn’t know there was so much history around the cake. I love seeing how these traditions have passed through time and wonder what the story will be like in 100 years time, of the way we now have wedding cakes at weddings.
Wedding cake designs have changed so much over the past 25 years.
4 Tier Wedding Cake with Ruffle decoration sugar flower cascade at Osmaston Park, Derbyshire
Today’s trends
New, exciting trends have appeared over the years and new ideas still keep coming which is what makes wedding cakes so amazing to work with. Like the Cupcake Tower for instance, a style that peaked in 2017.
Cupcake Tower with Top Tier at Swancar Farm Country House Nottinghamshire
That was around the time that I introduced ruffles to my world. I’m very pleased to say that the ruffle style of decoration is still going strong. In fact an element of ruffle is being requested more and more in my cake designs, and are definitely my signature look. I love getting lost in many hours of ruffle creation!
Reveal Wedding Cake, with Superhero designs
Reveal cakes and colourful wedding cakes have played a part in the variety of wedding cake styles and they can be a lovely way to include your joint passions in one of the major elements of your wedding design.
Semi Naked wedding cakes have definitely overtaken their Naked forerunners. I’m pretty happy about that to be honest, as the Semi Naked style offers more protection to the sponges beneath. If you’d like to read more about the differences between Naked & Semi Naked wedding cakes, there’s another blog dedicated to them.. Click here to read more
I’m absolutely thrilled that traditional designs are being requested more and more.
These styles speak to my soul, and as you know if you’ve read my blogs and social media posts before, I LOVE making sugar flowers, which can sit perfectly on any cake style, but seem to be a match made in heaven for a more traditional look.
Our diary for 2022, 2023 and beyond is open, so if you’d like to check availability for your date, chat about your ideas for your wedding wish list and about your wedding cake too, then drop me an email, give me a call or message me through our social media feeds.
I love talking about all things wedding, so let’s get our heads together and start talking about how we can help you create your dream day
Love Jo x
Blog
I love a good story and today I thought I would share with you the story of us. Iced and Spliced and how we have grown and developed over the many years that we have been in this beautiful wedding industry. I love hearing the love stories of our couples, it is often the first question I ask at a consultation, so I thought you may want to know the love story of us.
We’ll always been known as Cakey Wakey by a lot of people, as that’s where it all began, all those years ago. I love all the .
affectionate twists to that name by industry friends. “Cake of the Wake” is one of my personal favourites *our surname is WAKEfield in case you missed it*.
But as the ‘Cakey’ part of the name only seemed to link our business to cakes, as the business transformed over time, we just knew we had to add another dimension to our name and brand.
On a super practical note, there was also another company elsewhere in the UK with the same name, so helping couples find who they were looking for, in the right area, was essential too and it is important for us to be unique and individual.
Images of wedding styling, including a wedding cake at Shottle Hall, Derbyshire
After lots of names, ideas and thoughts we had whilst having coffee (and perhaps a few gins) we eventually came up with Iced and Spliced, as that put everything we do neatly under one umbrella.
But we didn’t want to lose the Cakey Wakey element we’d built our reputation on, so Iced and Spliced by Cakey Wakey was born.
There is still some confusion over our revamped name though.
Is it Spiced? Or Spliced?
What does ‘Spliced’ even mean?
So, let me try to explain the reasoning behind it all and how it all fits as part of our love story for the brand we have built and the work we love doing.
‘Iced’ refers to the icing on the cake.. pretty on the money really, don’t you think?
Everything began 26 years ago because of one wedding cake.. Our own!
At that time, I couldn’t find anyone who was prepared (or able) to tackle the sugar flower work I wanted to have included on our wedding cake.So, as part of our wedding day, all those years ago, I set out to do exactly what we wanted and created my whopper of a cake. And also ended up creating a company, a brand, a life that I am very proud of. Iced and Spliced by Cakey Wakey!
One of the first wedding cakes by Cakey Wakey before becoming Iced & Spliced by Cakey Wakey
‘Spliced’ is the joining or intertwining of similar materials, ‘splicing’ them together to form one piece. Just like a marriage really. This also links beautifully with the work that we do – we bring together so many elements of the wedding day for our couples. From the cars, to the cakes, to the styling to all the decor and items in between.
The term also reminds me of the saying ‘tying the knot’, which is a really old, Celtic tradition of literally binding the couple together in matrimony by using knots of cloth tied around their hands. This is also known as a Handfasting ceremony, which really was where two became one.
Fun fact : They also say that rain on your wedding day is good luck, as a wet knot is harder to undo
The word Spliced is pretty old, but with it having that connection to marriage, we thought the two words went together well, and described what we do perfectly.
Chair covers & other wedding styling at Sutton Bonington Hall, Leicestershire
‘Cakey Wakey’… well, that’s just Pete and I. He’s the Wakey to my Cakey after all.
Having been part of the wedding industry for over 25 years, our style has changed and developed along with wedding trends over those years
It’s actually our 26th Wedding Anniversary this week, so we must be doing something right! Can you see why I am feeling all gooey about the love story of our business? A business and a brand that we are so proud to have built together. That we are so proud to be able to give our couples the Iced and Spliced Experience that is unique to us and really delivered with love to our couples. We have been in the industry for 25 years and we are not going anywhere!
Pete & Jo from Iced and Spliced by Cakey Wakey on their own wedding day
Our logo and branding has morphed during that time too.
I’ll admit that in the beginning, we went with what we liked for colours, trying to be different, but looking back at those now, they were pretty sketchy!
The first design to implement the new name was pretty, but still didn’t make me smile when I looked at it. I was very lucky to be introduced to a lovely lady, who is now not only my business mentor and guru, but has become a very dear friend.
With her insight into the industry and numerous chats about what we wanted to achieve, what the look and feel we wanted to portray was and how best to connect and resonate with our couples, she helped us develop the branding we present to the world today.
I love the colour palette, the fonts and the elegant look we now have. Emma always says that you should feel proud and confident when you direct potential clients to your online persona and I’m thrilled to say that I feel that way whenever we hand over a business card or brochure at a show (if we can remember those), or if I put a link to our website into a message from a beautiful bride-to-be on social media.
She’s dragged me kicking and screaming into writing blogs too. To start with, it was an uphill battle. What could I possibly write that people would find interesting or want to read about? Turns out, it’s quite a lot
I now love writing about the things I think will help you navigate their wedding planning journey, while showing my own expertise at the same time. I could talk wedding, cakes, decor and all the things for hours and hours and hours…!
We’re still moving with the times, keeping on top of current trends, colours and new ideas for themes and styling, so our business will continue to grow as we move forwards with the small steps that will allow weddings to take place again post pandemic and I am excited to see what the next new trend will be and how we can incorporate it into the styling we have become known for.
The #icedandsplicedexperience is designed to suit each couple on their own terms.
There’s no ‘cookie cutter’ weddings with us. Each wedding is as unique as your own love stories and now I have told you ours, I cannot wait to hear yours.
If you’d like more information about how we can help you to create your own dream wedding, please drop me an email, or message through any of our social media feeds. I like to make things as easy for you as possible.
Full styling for a wedding ceremony at The Nottinghamshire Golf & Country Club
With love
Jo
x
Blog
In the second blog of the Wedding Traditions series (see part one here), I thought it would be nice to look at flowers, their meaning and how they became so important to our Wedding Day traditions today.
Apparently, Bridal bouquets have their origins in Roman times, where flowers were used more to decorate the celebrations because they were seen as symbols of fertility, fidelity and new beginnings.
Herbs were used in the Middle Ages, especially those seen to protect from evil spirits, like Garlic. I don’t think they needed the Here comes the Bride music then… you’d be able to smell her a mile off! Not sure that the Garlic Tradition will be hitting wedding trends anytime soon!
Herbs with aphrodisiac properties, like Dill, were fed to the newlyweds to prepare them for the consummation of their union.
Royal Brides, part of the Iced and Spliced by Cakey Wakey
In Victorian times, the language of flowers, or ‘Floriography’, became very popular. The romance of flowers and their intoxicating fragrances was something the Victorians loved.
In fact, Queen Victoria, with her love for flowers, their meaning and scent, set many of the bridal customs we observe today, during the meticulous planning of her own wedding in 1840.
Every Royal Bride since Victoria has had a sprig of ‘Myrtle’ in her Bouquet.
Myrtle, flower mentioned in the Iced and Spliced by Cakey Wakey
Associated with Venus, or Aphrodite if you prefer your mythology in the Greek form, Myrtle is an emblem of love and desire. Valued for its fragrant oils, Greek & Roman women bathed in myrtle-scented water as part of their wedding preparations.
Perhaps this bathing ritual is where the idea that flowers were carried by the Bride to mask body odours, when people weren’t able to wash as frequently as we do today. This lack of hygiene thankfully has been proved to be a myth.
The Victorians loved to send secret messages in flower form, so let’s stop for a minute to work out the meanings of some of the most popular blooms used in weddings today.
Roses
The Rose symbolises’ love’, but also has other meanings, depending on its colour so if you want to really look at the meaning of your wedding flower, choose your colour wisely!
Ranunculus
This pretty, paperlike flower symbolises ‘radiant charm and attractiveness’.
Peony
It’s such a shame that this flower has such a short season, as it represents ‘a happy life, happy marriage, good health and prosperity’. If your wedding is out of sync with the Peony season, you could always add good quality silk blooms to your bouquet or arrangements to bring this message into your day.
Sunflowers
Popular as a stand alone theme for weddings, Sunflowers represent ‘dedicated love’
Hydrangea
Big & blousey, Hydrangeas feature in so many weddings. In their positive sense, they symbolise ‘heartfelt emotion and gratitude’
Calla Lilies
Not so much in favour with Brides right now, but the White Calla Lily is associated with ‘purity and innocence’… the perfect choice for a wedding.
Close up of sugar roses & foliage on a 5 tier wedding cake at The Nottinghamshire
The introduction of flowers with specific meaning proved popular after Queen Victoria and Prince Albert’s wedding.
Looking at the meaning of flowers to include in your own bouquet would be a lovely way to start your own family tradition. Holding something in your hand that has a depth of meaning to it can feel so special and add more emotion and personalisation to your day.
I know several of our brides are including very specific flowers in their bouquets and arrangements as a link to a lost loved one, or have decided to have a similar style to their own parent’s wedding choice. Such a lovely way to honour those who went before us and to start those traditions in your own family.
Let’s talk buttonholes!
A Groom wears a buttonhole… or boutonniere… which literally means ‘buttonhole flower’, to ward off bad luck and evil spirits. The wearing of ‘his lady’s colours’ harks back to the age of Chivalry, where a Knight would carry a scarf of flower awarded to him by a female admirer into battle, showing her support of him.
Today, the Groom’s buttonhole, matching the flowers carried by the Bride shows the tie between them both.
I hope you’ve found this little blog informative & fun. I’ll be writing the next one soon, so if you’d like to be one of the first to receive notification that the new blog is available to read, click the link to add your details to our newsletter service, where you’ll also receive a free Wedding Timeline Planner to help you plan your dream wedding.
Blog
I am excited to share a brand new series on the Iced & Spliced blog, all about wedding traditions. In the first in the series, I thought I would talk all about The Bridal Entourage, their origins, why they are important to the party, plus a little bit of etiquette (in case you need to keep your tribe in check!).
The Happy Couple after their ceremony at The Nottinghamshire
Bridesmaids
The origins of ‘Bridesmaids’ lie in the fact that the ladies in question were actually maids of the Bride, as in her servants, who catered to every need of the Bride during the wedding day.
In the past it was also the role of the bridesmaids to protect the Bride from evil spirits, other suitors who could kidnap the Bride or even Highwaymen. Customs meant that some Brides had to travel long distances to join their new Husband’s household.
Travelling with large dowries and valuable items made them fair game on the open road, so bridesmaids acted as decoys, risking their own lives to protect the Bride
I think bridesmaids duties are a lot simpler today, as the most important task tends to be in organising the Hen Party, although if they get that wrong, they’ll never hear the last of it!
Bride & Bridesmaids in white
Acting as decoys was another reason that bridesmaids traditionally wore the same colour as the Bride.
Modern weddings allow your squad to wear what they like (within reason of course), but lots of wedding colour palettes are now based in the shade the bridesmaids will wear.
It was actually Queen Victoria who introduced the ‘White Wedding Gown’ in 1840 when she married Prince Albert. Until that point, nobility tended to wear Silver on their wedding day. Us lesser mortals would have worn our ‘best dress’ to marry in.
Queen Victoria’s 12 bridesmaids wore white too, although their gowns were less extravagant, so that they didn’t outshine the Bride.
These little tidbits of information really spark a fire in me, as you can see these same threads in more recent Royal weddings.
I like to think that the Duchess of Cambridge chose to have her sister & younger bridesmaids in the same shade as her own gown to honour the past Royal Bride who almost single handedly introduced the world to the wedding styles we follow today.
The Duchess of Cambridge & her sister in white
Bridesmaids from around the world
During my research into the traditions surrounding weddings, I read about it being the job of one bridesmaid in Chinese weddings, to accept drinking requests on the Bride’s behalf. This means downing cups of rice wine during the many toasts the couple receive during the day.
It made me giggle, as I’m sure that most, if not all of you have that ‘one’ friend who would willingly save you from a honeymoon hangover! For such dedicated service, the very least you can do is to hold her hair back… or perhaps include some hangover relief for the morning after!
Rules that Modern Bridesmaids should follow
If you can feel the drama building around who to ask to assist you on your wedding day, here’s some tips to follow, plus some little hints you can show your girls to make the run up to your day as smooth as possible.
- Bridesmaids should be prepared to buy their own dress… unless the Bride offers to pay, or help a little with the total cost.
- Bridesmaids should attend as many pre-wedding events as possible. Show an interest in the wedding you’ve been invited to play a part in.
- Bridesmaids must be ready to help the Bride on the day. Whether that’s by fielding questions from ‘hangry’ guests about what time food is served, or checking in with the venue’s coordinator that everything is running on time or needs to be hurried along to keep things on track… act as the go between. The couple don’t need to know about minor issues. It’s the bridesmaids jobs to sort small problems out… discreetly.
- That last part leads nicely into this last bit of advice nicely.
As a bridesmaids, you should never complain to the Bride…EVER! Don’t be a diva! It’s her day, let her enjoy it to the max.
Beautiful Bride Emily at Shottle Hall
Bridesmaids and the bouquet toss
I’m going to write about the traditions around flowers and Bridal Bouquets in a future blog, but I thought I’d share this last part of bridesmaid trivia with you concerning the throwing of the Bride’s bouquet.
A lot of Brides choose to keep their wedding flowers by having them professionally preserved, while some decide to lay their bouquet at the grave of a loved one, which I think is lovely.
This means the throwing of the bouquet isn’t greatly observed these days.
The tradition of the over the shoulder toss was a way to pass on the luck of the Bride to one of the single ‘maids’ who had yet to find a suitable Husband.
With the single ladies all lined up, the Bride would throw her flowers, trying not to gauge where it would land, and in the resulting mellay of arms and elbows, one lucky girl would rise victorious.
Historically, it wasn’t the bouquet that was thrown though. It was actually one of the Bride’s shoes!
So, be thankful they changed to flowers and that you don’t run the risk of being on the receiving end of a well aimed Jimmy Choo or Louboutin!
Why a ‘Best’ man?
Let me touch briefly on the fellas… I don’t want to make them feel left out.
Why was a friend or family member asked to be the Groom’s Best Man?
Again this harks back to the days of yore… that is a period in history, honest… where the best sword in a fight was needed to protect the Groom’s future wife on the day of the wedding, or on the open road during her journey to her new life.
A title of honour, which most see as a privilege but others see as a monumental worry, as they’re required to ‘do a speech’. My only words of advice to you chaps here is… be careful. Remember all the stories your ‘best’ man will be itching to share with that captive audience… also known as your wedding guests
Ready for Church at Knockdown Cottages
I hope you’ve found this all entertaining and enjoyed reading the blog as much as I enjoyed doing the research for it.
Just a little bit of fun, but full of points to consider when you’re making up that list of names for your possible Bride Tribe. Make sure your choices are wise. Especially for the one who you’ll be holding the hair of!
Not sure what wedding tradition the next blog of the series will cover just yet, but if you want to be among the first to read it, sign up to our newsletter HERE, so you receive it before anyone else.
As a thank you, you’ll also receive a copy of our really useful Wedding Timeline Planner
I hope that you enjoyed that! I have really enjoyed learning more about traditions. I would love to chat with you about your wedding and how we can help, just drop me a message HERE and we can have a chat.
Jo x
