Let them eat Cake Maison

I find wedding shows a mixed bag. There are usually some suppliers who have such colourful, attractive stands, I can’t help but look, even if I didn’t think that I would be interested in their products. But in general, I am put off by the vastness and the crowds, the ‘sameiness’ of so many of the products and the styling, and the stereotyping. I was furious when I went to one show when I was engaged, and a person working on a cake stand offered cake to my then partner but said to me, “Oh, I guess you need to fit into the dress, don’t you?”  How sexist and rude!

I don’t need to tell you that that stand wasn’t Cake Maison!

I’ve seen Emma Drew and her wonderful Cake Maison cakes a few times now – at her home and at wedding shows – and she is as delightful as her cakes. Her consultation with me and my then partner lasted hours as we happily chatted away. Oh, and her cakes! They taste delicious, her sugar flowers are so exquisite you might mistake them for real ones, and her designs are stunning and reflect love, life, nature and beauty. Have a look here and you will see what I mean. The Alice in Wonderland-esque red hearts cake and the pale pink and blue chevron peony cake are especially enchanting in the flesh. Or rather, in the sugarpaste. As she is based in East Sussex, she also did a beautiful bright cake with deckchair-inspired stripes, in honour of brilliant Brighton.

I couldn’t take great pictures of her cakes at Brides the Show last autumn because her stall was so busy, but here are a few. I love, love, love this one! I’ve seen a few variations on it, and this was the cake that made me and my ex go ‘Wow!’

Even though I prefer the natural, country garden look, thanks to Sofia Coppola and her visually stunning, historically-patchy film, the Marie Antoinette look is a guilty pleasure of mine. This gold cake is perfect for a would-be Versailles bride.

The final picture is a Cake Maison cake beautifully adorned with flowers by Flowerbug Designs. I’ve seen many photos of beautiful windows at the Mathilda Rose bridal shop, with gorgeous dresses, amazing cakes and wonderful flowers.

If you go to a wedding fair and you see that Emma has a stall there, make sure you have a look…and a taste!