Pretoria - May 2021

WHAT’S A WEDDING WITHOUT
While the coronavirus pandemic has changed what
gatherings are like now, some timeless wedding
elements can’t be replaced – like the cake.
CAKE?
With trends changing every year, the overarching theme influencing
what marriage celebrations will look like in the next year is
intentionality and personality. As couples trade large parties for
more intimate minimums and micro weddings, cake is one wedding
element that offers some semblance of normalcy.
While 2021 won’t necessarily see large, tiered confections like in
previous years, cake aficionado Zolita Harper of Zolita’s Couture Cakes
& Confectionery, says you can expect to see pre-packaged desserts,
thoughtfully designed cutting cakes, new creative techniques and
personal details that truly put the emphasis on the newlyweds. She
breaks down wedding and cake trends that are unlike anything we’ve
seen before.
MICRO WEDDINGS AND MACRO WEDDINGS
The tiny wedding is popular right now. With fewer guests than 80,
weddings are being held in more intimate settings allowing for a
larger budget to be spent on more opulence in areas like flowers,
food and cake, and allowing couples to really spoil their guests.
With many weddings having been postponed, bridal couples have
had extra time to save, some are adopting the ‘go big or go home’
approach by hosting large weddings (province and protocol
permitting) in excess of 150 people.
These two trends have had a marked effect on the wedding
cake industry.
Micro weddings
Slimmer, multi-tiered cakes with a distinct theme of modern art
and geometric design. We are seeing taller, smaller cakes as well as
floating tiers.
Non-cakes, such as doughnut cakes, croquembouches or
macaron towers. These are becoming increasingly popular with
brides opting for something different, that doesn’t include cake alone.
This also works well for the smaller guest list as portioning items like
doughnuts, French macarons and profiteroles is much neater than
cutting up cake. Even cheese wheels and large pies are being tiered
and displayed as cake. These are used either before the reception or
late at night as an alternative to a sweet treat. Brides are opting for the
kinds of treats that are really tapping into the true patissier’s talents.
Mixed or alternate tiers of cakes and treats. We are also seeing the
combination of these treats with cakes. Doughnuts, with cake bases
or top tiers. Cakes with French macarons or profiteroles. This is quite
creative and can be displayed very elegantly or have a funky, fun twist.
Plated desserts or mini cakes are particularly popular at micro
weddings, adding a personal touch that is being created with plated
meals and individual servings.
Macro weddings
While macro weddings also incorporate some of
the trends mentioned, we are seeing the trends in
larger cakes mostly at larger celebrations, where
brides and grooms want to make a statement.
Tall buttercream cakes are being commissioned
in pale colours, or white with buttercream palette
flowers and other subtle embellishments, making
them very magical and whimsical.
We are also seeing the return of watercolour cakes,
with beautiful sugar flowers being commissioned.
This is a real treat for the true sugar artist.
There are definitely trends that are making a
comeback, and some that are relatively new, but
all of these emerging trends are making for a very
interesting 2021 wedding scene.
26 Get It Magazine May 21