LOVE IN A CUP

Food is an especially important element of wedding hospitality and the wedding cake surely has to be the centrepiece of the wedding feast. The traditional wedding cake in Ireland for most people until recent years has been a fruitcake iced with marzipan and royal icing; the richness of the cake thought to symbolise fertility and future prosperity for the happy couple. Sharing the wedding cake with others was said to signify the bride and groom sharing their happiness with others, and there is an old wives tale that would lead us to believe that if we sleep with our slice of the wedding cake under our pillow then we will dream of our future spouse. Another Irish wedding tradition states that if the bride doesn't have a good relationship with her mother-in-law, then this can be rectified by the mother-in-law crumbling the first slice of cake over the bride's head!

Not everyone actually likes rich fruit cake which could account for a shift towards more contemporary cakes as the bride's choice for her wedding, and the cupcake is a popular alternative as they not only make a spectacular wedding display, but their size also makes them ideal for wedding favours. Although the cupcake phenomenon seems to be a relatively new arrival to Ireland, these sweet little treats have actually been around since the early 19th century. Maybe their popularity with adults is that these diminutive little confections remind us of childhood, and nostalgic memories of apron-clad mothers or grandmothers allowing us to lick the spoon make us feel all warm and fuzzy. Their connotations of nostalgia make them the perfect choice for vintage events, and for this reason our cake exhibitor at the forthcoming Vintage Bridal Fair will be Ani and Lulu's Cupcakery.

Ani & Lulu's create spectacular wedding solutions to make your wedding unique and even more special. They can create a a beautiful tower of cupcakes tailor-made to suit your requirements and you can give as much or as little guidance as you like. To create a sophisticated and stylish look they can also supply a top-tier cake in keeping with the tradition of the happy couple cutting the cake. Their muffin-sized cupcakes are available in a multitude of colours to suit your bridal theme and can be topped with a range of sprinkles, edible pearls and diamonds, photo cupcake toppers, fondant or even fresh flowers.

At Ani and Lulu's the cupcakes are also available in mini sizes, or giant to sit atop of a tiered stand. They can be gift boxed and tied with ribbon to be used as favors or as table centerpieces. They have a range of flavours on their classic and luxury menus but also take requests for your favourite flavours. For guests with a particularly sweet tooth there is also the option of a retro candy bar filled with chocolates and candies. Not only will this be the talking point of the day, it also acts as an attractive room decoration with colours matching your bridal theme and is a good substitute for wedding favours.

The Frock Around The Clock Vintage Bridal Fair takes place on Sunday 13th June at Malone House, Belfast from 12 Noon to 5pm.