Charlotte Balbier Wedding Diary.... Let them eat cake!

Working in the bridal industry for over a decade has meant I've constantly been surrounded by pretty ideas and amazing wedding inspiration, so even in my pre-Teddy days I'd already come across a few things I knew I wanted for my big day when the time finally came. The ring, the shoes, the cake – I've got tear sheets from bridal magazines that I pulled out years ago hidden away (that can remain our little secret!) and although a lot of my fixed ideas have actually changed dramatically, one thing has stayed the same. My dream cake is still my dream cake.

Not wanting to sound too much like an M&S advert but this is not just any cake I'm talking about, this is the most beautiful cake I've ever laid my eyes on. The Peggy Porschen floral avalanche cake is quite simply a work of art. I remember the first conversation we had about the wedding after Teddy proposed and I proudly informed both my mum and husband-to-be that one decision was already made and I wouldn't budge. Sadly though, like all brides, I'm planning a wedding within a budget and once Teddy and I had gone over the figures and decided on our priorities, I realised we just couldn't include the floral avalanche cake in our plans. Peggy Porschen cakes are absolutely amazing and the master baker has created wedding cakes for the likes of Kate Moss and even royalty, so I knew we'd be talking big bucks. But as I’ve said before, you have to work out what’s most important to you as a couple and sometimes you have to compromise (however hard it is!).

Between you and me, I'll admit I did contemplate having a bridezilla moment and saying I wanted 'that cake or no cake,' and was even tempted to consider the other extreme of buying a shop cake and decorating it myself... but I've since come full circle and reconsidered both options, thanks to Pinterest! When in doubt, make yourself a Pinterest board and let your mind get creative, I say. My cake board is one of my favourite boards and I have become obsessed with cakes (nothing to do with me enjoying eating them so much, I'm sure!) – with my board of 187 cake pins my mind is buzzing with ideas. There is so much choice out there; you can literally have whatever you want. Right now the trends are all about the naked cake or vintage-inspired cakes but I think the traditional iced style is also making a comeback. As my dream cake was a £4500 work of art, it's no surprise I'm thinking I'll go big and make mine a feature!

I thought I'd found my expert baker back in April when I was driving through the pretty town of Knutsford with my mum and aunt and we came across a local cake studio, but unfortunately after meeting the lovely team of ladies there, indulging in a cake tasting with Teddy and choosing our wedding cake, the shop closed down! It's been my first real wedding drama, so I've now got the task of finding another bakery who can create our cake, with just four months to go until the big day. Fingers crossed that we don't come up against any other dramas in the meantime.

I have to say, although my plan A and plan B haven't worked out, cake tasting is great fun, not to mention yummy, and such a nice thing to do with your fiancé and family as part of the wedding planning. You just don't get the same experience when making your own or buying one ready-made from a shop so for me, whatever your budget, a professionally made cake is a must. Happy tasting!

Much love,
Charlotte xx