A TRAVELLER bride splashed £13,000 on a 13-foot wedding cake covered in eight stone of fondant icing – that wowed guests at her reception in one of London’s poshest hotels.
Madeline Burton married her childhood sweetheart Patrick, 20, on January 12th this year, spending £50,000 to book the reception in a ballroom at the ‘magical’ Savoy on the Strand in London.
The 18-year-old said she was left ‘speechless’ when her cake was revealed to her on her big day after taking three months to make and said her wedding was ‘perfect’.
Stunning footage shows Madeline’s colossal cake standing 13-foot tall and six-foot wide covered in intricate renaissance portraits and hundreds of silk flowers.
The masterpiece was designed by cake artist Sam Woodruff, 48, who started creating the cake structure in November 2023.
To create the ‘showstopper’, Sam used six eight-inch round cakes which sat at the base of the structure in a petal design and the rest of the design was made from polystyrene.
Blue turrets made on a 3D printer were then stacked on top of the structure and each window was fitted with LED balloon lights to make the cake glow.
In total, Madeline’s wedding cake was wrapped in 50 kilograms of white fondant icing and then decorated with gold foliage.
Madeline, from Essex, said: “My whole wedding day went perfectly. It was a big wedding with over 200 friends and family.
“The cake was absolutely beautiful and I was lost for words.
“I paid around £13,000 for the cake and I loved the top of it with all the fairy light details.
“Sam and I worked together to design my dream cake.
“She is so talented and has been designing my cakes for me since I was 13 years old.
“I asked for a castle and she gave me a showstopper. Sam never fails to amaze me.”
The pair got married at St Mary’s on the Strand and then had their reception at the Savoy.
Madeline said: “My dress was designed by Mustafa Aslanturk at the Shadiye Bridal shop and my favourite part of my dress was the Victorian lace.
“I had five bridesmaids who were family members and friends. Our first dance song was Forever by Chris Brown.”
Sam, who has been creating cakes for six years, said Madeleine’s cake was the biggest one she has made to date.
The mum-of-two said it took her and her husband Dave Woodruff, 45, six hours to construct the castle on the day and had to use a ladder to reach the top.
And, after stepping back to view the final masterpiece, Sam admits it bought a tear to her eye.
Sam, from Gray Thurrock in Essex, said: “I cried when I saw the finished product.
I paid around £13,000 for the cake and I loved the top of it with all the fairy light details
Madeleine Burton
“I was really emotional because the whole building process had taken so long.
“I had never seen her fully built before as the cake was so tall and I couldn’t complete her in the house, so it was amazing to see it fully lit up with all the parts.
“Madeline is an old romantic and she loves everything renaissance and nostalgic and loves rich colours.”
Due to the size of the almighty sweet treat, Sam relied on other materials to help make the structure stable.
Wedding Dress Trends 2024
Sophie Creed, bridal designer and founder of bridal brand e&w Couture shared the most popular wedding dress designs for this year.
Sustainable Chic
Bridal fashion in 2024 is embracing a powerful shift towards sustainability, with brides looking closely at what fabrics are being used to make the dresses.
Many brides are also looking to wear a second-hand dress or a vintage number.
Boho Bliss
The bohemian aesthetic is effortless and laid-back elegance – ideal for relaxed weddings. Whether in a garden, on a beach, or under the stars, the boho trend is also great for nature-inspired weddings.
Couples opting for outdoor venues, and bohemian-inspired dresses with flowing silhouettes, floral lace, and whimsical details with blend in with the natural setting. It’s about bringing the romance of the outdoors into the wedding wardrobe.
Bohemian-inspired dresses often feature vintage-inspired lace, flowing sleeves, and ethereal details that stand the test of time.
Satin Elegance
Satin wedding dresses are capturing the hearts of brides who appreciate the marriage of modern simplicity and classic luxury.
This trend suits weddings that prioritize an elegant, refined aesthetic, making it an ideal choice for formal celebrations, chic city weddings, or any event where the bride envisions herself in a gown that exudes sophistication and grace.
Bold Romance
Oversized and bold modern showcase a shift in bridal fashion.
This trend is for the bride who dares to be different, breaking away from tradition and embracing a vibrant, contemporary aesthetic on the most important day of her life.
“It’s not all cake as something of this size and structure is just not feasible to have made out of cake,” she adds.
“The whole cake was covered in 50kg of fondant icing and decorated with silk flowers.
“All the windows are empty and then I put tracing paper and hot glued balloon lights to the top and the bottom of them.
“It’s the biggest creation I have ever made to date and because I have worked with Madeline for so long she knows I’m always going to go above and beyond for her.
“It took three months to design and make all the pieces and then on the day it took six hours to build.
“When we got to the Savoy everything had to be built using a ladder because it was so high and I certainly got a few workouts in when we were building it.”
