Designing wedding cakes inspired by the dress

Meet Blessing, the founder of Blessing by Blé, a wife and husband team based in Kent providing wedding planning and venue styling services who are also clients of the Wedding Insurance Group. Affectionately known as the ‘Queen of Bling’, Blessing has a reputation for elaborate and grand concepts, however, she started off as a couture cake maker.

Having a mum who worked as a pastry chef, Blessing began making cakes as a hobby for family events. Soon, friends of friends were after Blessing’s cakes and her reputation for grand designs was spreading. Eventually, she entered the wedding industry.

Blessing’s grandeur stems from her Nigerian background. Typical Nigerian weddings last for multiple days and are all about opulence, which usually features grand cakes. In the early days of her business, Blessing realised her local market did not have a demand for large, lavish cakes and so she expanded her range by offering more conventional three-tiered creations.

However, when she exhibits, Blessing still produces a grand cake and over time, this has shaped the preferences of her local brides. Her clients have realised that opulence is an option. Then the business took a new step.

One day, Blessing saw a client’s dress and was instantly taken back by the beauty of its lace and pearls. This inspired a cake designed around the dress. That cake then went on to become a best-seller whilst influencing this concept of cake design.

Another bride was extremely surprised on her wedding day to find her cake was decorated with lace ribbons that matched the lace belt on her dress. Blessing realised the belt really struck a tone with the bride and it paid off, especially when the couple had their photo next to the cake.

This concept of designing a cake around the dress naturally extends to a bride’s preference of venue, props and other stylistic tastes. Blessing is now delivering her services where intricate details such as the lighting, venue ambience and even the feel of the table linen all play a part in the design of the cake and the wedding as a whole.

Blessing is well known in Kent. As a result, she receives referrals from bridal shops. The joy she creates with her cakes designed around the dress naturally enhances the dress supplier’s reputation. Therefore, this story is a reminder of how important affiliated networking is. Does your business have appropriate links to other suppliers who can bring more to the table?

One could argue the dress is the first thing a bride will think about following her engagement. Therefore, a bridal shop or dressmaker has the advantage of directing their couples to other suppliers. Make the most of this position. Providing your suppliers deliver accordingly, your recommendations will benefit your business.