Say 'I do' to the year's coolest wedding cakes, from towers of cheese to modernist bauble creations and even a magnificent PORK PIE cake!

Sponsored by M&S

• Brides and grooms are opting for cupcakes and chocolate cakes 
• Pork pie and cheese cakes are also popular options, as are naked cakes
• One in 10 wedding cakes in the UK is now bought at M&S 

By Bianca London for MailOnline

Published: 18:01 EST, 11 May 2015 | Updated: 06:14 EST, 12 May 2015

Wedding season is upon us and for many brides-to-be across the country, thoughts are turning to organising the all-important day.

As well as selecting the dream dress and choosing the flowers, finding the perfect wedding cake is crucial.

But these days it's not as simple as going for a multi-layered, plain, white number with a miniature bridge and groom on top - there's a whole host of new types of cakes our there, from cupcakes to pork pie cakes or even those made of cheese.

As well as selecting the dream dress and deciding on the flowers, picking the perfect wedding cake is an important part of the process. Sadia Usman, the brains behind the wedding cakes at  M&S, where one in 10 brides snap up their wedding cake, has given us a run down on the hottest cake trends of the summer

From traditional tiers to contemporary chic, M&S's selection of wedding cakes has something for everyone - it's little wonder that one in 10 couples snap theirs up from the upmarket food store.

So, we've teamed up with Sadia Usman, product developer of wedding cakes at M&S (where most of the cakes are under £200), to look at this year's hottest wedding cake trends. Prepare to be inspired...

PIE CAKE 

Fruit cake, Victoria sponge, cheesecake and profiteroles have all been piled into towers to create wedding cakes. 

But there's a new contender to grace the top table: the pork pie cake.

For those looking for a more savoury option, M&S offer a tiered celebration cake with a difference - three pork pies made with uncured pork and a deliciously rich hot water crust pastry. 

'Pork pie cakes are perfect for the centerpiece of the buffet. Alternatively, they're also great for the evening reception for the guests who may have missed the cutting of the cake in the day,' said Sadia.

The meaty feast can be garnished with some fresh leaves, herbs, fruits and vegetables, and is perfect for a country wedding. The best news? The alternative cake will only set you back £99.

For those looking for a more savoury option, M&S offer a tiered celebration cake with a difference - three pork pies made with uncured pork and a deliciously rich hot water crust pastry. The best part? It will only set you back £99

SUPER MODERN 

For the couples looking for something very contemporary, wedding cakes are becoming increasingly modern.

'We're definitely seeing a surge in people seeking really modern looking cakes that are simplistic and clean,' said Sadia.

For lovebirds looking for unique statements in elegance and simplicity, M&S's £329 bauble chocolate wedding cake may be just the ticket. 

Sleek and cool, the all-white offering comprises five chocolate cakes, smothered in chocolate ganache and chocolate icing, hand-finished with six tiers of sparkly white hoops and baubles.

For lovebirds looking for unique statements in elegance and simplicity, M&S' £329 bauble chocolate wedding cake may be just the ticket

CHEESE CAKE   

If you're looking to make a visual statement and save yourself some pennies by combining your wedding cake with your cheese course, the cheese cake is the perfect option.

'Like the pie cake, the cheese cake is perfect for a buffet style wedding reception and makes a great centre piece,' says Sadia. 

M&S has created a £155 celebration cake with a difference - made from five tasty cheeses. 'We've selected our most popular cheeses that compliment each other well: Gould's Cheddar, Farmhouse Red Leicester, Farmhouse Double Gloucester, Blacksticks Blue and Raven's Oak Goat's Cheese,' said Sadia.

Fresh sliced figs, green grapes, walnuts and pears are visually effective and make a tasty accompaniment to cheese.

The cake can still be cut by the bride and groom and when partnered with bread, crackers and a dollop of chutney, and it will mop up the wine and keep energy levels up so your guests can dance all night long.

M&S has created a £155 celebration cake with a difference - made from five tasty cheeses. 'We've selected our most popular cheeses that compliment each other well

METALLIC  

Metallics, more specifically an art-deco, vintage Hollywood look, are very in vogue and can give classic cakes a contemporary edge.

A metallic look is becoming increasingly popular thanks to its ability to adapt to any style; gold gives an opulent effect, while silver is much more fresh and modern.

If golds and silvers are too glitzy for your liking, a smattering of sparkle dusted over your cake will add a glamorous and decorative sheen without overpowering the whole design.

M&S's shimmering hoop chocolate wedding cake, £249, is filled and topped with chocolate ganache, covered in chocolate icing and finished with dark and gold decorated hoops

NAKED CAKES

The traditional wedding cake is typically frosted with white icing, but if a new trend takes hold, it's about to get a serious make-under.

More and more brides are opting to serve 'naked cakes' - pared-down creations that forgo an outer layer of buttercream so that the texture of the cake and the colors inside are put on show.

To add a bit of intrigue, the cakes are often decorated with flowers, fruits, pretzels, cookie crumbs and chocolate chips.

Thanks to their name, one might assume that naked cakes are less complicated than their frosted counterparts. But, in fact, their preparation takes quite a bit of skill.

Indeed, bakers need to pay more attention to the colours of the filling and the cake when making a naked cake, since they will have to look good together. The old saying, 'It's what's on the inside that counts' certainly applies here.

So whether you hate frosting or just love the rustic vibe of naked cakes, this bare confection is a happy medium.

The old saying, 'It's what's on the inside that counts' certainly applies with naked cakes

The traditional cake is typically frosted with white icing, but a new naked wedding cake trend is having a serious moment

MULTIFLAVOURED LAYERS

Many bride and grooms are cutting costs by skipping the dessert course and giving their guests a slice of cake for pudding instead.

So, as well as looking great, wedding cakes now have to taste extra delicious too; that's where multiflavoured cakes come in.

'We offer multiflavoured cakes with mix and match tiers to suit everyone's tastes,' explains Sadia.

'Not everyone likes sponge cake so you could opt for a lemon sponge tier, on top of a chocolate one, with a fruit layer added in too.'

M&S's £349 Birdcage wedding cake has four different layers to suit all tastes: extra large fruit, large all butter sponge, medium chocolate and small lemon cakes. It is then covered with a double layer of soft icing

CHOCOLATE    

Chocoholics - and there's plenty of them around - are beginning to jump on the chocolate wedding cake tradition.

Whether you opt for dark or white chocolate, there are plenty of melt-in-your-mouth choices for serving chocolate cake on your special day.

'Chocolate wedding cakes are a really popular option,' says Sadia. 

If you don't want a choc-tastic cake, you can opt for a sponge cake with chocolate frosting instead, or, suggests Sadia, a white chocolate cake garnished with sweet red fruits.

M&S's £249 milk chocolate ribbons wedding cake, which is decadent, smothered in chocolate ganache and hand finished with ribbons of chocolate, is a chocholic's dream, while the three tier white chocolate swirl cake, right, £229, is a good option for those who like chocolate but want to keep the colour scheme more neutral 

From cake to flowers have it your own way with M&S weddings

OMBRE 

Whether it's hair or nails, the ombre effect is having a real moment this year - and the trend has translated onto wedding cakes, too.

Ombre cakes are the perfect option for indecisive couples who can't decide between a colour or flavour. 

The multi-tonal sweet treats are ideal for showcasing your color scheme and adding an unexpected twist to your reception décor.

The soft fading effect and merging of bold and pastel shades looks super chic - especially for a summer wedding.  

The ombre trend, which sees an amalgamation of colours combined, has translated to wedding cakes

The multi-tonal sweet treats are ideal for showcasing your color scheme and adding an unexpected twist to your reception décor

FLORAL

When it comes to a wedding, you really can't go wrong with flowers - and the more edible, the better.

Sadia explains that she's noticed a trend for brides opting for edible flowers - rather than fresh, real ones from their bouquet - atop a cake.

'We've worked on designs and people are shocked when I tell them the rose on the cake isn't real, you can do amazing things with sugar paste,' she said.  

M&S offer floral fancies such as this rose assorted cake, left, £249, which is hand decorated with piped royal icing roses, and this classic rose sponge wedding cake, £199, right, decorated with a cascade of soft icing roses

CUPCAKES

Cupcake wedding cakes are becoming increasingly popular because you can offer your guests a selection of flavours and presentations while making sure that each gets their very own sweet treat.

Whether it's all-butter sponge with vanilla frosting, all-butter sponge with raspberry frosting or chocolate chip cupcakes with chocolate frosting and chocolate sauce, this option offers something to suit the tastes of all of your guests.

As well as tailored flavours, cupcakes and their casing can be decorated to match your wedding colour scheme and even be decorated with personal messages, names or pictures. 

Sadia said: 'Cupcake towers offer an extra sweet offering and you can use different coloured icing to incorporate your theme. If you want to create a dramatic effect without having a five-tiered cake, you could opt for one tier and place cupcakes on top. 

'Plus,' added Sadia, 'Guests can each take a cupcake home, so it doubles as a wedding favour.' 

M&S offers 54 mini cupcakes for £55. They come in three delicious flavours - all-butter sponge with vanilla frosting and sugar decorations; all butter sponge with raspberry frosting and sugar decorations; and chocolate chip cupcakes with chocolate frosting and chocolate sauce

ALL THINGS BRIGHT AND BEAUTIFUL

The cake is the pinnacle of every bride's reception (as well as countless photo opportunities) so adding a hit colour is the perfect way to make a statement

Bold and bright cakes are having a moment this year and really create a visual impact and break up neutral colour schemes

A white wedding may be tradition but why not add a splash of colour via your cake?

The cake is the pinnacle of every bride's reception, and almost every guest snaps a photograph of it - especially during that all-important cake cutting moment - so adding a hit of colour is the perfect way to make a statement.

Bold and bright cakes are having a moment this year and really create a visual impact and break up neutral colour schemes.

BUTTERCREAM  

Thanks to the ability to easily flavour and colour buttercream, it's the go-to option for many brides and grooms.

Buttercream, which is smooth in texture, spreads easily onto any cake and can be scattered with decorative flowers and glitter.

Sadia explains that if you don't want to use buttercream on the outer layer of your cake, using it within each layer keeps it moist and flavoursome.

Buttercream, which is smooth in texture, spreads easily onto any cake and can be scattered with decorative flowers and glitter and can be used on the outer cake or inside to create moist and flavoursome layers