Wedding cake alternatives: Cheese wheel cakes galore

The cutting of the wedding cake is one of the highlights of any wedding reception – if you like cake, that is!

Increasingly, couples are opting for wedding cake alternatives such as macaron and cupcake towers and Croquembouche, while others are forgoing the sweet route altogether and opting for something savoury, which explains the rise – and rise – of cheese wheel cakes.

While confections of fruit, sponge and marzipan once took centrestage, these days couples are just as likely to ‘build’ their cake from flavours such as brie or camembert.

The end result is a cheese wheel cake, and it’s delicious. Here are 20 you’ll want to dig straight into…

A sophisticated take on the humble cheese platter, this cheese wheel comes complete with grapes and gorgeous blooms. All that’s missing are the crackers. Image: Formaggi Ocello

With a beautiful Parisian feel, this classic combination of cheeses and colours doesn’t need anything more than a glass of wine, perhaps? Image: Formaggi Ocello

Flowers create a stunning base from which various wheels of cheese rise across colour, texture and tier to form a tableau as beautiful as any cake. Image: Formaggi Ocello It looks like vanilla sponge with chocolate ganache, but this creation puts the emphasis on savoury, not sweet, with key ingredients of Brie and quince paste. Image: Udder Delights Many couples make a star of vintage, from their outfits to their transport. Now you can add vintage cheddar to the mix, tiered with Brie and fourme d’ambert. Image; Udder Delights. Rustic textures and colours combine to create a wheel that looks (almost) too good to slice and eat. Almost…Image: Farmgate Cheese

Goodness. With such beautiful ‘icing’, you would NEVER think this was a cheese wheel. At least not until you bit into a sliver. Image: Hungry Happenings. The perfect snack to boost your energy for the moment when the photographer tells you to ‘Say cheese’. Image: Northumberland Cheese Company
OK, so it’s not strictly made of cheese wheels, but with such glorious fig accents, this cheese tower is almost begging to be dismantled and indulged in. Image: Burnt Butter Cakes. This bounty from nature looks so beautiful you’re almost no chance of holding on to a tier for your first anniversary. But we suspect you won’t mind…. Image: new Farm Deli. The cutting of the cake is always a must-have memory, and a version made of cheese is just as picture perfect. Image: Apples and Aspidistra. Who knew 10kg – yes 10kg – of cheese could look so dainty, so beautiful and, of course, so delicious? Image: Costco (UK) With all the usual accouterments, including a romantic bride and groom cake topper, this is one cake that will leave your guests green with envy. Image: Gbrusso.com Could we possibly put some on a cracker – pretty please with a cherry on top? Or at least a cherry-coloured heart… Image: GodMinster.com If you’re using the opportunity to showcase local cheeses, or unknown varieties, make sure you let your guests know what they’re indulging in. Image: Janis Ratnieks You’ve heard of a sweets table surrounding the wedding cake, now discover the cheese version for lovers of savoury treats. Image: Styled By Belle Bunting and pom poms add the perfect finishing touch to a cute, creative, quirky and yes – cheesy – creation. Image: JustKeepSewing.net Who needs subtlety when you can surround your cheese cake with a glorious profusion of blooms, sweet treat, rustic accents and candles? Image: Significant Events of Texas Udderly (sorry) spectacular, with gorgeous succulents to top and tail a vibrant and varied selection of fromage. Image: The Cheese School. This one is called The Italian, but we think an equally fitting name would be … Perfect for a Rustic Wedding Held in a Barn. Divine. Image: The Cheese School.