Shops / Weddings
Wedding wonders made out of sugar
The first cake Joanna Pyda ever baked was one she made for her daughter’s fifth birthday; the extraordinary occasion called for an extraordinary gateau. A suitable recipe was quickly found on the internet. Her family was amazed by the result of her efforts, and this amazement became a motivation for Joanna to perfect her newfound skills.
On that day, her cakes became an indispensable part of her family’s gatherings. The friends and acquaintances who tried her ‘products’ were instantly enchanted by them – so much so that they began buying cakes from her. In just a few months, Mrs Pyda established her own business. The year was 2014.
She started out in her flat’s small kitchen in Barton Hill. With each year she gained more clients and obtained new equipment. Her wardrobe turned into a storage room full of kitchen utensils, which do not fit into kitchen cabinets. Only a few months ago she managed to set up a proper, spacious workshop in her new home in St Anne’s.
is needed now More than ever
”My clients started to recommend me, mainly on Polish Facebook pages,” says Mrs Pyda. She moved to Bristol from her native Poland in 2007. “I was receiving more and more orders. At that time, I became interested in wedding cakes; not only baking but also decorating them. At some point, I stumbled upon Pinterest and Youtube tutorials. They blew my mind.
“Before that, I had no idea what could be done with sugar. I was so fascinated by this new discovery that I often fell asleep with my phone in hand, exhausted by browsing dozens of websites and huge amounts of photos. I dreamt of creating such wonders, and one day, I tried doing so.”
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Mrs Pyda says her idol was – and still is – Tracy James, who makes luxury wedding cakes under the name Cotton and Crumbs Wedding Cakes.
“I fell in love with her wedding cakes at first sight. At the time I didn’t realise how stressful this job was. The beginnings were difficult, and the industry was also very demanding, sometimes fatigue took over and I felt defeated. Many times my husband found me crying on the kitchen floor because something didn’t work out.
“Nevertheless, I did not give up, I just wanted to make my dreams come true. Even after the worst nights, I got up full of energy, ready for the new challenges.”
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Today, Mrs Pyda is a recognised confectioner in the wedding industry. Her cakes receive numerous awards at prestigious competitions; these include a silver award from Cake International in 2017 and ‘Highly Commended Cake Designer’ at the Bristol & Somerset Weddings Awards in 2019. Photos of her cakes regularly appear in wedding magazines. Joanna Pyda’s cakes can undoubtedly be described as spectacular.
At English weddings, as opposed to Polish ones, the cake is a very important part of the event as is the wedding dress, hall decorations and flowers. It is usually displayed all day long in a visible place, so that every guest can admire it.
“Polish wedding cakes, which are increasingly often as beautiful, must be kept in the fridge until served, so they cannot be such a decoration as English cakes,” said Mrs Pyda.
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Brides order cakes one year in advance. However, before the cake is made, couples meet with Joanna Pyda for consultations about six months before the wedding. The details of the wedding, such as the place where the cake is to be displayed, what accessories are to be included in the cake, at what time it is to be delivered are then discussed. The final design of the cake is the result of several months of consultations.
“Every single one of my cakes is unique. I think that couples deserve unique cakes on such important days in their lives. While internet images of cakes can be an inspiration, I discourage my clients from copying their designs.
“I love making women’s cakes, romantic, delicate, with lots of sugar flowers and lace; colorful and shiny. Some couples have distinctive hobbies which they include in the design.
”Making a cake can take up to 30 hours. Most cakes ordered have three floors. The highest cake, ordered by an Indian couple, had seven floors. I put it all together standing on a ladder. There were cakes that did not look like a cake at first sight, for example a board of cheese and a bottle of wine, ordered by a pair of cheese connoisseurs.”
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Before the pandemic her calendar was full of orders until the end of 2022. Unfortunately the national lockdown came and wedding parties were cancelled or postponed to a later date. Some weddings Mrs Pyda planned to create a cake for have been postponed even until 2023.
“I have lost 80 percent of my income by not having a wedding season. However, my schedule is still filled to the brim with orders for wedding cakes for 2021 and 2022. Waiting for the end of the lockdown I still make occasional cakes. In my free time I plan new designs and decorating techniques, and I follow new wedding trends.
“And most of all, I spend time with my family. Before the pandemic, I missed that time because of the workload.”
Information about how to order a cake from Joanna Pyda can be found on her website: www.joannapydacakestudio.co.uk
Main image by Katarzya Sowinska
Read more: ‘Give two florists the same flowers and they’ll create something completely different’
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