When it comes to weddings, brides don't need to wear white, invitations don't need to be made of paper and the wedding dinner doesn't need to end with the bride and groom cutting a wedding cake - they might choose to tuck into some cupcakes or down a jelly shot from a wobbly tier instead.
Couples are increasingly on the lookout for purse-friendly and eye-popping wedding cake alternatives, whether they choose a decadent and dramatic update of the classic tiered cake (check out the stylish-meets-scrumptious Technicolour meringue-topped wedding cakes designed by Fondant Fox and The Meringue Girls) or embrace the current US trend for the pared-down, mostly frosting-free "naked" cake. Pushing the boundaries beyond the ordinary wedding cake has become another way for a couple's tastes and style to shine through on their special day.
Of course, these days, it's OK to abandon the idea of a cake completely. Cupcakes, doughnuts, cake pops and macarons are all enticing choices and cost-effective ways of feeding plenty of wedding guests which can also complement the mood of the occasion, whether the celebration is elegant or quirky, on the beach or in the pub.
Smaller-sized treats are a popular option since they're also kinder on the stomach after a multi-course wedding meal, which is why Bompas & Parr's innovative jelly tiers and jelly pebbles are the preferred choice for trendy couples (added bonus: you can fill them with alcohol).
Don't have a sweet tooth? Don't need one - some couples skip the sweet stuff altogether and opt for a savoury alternative like Waitrose's three-tier celebration cheese cakes, which also make a beautiful visual statement.
Click through our gallery below for 10 tasty wedding cake alternatives but remember, it's your wedding, so anything goes: brownie towers, mini ice cream cones, profiterole tiers, Rice Krispie squares, stacks of your favourite biscuits...