There was a time when the wedding cake was treated like a relic - something you cut for the photo, which then sat untouched on the tables. That time is over. The cake is once again the star at the end of the menu, and couples who would otherwise lay on an entire dessert buffet are increasingly deciding to put all the money into one cake - but a spectacular one.

For autumn weddings, pastry chefs and caterers are offering the following - from classics to ideas that sound like a joke but actually happened.

Pavlova. A meringue dessert named after the Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova, though it comes from Oceania. Andalusian caterer Alda y Terry serves it with physalis, forest fruits, blueberries, strawberries, raspberries and mint leaves. Light, crisp and photogenic.

XL cake with cream and red fruit. A viral phenomenon: a single layer stretching across an entire round table, on a base of biscuit, puff pastry, sponge or meringue, covered in cream or white fondant. The secret, pastry chefs say, is "huge amounts of red fruit covering everything: raspberries, strawberries, cherries" - for a tart contrast.

Tiramisu cake. The Italian dessert turned into a wedding cake by the renowned caterer Alfonso of Jerez: coffee, cream and cocoa as the base, with versions using biscuits, sponge and vanilla.

Roscón de reyes as a wedding cake. The Spanish ring cake traditionally eaten on 6 January, for the feast of the Three Kings, became a wedding cake at the bride's request. Basque pastry chef Rafa Gorrotxategi made it for his eldest son's wedding: "This was the wedding cake for the wedding of my eldest son Gurutz and Cova! Cova's wish was to have a roscón at her wedding, and so we did." If anyone ever tries to convince you a wedding has to look like a catalogue, this is a good counter-argument.

Heart-shaped cake. A romantic alternative to the classic tiers, which calls for a patisserie devoted to the most artistic side of the craft, with different piping bags for the lush red edges and the retro borders.

Tiered cake with fresh flowers. White or neutral, with buttercream or fondant, three tiers high, perfect for outdoor weddings in a boho, rustic or romantic style. The flowers must be edible or carefully chosen so as not to be toxic: roses, peonies, lavender, eucalyptus, daisies. One of those featured pairs white with ranunculus, orchids and amaranth in greenish tones.

Arabian cake. Among the best-received sweets at weddings, because it is elegant and light. Grupo La Blonda says: "Our Arabian cake is a guaranteed success" - with toffee and crunchy almonds, or with pastry cream, strawberries and almonds.

Chocolate sponge with red fruit. A creation from the Martina de Zuricalday patisserie, in business since 1830: chocolate, cream and red fruit in a sponge that looks homemade. "They are all made entirely by hand in our workshop, one by one," they say.

Cheesecake. Small or large, for couples who can't do without it. Grupo La Blonda offers a cheesecake with raspberry topping, and at the menu tasting the couple can try a mini version.

Semi-naked cake. A minimalist design for modern weddings: a thin layer of frosting through which the sponge and filling show, decorated with seasonal fruit - berries, figs, citrus - and flowers. One example is the cake from Love Cakes patisserie in Castro Urdiales.

In Macedonia, a wedding is serious business, and the cake is rarely an afterthought. The good news from this list is that there are no rules any more: from meringue to a holiday ring cake, the cake can say something about the couple rather than just about the patisserie. The bad news - somebody still has to pay for it.