For many people a wedding is a time for self-expression, not to say, showing off. In particular, the wedding cake tends to be the medium through which they tell their stories.

Policemen have been known to cover their wedding cakes with badges and other symbols of their activity. Cricketers cakes are full of bats and balls. And as for royalty, its almost like a photo album.

When the then Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip married in 1947, their wedding cake was covered with plaques of her many castles as well as indications of the couples lifestyle.

The cake itself was 9 feet tall and weighed 500 pounds, and turned out less expensive then it could have been. It seems that an inspired group of Australian Girl Guides send a most unusual gift to the couple, in the guise of all the ingredients necessary for the wedding cake.

In all, the ingredients that went into the three tiered cake included fifty-seven pounds of different types of flour, over one hundred pounds of dried fruit, over one hundred pounds of different types of sugars, twelve dozen eggs, thirty pounds of butter, an awful lot of nuts and spices, and one bottle of the best brandy Australia produces.

That the queen was delighted with this wedding gift was not to be wondered at. This was 1947 and everything was inclined to be a little bit scarce.

After the wedding, the queen showed her own appreciation to the Girl Guides, by sending them one of the layers of the cake.

The other layer was used to cut up at the wedding itself, while the third tier was kept for the christening of Prince Charles.

While most of us have believed that the number of layers of cakes at the wedding are more or less dependent on how many guests are to be fed, it appears that there is yet another symbol associated with the wedding cake. According to the most recent authority, the bottom layer of the cake represents the couple as a newly created family. The top layer represents the two individuals as a couple. And the layer, or layers in between, represents the children to come.

I wonder whether Mariska Hargitay of Law and Order fame is aware of this. Her chocolate and vanilla wedding cake was not only seven feet tall, but also consisted of six tiers. Is she trying to tell us something?

Vlady Peters

Vlady Peters is an Australian Civil Marriage Celebrant performing weddings, naming, renenewal of vows and commitment ceremonies both for Australian citizens and for overseas couples visiting friends and relatives in Australia.

She is the author of two traditionally published books, "The Complete Book of Australian Weddings" and "The Small Organisation Handbbook" and is in the process of releasing two ebooks dealing with weddings and honeymoons.

Her major interest is research into customs and traditions of weddings.

By going back to the roots of customs, she believes couples can more clearly differentiate between what is essential in a wedding ceremony, and what is merely a personal preference.

This allows them to choose a ceremony reflecting their own situation within the framework of legal requirements.

Vlady has a bachelor of Arts in English Literature and Government, and has studied the writing of novels and romances. She has written children picture books as well as novels.

She is a member of Queesland Civil Marriage Celebrants - the largest Civil Marriage Celebrants Association in Australia - as well as member of Celebrants' Training Association.

She is also a member of Australian Authors, as well as Romance Writers Association where for a number of years she was the Convenor of the prestigious Emma Darcy Award - Australia's leading Lady of Romance.