A bride who took it upon herself to bake and decorate her own wedding cake was met with unexpected criticism online.
The buzz around Lilly Mendoza’s cake started in mid-May when a wedding photographer shared a video of Mendoza skillfully stacking layers of gold, white, and blue cake while wearing a full face of makeup. Mendoza and her husband, Dennis, tied the knot on May 14 in Altamonte Springs, Florida.
The caption read, “POV: You’re a pastry chef, so you make your own wedding cake!” Mendoza then went viral when her hairstylist shared a TikTok video.
“I have the most unique and talented brides!!!” Mendoza’s wedding hairstylist wrote. “Lilly stacked her own wedding cake the day of, full face, hair done and white robe! Not 1 crumb on her robe.”
While many were impressed and amazed by Mendoza’s skills, others voiced their criticisms, questioning the cake’s level of decoration.
Mendoza, who recently graduated from culinary school with a focus on baking and pastries, saw her wedding as the perfect opportunity to showcase her newly acquired knowledge. She baked all four tiers of the cake a week before the big day and froze them. The day before the ceremony, she decorated each layer, leaving only the task of stacking the cake for the wedding day.
The videos showcasing Mendoza’s cake have collectively garnered over 18 million views. However, Mendoza had no idea her cake had gone viral until after her honeymoon. While enjoying a Royal Caribbean Cruise with her husband, she finally checked her notifications at a port.
“One of my college friends messaged me and sent me the viral clip. I thought, ‘Oh, that’s nice,'” Mendoza recalled. “Then I clicked on it and saw all the views, comments, and likes – it was like ‘whoa.'”
Although Mendoza was initially taken aback by some negative comments, her husband and family reassured her that her wedding cake was a success.