A HAPPY couple decided to put their own spin on a wedding tradition by dispensing with the cake – in favour of a three-tiered pork pie.

Rachel McCarthy and Jack Gundy, both 30, replaced the usual white centrepiece cake with a more unusual offering after their nuptials at the Church of the Most Holy Redeemer, in Billericay.

The newlyweds say their guests loved the idea of tucking into the 50lb meaty treat at their wedding reception, held at Rachel’s family home in Hillhouse Drive, BIllericay.

To add to the flavour of the day, the pair, who have set up home in Billericay, arranged for an ice cream van to serve up at least something sweet during the reception.

Rachel said: “We just wanted to do something fun, and we both love pork pies, so that’s what we wanted!

“It was actually really nice. A lot of people said how they preferred it to traditional wedding cake.”

The pies were baked for music executive Rachel and estate agent Jack at Wilsons Butchers in Leeds.

Having a wedding cake is a tradition which has its origins in Roman times, when a groom would break a loaf of bread over the bride’s head as a symbol of his dominance in the marriage and over her as a person.

Over the centuries, the tradition evolved and cake replaced bread.

“We like to put our own little twist on tradition, and hopefully our guests thought it was a bit different,” added Rachel.