Love and Lobster Coastal New England Weddings

When Chelsea Clinton tied the knot in July, she and husband Mark Mezvinsky served up a four-foot-tall wedding cake weighing in at an astonishing 500 frosted pounds. The nine-tiered cake –vanilla with dark chocolate mousse and festooned with more than 1,000 edible flowers – rang in at an estimated $10,000. But one other detail about the cake made it even more remarkable: It was gluten-free.

Allergic to gluten and also a vegan, Chelsea turned to the upscale La Tulipe bakery in Mount Kisco, N.Y. to whip up her wedding wonder. But you don’t need deep pockets or a presidential father to get your hands on delicious, gluten-free goodies for your wedding. Check out these New England bakeries for wheat-free wedding options:

Good Eats Boutique, Portland, Maine

Bam Bam Bakery, Portland, Maine

Hippie Chick Bakery, Kensington, N.H.

Celia Cakes, Arlington, Mass.

Going gluten-free can take a number of forms at your event. If it’s the bride or groom who’s sensitive or allergic to gluten, have your bakery whip up a special groom’s cake or smaller cake just for the two of you. Opt for dairy-free frosting, too, if lactose is a problem. Then serve your guests a traditional cake or cupcakes, and make a few gluten-free treats available if some of your attendees have special dietary needs. Or go all the way and serve everyone the same cake – gluten-free baking has come a long way.

Using alternative ingredients like potato and rice flours, bakeries today can create gluten-free cakes that taste just as delicious as their traditional counterparts. Many popular flavors, like chocolate, vanilla, carrot and lemon, are available without gluten (anything that requires dye, like red velvet, might not be an option).

Plus, if it’s your thing, wheat-free cake will smash into your sweetie’s face just as well as the real deal.