For Ola Bakes co-founder Noelle Uson Manalo, the wedding cake was always going to be a collaboration with her mother, Judy Uson, also known as The Cake Artist. The inspiration? The gown she wore down the aisle.
Some brides spent months searching for the perfect everything for their special day: venue, florals, dress, and, of course, the cake. Amongst all the classic wedding traditions, the wedding cake pulls double duty. It is a towering centrepiece that anchors the room visually before it ever gets touched. And it’s the one detail that the couple shares with every single guest, making the celebration communal in the most delicious way. It is sweet in both form and meaning. When the cake is finally cut— the couple’s hands joined together over the knife, bride and groom side by side—it is a small but symbolic act, a task done together for the very first time. For Noelle Uson Manalo, the vision for the cake came long before the wedding, long before the proposal, and even long before the groom stepped into the picture.
That’s because she grew up with a front-row seat to the craft . Her mother, Judy Uson, known in the industry as The Cake Artist, has spent over two decades creating beautifully crafted, multi-tiered wedding cakes.
“Having grown up watching my mom work in the wedding industry, I was always the kind of girl who dreamed about her own wedding day,” Noelle shares with Lifestyle Asia. “I knew, without a question, that she would be the one to create my wedding cake—but I never imagined that I would also find myself part of the industry.”
READ ALSO: 5 Wedding Cake Studios Every Manila Bride Should Know
A Recipe For Two: How Ola Bakes Came To Be, And How Noelle Manalo Found Her Second Chance Romance
The wedding industry found Noelle in 2020, when the pandemic brought life to a standstill and, unexpectedly, set two things in motion. The first was Ola Bakes, the made-to-order cake brand she built alongside her Lola Irma. The business was born from a dinner conversation and a treasured family recipe for a lime chiffon cake that was passed down through generations for over a century.
“I became excited about the idea of building a brand where I could express my creativity while working closely with my grandmother,” Noelle says, “to whom I’ve always been deeply connected.”
What started as a small pandemic project has since grown into one of the more recognizable names in the local custom cake scene, known for its aesthetic, photogenic creations ordered through social media.
The second thing the pandemic set in motion was a second-chance romance. Noelle and Amiel had first crossed paths in college. Different courses, opposite ends of campus. Th ey had dated briefly before eventually going their separate ways. Then the world slowed down, and somehow, the distance between them collapsed.
“Reconnecting felt natural,” Noelle shares, “and we both realized we wanted to give our relationship another chance.”
The couple was together for six years before Amiel popped the question during a trip to Japan. Then the wedding planning started, and the promise Noelle had made to herself as a little girl watching her mother work finally had a wedding to belong to.
How Judy Uson Translated Noelle’s Vania Romoff Gown Into A Wedding Cake Design
For the mother of the bride and baker of the wedding cake, every creation begins with the bride’s gown. It had been a signature in her practice for over two decades. For her own daughter’s cake, she would do the same—only now, the bride she was designing for was the little girl who had been watching all along.
“Conceptualizing the cake with my mom turned out to be one of the most meaningful parts of the process,” says Noelle. “I came in with a clear vision and so many ideas, and in the weeks leading up to the wedding, we created small mockups and experimented with different draping styles. It all unfolded alongside my gown fittings, making the entire experience more special.”
Noelle had chosen a design by Vania Romoff . The soft drapes and fluid waves of the fabric became the blueprint for the cake, with delicate floral details drawn from her bouquet.
As the wedding drew closer, Noelle found herself wanting to oversee every detail. It was her mother who kept gently pulling her back. “She had to keep reminding me to let go and to trust her,” Noelle recalls, “allowing me to be fully present and not carry the weight of it all on the day itself.” On the day, she did. And seeing the final cake made it all worth it. Members of the entourage carried cakes to the tables during the cake-cutting ceremony, and a sheet cake by Ola Bakes was displayed, giving guests a sweet preview of what was to come.
“We’ve taken the collaboration even further,” Noelle shares about working with her mom. “Through Ola Bakes, we’ve begun offering wedding cakes and sheet cakes together. It’s been so amazing to finally work side by side with the person who inspired me from the very beginning. Being able to create something so meaningful and be part of other people’s celebrations feels incredibly fulfilling.”
See more of the special cake and snapshots of Noelle’s wedding below.
This article was originally published in our June 2026 issue.
Photography by Jaja Samaniego, courtesy of Noelle Manalo
Frequently Asked Questions
Noelle Uson Manalo’s wedding cake was created by her mother, Judy Uson, better known as The Cake Artist. Having spent more than two decades crafting wedding cakes, Judy designed the cake as a collaboration with her daughter for the special occasion.
The wedding cake was inspired by Noelle’s wedding gown by Vania Romoff. The soft drapes and fluid waves of the dress became the blueprint for the cake, while delicate floral details were drawn from her bridal bouquet.
Ola Bakes was founded in 2020 by Noelle Uson Manalo and her grandmother, Lola Irma. The made-to-order cake business started from a family recipe for lime chiffon cake that had been passed down through generations for over a century.
Noelle and Amiel first met in college and briefly dated before going their separate ways. During the pandemic, they reconnected and decided to give their relationship a second chance, eventually leading to their engagement and wedding.
Creating the cake alongside her mother became one of the most meaningful parts of Noelle’s wedding journey. Together, they developed mockups, experimented with draping styles, and refined the design alongside her gown fittings, making the process deeply personal.
Following the wedding, Noelle and Judy expanded their collaboration through Ola Bakes by offering wedding cakes and sheet cakes together. The partnership allows them to combine their creative strengths while helping create memorable celebrations for other couples.
