Anya Taylor-Joy doesn’t really do "normal." So, when she finally dropped the photos from her secret 2022 New Orleans wedding to Malcolm McRae, nobody expected a three-tier vanilla sponge with fondant flowers. What they got instead was a pair of anatomically correct heart cakes.
They were bloody. They were hyper-realistic. They sat in pools of red fruit syrup that looked a little too much like actual hemoglobin for a Sunday brunch.
The internet, naturally, lost its mind.
Most people saw the photos on Instagram and assumed this was just another high-fashion "aesthetic" choice. You know, the kind of edgy, gothic-glam thing you’d expect from the star of The Witch and The Menu. But if you look closer at the timing and the vibe of that New Orleans ceremony, the Anya Taylor-Joy wedding cake choice was less about being "weird" and more about a very specific, very private brand of romanticism that the couple has been cultivating since they first met.
The Story Behind the Anatomical Hearts
Let’s get the facts straight because there’s a lot of confusion about when this actually happened. Anya and Malcolm didn’t just have one wedding. They had two. The "heart cake" incident happened during their secret courthouse-style nuptials in New Orleans on April 1, 2022.
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Yes, April Fools' Day.
While the world was busy speculating about their relationship, they were in a historic, candlelit cathedral in Louisiana, eating realistic organs. Anya herself joked about the vibe in her caption, calling herself the "Vampire Lestat." It’s a nod to Anne Rice’s The Vampire Chronicles, which is basically the holy book of New Orleans gothic culture. For Anya, who has always had a bit of a dark, ethereal streak, this wasn't just a cake. It was a tribute to the city’s history and her own self-proclaimed "vampiric" nature.
The cakes themselves were small, individual-sized portions. They weren't meant to feed a crowd of 150—that was for the big Venice blowout later. These were intimate. In the video Anya shared, you can see her and Malcolm crossing arms—traditional wedding style—and sinking their teeth into the "muscle" of the heart. Honestly, it’s kind of sweet in a macabre way.
What the "Pool of Blood" Actually Was
If you’re wondering if it tasted like iron, relax. It was fruit. Specifically, a deep red berry coulis or syrup designed to mimic the appearance of blood. The contrast of the hyper-realistic, meaty-looking cake against the bright white plate and the dark red sauce created this incredible visual that felt more like an art installation than a dessert.
We don't know the exact bakery—the couple is notoriously "spy-oriented" and kept those details locked down—but the craftsmanship was top-tier. Achieving that level of anatomical detail requires a high degree of skill in sculpting modeling chocolate or fondant. Every artery, every vein, and the overall "thump" of the shape was there.
Why This Cake Still Matters in 2026
You might think a cake from a 2022 wedding (revealed in 2024) would be old news by now. It’s not. In 2026, we’re seeing a massive shift in how celebrities—and even regular people—approach wedding aesthetics. The "Clean Girl" white-on-white wedding is dying. In its place, people want "Internalized Romanticism."
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Anya Taylor-Joy didn't just start a trend; she validated the idea that your wedding doesn't have to be a performance for your grandmother. It can be a weird, private joke between two people who like reading books in silence and watching vampire movies.
Breaking Down the Symbolism
- The Location: New Orleans is the capital of American Gothic. Choosing heart cakes there is a direct nod to the city's soul.
- The Date: Marrying on April Fools' Day suggests the couple doesn't take the industry of marriage seriously, even if they take the commitment seriously.
- The Hearts: It’s a literal "giving of the heart." No metaphors, just the organ.
The Venice Contrast
It is worth noting that the Anya Taylor-Joy wedding cake situation was totally different during their second wedding in Venice in October 2023. That event at the Palazzo Pisani Moretta was the "public" face of their marriage. While that wedding featured the famous custom Dior gown with the embroidered hummingbird and zodiac signs, the "heart cakes" remained a New Orleans exclusive.
Venice was about old-world glamour, water taxis, and masquerade masks. New Orleans was about the raw, visceral connection between two people. The fact that they kept the heart cakes for the smaller, "real" ceremony says everything about what that symbol meant to them.
How to Pull Off a Similar "Anatomical" Vibe
If you’re looking to channel this energy for your own event, you don't have to go full vampire. But there are lessons to be learned from Anya’s approach.
First, focus on the "why." Don't just get a weird cake because it looks cool on TikTok. Anya’s cake worked because it fit her personality and the setting. If you’re getting married in a botanical garden, maybe your "anatomical" element is a hyper-realistic sugar flower that looks like it’s actually decaying.
Second, the "blood" (syrup) is key. Visual contrast is what makes these cakes pop in photos. A plain heart cake on a plain plate looks like a prop from a biology class. Add a vibrant raspberry or cherry reduction, and suddenly it’s a story.
Third, keep it small. Part of the charm of Anya’s heart cakes was that they were individual. It felt like a shared ritual rather than a catering requirement.
Common Misconceptions About the Cakes
I've seen people online claiming these were "real" hearts or some kind of weird Hollywood ritual. Honestly, people love a conspiracy theory. They were sponge cakes. Probably red velvet or chocolate, given the color scheme, but definitely made of flour and sugar.
Another misconception is that this was part of a "horror" themed wedding. It wasn't. If you look at the other photos, the wedding was actually quite romantic and traditional in its own way—lots of candles, white flowers, and a beautiful Dior dress. The cakes were just a spicy little detour into their personal interests.
Anya and Malcolm have been married for nearly four years now, and they still post about "the magic of that day." It’s clear that the Anya Taylor-Joy wedding cake choice wasn't a stunt. It was a genuine reflection of a couple that is, in her words, "80 years old and 7 at the same time."
If you're planning your own nuptials and feel pressured to stick to the script, take a page out of Anya’s book. Eat the heart. Wear the beige dress. Marry on April Fools'. The only person who needs to understand the "theme" is the person standing across from you at the altar.
To recreate the look without the gore, consider asking your baker for "botanical realism"—where the focus is on the raw, natural textures of fruits and flowers rather than perfect, smooth frosting. It captures that same "organic" (pun intended) feeling without scaring your more conservative relatives.