Everything You Should Know About Selecting Meaningful Wedding Cake Decor
Picking the wedding dessert is the most delicious part of the planning process. All the taste-testing, samples, and shopping around can be quite fun. However, sometimes, you’re looking for more than fun, you want to make sure your cake means something. So it’s no surprise that if you select a wedding cake, you want to make sure that the outside has been decorated in a way that embodies you as a couple and is somehow meaningful. To help you get a feel for your options, we got with Jeanne Scott, Baker and Designer from Mill Stream Farm Bake Studio who knows a thing or two (or two hundred) about working with couples.
Wedding Cake Decor Ideas
“Although we still receive requests for the ever-popular trend of semi-naked cakes, there is now a shift toward more elaborately decorated cakes, fully iced, with intricate piping details as well as modern edible elements. We especially like to think outside the box with unique elements while our style is unarguably elegant and classic.
“The more intricately detailed your cake design, obviously the more decorating hours involved, which increases cost. However, there are many factors that dictate cost, and a simply designed finish might be placed on a more exotic flavor combination, larger tiers, etc. Edible florals, which are popular right now, also add additional cost to source those classified for consumption.”
And for those couples who are unsure what look they’re going for, Scott recommends checking out Pinterest and other social media. She suggests couples “notice what style [they] tend to keep gravitating toward,” and the rest can usually be discussed at a consultation with your baker.
Matching Your Wedding Aesthetic or Venue
We’ve seen plenty of weddings that have an obvious aesthetic and it touches all the elements from linens and decor to the cake, so we asked Scott what she thinks about that and how that can play into the wedding cake decor decisions.
“Your cake can be a showstopper whether tucked in a romantic corner of a wedding barn, situated in a windowed alcove or taking center stage on its own table at an elegant inn or resort. You may like for the cake to reflect the surroundings or dare to be different!”
It all depends on preference, which is where looking at social media and wedding planning magazines definitely comes in handy.
Wedding Cake Toppers
One important decision when considering wedding cake decor is the cake topper — especially the question of to have a cake topper or not. Scott tells us, “Probably about half of the couples choose to incorporate toppers on their cakes, and the other half choose to leave a blank canvas or top with florals/greenery. Toppers can provide whimsy, and if your style is more simple elegance, you may choose to forego a topper of any sort.”
So when deciding to have a cake topper, you may start thinking about what your options consist of. Obviously there is the traditional and classic couple figurines. Then, there’s the calligraphy words, sometimes a phrase, but most common is the couple’s last name. However, Scott reminds us that “fresh florals are always in style. And there are “other natural elements such as feathers, gems, geodes. Clay figurines that include the couple and their pets are also popular.”
The sky is the limit when it comes to toppers, so think about what is important to you and what will best represent you and your wedding. And lastly, as Scott notes, “if you have a special trinket, think about incorporating that!” because truly anything goes for wedding cake toppers, as long as it’s right for you as a couple.
Photos courtesy of Mill Stream Farm BakeStudio
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