The Wedding Cake
The cutting of the wedding cake is one of the “celebratory highlights” of the wedding day! However, the wedding cake that the bride and groom are cutting these days is no longer the traditional white vanilla cake with a plastic bride and groom on top! From different shapes, sizes, fillings and color – trends in cake flavor, style and decoration are changing quickly, and it is often hard to keep up! When deciding on your wedding day cake, or as our business calls it, “tasties masterpiece”, your first consideration should be to choose a cake that suits you, and your fiancé’s, personality and decorating tastes. The wedding cake is a beautiful centerpiece adorned with symbols of the love between the bride and groom. Following are some of the latest wedding cake trends to keep you up to date.
Stunning Style!
Whether innovative, contemporary, whimsical, or classic, brides now have no shortage of options when it comes to the style and designing of their wedding cake. The traditional circle is still a popular shape, but hearts, squares, ovals and hexagons are also popular choices. Tiers can be stacked for a solid look or set on pillars for an airy grace. While the traditional tiers are still widely selected, the customary plastic pillars that separate them are now being replaced with unique hand finished designer and acrylic pillars of different colors, shapes and sizes. Another trendy style is a cake that resembles a stack of presents. This cake is styled in the shape of square, gift-wrapped presents, each tied with a bow that can be made out of an edible medium such as icing or fondant to create a positively stunning cake! Theme cakes are also becoming more popular, such as seashell or starfish shapes for beach weddings. For a modern look, some brides are choosing their tiers to be made in different shapes, for example, one square tier, one round tier and an oval tier. - Be creative and remember our motto states, “You are only limited by the limits of your creativity!”
Dazzling Decorations!
Plastic bride and groom wedding cake toppers, like the plastic tiers, are currently making way for fresh flowers, handmade and edible flowers, pastillage embellishments or even monogram cake toppers.
Brides are putting more thought into the design of their cake and are being very imaginative. Decorations are becoming unique and individual as both the bride and groom are designing their wedding cake together to suit their personalities. Some brides are choosing more expensive cake toppers that can be kept, such as crystal decorations used in cake jewelry. In addition, ribbons, lace and charms are remaining popular decorative items.
Brides whose wedding will have a particular color scheme, such as tiffany blue, are decorating their cake entirely around this color theme. Many brides are decorating their cake with detail copied from their wedding dress providing an opportunity to totally personalize their cake design. Take a picture of your gown to your custom cake caterer discuss with her about incorporating some of the lace or beading detail from your dress.
Fresh flowers can also provide a natural and beautiful touch. Roses, orchids, carnations, lilies and pansies are often used. These can be made into cascade formations, small bouquets and many other styles. Consult your custom cake caterer and florist about suitable flowers and arrangements. Silk flowers, flower sprays or flowers made from icing also make pretty and charming decorations. Sugared fruits and candied flowers can also add sparkle to any cake, making them ideal for formal or evening weddings. Gum paste, also known as sugar paste, pastillage or sometimes called candy clay, is used for making all kinds of fancy long-lasting flower decorations, ribbons, bows, leaves or just about anything else you can imagine. Many cake caterers are now incorporating hand painted techniques such as brushed embroidery, or decorate cakes with the look of lace, appliqué or elegant drapes or swags. This detailed look can be simply stunning when used as a decorative technique on icing flowers or other sculptures.
Fantastic Flavors!
Many different flavored cakes are now rising in popularity.
The filling inside wedding cakes is becoming more modern and straying from the traditional white icing. Fillings provide the bride with a wide range of choices, and extend from white or dark chocolate, mocha, coconut or strawberry fillings.
Different types of icing are also being chosen. Many cakes are still being covered in the more traditional southern butter cream icing, however, rolled fondant icing is the becoming the stylish choice for brides who want a very smooth and elegant look to their wedding cake. Even white chocolate fondant is being used as a delicious alternative. Accompaniments are being added to many cakes. Confectionery is widely chosen and small, decorated baskets of chocolates, sugared almonds, chocolate sea shells or other sweets are being placed around the cake for a decorative touch. Other brides are now choosing fresh fruit or chocolate covered strawberries for an accompaniment.
Brides are now entertaining an even more popular decision of choosing multi-flavored cakes. What a wonderfully sensible option if you can't decide on one flavor alone! If you like lots of flavors, have a layered cake and choose a different flavor for each tier!
Important Tips for meeting with your custom cake caterer:
Ask to see a portfolio of the cake designer’s work. This will demonstrate the styles of cake they specialize in and will give you an idea of the possibilities. Most professionals will be able to incorporate even the most original requirements into their designs. A good designer should be willing and able to copy a picture of a cake, so if one catches your eye in a magazine or book do not hesitate to take it along with you as a suggestion. The more elaborate the design the higher the price so it is important to discuss the final costs and any extra requirements before making a confirmed order. Reputable designers will offer you the opportunity to taste their products before making a final decision, which is particularly important if you want an unusual flavor or filling.
Once a date has been confirmed and all the elements of the cake are selected, you should receive a detailed contract, specifying all the custom selections. Usually there is a deposit required to book a specific date and most caterers require the full balance to be paid in full two weeks prior to the event. More reputable cake designers are booked well in advance, especially during the busy wedding (spring/summer) months. Plan to meet with your customer cake caterer several months in advance (at least 6 months). Therefore, it is best to call and set up an initial consultation as soon as possible.
The groom's cake is a long-standing southern tradition! Feel free to design your groom’s cake based on your groom's interests; golf ball shapes for golf enthusiasts or black and gold football shaped for that die-hard Steelers fan! Use your imagination and have fun with it! The bride usually orders the groom's cake while ordering the wedding cake, and may desire to keep the design of the cake a secret until the wedding day or the rehearsal dinner. Remember the flavor and type of cake is all up to you... ENJOY!
Tiki L. Suarez, Ph.D. is the owner of Tiki’s Tasties, LLC and is a member of the Tallahassee Association of Wedding Professionals (TAWP) and the International Cake Exploration Society (I.C.E.S). To view their latest “tasties masterpieces” visit their website at HYPERLINK "http://www.tikistasties.com" www.tikistasties.com or feel free to call 850.566.8486 and set up an initial consultation.
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