These AMAZING cake creations definitely take the castle theme to the fantasy level!  Many of these cakes likely were constructed over a few days as fondant was rolled and faux bricks were made with a rolling tool. Castle towers can be sculpted from things like rice krispie treats wrapped around pipes or they can be made from non-edible components that are just wrapped in fondant.  Prince charming and princess figurines can be constructed from marzipan, fondant or even modeling chocolate.  

The intricate details of these cakes can make them quite expensive.  That said, a more affordable option would be for the designer to create an elegant tiered cake fit for a princess and then use a beautiful fairytale castle cake topper like the one shown to the right from Wedding Favors Unlimited.  The glazed porcelain castle makes a great wedding day keepsake and it says “And They Lived Happily Ever After” along the base.

And don’t forget to use a castle themed cake serving set and guest book.  You can get a fully coordinated fairytale castle bridal set that includes the toasting flutes, cake server, guest book and pen set from Wedding Favors Unlimited as well.

As you can see from all the photos above, I generally prefer a white fondant or buttercream base for the cake color.  That way, the designer can easily incorporate a wide range of blue hues into the color scheme.  I especially like a navy and red or navy and light blue striped pattern around at least one of the layers.   The middle cake is also one of my very favorites as I love the nautical roping that encircles the cake tiers.  For the wedding cake topper, I prefer either a lovely sailboat or even a pair of white Adirondack chairs.

As always, I recommend finding some photos online of nautical themed cakes that you like and bring those to the bakery with you to show the designer.  Don’t forget to interview a few bakers and taste lots of cake because you deserve only the best on your big day!

Some fun decorations for a Vegas themed cake are the classic “Welcome To Las Vegas” sign, dice made from red or black fondant with white dots, playing cards (spade, heart, club, and diamond shapes), roulette wheels, and slot machines with lucky number 7’s displayed or coins spilling down the side of the cake.  Another really fun idea for a Vegas themed cake is to use round tiers with each layer decorated as a different colored casino chip.  You can customize the “chips” with the bride and groom’s names in place of the normal Casino name usually written on real gaming chips. 

I always recommend finding a great local baker to make your wedding cake so if you are getting married in Vegas, but don’t live in that area, contact a few popular Vegas bakeries like Freed’s Bakery or do a search on google for other cake bakers in Las Vegas.  In any case, you should ask them to send you cake samples.  You should ALWAYS taste your wedding cake flavor before you purchase it so that you don’t end up disappointed on your big day.  There is nothing more dissappointing than having a cake that looks great, but tastes terrible.  If you are planning the reception for your own town, you should follow the same advice.  Take photos of some Vegas cake designs that you like along to your cake bakery appointment so that the designer has a good idea about your preferences.  And be sure to set up a cake tasting appointment to so that you can find the perfect cake for you and your guests.

Above you’ll see some of my favorite country themed wedding cakes from Flickr.  Creativity abounds on these cakes that would be a welcome addition to any western style event.  When it comes to the wedding cake, you can choose to have a tiered design like most of those shown above or you can go with a shaped cake such as a cowboy hat, a covered wagon or even a pair of cowboy boots.  Bakers have all kinds of tricks for incorporating a western theme into the tiers such as hay bales made using toasted coconut, red and white gingham, plastic or molded chocolate horseshoes, plus fence, rope, and raffia ribbon.   Country western figurines and cake toppers can add the finishing touch to the top tier of a rustic wedding cake.  Here are a couple of fun wedding cake toppers that I found online.  The first topper depicts a bride in her cowboy boots having a rootin’ tootin’ good time dancing with her groom who is also wearing cowboy boots and also a cowboy hat.  The second cake topper features wooden lucky horseshoe along with a white and black cowboy hat that sit atop a base covered in white organza ribbon.  What a great way to finish off a Western Themed Wedding Cake!

It was the first wedding that I had attended where golfing was a prevalent component in the reception decor.  Of course, curiosity got the best of me and I decided to poke around online to find interesting wedding cake designs that feature a golf theme.  You can see some of my favorite designs in the photo collage below:

What I found was an interesting combination of both cupcakes and cakes that utilized a green and blue color scheme.  Clever bakers incorporate a grass like green along with sand traps fashioned from brown sugar and water hazards.  A bride and groom in golf outfits with club in hand (made from marzipan or modeling chocolate) always look great atop these creations. 

For a more upscale looking golf cake, consider using a blue, green and white argyle pattern around the cake tiers with a simple golf themed cake topper.  I love the cake topper shown to the right….the exasperated bride with her arms crossed standing next to her golf obsessed groom who has golf clubs in hand and golf shoes on his feet.  What a cute addition to any golf themed wedding!

Photo Credits: 
Golf Wedding Cake Collagefrom DessertLover2010 at Flickr
Exasperated Bride & Golfer Groom Cake Topper from Wedding Favors Unlimited

Cake bakers can do amazing things on cakes these days.  Feast your eyes on some of the stunning cake creations in the montage below that incorporate butterflies.  From handmade gum paste butterflies that seem to float up the cake to silk butterflies that are paired with flowers to hand-sculpted butterflies decorated with pearls, the options are endless.  I personally love these types of cakes for spring and summer weddings as well as garden parties or events.  Butterflies are almost always paired with beautiful flowers on the cake design.

Prefer to have butterfly themed cupcakes instead of a large tiered wedding cake?  Then check out my previous butterfly cupcake post where I show some of my favorite cupcake displays.

Once you’ve decided cupcakes are for you, then choosing the theme is the first step.  As you can see in the montage of photos below, you can incorporate silk butterflies on flowers or gum paste and royal icing butterflies in various colors that will fit in perfectly with your wedding or bridal shower color scheme….blues, purples, pinks, yellows….they all look great!

Presentation is everything (besides taste of course)!  When it comes to using cupcakes at a wedding, present them on a tiered cupcake stand to create an elegant effect.  As you can see in the above photos, many brides incorporate a small cake on the top tier that can be used for the cake cutting ceremony or frozen to eat on the 1st wedding anniversary.  The other great thing about having a top tier is that you can use a wedding cake topper. Prior to the wedding, be sure to spend some time planning out exactly how you will display your butterfly cupcakes on your big day.  Even expertly decorated cupcakes can end up looking cheap if they are not presented properly.  Of course, this is less important for a bridal shower, but even in a casual environment, I suggest using a tiered cupcake stand.

Photos are courtesy of Flickr.

One of the biggest trends in wedding cakes this year is the fact that more and more brides are utilizing cupcakes instead of traditional layered wedding cakes.  Generally cupcakes are less expensive and guests love getting their own individual dessert that they can either enjoy at the reception or take home with them in a little cupcake favor box.

Like the large beach cakes, small cupcakes tend to incorporate the same types of motifs to create a tropical or beach feel.  Consider incorporating seashells or starfish, brightly colored tropical flowers, or palm trees constructed from chocolate or marzipan.  The most popular color schemes for beach inspired cupcakes are a sandy neutral brown or an ocean blue. 

In the photo collage below, you can see some of my favorite beach inspired cupcake displays.  In all cases, I like the use of cupcake stands to create an impressive, tall display.  As you can see, the most popular beach theme is seashells that are likely molded out of chocolate.  You can use various shapes on each cupcake (you can even use the shapes to denote different cupcake flavors).  For instance, you could use a starfish shape to indicate chocolate cupcakes, a seashell to denote vanilla cupcakes, and a seahorse shape to denote red velvet cupcakes.  The possibilities are endless!

Photo Credit:
1. Beach Wedding CupCake Towers; Wilmington, NC Carolina Cakes & Confections, 2. Beach Themed Wedding Cupcakes, 3. Beach Themed Wedding Cupcakes., 4. Beach wedding cupcakes, 5. an alternative to wedding cake – cupcakes!, 6. Beach Cupcake Tower, 7. 4989_1073228919465_1488420009_30201004_5981428_n, 8. Beach theme wedding cupcake at the Sawmill creek golf resort and spa Camlachie 2, 9. Wedding cupcake tower

Seashells
Without a doubt, the most popular motif for a beach wedding cake is seashells.  Television shows like Cake Boss demonstrate just how creative and talented cake bakers across the U.S. are these days.  If you give your baker some shells that you love as inspiration, they should be able to create similar “shells” out of marzipan, chocolate, and other tools at their disposal.  I’ve found that it is best to try and get the shells to look as natural as possible using colors that you find on the actual real shells.

Besides shells, you can consider using other sea creatures on your cake as well.  Things such as sand dollars, starfish, and seahorses always tie in well with a shell and beach-inspired cake theme.

Sandcastles
If you’ve ever been to Virginia Beach during the sand castle building contest or to the malecon in Puerto Vallarta, you’ve seen some of the amazing sculptures that can be created using beach sand.   You can have your baker create an elaborate sand castle cake just for you.  They simply use brown sugar to create the “sand”.

Tropical Flowers
You can always choose to keep your cake classic and simple by utilizing some tropical flowers such as hibiscus, bromeliads, birds of paradise, etc. around the base of your cake.  You can also get your baker to create edible tropical flowers out of gum paste, marzipan, or icing for the top and sides of your cake.

If you are having difficulty choosing a cake design, I recommend looking around online for inspiration.  Below I’ve put together a collage of some of my favorite beach cake designs….maybe one of them will be just what you want for your big day!

Photo Credit:
1. Seashell Wedding Cake, 2. “Coral and Shells” with ruffled cupcakes, 3. Seashells & Bows Wedding Cake, 4. Mindy’s Beach Cake, 5. Beach Theme Bridal Shower Cake 2, 6. Chocolate Sea Themed Wedding Cake, 7. Beach themed Seashell cake, 8. Sandcastle Wedding Cake, 9. beach wedding cake

In search of the perfect wedding cake….a picture is worth a thousand words so I’ve put together a montage of photos of some of my favorite black, pink and white wedding cakes (and cupcakes too). As you can see in the collage below, the options for incorporating pink into the cake are limitless.  Want some whimsy?  Try a retro black polka dot on top a bright white or pink fondant or how about a topsy-turvy style cake that incorporates round, square and tilted cake layers.  For a more traditional look, use pink roses, black and white damask, or classic scroll work with pink ribbons on your cake.  My personal favorite is the square tiered cake that incorporates a monogram initial within a large hot pink circle on the top layer….unique and fun all at the same time!

Having a cherry blossom themed wedding?  The black, white and pink color scheme may be the perfect choice for you.  Be sure to also check out my cherry blossom themed cake ideas in a previous post.

Photo Credit: Black White and Pink Wedding Cakes