Wedding Advice – Here Comes the Blog

Archive for the ‘Cakes’ Category

Whether you are planning an actual Las Vegas wedding or you've just eloped and are having a big party back home, this collage has lots of fun ideas for incorporating the theme into your wedding cake.   Personally I associate Vegas with fun so all of these cakes are a bit whimsical.  If you are more of a traditional bride, rest assured that you can find elegant, upscale cakes for a Vegas wedding as well.

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 disappointing 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.

More Vegas Wedding Ideas:

• Ante Up: Vegas Wedding Guide
• Las Vegas Wedding Invitations
• Planning a Las Vegas Wedding
• Las Vegas Themed Wedding Favors

Yee-haw!  Get ready for an old-fashioned rustic country wedding.  If your vision for the perfect wedding includes an entrance on horses galloping across a hayfield, centerpieces constructed of galvanized pails filled with wildflowers, or a barn reception complete with hay bales, then these charming country western styled wedding cakes will be right up your alley! Photo below is from Flickr.

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 wedding 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!

More Country Wedding Ideas:

• Country Western Wedding Ideas
• Rustic Country Wedding Inspiration
• Country Wedding Favors

A few weeks ago I attended an amazing wedding at the Kiln Creek Country Club in Virginia.  The bride and groom were both avid golfers so they incorporated their love of golf in the wedding reception by utilizing personalized golf wedding favors, a golf ball shaped planter filled with flowers for the centerpieces, and a whimsical cake featuring a golf couple wedding cake topper sitting on the "green".

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 Collage from DessertLover2010 at Flickr
Exasperated Bride & Golfer Groom Cake Topper from Wedding Favors Unlimited

More Golf Wedding Ideas:

• Golf Gift Ideas
• Bachelor Golfing

Having a butterfly themed wedding?  Incorporating your theme with not only butterfly wedding favors, but also into your wedding cake design can yield a delicate and beautiful effect that is sure to wow your wedding guests.  Many brides choose to incorporate butterflies throughout their wedding because they symbolize the ending of a previous phase of life and the new beginning.  The many natural species of butterflies offer a wide range of color choices making them a great option no matter what you wedding color scheme.

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.

More on Butterfly Themed Weddings:

• Beautiful Butterfly Wedding Cakes
• Butterfly Wedding Favors
• Decorating for a Butterfly Themed Wedding
• Butterfly Wedding Invitations
• Choosing a Butterfly Wedding Theme

Spring has sprung in most of the U.S. which means that the butterflies and birds are returning.  Why not incorporate a touch of Spring into your wedding or bridal shower by using a butterfly theme on your cupcakes?  Not sure if cupcakes (versus a classic layer cake) are the right choice for your wedding?  Check out this Squidoo lens which covers the pros and cons of using cupcakes and has a wide range of fantastic wedding cupcake ideas!  If cupcakes aren't your thing, be sure to check out my post featuring butterfly cakes in the very near future.

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.

More Cupcake Ideas:

Do It Yourself Flower Cupcakes - http://www.baby-gifts-gift-baskets.com/blog/2010/06/15/do-it-yourself-flower-cupcakes/

Create a Wedding Cupcake Tower - http://www.weddingfavorsunlimited.com/bridal_blog/2010/07/03/create-a-wedding-cupcake-tower/

Having trouble deciding on a cake theme for your beach wedding? Well there is no need to worry!  In my previous post, I gave you some ideas as well as a photo collage of my favorite beach inspired wedding cakes.  So in this post, I thought I'd share my thoughts and ideas regarding cupcakes for a beach wedding.

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

More beach wedding ideas:

• Planning A Beach Wedding
• The Best Beach Wedding Locations
• Choosing Your Beach Wedding Bridal Party & Guests
• Beach Wedding Bridal Accessory Tips
• Beach Wedding Favors
• Inspiration: Nautical & Sailor Style Wedding

When it comes to creating a beach wedding cake that will wow your guests, consider the location of your wedding and use the local landscape and scenery as your inspiration.   Will you be getting married in a more tropical setting full of hibiscus flowers or a more nautical setting near a cliff-side lighthouse?  Take a cue from your surroundings and you are sure to have an impressive cake.

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! Now, what on earth are you going to do for your wedding favors?

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

More wedding cake ideas:

• Black & White Wedding Cake Ideas
• Wedding Cupcake Ideas
• Calla Lily Wedding Cakes
• Wedding Cake Trends
• Fake Cake Budget Secrets

Black, White & Pink....the perfect color scheme for the bride that loves pink, but doesn't want to overwhelm her groom and guests with too much of the "girly" color. The great thing about pink is the variety of shades available ranging from fuchsia to dainty light pink to a bright hot pink and best of all, they all go with black and white perfectly. Adding a splash of your favorite shade of pink to things like the floral bouquets, wedding favors, and of course, the wedding cake is the perfect way to incorporate pink into the color scheme without going over the top.

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, and be sure to browse some cherry blossom wedding favors. There a lot to choose from these days, and many of them are just too cute to miss!

Photo Credit: Black White and Pink Wedding Cakes

More Wedding Ideas:

• Planning a Cherry Blossom Wedding
• Black & White Wedding Ideas
• Pink Foods
• Cherry Blossom Wedding Decorations

Calling all modern brides! This fresh and cheerful color scheme should be right up your alley. The traditional black and white color scheme can be brought into the 21st century by pairing it with bright sunny yellow accents. I absolutely love this color scheme for spring and summer weddings!

If you've been a Here Comes The Blog follower, you know that I'm all about the dessert so I went on a quest to find my favorite black and white wedding cakes that featured bold yellow accents. What I found was a fantastic mix of both traditional and modern wedding cakes that I wanted to share with you. Check out the collection of cake ideas below.  Notice how black and white is used as the primary color scheme, but all of the cakes utilize bright yellow dots, colorful daisies, yellow roses, or yellow icing patterns to create this amazing array of images.  I believe that sunflowers with a dark black center would also be a fantastic accent flower choice for this color scheme.  If you love any of these cake designs, be sure to print out the photo and take it along to your wedding cake designer so they can get a feel for your style and color preferences.

Finally, check out the amazing black, white and yellow wedding inspiration boards at Wedding Fanatic.  They have ideas for all aspects of wedding planning.

Photo Credit:
1. black scroll wedding cake, 2. Yellow Invitation Suite, Menu, Program and Matching Cake, 3. yellow and black, 4. Big yellow daisey cake, 5. Simpson wedding cake, 6. Black and Yellow Cake, 7. Silhouette, 8. Sandy_wedding cake, 9. yellow flowers wedding cupcake stand

More Yellow Wedding Ideas:

• Going Yellow With Your Wedding
• Wedding Inspiration: Lemon Yellow Color Scheme

Black and white is truly a classic wedding color scheme that has been used again and again by brides over the years. That said, a recent trend amongst brides is to add a great accent color such as green or yellow to the mix. And why not? A timeless classic spiced up with a punch of color is a great way to modernize a wedding.

Planning a Spring Wedding? Nothing symbolizes spring more than the emergence of green foliage so why not tie a fresh Springtime green into your wedding color scheme! One of my favorite things about green is the wide range of hues to choose from....lime, a yellow-green chartreuse, or a bright grass green are my favorite shades to pair with black and white.

If you are looking for some inspiration, check out the collage of wedding cake photos below. I've pulled together some of my favorite black and white cakes that feature green accents.  Whether you are going for a fun whimsical look or an elegant more traditional look, you can utilize green to achieve amazing results.  Patterns such as polka dots, stripes or tilted layers can be used to create more laid-back cake designs while patterns such as damask, quilting, and flourish can be used for traditional cakes.  Accenting with green bows or flowers such as calla lilies or orchids can also add a bit of pop to a beautiful wedding cake.

For more great green, white and black wedding ideas, check out this post on the What Junebug Loves Blog.  You'll find all kinds of amazing photos to help plan your big day!  You can also find a wide range of black and white wedding favors at Wedding Favors Unlimited.

Photo Credit: Black and White Wedding Cake Ideas

More Black & White Wedding Ideas:

• Black & White Wedding Ideas
• Black & White Wedding Cake Ideas
• Black and White Wedding Stationery
• Black and White Wedding Theme