It’s Engagement Season, so it’s time to talk about wedding cake trends…
We just finished the Bridal Extravaganza, so all those who are recently engaged or soon to be married are in high planning mode, so I thought I would share with those planning their weddings some of the wedding cake trends I am seeing today.
LACE
Mimic bride’s lace on cake or even use an applique of the lace (too save money on the cake) – show your baker your dress or a piece of lace and let them be inspired by it with a lace pattern on your cake. This cake was done by http://www.cakesofyourdreams.com.au/ and found in the blog Australia Entertains. It is an Indian lace and I must admit I am unsure if it is sugar or applique, but I feel it is a unique and beautiful cake. Very different from our Southern traditional lace we see at weddings.
BLACK IS HERE TO STAY
- Black gowns (more for bridesmaids) are in and for the edgier bride perhaps even an all black cake. We displayed one for a year, but no one ever bought a black cake for a wedding – only black accents. Our customers do buy black cakes all the time, but not for weddings.
NEW WAYS TO ACHIEVE HEIGHT IN YOUR CAKE
- Taller cakes seem to be making a come back, but not with the tall columns of the 80s. We are seeing a more common use of taller than average tiers heights -8″ and 6,” as well as spacer tiers
PAINTED CAKES
- Painted cakes – we showed our first painted cake in 2007 inspired by a Royal Empress china pattern, but the inspiration can be anything. We painted a bride’s tattoos on her cake – lovely tropical flower groupings and of course we’ve done a groom’s tattoo as well.
Rather than pipe scrollwork, we can paint the scrollwork, which perhaps is a part of the invitation or a monogram created for the couple. Or painted green vines are beautiful and then the sugar flowers lay where the flower or bud would have been painted (perfect for a green wedding). Just remember when you paint on a cake your canvas is fondant, so be prepared for a higher budget for your cake.
INDIAN/PAKISTANI/ASIAN WEDDINGS
- We still see our Indian/Pakistani brides stay with large cakes, but step away from their own traditional base colors (red, gold) and move to a white cake with a touch of red and gold to honor their elders. A great example is the lace cake at the beginning of this post.
RUFFLES
- Ruffles are still in but very, very delicate. A favorite cake artist of mine is Maggie Austin. She was a ballerina and her cakes seem to be inspired by this part of her life. A great word to describe her work is ethereal.
COLOR ON CAKE
- Color on cake is now the norm, so I think it has moved past being a trend, for it is here to stay.
1970’s STYLE WEDDING CAKE IS BACK
- Buttercream cakes reminiscent of the 70s and 80s are definitely back.
SUGAR FLOWERS
- Sugar flowers are more and more popular, but for those on a budget, you can always opt for fresh
(remember to have the florist wrap the stems, for fresh flowers have pesticides, and no one wants pesticides in their cake).
SHIMMER ON CAKE
- Up East they are moving away from the shimmer spray on the cake, but we are still seeing it in the South.
CAKE BALLS AND OTHER DESSERTS
- Cake balls, cupcakes, pies and miniature pastries – viennese tables are more the visible plus bakery boxes of pastries or cake balls have been seen on the East Coast to take home after the After Party to have for breakfast in the morning – of course that is a trend we hope makes it to our part of the country and remains a tradition. 🙂
CLASSIC ALL WHITE WEDDING CAKE
- And of course, an all white wedding cake never goes out of style. Nothing is more elegant in a traditional American wedding than an all white/ivory cake. (Remember Kate Middleton’s). A beautiful white or ivory cake would be my choice and bring the color in with the linens or a pale color, such as blush. Less is more for a beautiful, ethereal wedding cake.
The one trend that never goes out of style is simply choosing a cake that tastes great and makes YOU happy and one YOU love. Something twenty years from now, when you are looking at your album, you are still happy you chose it for one of your important memories of your wedding.
Congratulations to all, and maybe 2012 will bring a new surprise for us! Stay tuned…
Janice
PS: You may want to check out our series of blog posts on how to buy a wedding cake.