Cake cutting is one of the main ceremonies of a wedding reception. Every guest anxiously waits to see bride and groom cutting the wedding cake. Not many people leave the party before this ceremony.  A wedding cake is more than just a cake cutting tradition, the wedding cake is a memory, which will be featured in many of your wedding photographs. The wedding cake also reflects your persona; you can implement many unique and creative ways to decorate your wedding cake, making it more memorable. Thus, you should give some time and thought before picking the perfect wedding cake for your wedding reception.

wedding cake

Before deciding to buy a cake, make a list of all the things that are important for your dream wedding cake. Keep three things in mind such as flavor, cake fillings and looks.  Also consider size, number of tiers and decorations or theme. There are endless numbers of flavors available in the market to choose from.  These may include cheesecake, carrot cake, red velvet, or traditional chocolate and vanilla. However, party etiquette says the host should select a cake according to the taste of its guests. So, if you are confused which cake should mark your wedding reception then consider having each tier in a different flavor.

When you start looking for cakes, keep the filling flavors of your cake in mind. Do some research on the filling and cake flavor combinations you may be considering.  Keep in mind that not all cake flavors will go with all filling flavors. Cake fillings not only enhance cake’s beauty but taste as well. You can ask your baker to guide you in this matter. There are several types of fillings that you can select to make your wedding cake delicious and yummy. The range of filling flavors include fresh fruit, chocolate, vanilla, cream cheese, and many others.  Don’t forget your frosting.  There are different types of frosting to choose from.  Your baker will be able to help you with all the different combinations out there.

Next tip you should always keep in mind is that never have a cake, which is too small or too big in size. It is always good to have a look at the list of guests before buying a cake. Keep ten to 12 extra guests in consideration, in case a few people make a last moment decision to come to your party.  The wedding cake tends to become one of the focal points of your reception, keep this in mind when designing your cake.  But make sure you have a cake that fits you or your theme.  Last but not least, start preparation for your wedding cake early in the planning process.  There are a lot of decisions to be made and you need to have plenty of time for cake tasting and research.

Selecting the wedding cake is one of the delightful and delectable choices that you need to make while making arrangements of the wedding. Ideally, the booking time for a wedding cake is  six months before the wedding, and thus, the planning has to begin well in advance. While choosing a wedding cake the look and size of it carries the same significance as its taste. Thus, along with deciding the flavor of your cake you also have to plan on its looks and design.

The most important thing to be decided while booking a wedding cake is its flavor. When you choose a multi-tiered cake, you may also choose multiple flavors. In case of a single storied cake, you can try two flavors layered on each other.  Since your flavor choices are limited with one tier, you will want to consider what flavor would be more popular amongst your guests.  In case of doubt,  something common like vanilla would be a safe choice but your could also go with specialized flavors such as chocolate or strawberry.

The design ideas for a wedding cake can be taken from different wedding magazines and internet, or you can select from the various designs that your chosen bakery may provide. The design of a wedding cake should be according to its size. You can include more and more flavors and decorations in a single cake, if it’s large in size. For the look of the cake, either you can choose to keep it pristine white or you can give it a dash of vibrancy by including different colors. Size of the cake can be enhanced either by adding more tiers to it or by enlarging the  width of the single storied cake. The size should be decided as per the number of guests invited to the wedding.

Next thing that is to be considered while ordering a wedding cake is its shape. The shape of the wedding cake can be either round, square, or even hexagonal. The shape can also be of any of your favorite things. This way one can add a personal touch to their wedding cake. Such cakes also prove to be a good option for theme weddings.

The decoration on a wedding cake does not only include edible items but it is also done with flower petals, beads, and other such decorative items. Flowery decorations help to add a touch of nature to the cake.  Decorations with edible items include fruits, edible flower decorations, chocolates, and many such items.

The look and decorations of the cake can also be kept in line with the theme of the wedding or with the wedding attires of the groom and the bride.  For instance, a San Francisco themed wedding can include pastel hues of the area’s Victorian houses on the cake.

So, take your time and research well before ordering the most important aspect of your wedding.

This article has been written by an expert associated with WeddingMuseum.com, a company providing wedding planning ideas for today’s brides and grooms.

Wedding cake is definitely one of the most important elements in a wedding and to make your wedding cake look stylish and different from the regular ones, you should select a unique cake topper very carefully.

Wedding cakes are decorated with different decors to make it look beautiful and special. However, it never looks complete without a beautiful cake topper on it. Nowadays there are different types of cake toppers available in the market for the couples to choose from, for their wedding cake. Be it elegant bride and groom cake toppers or humorous cake toppers, there are so many of them available in the market that it often becomes very difficult for a couple to make the right choice. To choose the best cake topper to crown your wedding cake and at the same time add your personal touch to it, you should decide on the theme of the cake topper in advance, so that you can make your final choice easily. This article will tell you about some of the most popular cake toppers available in the market, so that you can decide and make the best choice for yourself.

Most of the couples like to go with the traditional wedding cake toppers, to give the wedding an added traditional touch in today’s modern world. The traditional cake toppers are the ones which have traditional bride and groom standing next to one another on the top of the cake. Although the idea is not a recent one, yet it has its own charm. Many couples do not like the idea of going for these traditional cake toppers as they think that it is nothing new. However, if you survey the market, you will find that even the traditional cake toppers are available in different colors, shapes and sizes so that it can add elegance and style to your wedding cake. Therefore, if you want your wedding cake to look traditional, yet stylish, the traditional cake toppers are definitely the best choice.

Monogram wedding cake toppers are the next popular ones in the market. These cake toppers either have the initials or the complete names of the bride and groom, placed on the top of the wedding cake. These cake toppers are a great way to add a personal touch to the wedding cake. A monogram can be used as a wedding cake topper in different ways. It can be created with spun sugar, flowers or can even be made from plastic or lightweight metal.

Many couple love to go for the floral wedding cake toppers, where natural flowers are used to decorate the cake. Usually floral cake toppers are created by placing a small bunch of blooms on the top of the cake or a twine of flowers flowing down the wedding cake.

One more popular type of wedding cake toppers available in the market are the humorous wedding cake toppers, which are the best choice for those couples who are filled with humor and want to reflect it on their wedding cakes.

This article has been written by an expert associated with WeddingMuseum.com, a company providing wedding planning help for today’s weddings.

Here comes the tastiest part of planning your wedding, selecting the cake. Not only will you be able to select a fabulous and delicious cake, you’ll also be able to taste it. Yummy!

Cake Tasting

A great way to be prepared for your cake tasting appointment would be to familiarize yourself with some of the terms frequently used by bakers, such as buttercream, fondant, gum paste, ganache, royal icing, piping, etc. Having a basic knowledge of the lingo could be very useful and a big time-saver. We found a wedding cake glossary you can peruse at your leisure. http://bit.ly/hxXVpk

Cake tasting appointments usually last one hour. You will be able to sample different flavor cakes and icings. When you call to make an appointment, let the bakery know which flavors you have in mind, but also ask them to provide their best-selling flavor combinations. You could be pleasantly surprised by an unexpected flavor sample.

When selecting your wedding cake, try to choose a cake that reflects the theme you selected for your special day, or that carries your wedding’s color scheme — in both the decorative aspect and the flavor aspect.

Groom’s Cake

Groom’s cakes are typically a southern wedding tradition where the bride gifts her new husband with a chocolate-flavored cake. A popular trend lately has been for the cake to depict the groom’s favorite sports, interests or hobbies.

Additionally, the cake should be presented to the groom at the reception, and displayed next to the bride’s cake; or it can be given to the groom at the wedding rehearsal. The groom’s cake can also be cut, boxed, and offered as wedding favors to your guests.

Budget-Friendly Options

Remember that the more layers, flowers, and intricate details your cake has the more expensive it will be. To save some money, you could order a smaller size cake for the cake-cutting ceremony, and serve sheet cake slices to the rest of your guests in the same flavor as your wedding cake.

Keep in mind that some venues will charge a fee to cut and serve the cake to your guests. It’s called a cake-cutting fee, and it usually costs $1.50 or more per person. Some venues include the fee in their wedding package when you use their in-house baker, but they will charge you extra if you hire an outside bakery to create your wedding cake.

If cakes are not your thing, you could skip the traditional wedding cake altogether and explore other dessert ideas. For example, you could display cupcakes, petits fours, cannolis or even donuts on a beautiful tiered dessert stand. Other ideas would be to offer a pie buffet or a cookie and milk buffet.

Whatever your choice is; just indulge your sweet tooth and have fun with it!

About the Author: Nadine Elliott, freelance writer for WeddingMuseum.com.

Happy Endings – Your Wedding Cake

When you think of wedding receptions, what is the one thing that they all have? A “stately mountain of snowy frosting and royal icing blossoms,” (from “The Perfect Wedding Cake” by Kate Manchester), aka the wedding cake! Not bad for a dessert which has its roots clear back to the Roman Empire. But back then, there was no beautifully decorated, sweet confection. Instead, a loaf of barley bread was broken over the bride’s head to symbolize her fertility. Can you imagine picking crumbs out of your hair? As the barley bread evolved into today’s wedding cake, the symbolism of the cake and the cake cutting ceremony evolved into your first joint act as a married couple, your commitment to provide for each other, and the sweet life you will share together.

Your wedding cake should taste absolutely wonderful, however, it is not just dessert. Your wedding cake will be an integral part of the reception decor, so plan accordingly and place it in a strategic location where all of your guests can easily see it. How about in the center of the dance floor? It can be removed after the cake cutting ceremony – table and all – so you have room for your first dance as husband and wife. Just be sure that someone carefully cleans up any stray icing that may hit the floor which can be very slippery and dangerous. Or how about placing your wedding cake in a corner with pin lights or a small spotlight highlighting its glory?

The Statue of Liberty has its pedestal, a queen has her throne, the cake table needs to be worthy to hold such a beautiful creation. Like a beautiful frame that surrounds a lovely painting, the cake table should be decorated to complement the wonderful confection that it holds. Decorating the cake table needn’t be time consuming nor expensive. You may already have something appropriate in your closet or on the dining room table. A lace tablecloth would be lovely draped across the cake table. A length of tulle loosely billowed on the top of the table gives the impression of your cake floating on clouds. Or, swag the table with tulle, organza, lame, or garlands of greenery and flowers.

If your motto is “Life’s too short, eat dessert first,” then you may want to go all out with your desserts. Have a dessert bar with trays of different scrumptious delicacies – iced cookies, brownies, mini bite-sized cheesecakes – with your wedding cake as the centerpiece. And speaking of centerpieces, if one large cake to feed hundreds of people isn’t your thing, how about a small (only big enough for two) cake which you and your new spouse get to cut and feed each other, and in place of the more traditional floral or candle centerpieces for each guest table, have a single tiered cake that serves 8-10 people.

Cake Toppers – The Crowning Glory

You’re finished sampling yummy cake and icing flavors and have picked out your wedding cake. What’s next? Well, what to put on top of the cake, of course! While an arrangement of fresh flowers is one of the most popular choices, cake topper figurines are making a huge comeback. Traditional choices are doves, hearts and a bride & groom. Who can go wrong with such romantic icons? But they aren’t the only way to top your cake.

If you’re having a specific theme to your wedding, a cake topper is an excellent place to further express it. How about a snowflake figurine for a winter wedding? Perhaps pumpkins or gourds for a fall wedding – either a pretty figurine, or something yummy made out of marzipan. Dolphins or starfish would be perfect for a beach theme.

Seasonal fruits and berries are a delicious, and practical choice. Bunches of gorgeous grapes, or fresh strawberries or blueberries have such beautiful colors that add a lovely rich look – so perfect for spring or summer weddings. If you’re having a winter wedding, use small sugared fruits like apples and pears.

New trends in cake toppers include candles (make sure your baker reinforces the cake where the candles will be placed, so the weight of the candles don’t cause them to sink into the cake), vintage bride & groom toppers, and monograms – several companies offer silver or Swarovski crystal monogram cake toppers. And speaking of Swarovski, their wedding cake jewelry of romantic sprays of heart-shaped crystal drops adds an extra touch of glitz and glitter.

The possibilities are truly endless!

About The Author: Jean Neuhart is the owner of Weddings From The Heart. As a Professional Bridal Consultant, she helps busy brides and their fiances plan creative, personalized and stress-free weddings. Visit Jean at www.weddingsfromtheheart.net. You can e-mail her at jean[at]weddingsfromtheheart.net.