Cake Design Ideas
Following are just a few things that could give you ideas
about your cake design. Be sure to talk to your baker to
see if they have any ideas about how to make your
thoughts about your cake become reality. Don't settle for
a generic cake! Take the time to add some personal
elements to it, and it will make it far more special on your
wedding day.
Sources of Inspiration
When thinking about what you want your cake to look like, start by
doing searches for wedding cakes on the internet. There are plenty
of photos out there, and you're sure to find some ideas to get you
started. Bridal magazines and cake cookbooks are also good
sources of ideas. Make sure that you ask your baker for help, too. A
good cake designer should be able to listen to your ideas and help
you distill them into something unique to you.
Basics
Do you want a cake with tiers that are separated or stacked directly on top of
each other? You can also do a combination, with some tiers raised up and others
stacked.
Separated tiers
Stacked tiers
Combination
Do you want round tiers, square tiers or a combination of different shapes? You
can also do other shapes, depending on what your baker offers. Keep in mind
that if you are thinking of doing heart-shaped cakes, the shape of the heart is
only obvious if you're standing directly above the cake, so it won't necessarily
have the effect that you might be looking for.
Combination
Square
Round
If you want square tiers, should they be aligned so that the flat sides are parallel
or off-kilter? If you want them lined up so that the corner of one tier is at the
center edge of the tier below, you may have to go with larger tiers on the bottom
to allow the diagonals of the square to line up without overlapping the edges.
Corners in the
center of lower
edge
Sides parallel
Slightly turned
Design Ideas
Now comes the fun part...What types of design elements do you want to have on
your cake? Do you want a more traditional look, or do you want something more
contemporary? Do you want a monochromatic cake or something more colorful?
Following are some ideas to get you started.
Do you want flowers,
bows, or a topper on top
of your cake?
Do you want the
sides of the cake
to be more plain,
or have a lot of
surface interest?
If your wedding dress
has a lace pattern or
beading, do you want
to use that pattern on
the sides of the cake?
Do you want to use
any color on your
cake or have it be
monochromatic? If
you want to use
color, do you want it
in one or two places
or all over the cake?
If you're using flowers, do you want
them to be very realistic or do you
prefer a more whimsical look?
Would you like to incorporate
something from your family heritage or
traditions (heirloom toppers, for
example) in your cake design?
Do you want to incorporate words or
phrases that are meaningful to you? Is
there something in your history as a
couple that means a lot that you'd like
to include?
Have fun when thinking of cake ideas! The more individual details
that you can think of incorporating, the more your baker will have
to work with, and the more memorable your cake will be.