When planning a wedding dessert, choosing the flavors is just the beginning. Just about anything can inspire a couple’s sweet treat, and many seize the opportunity to inject some fun and personality into their big day. So what’s your wedding cake style?
Traditional
While wedding cake alternatives have been growing in popularity for years, plenty of brides (and grooms!) still want a traditional tiered cake. According to Ady Miriello, owner of Ady Cakes in West Reading: “A classic wedding cake will never be out of style.” But traditional certainly doesn’t equal boring. Couples can choose to personalize their cake with geometric tiers, add fondant or frosting (or nothing at all), or top it with florals, berries or fruit to achieve just the right aesthetic.
According to Miriello, many of today’s brides have been opting for a minimalistic look. “Trends have been leaning toward simpler designs. I used to do mostly fondant cakes with topsy-turvy designs, bright colors, and outrageous figurines. We still do fondant cakes, but the designs have gotten a lot slicker and simpler.”
Want a minimalistic cake but still looking for some personality? Try getting creative with your cake topper. Thanks to Etsy, toppers are now completely customizable with cute quotes, your new last name, or even a mini replica of your furry family members.
Photo by Nicole DuMond Photography
Modern
For the couple looking for tradition with a modern twist, the simple tiered cake can be morphed into an architectural achievement by incorporating geometric shapes, angled tiers and hints of color. Create the illusion the cake is floating by adding in non-cake layers, or mix and match tiers of different sizes and shapes for a precariously perched confection that defies gravity.
Sharon Thompson, owner of The Well Dressed Cake in West Reading, says the most unique cakes aren’t always planned. “What’s funny is that it’s usually the grooms that like the less traditional shapes. When the bride wants something more traditional and the groom wants more modern, that’s when we blend the two and get something really unique.”
Looking for an edge without with acrobatics? Achieve a modern look through texture and design. “Texture is still very strong,” Thompson explains. “Whether we just play with buttercream or create the look of a different material, it’s an edgy style we’re seeing for the more modern bride.” Textures like concrete, bark, industrial metals or even a cracked geode can help take the theme of an event to a whole new level.
Personalized
While classic will always be in style, more couples are opting for cake alternatives, and cupcakes are becoming a dessert table mainstay at today’s weddings. And let’s face it, the same ingredients baked into individual packaging can be so much tastier than a sheet cake. With cupcakes, couples also have the option to offer more flavor combinations, for a dessert menu that pleases everyone. Laurie Rochotte, owner of Sublime Cupcakes, explains that “couples often choose to mix and match flavors that match their wedding vibe. Mini cupcakes are also popular because they allow each guest to try a few different flavors.”
Colorful frostings and papers make these bite-sized treats perfectly customizable, and all the options of a tiered cake are still available – from classic fondant flowers to more modern touches like gold leaf or structural toppers. But cupcakes don’t require ornate decorations to stand out. “Couples are choosing to display cupcakes creatively using apple crates, vintage cake stands, or towers made of tree trunk slices,” Rochette says. And most importantly, she notes cupcakes are budget friendly. “They’re often more affordable than a tiered caked because there are no cutting or serving fees.”
Whimsical
When the creative use of crates just isn’t quite different enough, imaginative couples are crafting more interactive dessert displays for their guests. Doughnuts are another delightful, handheld treat that are almost as fun to display as they are to eat. From a classic tower to beautifully arranged platters, edible escort cards, and even centerpieces, doughnuts are a perfect dessert for allowing guests to choose their own delicious adventure.
For social-savvy couples, doughnut walls provide easy access and an insanely cool photo spot that can function as Instagram-worthy décor. And of course, they can also be personalized just like cupcakes to make them uniquely your own. Try mixing up your dessert display with other sweet or savory options like cookies or pretzels to give guests plenty of options.
Savory
Not fond of the sweet stuff? Skip the sugar altogether and go for a (literal) cheese cake. Non-cake cakes entered the wedding scene last year and are continuing to grow in popularity. Cheese is one of the most unique alternatives to the traditional wedding cake, but it can be the perfect pairing for a vineyard or farm wedding. These cakes are popular with foody couples and wine lovers and can be just as impressive as their sweeter counterparts.
Opting out of the traditional ingredients doesn’t mean you can’t incorporate the same styles. Stack wheels of your favorite cheese like the tiers of a cake and top them with florals or fresh fruit. Berries, herbs and greenery can add plenty of color, and nuts or dripping honey can be great additions. Selecting a softer cheese, like brie, for the top tier means couples can even use a traditional topper and cut the cake, too! Cheese wheel cakes can be a fun DIY project, but start your research early to make sure everything is ordered in time for the cheese to properly ripen for the big day.
Choosing Your Palette
There are sweet and savory wedding treats for every palate, but that’s not the only palette to consider. You’ve decided on a dessert and picked your favorite flavors. Now what do to about color? According to Miriello: “Color schemes these days seem more subdued — lots of white with an accent color or a touch of metallic. We also see a lot of simple, all-white buttercream cakes with fresh flowers or ‘rustic chic’ designs. I absolutely love these cakes because they seem timeless.”
Whether you are looking for traditional and romantic or modern and sleek, white works. Minimal cakes with just enough detail can be customized for every vibe. If flowers are your focus, you can add them to your cake without sending it over the top or opt for molded flowers and piped lacework for a more intricate design. For a little flair, try adding a bright statement tier, or pile on layers of buttercream for texture that pops.
If light and white is in, dark and romantic definitely isn’t out. Deep and lush color palettes are no longer reserved for winter weddings or extremely formal affairs. Today, more couples are trending toward darker statement tones, and black cakes are in the spotlight. Although it’s far from a traditional wedding color, black is surprisingly versatile. You can tone it down with fresh flowers or pastel details or amp up the glam factor with metallic or glitter accents.
If you don’t want to fully commit, try using dark tones as an accent color. Even small touches can make a bold statement and can amp up a simple tiered cake to just the right level of glamorous and sophisticated.
Ady Cakes
631 Penn Avenue, West Reading
610.898.4064
The Well Dressed Cake
713 Penn Avenue, West Reading
610.376.2253
Sublime Cupcakes
72 Commerce Dr., Wyomissing
610.898.4183
