Funny Wedding Cake Toppers

You've done it! You're married and it's time to let your hair down and for you, your family and friends to really enjoy your special moment at the reception. As your guests come into the reception room one of the first things that they will see will be your fabulous wedding cake and what better way can there be to kick things off than to have one of the numerous funny wedding cake toppers available to raise a laugh and get your guests talking.

For many years the traditional wedding cake has been a round three tiered white cake decorated with white or pastel colored flowers and often topped with a model representing the bride and groom, or perhaps with a pair of doves or horseshoes. But things are changing.

Nowadays it's perfectly acceptable to depart from the customary wedding cake and to choose just about anything you like, so let your imagination go and create the cake that you want – after all it is your special day.

If you fancy a chocolate cake then why not have a chocolate cake? Similarly if your real passion is a pecan cake then that's fine too. The only thing you really have to remember is that you will be serving your cake to your guests and so you will need to be keep it to something that everybody is going to like and need to aware of some of the more common dietary problems that we see today. A pecan cake, for example, might not be quite such a good idea bearing in mind the number of people who suffer from nut allergies these days!

How about a triangular cake, a square cake or even an octagonal cake? Wedding cakes nowadays do not have to be round and they don't have to have three tiers either so you can pick any shape that takes your fancy. You should remember though that the cake will be a focal point of the reception and you will almost certainly want to retain the tradition of cutting the cake in front of your guests, so giving the cake some height so that it can be seen easily from all corners of the reception room is a good idea.

And what about color? Here again you can let your imagination run riot and choose just about any color under the rainbow. Granted a black cake is probably not going to look too attractive, but stunning effects can be produced in a wide range of colors. I've even seen one magnificent cake in purple which is a color that I would never have thought of for a cake!

Whatever you choose by way of flavor, color and shape for your cake one central feature of the cake will be its decoration and, in particular, the decoration on the top of the cake on which all eyes will focus.

Nowadays a whole industry has grown up producing nothing but wedding cake toppers and they come in all shapes and sizes and range from cheap plastic models to quite exquisite works of art often created in crystal or using semi-precious and precious stones. Toppers can also be purchased, or made, to fit with any theme you can imagine and one great idea is to look at your own personality and lifestyle and then to depict yourselves in a hilarious pose. Funny wedding cake toppers will certainly get your guests talking and can easily be chosen to make your cake not simply a work of art but a very personal statement.

Wedding Cakes - Traditional or Trendy

You probably know that choosing your wedding cake is a pretty important decision. After all you want to make sure that it both tastes great and that it looks great sitting on your wedding reception table as well. While some brides may want a traditional style wedding cake, other brides tend to go with a cake that is trendy or even zany, depending on their personality. Today there are a great deal more wedding cake choices for you to choose from, so whether you are a trendy bride or one that loves tradition, you are sure to find a cake that will suite your needs and your personality.

Traditional Wedding Cakes

If you are a lover of tradition and you want a wedding cake that looks traditional, there are a variety of options. You can choose a traditional looking cake that has new flavors that will spice up the traditional cake. New flavors in cakes include carrot cake, amaretto, orange, and even spice cake. A cake can look traditional for your wedding reception, but you can give it a great twist with your choice of cake flavor and your icing choice as well. Combine cake flavors, fillings, and icings to have a cake that tastes wonderful while complimenting your traditional wedding ceremony.

Trendy Wedding Cakes

For the trendy bride who enjoys doing things a bit different than everyone else, there are a variety of great new trends in wedding cakes. If you are having a more informal wedding and you want a cake that will be more informal as well, you may want to consider having cupcakes that are stacked in tiers like a wedding cake. These are easy to serve and easy to eat and are becoming a new trend with many brides and grooms.

Choosing other types of cake rather than traditional cakes is very popular as well. Some brides are going with cakes covered in fruit, cheesecakes, or even ice cream cakes. This allows you to personalize your wedding cake to fit your specific personality and wedding. No doubt your trendy cake will get many compliments and raves from your guests as well.

Finally, whether you are having a traditional wedding ceremony and reception or trendy nuptials, there are great new wedding cakes that you can choose from. There is something for every bride and groom, from the traditional to the zany, and they all are beautiful and tasty.

Choose A Delicious Autumn Wedding Cake

While there are many important things to consider when planning a wedding, finding the perfect Autumn Wedding Cake is one of the most important parts of any wedding.

The wedding cake is of course the centerpiece of the wedding reception, and it is important that the cake you choose look as good as it tastes.

Review Photos Of The Baker Past Work

It is important, therefore, to use plenty of care and caution before deciding which baker you will hire to produce the perfect autumn wedding cake.

It is important, of course, that the baker produce a high quality cake, but it is just as important that the decoration of the cake be of the highest quality.

It is important therefore to look at several different examples of the person’s work, and to review a number of photographs of the autumn wedding cakes they have produced in the past.

Check The References

That part should be easy, since any quality producer of wedding cakes should be proud to show you examples of the wedding cakes they have produced for other weddings.

Those successful wedding photographers should also be happy to provide references from past customers. It is a good idea to follow up with those references to ensure that the baker you are considering is capable of producing the fine quality autumn wedding cake you expect.

Order Early To Ensure That Everything Is Complete In A Time Manner

After you have found the highest quality wedding cake maker in town it is important to review the various choices of flavors, fillings and decorations and to order that cake as early as possible.

Ordering early will help to ensure that the cake of your dreams will be ready in time for the big event, and it will also help ensure that you have your choice of flavors and fillings.

These days there are many choices when it comes to wedding cakes, including various flavors of icing, unique fillings and unusual flavors. It is important of course to carefully taste test each of these choices, but that should be the fun part of planning that great wedding.

How to Make Your Own Wedding Cake

Making your own wedding cake can be a great way to cut down on the overall budget of a wedding. It will take time and effort, but a well-intentioned aunt or cousin might love to take on the challenge for you.

Choosing the cake

Just like when you have a professional make your cake for you, enlisting some relative help also needs a plan. You can go to many books of weddings cakes for more intricate guidelines or just look at pictures in magazines. Try to find something simple, but also something that you think would be perfect for your wedding’s theme.

When you think that you’re found what you like, try to determine how many tiers it has and what decorations you want to add. With these things in mind, you can begin to plan out the building of your wedding cake.

Making plans

Looking at the picture of the cake that you’d like, try to break it down in your mind. Figure out the number of tiers it has (perhaps you need more or less) so that you can determine how many baking pans you will need. After that, you will want to see how many tubes of icing or jars of frosting you will need to complete the decorations. A lot of the time, you may find that ordering a traditional cake is the same expense.

If you’re determined to make your cake, the best suggestion is to make a trial one. Even if it’s just one layer, you want to try out your plan to see if the one that you have chosen can be recreated.

Bake a layer of the cake (any old cake mix will do, but you may want to go with the name brands for your wedding) and set it aside to cool. You want to make sure that the cake is completely cooled before putting any icing on it because warm cake will cause the icing to melt.

Apply the icing with a pastry spatula like you might apply spackle on a wall. Take your time to smooth out all the areas. Pretend like this is the real cake and see what it looks like. If you’re impressed (and of course, after you’re tasted it), then go ahead and get the ingredients to make an entire cake.

Your wedding cake will be best if you make it the day before so that everything has time to settle and no one has to rush around to bake on the day of. Set aside a special room or area so that it will remained untouched and out of the way. You may even want someone to transport it to its final location first thing in the morning to avoid any rushing about.

Fall Wedding Cake Recipe and Decoration Ideas

The grand decoration, the scrumptious wedding feast, designer bridal gown, gold printed invitation letters - you have planned for them all.

But aren’t you forgetting something crucial?

Yes! The wedding cake-the most delicious aspect of any wedding planning - adds extra zing to your wedding celebration and gives the invitees the sweet luxury to indulge in.

Here are a few ideas to make your fall wedding cake a hit with the guests with its unique fall feel and special fall taste.

When you are having a fall wedding, your wedding cake should also be based on a seasonal theme and rightly reflect the essence of the season both in taste and in its appearance.

While serving any type of cake in the fall wedding is at least grammatically correct-to keep with the true spirit of the season, serve your guests a delicious alternative to a traditional cake -a spiced cake or a spiced chocolate cake.

Here is the recipe for a spiced cake that you can get custom made by a renowned baker or someone reputed for baking skills.

In a spiced cake, the magic is done by your choice of spices - use 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger and1 teaspoon ground cinnamon for 2 cups all-purpose flour. Also use 1 cup of molasses.

Then there are the routine ingredients of traditional cakes such as sugar (1 cup), butter (I cup and softened), eggs (3), baking powder (2 tea spoons), and salt (1/2 tea spoon).

Follow the usual steps of cake making:

• Mix butter with sugar and beat them with electric mixer until they form a light and fluffy mixture.
• Add eggs, one by one into the mixture and keep on beating.
• Now blend in the molasses.
• Take a separate bowl and mix flour, salt, ginger, and cinnamon in it.
• Add this mixture to creamed batter, beating at low speed all the while.
• Don’t forget to add baking soda to the batter.
• Now grease a baking pan and pour the batter into it; bake at 350° for 45 minutes.

If you want to come out with an even more stunning fall wedding cake, try a spiced chocolate cake.

You can use the same ingredients and follow the same steps as the spiced cake; only you will need some additional ingredients such as 1 and ½ cups of sour milk and at least an ounce of semi sweet chocolate.

Before adding the baking soda in the batter, dissolve it into sour milk and grate the chocolates before adding them to the batter.

Bring the fall feel with right cake accessories

• Not the taste alone-the look and feel is also important to bring the seasonal touch. For that, use the decorating accessories only in the vibrant fall colors like flaming orange, golden, copper brown or burgundy.
• Create the replicated fall leaves and pinecones out of sugar.
• At the base of the cake, scatter pumpkin and squash pieces. Also sprinkle marzipan fruits and macadamia nuts for a more obvious fall flavor.

So now you have your spiced up, specially decorated fall wedding cake - share it with your friends and loved ones and take your share of the bites while hoping for a long, sweet, and spicy married life.

Unique Wedding Cake Toppers For A Unique Wedding Cake

While many couples today will choose a traditional wedding, often following in the footsteps of their parents and grandparents, a growing number of couples are electing to depart from tradition and frequently adopting less formal and more "fun" weddings.

Whichever route you choose however one thing that you are sure to want is at least something in your wedding that sets it apart and that will make it truly memorable for your guests. In many cases you'll find that this is not an easy thing to accomplish in terms of the civil or religious ceremony itself, but your wedding reception and, in particular your wedding cake, will provide the perfect vehicle.

Many couples are already moving away from the traditional white wedding cake and opting for cakes of various flavors, colors and shapes although, in most cases, cakes continue to be tiered to provide the height that is really essential if the cake is to command the centre of attention as far as the reception decorations are concerned. But why have just one cake?

How about individual miniature cakes which will not only impress your guests in terms of the imagination and work that went into making them, but will also make them feel that extra bit special at the thought that you had a cake specially made for them. This option has the added virtue of allowing you to offer a range of different flavors if you wish to provide for the variety of tastes amongst your guests and miniature cakes can still be arranged on stands into a tier to emulate the classical tiered wedding cake.

If you're feeling really bold, how about dispensing with cake altogether. We're all familiar with the elaborate displays that we see in the stores, especially around the holidays, with towers of chocolate chips cookies or gingerbread men and, while gingerbread men might not be quite appropriate, with a little imagination it's not too hard to think of a variety of sweet treats that would make a stunning display at your wedding.

And why stop there? Once you've created your spire of eye catching desserts why not mix in other sweets or even fruit and provide your guests with a variety of dipping bowls alongside the display so that they can coat their chosen sweet of piece of fruit in bitter dark, smooth milk or even white chocolate for that perfect after dinner treat.

These ideas in themselves can provide you with a memorable and quite unique "wedding cake" but, for that final touch how about a unique wedding cake topper?

Toppers come in all shapes and sized these days and are not only designed to crown your cake but also to give you the opportunity to make a very personal statement and to provide a talking point for your guests. There is a huge range of wedding cake toppers available today in just about every price range, from mass produced plastic toppers to exquisite and unique wedding cake toppers that can be hand crafted from a range of materials including crystal and semi-precious stones. What better way can there be to express your love for each other and to display that love to your assembled guests than by symbolizing that love in a unique wedding cake topper.

New Trends in Wedding Cakes

Gone are the days of plain-vanilla cakes with butter cream frosting and red roses. While there is

nothing wrong with a simple, more old fashioned cake, the trends are getting a bit more zany
with many new flavors, styles, and choices in wedding cakes. If you are a modern bride and
having a modern wedding, you may want to consider some of the new trends that are becoming
popular in wedding cakes. Let tradition go to the winds and pick a cake that suits you and your
groom, and the mood of your special day.

New Trend

One new trend that is happening for wedding cakes is leaving the traditional cake altogether and
choosing cupcakes instead. This allows you to have different kinds of cake and different kinds of
frosting and is much less messy than cutting the traditional cake. Many brides have also found
that cupcakes were much more budget friendly as well. If you still have a bit of kid left in you
and you are having a casual wedding, you may want to consider serving cupcakes at your
wedding.

Instead of the sweet and fattening icings, many brides are now turning to wedding cakes that
have toppings that are much healthier. Brides are beginning to favor cakes that are topped in
various fruits, depending on the season and the style of the wedding. A beach wedding may lead
to a cake topped with tropical fruits, or a spring wedding may lend itself to a cake topped with
luscious strawberries. Not only is fruit much healthier, but it is great tasting and a decoration all
its own on your cake.

Cheesecake with Toppings

Another new trend that is quickly picking up speed is having cheesecake instead of traditional
wedding cakes. While this choice can get a bit expensive, this is an elegant cake to serve at your
wedding. Cheesecake is great to serve at those evening weddings that are classy and elegant. If
you are having a wedding that requires black tie, but you are not wanting to settle for a regular
wedding cake, you may want to consider having cheesecake. There are many flavors and
toppings that you can choose, as well, when you decide on cheesecake, so be original.

If you want to stick with a more traditional wedding cake but you want it to look trendy and
chic, you may want to consider having a less traditional shape. Wedding cakes can be made in
different shapes including hearts, shaped like suitcases, stacked shapes, or even shaped to look
like presents. Having a different shape can give your wedding cake a unique look and help to
coordinate your cake with the theme of your wedding.

Remember that you want your wedding cake to be unique as you are and you want it to stand out.
There is no need to stick with tradition when it comes to wedding cakes. Throw tradition to the
wind and pick a cake that will make you happy and have guests raving for months.

Beach Bridal Scenes, Reception Decor & Wedding Cake Topper

Getting the best bang for the buck for your wedding can a tough act to follow. Look at the various expenses involved for planning the most important day in any one person's life and you'll understand. Wedding photographers are a plentiful bunch in today's market. Who to chose? Who has the best quality work? And who has the most referrals among happy satisfied newlyweds that make others want to commission their services? These are just a few questions couples must ask themselves before they spend the hard earned savings. One of the attributes I look for in a wedding photographer is their extensive utility of shooting unique yet formal shots that take the usual out of the unusual photo album. In addition, I would personally feel more satisfaction knowing that I have the most diversified spread of photos to reminisce of most important day of your life. To follow are some of the most unique shots you can commission your photographer to take:

1. Beach Bridal Scenes: Most weddings take place indoors at a church, convention hall, hotels, and homes that most folks don't realize that candid beach photography is a unique visual experience. If you're one of the fortunate few that live close to the beach or lake. Take a day to commission your photographer to take some photos at the beach or lake. The all white or black attire will meld together nicely with nature's ever changing backdrop. Therefore taking light and dark contrasts to the extreme and makes for a pleasant visual experience. Also, the different colors of nature lend a more natural look to your photos.

2. Reception Decor: Most of these shots come naturally with the other photos of the bride and groom that few ever take shots of just the decor. All venues are different, so pictures of the decorations that folks spend the most money on should be worthwhile subjects for your photographer. And lighting is so diverse that photographers can achieve stunning contrasts in everything that is shot. Again, utilizing your photographer's time and less of your money.

3. Wedding Cake Toppers: So many take pictures of just the whole cake or the bride stuffing a wedge into her hubby's face that few take photos of the cake topper. Again, the topper is a symbol used in many weddings to signify the unions of two people, therefore it would make a phenomenal shot. Keep in mind of how many of these toppers get saved, most end up trash or lost after years of moving. Why not keep it in memory with a professionally taken shot into a 4x6 or 8x10.

And so in the ever evolving trade of wedding photography, there are continuous amounts of new and inspiring shots. Recognizing and taking advantage of these unique landscapes can mean the difference in a diverse photo album or one that is like the rest. Explore and be attentive to your surroundings and you can also get your photographer to be more aware of these unique subjects.

Fall Wedding Cakes Be Made of Chocolate

Maybe it's the non-traditional wedding date. Perhaps it's the heady rush of the fall season, with colorful leaves and crisp breezes urging couples to make unusual wedding decisions. Whatever the cause, chocolate is becoming one of the most popular cakes for a fall wedding. (Yes, even the frosting can be chocolate!)

Traditionally, cakes at weddings are plain vanilla and white. But within the last couple of decades, modern brides have started to get their own ideas about how their Fall Wedding Cakes should or should not be made. Over time, chocolate cakes have become more acceptable for weddings, and today, they are a hugely popular alternative (probably because so many people LOVE chocolate cake). Modern fall brides are starting to abandon traditional white wedding cakes in favor of a more delicious, decadent treat for their guests.

Brides-to-be who decide to have a chocolate wedding cake at their wedding will discover a host of new options, like using chocolate truffles as an embellishment on the cake, and various unusual frosting flavors. Imagine dark chocolate fall wedding cakes with key lime frosting on the inside and a hard chocolate shell covering on the outside! Yum, everyone would remember that cake for a very long time.

(We keep saying "cakes" because many people these days will have a miniature cake to keep for themselves, for their anniversary. Some brides even have a small "table cake" for each table.)

Any professional cake baker should be able to create almost any kind of fall wedding cakes you can imagine. Don't be afraid to ask what is possible! Your day is very special, so make it uniquely you.

Look at Maui Wedding Cakes

Since Maui and Hawaii in general have been blessed with the most wonderful fruits and flowers, the best cakes on the island tend to take advantage of them. There are companies on the islands that have been creating designs and recipes for wedding cakes for over 50 years. Many have received worldwide acclaim. Several, in fact, have created wedding cakes for the rich and famous for weddings not even held in Hawaii.

The cakes are produced to order and then flown to their final destination to be enjoyed at the wedding reception as if it were happening right on Maui. In addition to the fabulous fruits and flowers available, there is an abundance of dairy products from some of the happiest, healthiest herds of cattle anywhere in the world. These natural items, unequaled in quality anywhere else in the world, combined with the talents of Hawaiian cake makers, are responsible for some of the best Maui wedding cakes ever.

There are creations available from Maui wedding-cake producers that simply can’t be reproduced anywhere else. Sweet pineapple butter cream fillings, decorated with some of the most beautiful flowers are a mainstay of the better cake makers. Frostings made from freshly picked sugar cane, grown a few miles from the bakery, can’t be duplicated using packaged products from your local supermarket – even if they originated from Hawaii.

For the adventurous, there are flavors and fillings available made from eclectic combinations of fruits and flowers that are as unique and wonderful as any found on the planet. No matter what you desire for your Maui wedding cakes, you can rest assured that it will be of the highest quality, made from ingredients that were still growing a few hours before they reached the oven and that there is no other place on earth that such a wonderful creation could have been produced.

About the Wedding Cake Box

This might sound like such a simple thing, but the wedding cake box is more complex than you could ever imagine. Wedding cakes come in so many different shapes and sizes that the cake box becomes more important than anybody would think. The cake has to be stored, transported, presented, and even cut before it is distributed. There are even cake slice favor boxes that you can use to give your wedding party a personalized favor. If you intend to freeze some of the cake for your memories then you will be considering a keepsake wedding cake box so that you will still have a great fresh taste for your first anniversary snack. This is why the wedding cake box is such a serious issue.

Different type Of cake Boxes

If you want to add special touches for all your wedding guests and for the wedding party as well, then you need the right cake boxes. Picking the perfect cake is step one, but don't forget about picking the perfect cake box as well. Before you go out and make a decision on a box you need to know what is available.

Traditional decorative cake boxes - This type of box is the perfect box for storage and transportation of your cake. The last thing you want to happen is to find out that on the day of your wedding something horrible has happened to your cake. These boxes are made specifically for the cake that you choose and will protect the cake while it is stored and while it is transported from one place to another.

Memories box - This is also known as a top freeze storage box and it is perfect for the preservation of your first anniversary cake. These are specially made boxes that are used to preserve the freshness and taste of your wedding cake while it is frozen. You will not have to worry about freezer burn with these boxes.

Personalized cake boxes - If you are looking for a great way to say thank you to your guests and your wedding party, then you need these personalized boxes. These are boxes that are used for your guests and wedding party to take a slice of cake with them and you can have it personalized for each guest or member of your wedding party.

So now you know that choosing a wedding cake box is very important and there are different types of boxes for different reasons. You need to make sure you are getting what you want and that you get the correct boxes for all the different reasons that you might need wedding cake boxes for.

Wedding Cake Flavors For Every Taste

A great deal of thought goes into deciding how a wedding cake should look. Brides agonize over the shape, color, and even height of their wedding cakes. However, many brides almost overlook one of the most memorable parts of the wedding cake: its flavor. Wedding cakes come in almost as many flavors as there are designs, so, before defaulting to a plain white cake, brides should check out the many different varieties that are available.

Brides who prefer the look of white cakes needn't settle for an average taste. There are several white cakes with a very special flavor. Almond-flavored or French vanilla-flavored cakes carry just a hint of almond; white chocolate cakes include small chunks of chocolate flavoring. White doesn't have to be bland.

Some brides forego the white cakes altogether and decide to add a little more color to their wedding cakes. Popular, but light-colored, flavors are very plentiful. Strawberry and lemon flavors are fun wedding cake options. However, some brides get fruity with orange or banana flavors. Brides who opt for fun-flavored cakes must make special efforts, though, to ensure that their cake choice doesn't clash with their cake's icing.

Rich, deep flavors are also popular choices for wedding cakes. Traditional chocolate cake is one of the most prevalent, non-white, flavor for wedding cakes. However, there are many other dark-colored choices available. Red velvet cake, Kahlua, and even Mexican chocolate would each be a memorable flavor in a wedding cake.

There is always room for more than one flavor in a wedding cake. Some brides have opted to include multiple flavors in their cakes to ensure that every guest will be able to find something they will enjoy. While one layer of cake may be strawberry-flavored, another flavor might be vanilla-flavored. Or, for a mixture of flavor in each bite, brides can order a marbled-style cake. Two or more flavors are swirled together to create a unique experience in each bite.

Changing the type of cake isn't the only way to add flavor to a wedding cake. Some wedding cake professionals add fillings to their wedding cakes. Fruit-flavored fillings, rich cream fillings, and even liqueur-based fillings all add another level of flavor to many wedding cakes.

For a truly unique take on wedding cakes, some brides are turning to non-traditional cake options like fruitcakes or carrot cakes. Covered in a thick layer of icing, these distinctive cakes have all of the style of a traditional wedding cake; however, their flavor is truly decadent. Tiramisu, a rich Italian dessert, is also a luxurious choice for wedding cake. Even cheesecakes are also growing in popularity as wedding cakes.

The important thing for brides to keep in mind when ordering their wedding cakes is to spend a little time deliberating over the flavor of their cakes. While guests will appreciate a cake that looks lovely, they will always prefer a cake that tastes nicely, as well. Then, brides can rest assured that their cake will remain stunning, not only in photos, but also in their guests' memories.

How To Choose the Perfect Wedding Cake

With that in mind there is enormous pressure on the couple to have the perfect cake. No one will remember anything about the food served at the reception after five years, but chances are if the cake was not picture perfect or it did not taste fantastic, it will still be talked about at your twenty fifth wedding celebration!

Factors to Consider

Taste

The taste of your wedding cake is to a certain extent a matter of personal choice, in the sense you may take into account the groom loves chocolate and the bride is allergic to strawberries. It is not rocket science to come to the conclusion that a strawberry topped cake is not the best choice. However other practicalities must enter the equation.

Weather and time is an important factor. How long before the wedding will be the cake be completed, strawberries go soft and mushy looking very quickly, they will look pretty bedraggled after about three hours depending on the weather and the humidity. Humidity affects the choice of icing, glaze or frosting. Whipped cream does not hold up well in hot weather it goes rancid very quickly.

The European wedding cake made with fruit is typically decorated with Royal Icing, but the more typical American wedding cake will use a type of butter-cream. Fortunately as prevailing weather conditions are different there are many types of butter cream icing. If you are planning to marry in the height of Summer a recipe using all butter is not a good choice, the properties of all butter, butter cream icing is no different from that of butter, it melts when it is warm. However if you have your heart set on butter cream icing then make sure that you have a recipe where the sugar is cooked to the soft ball stage.
Italian butter cream is someti8mes referred to as meringue butter cream, as it is more stable in hot conditions. Egg whites are whipped to peaks and then combined with hot sugar syrup; once this has cooled butter is added withy any desired flavourings. This example of a type of butter cream is softer and lighter than the regular butter cream and is used in Europe for genoise sponges.

Design

Choosing a wedding cake should be fun; it is a perfect opportunity to make a statement, it is your party and you can have what you want. However there are once again practical constraints. In Europe a layer of the wedding cake is traditionally held back for the christening. If you like this idea then you have to choose at least one layer of your cake to be a fruitcake, as it preserves well, drenched in brandy.

Theme

If you have a theme, talk to a baker, there are many props that can change the basic design of a cake. Use your imagination flavourings can add color as well as flavor, avocado icing or filling is a wonderful delicate color. A well-designed cake will enhance your theme and bring the whole concept of the design together as the celebrations culminate with the cake.

Don’t be Boring

The typical American sponge is not your only option, before making a final choice; think out of the box, if only to dream! Consider cupcakes building them to a pyramid, or the traditional French wedding cake the croquembouche, an iconic creation of choux pastry bound by carmellized spun sugar, and violets. Make the cake worrk for you, if you have a lot of children coming to the wedding it may be worth having two cakes as adult and children’s tastes are markedly different. The tradional Italian wedding cake, celebrates all tastes as ti is layers of biscuits or cookies inerwoven together.

Freezing Your Wedding Cake

If you need to freeze a wedding cake it is an excellent idea to make a dummy layer, before hand, it should be decorated exactly as your wedding cake will be. If it freezes successfully then you have no problems, but if it does not then you can make design adjustments. It is not necessary to have baked and iced more than one layer, because what happens to one layer will happen to the rest.

Top 10 Wedding Cake Cutting Songs & Ideas

Your wedding reception is almost over, and the fun and lightheartedness of the day has finally kicked in - it's time for the cake! One of the least stressful moments of your wedding has begun and to celebrate it, cut your cake with a light, fun song! Traditionally, many brides have used "The Bride Cuts the Cake" (to the tune of The Farmer in the Dell), but many modern brides are selecting more contemporary cake cutting songs.

Whether you choose something traditional such as "Happy Together" by the Turtles or something a bit edgier with a rock sound such as "Pour Some Sugar on Me" by Def Leppard, the song you select for your cake cutting ceremony should be reflective of both of your personalities. This is the one moment of your wedding where you do not have to be very traditional, you can be as funky and different as you want to be. When you are cutting the cake you certainly want people to remember the moment for as long as you will and playing the right music will definitely help to make that happen.

Since most songs are several minutes in length, the cake cutting ceremony may be shorter than the song itself. You will want to consult with your band or DJ and let them know exactly how to play the song. Most songs can be cut in length or have only a chorus or two played.

If you are stuck for ideas for songs for your cake cutting ceremony, here is a Top 10 List of Cake Cutting music compiled by DJ Robert Fayder, Owner of Party Perfect NYC.

1. Wanna Grow Old With You - Adam Sandler
2. When I'm 64 - The Beatles
3. Ice Cream - Sarah McGlocklain
4. Sugar Sugar - The Archies
5. Love and Marriage - Frank Sinatra
6. Build Me Up Buttercup - The Foundations
7. Going To The Chapel - The Shirells
8. How Sweet It Is - James Taylor
9. How Deep Is Your Love - Bee Gees
10. You Make Me So Very Happy - Blood Sweat and Tears

Designer Wedding Cakes

A beautiful wedding cake is an essential and traditional part of any wedding ceremony and Designer Wedding Cakes are an extravagant but fantastic way of celebrating the style and theme of your big day.

Wedding cakes can be individually crafted to suit even the most outlandish ideas with just about any ingredient preferred by the bride and groom. If you have absolutely no idea of what type of cake to have but want it to be special and the centrepiece of the wedding reception table you will need to enlist the help of a professional cake makers who specialise in designer wedding cakes. They will be able to give you expert advice and help you make up your mind as to what type of wedding cakes would suit you.

You can let your imagination run wild when thinking of ideas for your cake and there is no need whatsoever to stick to traditional three tiered fruitcakes. Companies that make designer wedding cakes will create a cake just how you tell them too whether it is intricate and elegant sugar flowers or themed novelty figures of the happy couple.

You can also opt for tiered arrangement of fairy cakes which will make sharing them amongst your guests a lot easier although this may mean you will not be able to cut the cake in the traditional way unless you still include one of the tiers as a solid sponge cake. Fairy wedding cakes would not really be classed as designer wedding cakes and would probably suit a less formal wedding.

Most wedding cake designers will be happy to give you a full consultation and provide you with a free sampling to help you make up your mind. Before you go ahead and place an order check out various wedding and bridal magazines and go online in order to get quotes from various places and ideas for designer wedding cakes. This will ensure you also are getting the best deal for your money.

The best way to decide is based on recommendations so ask around your family and friends as they may be able to recommend the best cake designers to you.

Designer wedding cakes do not come cheap and you should always consider the cost when shopping around and more importantly who will be footing the bill. Traditionally it is the bride's parents who pay for the wedding but these days this is far less an expected occurrence. If your parents are indeed paying for the cost of the cake and it is your intention to shop for designer wedding cakes then it is only fair that you include them in considering which cake to buy an offer to pay yourself for any excess expense as designer wedding cakes can easily cost hundreds of dollars.

Perfect Baker For Your Beach Wedding Cake

To have that perfect cake for your beach wedding, you're going to need to find that perfect baker. That perfect baker is going to be the one who can create the most gorgeous and tasty cake that you can afford.

Time is always of the essence, because really good bakers are always very busy. So, don't delay.

Now is not too soon to start looking. Bakers think it reasonable to have conversations with you six to twelve months before the beach wedding. If you plan this far ahead, chances are you'll be able to obtain a lower price than if you delay. Indeed, you may face a "late" fee if you finalize your order only a month or two before The Big Day.

I've found that brides are more satisfied with their wedding cakes when they have taken the opportunity to check out three or four bakers during the early planning for the wedding.

They'll find that some bakers can't be relied on to produce anything more elaborate than a very basic style, but others are legendary for their extravagant artistry.

At the same time, they will have an opportunity to taste samples that the baker will prepare just for them and rate the cakes on taste, texture, moistness as well as beauty. And price.

It is a great time saver for busy brides if they can obtain before the face-to-face visit the names and telephone numbers from the baker of couples whose wedding cake the shop produced. In that way, bakers who disappointed previous couples can be placed much farther down the list of candidates, or dropped altogether.

Here are some of the important questions to consider when you interview bakers:

• Are you impressed with their cake designs?
• How do the samples taste?
• What do other couples say when you ask them for references for the baker?
• Can the baker's work fit into your budget and theme?
• Is the baker's schedule open for the date you need your cake so that it can be prepared and delivered on time?
• If the baker's first price estimate is too far out of reach, what can the baker suggest that would lower the cost to you?

Even though you are probably thinking that you are arranging for the purchase of a cake, the baker is thinking in terms of the number of servings you will need, and pricing accordingly. In today's world, it will be difficult to find a baker who would be able to prepare and decorate a basic wedding cake for much less than $1.50 per serving. A cake with several tiers but relatively simple decorations will run closer to $5.00 per guest. Fancy cakes with fondant icing, a gourmet filing, and loads of details may cost $15.00 per serving-or more.

All is not lost if even the most basic beach wedding cake seems out of reach. After all, following these suggestions can cut that cost to the bone:

· Grocery store bakeries can make and decorate sheet cakes at the most attractive prices around. You can keep the sheet cake in the kitchen and have a small "show" cake for public view. Or you could even "borrow" a beautifully decorated Styrofoam cake from an agency such as Rent-A-Cake.com that has a secret compartment for you to place a slice of angel food cake to grab at the right moment to feed your groom.
· Cake toppers provide a wonderful finishing touch, but they are generally inedible and end up for a short time after the wedding in someone's curio cabinet. If funds are really tight, consider asking a relative or friend to purchase your wedding cake topper as your wedding gift.
· Fresh flowers, ideally edible ones, make a splendid low-cost alternative to hand made flowers that bakers make from icings or marzipan.
· Be alert to the possibility that you may be asked to pay a cutting fee at your reception site. That fee can run to $1.50 per guest or more. Abandoning a cake that must be sliced and served to your guests in favor of a buffet table with assorted decorated cupcakes and mini tarts, cheesecakes, éclairs, brownies and so forth can make that service fee go "poof".
· As a last resort, some brides will ask a friend or relative to prepare their wedding cake in lieu of some other gift. Keep in mind, however, that this could be a very costly proposition for the gifting baker, especially if the cake must accommodate many guests. And most important of all, it is critical that the reception site be consulted to ensure that they will permit the serving of a cake prepared by someone who doesn't necessarily have a food license.

Stacked Wedding Cake Construction

That day you've secretly feared since you started decorating cakes is quickly approaching. You've been asked to make a wedding cake - a five tiered, stacked wedding cake! And it's for your sister's wedding!

As you go over designs with your sister by day, you dream about the cake at night. The cake in your dreams is taller than any cake you've even seen. As bride and groom pose for the cake cutting ceremony pictures, you look on as each tier slowly sinks into the one beneath it, and just as your sister and her new husband smile and begin to slice their first piece of cake, the force of gravity and the domino effect take hold and the cake implodes.

All four top tiers sink into the bottom tier, turning a once majestic beauty into a giant pile of fondant covered cake rubble! (And then you wake up, covered in sweat, only to realize that this dream could actually become reality.)

But wait! This nightmare does not have to become reality. And no, you won't have to add therapist bills to your cake budget to get through your big project. These sorts of nightmares are normal for first time wedding cake makers. Beyond a healthy amount of butterflies, you have absolutely nothing to fear if you follow these tips.

Stacked Wedding Cake Construction 101

Unlike wedding cakes with tiers that are separated by plates and pillars, the tiers on a stacked wedding cake appear to rest directly on top of one another. This is just an illusion since the cakes actually rest on a system of hidden pillars and plates. To stack a multi-tiered cake without plates and pillars is a very risky proposition with the weight of each cake.

Stacked cakes of more than 4 layers need some sort of support in the form of plates, spikes and/or dowels to keep the upper layers from sinking into the lower layers.

So whether your wedding cake will be stacked Victorian style (graduating round tiers) or à la chic with fondant covered gift-box style tiers, here are the basics:

To create a perfectly constructed tower rather than an experiment on the effects of gravity on cake and icing, you can either use a purchased set of cake plates and spikes, or you can build your own system using cardboard cake plates and dowels.

To build your own system, pick up some 1/4-3/8-inch round cake dowels (or other food safe wooden dowels) and a hammer (yes, even if you flunked high school Woodshop) and follow these tips:

1. Plan the dowels' placement by centering a cake plate the size of the next cake to be placed on top of the bottom cake, and then marking the spot by pressing down gently on the plate.

2. Within the boundaries of these markings, insert four evenly spaced dowels. Insert the first dowel straight down through to the bottom of the cake and mark the dowel even with the top of the cake. Pull out the dowel and, using wire cutters, cut off at the mark. Cut three more the same height. Then push the dowels straight down into the cake in the places you marked so that they form a square inside the circle. (Be sure the dowels are perfectly even with the top of the cake for the best support.)

3. Place your next smaller tier on a round cake board of the same size, and then place it on top of the bottom tier. The dowels will prevent the top tier from sinking into the bottom tier.

4. Measure the next set of dowels from the bottom of the bottom cake to the top of the top cake. Cut the dowel at an angle to taper the end and cut it so that it is just slightly shorter than the height of the two bottom cakes. Insert the dowels tapered end first straight down through the cake. When the dowel stops at the first cake board, give it a firm tap with the hammer to break through the board down to the bottom of the cake. To prevent the hammer from landing in the icing, place another small section of dowel end to end with the measured dowel to hammer it into position.

5. Finally, ice over the little blemish to hide the tip of the dowel, and your tower construction is finished! You can rest easy knowing that your wedding cake is stable enough to withstand the forces of gravity. No more nightmares!

Things to Ask Your Baker About Your Wedding Cake

Your wedding cake can be ordered from a baker, a caterer, or even your reception location. When ordering your wedding cake some things you should consider are: the price, the workmanship, the quality (of both flavor and design) and the taste. Some reception locations will charge you a fee if you order your cake from an outside baker. This fee is known as a cake-cutting fee. However, ordering from a baker who specializes in wedding cakes will ensure you are getting exactly what you want for your wedding cake.

You will also have to decide on other options such as: size, shape, color, decorations, flavor, filling and frosting. An experienced baker who specializes in wedding cakes will advise you how much cake you will need, what flavors are popular, and which frostings will hold up over the course of your reception. Frostings are very delicate - some do not perform well when exposed to air or heat for long periods of time (whipped cream is an example of this). Ask for photographs of wedding cakes from each baker you are considering, and also ask if you can taste samples of their cakes.

Once you narrow down your choices for a baker here are some questions to ask before making a final decision:

Name and Address of Bakery:

Contact Person and Phone Number:

1. How many years have you been designing and making wedding cakes?
2. What are your specialties?
3. What is your most popular flavor?
4. What is your most popular filling?
5. What frosting would you recommend for our event?
6. Do you have photographs of some recent cakes you have made?
7. Can we sample your wedding cakes?
8. Do you freeze your wedding cakes?
9. How far in advance should I order my cake?
10. (If applicable) Can I order a groom's cake?
11. How much is my desired cake?
12. How much per piece does my desired cake cost?
13. What is your cake pillar fee?
14. What is your cake plate rental fee?
15. Are these fees refundable upon the return of these items?
16. When must these items be returned?
17. Do you offer a specialty box in which we can freeze the top tier?
18. If so, How much does this box cost?
19. When will you deliver the cake?
20. What is your delivery fee?
21. What is your set up fee?
22. What is your payment policy?
23. What is your cancellation policy?
24. Do you offer a money back guarantee if something should happen to the cake?
25. Do you have liability insurance?

Wedding Cake Toppers

Avoid buying one of those cheap plastic bride and grooms that you can find in discount department stores, and some bakeries. Your topper should be as special as your cake, and reflect your dreams and taste, not those of the baker.

Use your imagination, there are some really humorous cake toppers available, that you might enjoy. However you may want to think about whether or not it might offend some of the guests on both sides of the family, like grandparents and other older relatives.

There are military, and police cake toppers as well as cartoon characters, teddy bears, animals, sports themed toppers to name just a few, as well as the traditional bride and groom.

Maybe you would like a wedding cake topper to reflect interests that you and the groom share. Do you both love music, dancing, hockey or bowling? You can likely find a topper to recognize that. Did you know, that there are Harley Davidson cake toppers available?

Of course you can get doves, bells, gazebos and hearts to adorn your wedding cake.

Any of these paired with the bride and groom figurine would look wonderful.

Fresh, silk, marzipan or frosting flowers can make a spectacular wedding cake topper, that will have everyone talking about the beautiful cake.

Maybe your Mom and Dad still have their wedding cake topper or perhaps your mother-in-law has her mother’ topper. What a special significance either of these toppers would have, if used on your wedding cake.

It is possible to have a cake topper designed to your specific wishes. Marzipan artists can make figurines to resemble the bride and groom, or even a favorite pet. Churches, temples, your home or the car you just bought together, can all be created as a cake topper for your wedding cake. Swarovski Crystal will be offering some truly different but exquisite crystal cake toppers. I can't wait to see those.

If your wedding will have an overtly religious theme, then please choose your cake topper design, with that theme in mind.

Guide to Wedding Cake Frosting

Next to the bridal gown, the wedding cake is perhaps the most detail intensive element of planning your event. It will take days if not weeks before the future bride can choose the exact design and color of her cake. On top of this, it may take her forever to decide the cake frosting to be used by her baker.

This is the reason why you need to get a reputable baker so they can make intelligent suggestions as to which frosting would be best for the chosen cake design. You may know a thing or two about cakes but only those who have experienced in decorating them can tell you the pros and cons of using a specific frosting. Here are some of the types of cake frosting commonly used today.

Butter cream

Butter cream is a very versatile ingredient because it can be used both as a filling and a frosting. Bakers prefer this frosting because it is easy to color depending on the motif of the wedding. It is also easy to come up with various designs using this frosting. The only problem is that it can easily melt especially if the temperature is not controlled so watch out for butter cream if you are holding an outdoor reception.

Fondant

If you have seen satin smooth cakes that look perfect even if shaped like a gift, flower or anything at all then most probably it has been designed using fondant. Fondant icing is picture perfect and no one can argue with that. However, it does not taste as delicious as the other icing and some would even say it tastes bad. Some bakers however have a trick of using butter cream beneath the fondant to give it a really nice flavor.

Marzipan

This is a favorite among bakers as it tastes good and can be made to look like fondant icing. Marzipan contains sugar, eggs and crushed almonds making it a very tasty topping. However, using marzipan can be very expensive so be prepared for your wallet to take a hit.

Royal icing

This is perhaps the cheapest frosting anyone can use for a wedding cake. It can also produce picture perfect cakes with very intricate designs. Royal icing is actually a very hard frosting so there is seldom need to refrigerate it. You can have your baker create miniature cakes for you using some of the frosting you are interested in and then you can taste them and decide which one will look and taste the best.

Summer Wedding Ideas

Summer weddings are always more preferred because of the versatility in wedding themes and ideas during this time of the year. With the abundance of nature blooming in the surrounding area, a pleasant summer wedding is easier to put together. Not to mention, the beautiful warm outdoor weather is always conducive to a celebration and outdoor ceremonies.

The most popular theme for a summer wedding is a beach themed wedding. For a beach themed wedding choose a public or private beach for your wedding. Set the beach wedding theme from the very beginning. Let the beach wedding theme reflect on your invitations and stationary by adding sea side elements and decorations to them. You will save on the wedding decorations for a beach themed wedding as the beach itself will set the scene. Add subtle touches to your tables and centerpieces with seashells.

For your menu, definitely seafood in your menu and there are some fabulous wedding cake designs with a beach theme. Select a cake topper that reflects seaside elements to tie it all together. To top it all off make sure to give out wedding favors with a beach theme such as a sea shell gel candle. The most fun part of a beach wedding affair is picking out wedding favors. There is an abundance of beach wedding favors to select from. For a formal beach wedding give sand and seashell tea lights and use personalized Adirondack chair tea light and place card holders to guide your guests to their table at your beach wedding reception.

If you are having a casual affair, give out seashell bottle openers or seashell gel candle favors. Another great part about beach weddings is that you can incorporate the beach theme into the bridal shower or bachelor party as a precursor to the beach wedding. Fun beach bridal shower favors are perfect pair flip flop candles or for a more elegant favor give French lavender bath salts in a seashell. For the guys, tropical shirt candle favors are great. One of the best beach wedding favor is for the bride and groom to take on their honeymoon, Just Married Sandals. Just Married Sandals are also great for the guests at a casual wedding on the beach. Most popular beach wedding favors can found at Chic Wedding Favors.com.

A beach wedding or a nautical wedding theme can be a lot of fun. It's easy to be whimsical and more relaxed with a beach wedding. However, if you want to go all out, a formal beach themed wedding can be a gorgeous affair. Beach wedding ideas are available in abundance. Whether you are getting married during winter or summer, you can incorporate the beach theme into your wedding to create a beautiful wedding affair. Make your beach wedding fun or elegant with creativity.

If you are not crazy about the beach or the ocean is just too far away, a mid-summer wedding theme is beautiful. A mid-summer wedding theme should be magical. For this theme combining nature and old-world charm, choose an outdoor venue and have the ceremony under a flower-covered altar. Choose mid-summer motifs such as butterflies, vines or even fairies for your stationery. Use the brightest summer blooms for flowers, decorations and bouquets. Brides can use fresh flowers in their hair instead of other accessories. A Summer Wedding Cake using fresh flowers or fruits, a light menu with lots of fresh fruits and cool drinks or ice-cream will complement the theme perfectly.

In a beautiful garden in the summer afternoon, the most elegant wedding favor idea is intricately carved sandalwood fans. More recently, the sandalwood fan wedding favor has become very popular for Spring Weddings, Garden Weddings, Summer Weddings, Outdoor Weddings, Beach Weddings, and other weddings with themes. The Sandalwood Fan Wedding Favor is a great idea for large weddings, as it is a fairly inexpensive wedding favor. If the favor can not be handed to all your guests, then your bride's maids would look beautiful holding them also. The Sandalwood Fan also makes a nice bridal shower favor and is appreciated by the ladies at a bridal shower any time of the year. Sandalwood Fan Wedding Favors have become increasingly popular with both large and small weddings. Its beauty enhances the most formal and elegant weddings as well as simple lighthearted wedding affairs. The Sandalwood Fan Wedding Favors are easy to turn into your special and personalized wedding favors.

Whether your style is formal or stylish and informal, a summer wedding can accommodate an abundance of ideas and themes. Wedding favor and accessories markets make it easy to find ideas and embellishments for your special occasion. Designers and wedding planners like Event Trendsetter can help put it all together for you. The summer is a great time to plan a wedding. Let your imagination run wild with the summer breeze!

Tips for Beautiful but Cheap Wedding Cakes

A multi-tiered wedding cake beautifully decorated is an important part of any bride’s dream wedding, but the price tag can give you nightmares. Use these tips to take a bite out of the bill. Your cheap wedding cake will still look and taste fabulous.

If your heart is set on a three tiered cake that feeds 100, order it with plain white frosting, no decorations, and then decorate at the reception with fresh flowers. Or you can wrap a length of lace around each layer, like you would a ribbon. Of course remove the lace before cutting. Your wedding cake will be cheap but gorgeous.

Stick with basic flavors and fillings, exotic flavorings add to the cost of the cake.

Rather than one huge multi-tiered cake, use a modest tiered cake and then several (as many as you need for your guests) sheet cakes. Serving will go faster this way as well. No one will know your wedding cake was cheap.

Order from a grocery store rather than a bakery. Many grocers have onsite bakeries, just like they have onsite florist departments.

Don’t order a wedding cake at all. Order a sheet cake with white frosting to serve guests and a smaller two tiered cake to cut for photos.

Depending on how many servings you need, order a full sheet cake (100 servings), a half sheet cake (50 servings) and a quarter sheet cake (25 servings), all iced in white. Place the half sheet on the full sheet cake and then the quarter sheet on top. Use ready-to-use frosting that comes in a can with a nozzle to touch up any mistakes and fill in the gap between the layers. You don’t have to remove the cardboard between the layers, it will help steady the cake when it’s time to cut. Don’t go any higher than three layers, if you do you run the risk of the bottom layer being squashed by the weight of the upper layers.

Use cupcakes. Order as many as you need in white paper wrapping, and white frosting. Use a tiered serving dish to arrange the cupcakes. Or you can buy two or three inexpensive white plastic serving platters. Line the platters with white paper lace doilies. Place the first platter on the table. Place three inverted wine glasses at noon, 4 o’clock and 8 o’clock on the platter. Fill in around the glasses with cupcakes. Place the second platter on the overturned wine glasses. In the center of the second platter, place three more inverted wine glasses. Fill the second platter with cupcakes. Place the final platter on the overturned wine glasses and fill with cupcakes.

Use a two tiered cake for the bride and groom to cut at the reception. Order a sheet cake for however many guests will be attending. On a separate table offer guests various toppings for their slice of cake. You can offer fresh strawberries, chocolate syrup, raspberries, sprinkles and whipped cream. Consider offering several flavors of ice cream. It’s fun and festive.

Have a friend, or several friends bake the cake using various sizes of heart shaped pans. Each can be iced in shades of pale pink, pale lilac, cream, and white. The cakes are placed on a table covered with a lace cloth. Rose petals in pinks, cream, and lilac – or whatever colors suit your color scheme are scattered between the cakes.

None of your guests will realize how cheap your wedding cake is, they'll just be impressed by how beautiful it was.

Your Wedding Ceremony With Your Perfect Wedding Cake

Cutting your cake has always been understood as something that you do during the wedding reception. Over time, the meaning has disappeared, and cake cutting has become simply one more wedding activity on the "must accomplish" check-off list.

These days most brides and grooms are being circumspect and trading small bite size pieces of cake with one another. Hallelujah! The horrendous smear cake all over your beloved's face is a throw back to a time when women were chattel and this was seen as the last act she could take as a free woman. (women whose dowers had been paid, but the deal not yet consummated, so to speak, were considered women responsible for themselves.) So consider that before you consider wiping cake all over your partner's face. You might also consider how carefully your beloved dressed to look wonderful for you on this momentous occasion and decide whether you want to be that disrespectful to the person with whom you're embarking on a lifetime of relationship. What kind of start do you want to your marriage?

The notion behind the wedding cake is that the first food you feed one another at your wedding should be sweet. The food should be sweet so that the promises which come out of your mouths may be sweet. This ceremony should be reflected in your vows: Why not promise to share life's sweetness with one another?

• Do the ceremony before your vows and then promise to nurture one another with sweetness.
• You may not want to cut your wedding cake at the ceremony (particularly if the reception is at a different venue) but ask your baker to make a small cake (as small as a cupcake) for you to share at your wedding.
• Acknowledge that marriage and the individuals who are in the marriage need sustenance.
• Consider preceding the cake ceremony with bread and wine (or whatever the grain and drink of your culture is). Before we eat cake we must eat that which nourishes us.
• Nurture one another with just a little sweetness.
• Promise to do that throughout your life together.

Then do it throughout your life together. Take time to do small, sweet things for one another. Sweet kisses, sweet foods, sweet time together. Do this and your marriage will flourish. And you will thrive!

Wedding Cake Unique With Monogram Cake Toppers

Weddings are all about the couple. It's not just the bride's but the groom's special day as well. Months of preparation and seemingly frivolous shopping for fabrics, venues, accessories and decorations to use in a ceremony that lasts only a few hours at the most is intended to serve a greater purpose - to build a remarkable and wonderful set of memories for this happy occasion.

That's what makes monogram cake toppers such a hit in wedding receptions. A delicate piece of monogram signifying something significant to the couple adds a stylishly unique touch to the wedding banquet; it's also becoming a favorite collectible of couples from their wedding day. And no, it's not only for sentimental reasons. A monogram cake topper is a fantastic item to keep, along with your wedding gown.

Style Choices

There are three elements to a monogram cake topper a couple must decide on to ensure a fantastic, personalized and very unique cake.

1. Font Style. There are generally two styles of fonts favored by most couples for their monograms. Formal styles lean toward the calligraphic scripts that are generally used in wedding invitations. Often, these are the font style choices for couples who prefer traditional weddings and ceremonies. For the funkier, hip couples, contemporary styles lean toward more creative fonts. These can be straightforward arial or similar font sitting on a cursive base. The traditional style tends to be more formal and more feminine; Contemporary styles are more adventurous and are flexible enough to include a bit of masculinity in its overall look and feel.

2. Material and Finish. The basic elegant choice for the lettering is a metallic or silver look. However, there are more decorative choices. Many couples fancy Swarovski crystals on their cake's monograms. Swarovski crystals adds a very elegant touch to an otherwise simple cake. It sparkles like diamonds catching lights, each angle showing a prism of colors. Some use basic crystals of different colors and adorn the monogram further with edible flowers and other decorative.

3. Letter Combinations. This is often the challenging, yet the fun part of picking out the perfect monogram cake topper. The couple has to decide which letters should sit atop their wedding cake. There's no hard and fast rule as to this; couples are free to choose this intricate detail. Do you need some ideas for your wedding cake?

Creative Ideas for Letters on a Monogram Cake Topper

Initials. This is a common choice for most. Some do with the first letters of their first names; others may use the first letters of their last names as a symbol of the union. Others prefer the romanticism of putting together their initials with their new common last name. Everyone at the wedding party should be able to figure this out.

Significant Dates. Often, this would come out as an alphanumeric code of sorts. This is any date significant to the couple - the date they first met, their first date, first night together or their first holiday trip together. This is often fun as a monogram like N208 raises everyone's curiosity and would be an excellent opener to a conversation

Looking For Great Wedding Cake Toppers Initials

If you are looking for great wedding cake topper initials then this article can help you find what you are looking for. There are a few different options and ways to buy intial wedding cake toppers and some different choices you will have to make. The prices can vary greatly also depending on the options you choose. This article will walk you through the world or wedding cake topper initials.

What are they?

Wedding cakes have a long history and are a part of every wedding. This is one tradition that is present in almost every culture in one form or another. In the United States and Western countries the wedding cake is traditionally frosted with elegant white frosting and has lots of floral decorations. Then classically at the top of the wedding cake are a husband and wife. The couple is called the wedding cake topper. Of course people like to be different and unique and tie their wedding cake topper into their wedding theme. This has lead to the market of custom made wedding cake toppers. These can range greatly in price, detail and materials. You can purchase everything from polymer likeness of the bride and groom to a monogrammed intial wedding cake topper.

This article focuses on the monogrammed or initials wedding cake topper. These toppers are typically silver plated letter that stand between 4 to 5 inches high and are composed of the bride and grooms initials. These give a very elegant and classy look to a cake and are a definite addition that is worth consider.

Where can you buy them?

There are many places to purchase these such as a wedding cake decorator or even a cake decorating store. However, if you are looking to safe money there are many retailers that sell only online. You can simply use Google or Yahoo and search for terms like monogrammed wedding cake toppers or initials. This will bring up a host of retailers that can easily be contacted and the topper purchased online. You will also find that there is greater variety among the online versions because these are often semi custom. This means that the basic shapes of the letters have already been cut but you can pick color schemes and other options.

What are the options?

There are a lot of different options and it really depends on which retailer you are working with. However many will offer a variety of fonts, sizes, and arrangements of the letters. You can also change the thickness of the letter. Many retailers decorate the wedding cake topper initial letters with Swarovski.

What do they cost?

There is a wide range of prices online depending on how many special requests and custom options you want. They can range anywhere between $50 up to $225. The price range is largely due to two things. First whatever the base materials of the letters are made from can change the overall cost significantly. For example metal letters will often be more expensive then acrylic ones. Also the amount and type of crystals use to decorate the initials can change the overall cost.

Other random facts before you buy.

Traditionally these monogrammed wedding cake topper initials are made up of three letters. The letter on the left side is for the bride, the middle letter which is classically bigger then the other and stands in the front of the others is the last name of the married couple and then the letter on the right is for the groom.

Why would I do this?

There are a few out there that might ask why would I bother to do this? If you want your wedding day to be really memorable and have everything coordinated and well planned down to even the last detail then you will want to look at wedding cake topper initials. These really stand out and take the whole wedding cake to the next level. This is a decoration that is often seen in the wedding pictures. Just think of the classic wedding picture of the new couple cutting the cake together. Don’t you want an outstanding topper to really show off your wedding?

Wedding Cake Glossary of Terms

If you will be getting married, you may want to be familiar with wedding cake terms before you visit the baker or confectioner who is making your cake. Here are some of the more common wedding cake terms and their meanings:

Wedding Cake Parts and Shapes:

Tier: This is one level of the cake-(i.e. a 3 tier cake.)

Layer: A horizontal piece of the cake. Often the wedding cake layers are baked in separate pans and then one or more are combined to make a tier.

Round: A cylinder shaped cake. This is the most traditional shape for a wedding cake.

Square: A more modern shape for a cake-very geometrical-tiers can be placed at odd angles for an even more modern touch.

Hexagon: A six-sided wedding cake can be very trendy and fashionable.

Scalloped: The edges of the tiers are shaped much like flower petals for a very casual look.

Molded: The cake is shaped like a football or some other object-this is often used for the groom’s cake.

Frosting and Filling Terms:

Fondant: A sheet like sugar “dough” that hardens over time and is good for an outdoor wedding cake because it will not melt. It is very smooth in texture and can be made in one of three forms: rolled into sheets, poured over the top, or sculpted into shapes.

Buttercream: The traditional wedding cake favorite made of butter, cream, and eggs. It is very soft and easy to flavor with chocolate, fruit or liquor, but should only be used at indoor events.

Ganache: A chocolate, butter and cream sauce or filling that will melt in the heat.

Chocopan: This is basically a chocolate version of fondant-but better tasting.

Marzipan: This almond based substance can be used as a filling or to make colored shapes to put on the cake.

Royal Icing: A very hard icing that is used for decorations that need to be solid-such as lace.

Decorations:

Basket weave: This looks like a wicker basket.

Swiss dotted: Random dots are placed all over the cake.

Piping: Lines are made on the cake with a pastry bag and tip.

Pulled or Spun Sugar: Sugar is cooked until it is liquid and then shaped into bows, ribbons or thin strands. This must be done on site because it will not transport.

Do-it-yourself Indian Wedding Cake

The Indian tradition of intricate painting and design is also one f things that is very prominent in Indian wedding cakes. This is probably where the concept of using Henna cake has originated.

Indian wedding cakes are not different from other cakes that are used in other weddings. The only thing that makes them distinct is the design that is used in making the cake. Indian wedding cakes are known for their unique and traditional designs. To be fitted for the occasion, intricate designs are put into these cakes. You can tell the culture which the cake originated from by the way it is designed.

In the case of Indian wedding cakes today, blending the modern world with the past culture is always a challenge. Even if the ingredients that they have are already adapted from western cultures, there is always that traditional sense present in the patterns and designs.

Nowadays, the prices of wedding cakes are the primary reason why a lot of people prefer doing it themselves. This is the same thing with Indian wedding cakes. All you need to do is to have the ingredients and the necessary equipments for baking the cake.

How do you go about making your Indian wedding cake?

1. The cake selection.

The first thing that you need to do is choose the type of Indian cake you like. You can look over the bridal magazines or sites online that are offering a variety of Indian wedding cake ingredients and designs.

Since Indian wedding cakes are known for their intricate designs, you can adapt the most common designs that some Indian couples have made in their wedding cakes. But if you are creative enough, you can come up with one of your own.

The ingredients that you choose should not be hard to find. You can choose from a wide selection of flavors that are available in all other wedding cakes.

2. Making the cake.

Once all the ingredients and the necessary cooking equipments are prepared, you can now bake the Indian cake that you want.

You can start by making plans on how your cake will look like. How many layers do you want it? How big does it have to be? These are some of the questions that you need to answer first before you bake your Indian wedding cake.

One way of doing it is to make a trial cake. This will ensure that the taste will turn out exactly the way you want it. Also, this will be the basis on how the final wedding cake will look like. Having a trial created will help you decide if you want to make some necessary changes that you do not want to have in the final Indian wedding cake.

You can try and enlist the help of the expert in baking wedding cakes. They can give you tips on how to prepare the icing or the pillars if you do not have any basic idea about them.

Making your own Indian wedding cake cannot only save you some money, you can also come up with the design and style that you wanted. The good thing about making your own Indian cake is that you can make certain that it is baked to perfection. Moreover, your Indian wedding cake will surely be one of a kind.