Layered Cakes: Style Comes in Layers

Wedding cakes are a wedding tradition that either replaces or adds to that midnight snack your guests love so much. They are almost always in your must-have photo list, and with so many tasty flavour, colour, style, and decorating options that go along with them, the possibilities are endless... The wedding cake usually appears in a place of honour, adorned by flowers and candles at almost every wedding reception. Many brides match their wedding colours and flowers to their cake. Others choose a simple white multiple-tiered cake and dress it up with flowers and fabrics.

Cool Ideas For 2005:

• Go with a themed cake - a ice blue cake covered in snowflakes for a January wedding or a cake topped with palm trees and a tiny bride and groom relaxing in a hammock for your tropical wedding.

• Have your cake designer hand-write the main lyrics to your first dance across each layer, in lieu of a more traditional floral or lace type of pattern. It's sweet, and personal, and will look amazing in your cake cutting photo.

• What's inside is, unfortunately, often second on the list for many couples. While the cake should look spectacular and impress your guests, a good bakery should be able to provide you with a good looking and a good tasting product. Enjoy the process and taste all the flavours!

• Have a simple two-layered wedding cake made for each table centrepiece in your reception. Because wedding cakes are so versatile - coming in all shapes, sizes, and designs - they can match your theme and wedding style exactly. Your guests will be talking about it for years to come.

• Have your decorator dress up your cake table with candles and fabrics to match.

• Have your florist provide a cake top instead of the traditional man and woman.

• Choose a 'Keepsake Cake Top'. Keepsake cake tops actually open, allowing you to take it home after the wedding and store jewellery or trinkets inside for decades to come.

The Slab Cake: Sized to Feed

Slab Cakes are popular for wedding showers, bachelor parties and engagement parties. They are simple and less expensive, than a layered cake. Slab Cakes come in a single layer, sized to feed however many guests you may have invited. Slab Cakes are less expensive because of the fact that they take a lot less time to bake, design, and dress up. They are a great option for the budget-conscious bride, or to use as add-ons to your layered cake to feed more of your guests.

The Cupcake Cake: Too Cute!

A recent trend, the Cupcake Cake provides both a unique and convenient alternative to the traditional wedding cake. Many brides are choosing this option because when all the cupcakes are stacked up in layers, each individually decorated with your choice of flavours and styles, the overall look is adorable. It's a twist on the original and is much easier on the kitchen staff when serving time comes.

Ribbon Pulling Cake: Back in The Day

In Victorian times, it was common for the cake to contain an assortment of charms attached to ribbons. The single women closest to the bride (typically the bridesmaids) would then pull the ribbons at the wedding reception. It was believed that the charm attached to their ribbon would predict their future. Below are some ideas for charms and their meanings, traditional and some new ideas!

Charms would be added to the cake after baking and then disguised with the decorative icing. The only thing showing are the various ribbons for your bridesmaids, sisters and girlfriends to pull. Charms could be used as special gifts for the important women in your family as well - wrap up a simple chain for the charm to be put on after the wedding.

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