Wedding Cake Ideas

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.
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An Introduction To Wedding Cake Designs

The wedding cake design should not only reflect personal style, but also ideally be in sync with the menu and the décor of the wedding reception. The wedding cake should fit in the theme of the wedding reception.
Wedding cake designs can come in many forms, from the usual cream or white icings in conventional designs, to wholly non-traditional designs laced with vibrant artistry.
With the passing of time, wedding cake designs have evolved. Couples are now choosing cupcake trees with greater frequency, which was one of the foremost wedding cake ideas. Yet, some still have a preference for the conventional cakes for their wedding cakes.
The size and design of the wedding cake may depend on a number of things, like the size of the wedding budget or the availability of other desserts in the reception.
Today, one can find pastry chefs who offer infinite wedding cake ideas on icings, decorations, construction, and flavors.
A wedding cake’s design can be a reflection of personal taste. A couple with a passion for cars or motorcycles can have wedding cakes reflecting the same; a small motorcycle accompanying the miniature figures of the couple atop the cake, for example.
The flavor of the wedding cake is another important aspect. No flavor is off-limits for the modern wedding. One can have cheesecakes, mousse-filled cakes, pound cakes, vanilla, chocolate or sponge cake.
Today, one can find competent bakers with the ability to create the lacy look of the bride’s dress with frosting or the use of pearls. With frosting, these bakers can duplicate the look of any part of the reception’s décor. Also, couples can have their initials entwined in the cake with frosting.
In Bermuda, wedding cakes have a little green tree as a cake topping. Following the wedding, the newlyweds can plant the same tree in their garden, and symbolically watch it grow with time.
Then there are other options like adding edible fruits, chocolates or nuts around the cake. This will augment the designs on the guests’ plates. For that matter, one can also use edible roses, lavender or oregano as designs, or non-edible flowers as cake toppings.
Wedding Cakes provides detailed information on Wedding Cakes, Wedding Cake Toppers, Wedding Cake Designs, Unique Wedding Cakes and more. Wedding Cakes is affiliated with Wedding Decoration Ideas.
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How to Lower a Wedding Cake Price

I recall how Mrs. Ingridman taught me invaluable lessons on how to lower a wedding cake price while still going for the classiest of cakes. After her successful wedding, she told me how she managed to treat her guests with a mouthwatering cake which was bought at reasonable price.
She told me the reasons why most wedding cakes turn out to be expensive are because the cake pans used to bake them are expensive. I will list some of the ways by which you can lower a wedding cake price and choose the best cake for your wedding:
1. Before you agree to give an order to the baker, make sure that the decoration and design is the right kind to suit your taste. Go through referrals and see what prices are being quoted. Look through the samples first before deciding on your cake. A supermarket could offer a wide range of cakes at a lesser cost than your bakery.
2. Decide on how you want to decorate your wedding cake…whether you want to keep it simple and cute or splendid and rich. Avoid over decorating the cake. It is not necessary to have a five tiered cake. You can have your cake stacked if you want.
3. Bakers who are not specially into wedding cakes could still bake the best cakes and cost less. Home bakers too do not charge much and could make lovely cakes.
4. You can borrow the pillars. There are disposable pillars available with your local baker or rental companies which are a better alternative than those crystal pillars if you want to cut down on the cost of the pillars. Let the baker or your local rental company helps you with the disposable pillars instead of the crystal ones.
5. Another great idea would be to find prices at a cake making or culinary school near your place. Students have baking and decorating cakes as part of their curriculum. You can be assured that you will get gorgeous cake and have your wedding cake made at a very low price.
6. Investigate prices at a culinary school near you. If students are baking and decorating wedding cakes as part of their curriculum, the per person charge may be greatly reduced.
7. You can even save on your wedding cake topper prices. In Mrs.Ingridman’s case her uncle asked her what she would like to have as a wedding present. Her quick answer was a wedding cake topper. Often relatives and well wishers would ask you to ask what you need as a gift.
8. Another good thing which Miss. Ingridman did, which you may want to do, is that if you buy a multi-tiered cake, see that you decorate it yourself or have the florist do it for you. If you want flowers on your cake but the cost of the artificial flowers isn’t fitting in your budget, let your florist put real flowers on the cake. Just make sure that they are non toxic. Check the price of the organic edible flowers.
As Mrs. Ingridman put it, before you meet with any baker, look around for the best samples. In CakeChannel.com Wedding Cake Picture Gallery you will find amazing and interesting varieties of wedding cakes.
Expect to pay per slice of the cake as the cake cost depends more on style than flavors.
Before sign up with your baker, shop around or decide what is the topper you would like, what style you would want for you cake, what flavor is the taste of the season for you and how tiered it should be…but the most important see that your mouthwatering wedding cake comes at mouthwatering price.
It is important to get what you want, at a price which does not tug at your purse strings.
Nina Romanov
Would you like to learn more about cakes? Do you need wedding cake ideas, pictures, cake toppers or other supplies? Visit http://www.cakechannel.com
Nina is an expert freelance writer. She has been a cake decorator for the most part of her life in Europe, Australia, and North America. Later on she graduated from NHC Montreal as a certified naturopath. Presently she is happily RV-ing with her husband.
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How to Make Your Own Cake - Basic Tips

When you are going to make a cake, preparation is absolutely vital. It is very important to preheat the oven in order to ensure that baking times will be accurate. Use a thermometer.
You also need to properly prepare the pans you will be using. Most baked items require a pan to either be greased or greased and floured.
To grease a pan, use a paper towel or pastry brush to apply a thin even covering. Grease generously only if the recipe calls for it. Try using solid vegetable shortening, it won’t add flavor to your cake. You can also use a cooking spray specifically for baking.
If a recipe calls for greasing and flouring a pan, grease the pan as usual and then shake the pan to coat all surfaces. Turn the pan upside down to get rid of the excess flour.
Before you start to make a cake, make sure you have everything you need. Check to be sure you have all of the ingredients the recipe lists. Do you have the right size cake pan?
Don’t substitute ingredients unless the recipe lists alternatives. When you are a little more experienced then you can play with your recipes. Especially with a cake, if a recipe calls for butter, use it.
You also need to measure carefully. A cup of liquid does not have the same volume as a cup of dry ingredients. So if you use a dry measure for liquids, you will have less, you will only have 2/3 cup when you need 1 cup. On the other hand, if you use a liquid measure for dry ingredients, you will be adding extra and your baked goods may be too dry.
It is best to use a clear standard liquid measuring cup. Place the cup on a level surface and fill to the desired mark. Check it at eye level for accuracy.
With dry ingredients, lightly spoon the ingredients into the proper cup and level it off with a spatula or knife.
When measuring solid fats and brown sugar, firmly press the ingredient into a standard dry measure cup and level it off with a knife or spatula.
Measuring margarine or butter is easy, as the wrapped sticks are marked for each tbsp. and ¼, 1/3, and ½ cup marks.
Dry measure cups are also used for sour cream, yogurt or whipped cream.
Along with liquid and dry measuring cups, you need a set of measuring spoons. Most sets have four spoons for ¼, ½, 1 teaspoon and 1 tablespoon. Fill the spoon with dry ingredients and level it off with a spatula or knife. Liquids can also be measured in these spoons. Just fill the spoon to the top.
Another necessity for successful baking is a good basic cookbook.
You can go on line and find charts that will show you the metric and imperial equivalents of both liquid and dry measures.
There are also instructions for how to halve or double a recipe and oven temperature in Fahrenheit and Celsius scales.
High altitude baking requires adjustments in temperature liquids baking powder and sugar, there are also charts that can give you these adjustments. Cakes, biscuits and muffins, cookies, yeast dough and quick breads all have their own altitude adjustments.
These tips are actually making a couple of cakes will soon turn you into an expert.
Would you like to learn more about cake decorating? Do you need wedding cake ideas, pictures, cake toppers or other supplies? Visit Dream Cakes Made Easy at http://www.cakechannel.com/ebcb.html
Nina is an expert freelance writer. She is a cake decorator and a certified naturopath. Presently she is happily RV-ing with her husband.
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Chocolate wedding favors reflect a couple's individual expression of quality and sophistication. The customized gift boxes personalize the wedding day

Chocolate wedding favors reflect a couple's individual expression of quality and sophistication. The customized gift boxes personalize the wedding day and give a lasting impression with the guests. Personalized chocolate wedding favor is a symbol of thanks and love of the couple towards their guests. These memorable chocolate wedding favors can be given at bridal showers, rehearsal dinners or wedding receptions. Chocolate wedding favors are usually wrapped in personalized wrappers to make the wedding plans easier.
Providing chocolate as a wedding favor has been an honored tradition for many years. The design of the chocolate box in which the chocolate is kept has much importance when choosing chocolate wedding favors. These boxes can be made from porcelain, crystal, stainless steel, pewter or the cheapest from white chipboard which have designs to accommodate any personal taste or wedding theme. Some chocolate boxes have a foil laminate exterior and include embossed designs.
The simplicity of a single truffle or a cluster of three is adequate for a sophisticated chocolate wedding favor. The creation of labels for ordinary chocolate bars is one of the trends in chocolate wedding favors. These labels usually have a personal statement from the bride and groom. Chocolate companies produce chocolate pops and three dimensional chocolate confections which resemble both the traditional wedding themes and the bride and groom cake topper. These molded candies are usually produced from white, milk or dark chocolate. Couples can select the molded chocolates that are hand painted with edible gold and silver finishes as chocolate wedding favors.
A simple and inexpensive chocolate wedding favor can be created by filling unique and clear containers with candy coated chocolates. These popular coated chocolates can be purchased in large quantities. These chocolates are made in a wide range of pastel which complements most of the wedding color schemes. The clear containers include a variety of items such as glass jars, clear boxes, organza bags and plastic tubes which make a pleasant chocolate wedding favor. The apt choice of the chocolate and a distinctive container make a chocolate wedding favor a very memorable and legendary wedding favor.
Wedding Favors provides detailed information on Wedding Favors, Cheap Wedding Favors, Unique Wedding Favors, Personalized Wedding Favors and more. Wedding Favors is affiliated with Cheap Wedding Invitations .
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Chocolate Wedding Favors

The Monogram Theme Wedding

Monograms are a huge trend in weddings, to the point where they feature strongly in some, and in others, provide the actual theme. And what’s not to like about monograms? They’re elegant, understated, versatile, and a dramatic visual reminder of your new life together.
Ideas for including monograms
You’ll find them popping up in more and more places throughout the reception, and sometimes even prior to it. Here are some ways that brides include monograms:
- embossed, stamped or printed bridal stationary- custom postage stamps (see www.funstamps.com)- stationary seals or stickers- painted aisle runners- printed bridal bouquet ribbons- bridal underwear or garter
- bridal handkerchief- accent to bridal train, veil or gown- ring bearer’s pillow- stamped or printed out-of-town bags- bridesmaids’ totes- guestbook- engraved guestbook pen- tablecloths- chair covers- place cards and menus- cocktail napkins- coasters- centerpieces- engraved cake server set- cake embellishment- wood, wire, metal, chocolate or acrylic monogram cake topper
- monogram wreaths of silk or real flowers- fabric wall or door banners- champagne flutes- bottled water labels- “tears of joy” packs- monogrammed wedding favors: cookies, ornaments, shot glasses, votive candles, chocolates, petit fours, notepads, favor boxes- dance floor “gobo” projections
How do I get a monogram?You make it! Many brides find they can “roll their own” using a readily-available software program such as Microsoft Word or PowerPoint. If you’re a graphic designer or have access to high-end tools, you’d probably prefer Adobe Illustrator, but Word or PowerPoint are also fine. If you’ve played around but don’t like the results, call on an arty friend.
To design your monogram in Microsoft Word:Choose Insert -> Textbox. Type and format the letter the way you like it. Do this three times. Now click on all textboxes and choose Format->Textbox. Choose Color: No Fill (so you can overlap letters) and Line: No Line. Select all letters, right click, and choose Group to lock in the arrangement. You can now copy your image into Microsoft Paint and save in several formats, such as JPEG.
To design your monogram in PowerPoint: You’ll want to use “Word Art” to create your letters. Click on the blue tilted “A” on the bottom toolbar for each letter. Format them to your liking. When you’re done designing, select all the letters, right-click, and choose Grouping->Group. Now you can click on your image and right-click for Save as Image. PowerPoint lets you save directly in formats like JPEG, PNG and TIFF.
Some more design tips: The bride’s initial goes first in a monogram. When the bride takes the groom’s last name, the order is: bride’s first initial, shared last initial (usually larger), groom’s first initial.
If the bride keeps her own last name, one option is four-initial monogram (bride’s first, bride’s last, groom’s last, groom’s first). Or just join the couple’s first names with an ampersand (Jenny & Mike).
Some etiquette tips: It’s somewhat frowned upon to use your couples monogram before you’re actually married. So, your reception’s clearly a green light, but you might want to skip using it on your invites. The ceremony itself is sort of a Ms. Manners gray area. Some brides uphold the spirit (if not the letter) of the “law” by including the monogram in a not-so-public ceremonial spot, such as a garter, or inside the dress.
Of course, these being modern times, some brides just include the monogram wherever and whenever they want.
Great places to get the fancy fonts brides crave, for free:
www.dafont.com/en/www.chank.com/freefonts.phpwww.abstractfonts.com/fonts/instant.coffeecup.com/content/fonts/www.1001freefonts.com
DIY monogrammed aisle runnerIt’s not hard to create your own monogrammed aisle runner, and it makes a big splash. If you have a sewing machine, you can buy and hem the fabric for next to nothing. Now you just need some fabric paint in black or your wedding colors, a pencil, an exacto knife and some cardstock. You also need to decide where you want to place the monogram. Some aisle runners feature a monogram at the bottom, where the procession begins; the top, where the couple stands; and in the middle.
Print out your monogram and blow it up to your desired size on a copying machine. (If your aisle fabric is on the sheer side, you can now trace your monogram directly onto the fabric with pencil. Fill in with fabric paint, and you’re done.) Otherwise, tape the enlarged monogram onto the cardstock and cut out the shape with an exacto knife. Trace inside your new template lightly with pencil. Fill in with fabric paint. Follow the same procedure to make your own monogrammed table runners or even chair covers.
The dance floor monogramA dramatic and memorable way to include your monogram is to project it onto the dance floor during the reception. As fun as this is, though, it’s not cheap and sometimes not easy. To project a monogram, you need to buy a custom metal plate, called a “gobo.” Custom gobo manufacturers are easily found online. The gobo itself usually costs over $100, but once made, you then need specific lights equipped with a pattern holder to use the gobo. It’s possible that your venue, or your DJ, will be able to provide these lights or help you locate a place from which to rent them.
A final tipNow that you have some ideas for incorporating monograms in your wedding, remember the essence of elegance is restraint. It’s easy to overdo monograms, so mix them up contrasting touches, such as soft and romantic floral arrangements, to warm up the monogram’s cool and classic feel.
Blake Kritzberg is editor of FavorIdeas. Stop by for continually-updated celebrity wedding news, remarkable beach wedding favors, exclusive hairstyling articles and gorgeous and unique wedding favors.
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Wedding Cake Toppers

A skilled cake designer can come up with an endless spectrum of wedding cake toppers. They can come in any shape or form, the most common ones being the figurines of the bride and the groom, doves, daisies, roses, interlocking hearts, wedding rings, or flowers in a basket; the list is endless. The materials used for toppers can be anything, ranging from glass and porcelain to crystal or a wide range of other materials. Also, wedding cake toppers can be kept as a wedding day souvenir, and are at most times good enough pass off as a showpiece for your drawing room.
For those planning a theme wedding, wedding cake toppers can augment the atmosphere of the wedding reception. A skilled hand can replicate the wedding dress on top of the cake. For fairytale-themed weddings, a replica of the Cinderella glass slipper or a figurine of “Snow White” would be just about perfect; or, for that matter, a small figure of a dragon or a castle. Beach and marine themed weddings can give the wedding cake designer plenty of room to exercise his creativity. The wedding cake toppers can come in a plethora of forms then, like dolphins, seahorses, mermaids, lighthouses or more. For medieval-themed weddings, you can use a miniature knight and maiden as toppers.
A winter wedding also gives the cake designer plenty to work with. For example, crystal snowflakes or snow people can sit atop the cake. Though other materials can be used, glass seems perfect for this theme, as it can reflect the light like icicles. For those from military backgrounds, wedding toppers can be quite intricate. A naval wedding, for instance, can do with an anchor behind the figures of the groom and the bride. For the military wedding, two sabers crossed and placed behind the miniature figures of the couple would be ideal. For Western-themed weddings, cake toppers can range from horses and cows to the cowboy and cowgirl as the bride and groom.
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Wedding Cake Toppers - The Centerpiece Of Your Wedding Reception

The wedding cake has long been the focus of attention at the reception and for many years now it has been customary to have a three tiered white wedding cake which is elaborately decorated and which includes one of a number of traditional wedding cake toppers such as statue depicting the bride and groom, a pair of doves, a pair of gold rings or a horseshoe.
In medieval times guests would each bring a small piece of cake to a wedding and these would be stacked together to form a tower or pyramid. The newly married couple would then kiss over the top of the cake if they could to bring good luck to their marriage or, more often than not, would end up falling into the stack of cake much to the amusement of everyone present.
Over time the tower or pyramid formed from individual pieces of cake evolved into a single cake and the tiered design is thought to have been based upon the unusual tiered spire of the medieval church of St Bride's in London.
It was also customary for cakes to be made from fruit which was readily available and to be covered in a layer of fat and sugar to preserve the cake in the days before refrigeration.
Nowadays it is traditional for the bride and groom to cut their wedding cake together and often to feed each other with the first bites of the cake as a symbol of the establishment of their new family unit. A section of the wedding cake (typically the top tier) is then often removed and stored so that it can be used at the christening of the couple's first child.
While many people today still follow the well established pattern when it comes to planning their wedding, a growing number of couples are choosing to depart from tradition and, in particular, to look for ways in which they can make their wedding day truly unique and memorable for their guests.
As a result it is common today to not only see wedding cakes in a variety of different shapes, sizes, colors and flavors but also for couples to use wedding cake toppers as a central focal point for their cake.
Today wedding cake toppers come in all shapes and sizes and can range from exquisite and unique works of art which are specially commissioned by the bride and groom to statues depicting the couple in various hilarious poses which can be purchased quite cheaply from any one of a large number of suppliers.
As couples strive more and more to make their wedding day stand apart from the crowd we will continue to see attention focused upon the design of wedding cakes and, in particular, upon the development of increasingly unique wedding cake toppers.
For more information on wedding cake toppers visit Talking Weddings today.
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Wedding Cakes

Weddings are a once in a lifetime event for a couple. So it is only natural that no stone is left unturned to make it an affair to remember. The culmination of a wedding is the reception. The centerpiece at the reception is usually an elaborate wedding cake. The frosting is usually white, to symbolize purity and newness. They are often made in tiers, or levels, and there is usually some form of elaborate decoration.
When purchasing a cake you must decide on the size, type and style of the cake you want. Most wedding cakes have three tiers and are frosted with Royal Icing. However, there are many variations on this theme. Wedding cakes can come in any shape you like. Hearts shaped cakes are gaining in popularity, as are sheet cakes for smaller, less elaborate weddings. Colors and flowers (chocolate and fresh) also seem to be the modern bride’s preference.
Choosing a baker can be a chore. Make sure you give a clear picture of what you want and ask plenty of questions. Get everything in writing including the price, delivery date and time. It’s also important to reserve your cake by ordering it well before your wedding day. Make sure you sample several wedding cakes from various bakers. There are differences and your preference is what counts. Plenty of ideas can be found in books and on the Internet, so don’t be afraid to explore before making a commitment. On this very special day, you want your wedding cake to look and taste great.
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Selecting And Buying Your Wedding Cake

One of the most crucial and important parts of planning one’s wedding is finding the best wedding cake. If your idea of a wedding is pleasing your guests, as well as yourselves, then a wonderful wedding cake is one of the aspects of a wedding that guests remember.
Finding the perfect wedding cake is a task that should be given adequate time and attention. There are many cake decorators available in the cake industry which offer a variety of wedding cakes that anyone can choose from. Wedding cake buyers can go directly to their shops and browse through their wedding cake catalogs to find the one that they want. If the wedding cake catalog does not contain a preferred choice, wedding cake buyers can even ask for a personalized wedding cake with their own design and preferences.
In order to get the best wedding cake, you must first know your budget limitation or how much of the wedding expenses are allotted to the wedding cake. The budget would determine what kind of wedding cakes can be available for you to choose from. Wedding cake prices vary depending on their ingredients particularly what kind of base the wedding cake would be decided upon. The icing on the wedding cake also varies from one cake to another.
Knowing this information before consulting wedding cake decorators would save an individual a good amount of time and money as well. With these preferences ready, wedding cake decorators would already have an idea which cake to offer an individual client. However, this does not mean that what a wedding cake buyer wants would always be the final product. Buyers should be open with suggestions from the wedding cake decorators since they know cakes better than anyone else! They would be in the right position to determine whether a cake that a buyer wants is feasible, practical and pleasing.
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