Something old, something new, something borrowed ...

Blue is a great wedding color. In my book there aren't many colors that seem appropriate year round for weddings, but blue breaks the mold. Different shades can be perfect for winter or spring/summer weddings. Fall may be the exception--because if you're getting married in the fall (my favorite season) you're practically obligated to use the rich hues of autumn.








from Martha Stewart. This is a spectacular example of use of color on a wedding cake. It combines a soft vintage feel with a classic, subtle shade of blue. I like that you can see other reception decor in the background; you really get the feel of a sophisticated wedding. Oh Martha Stewart, will you ever cease to amaze us?












Mini cakes by Cheryl Kleinman Cakes. Everything is cuter in miniature form. These could be used as table centerpieces at either a wedding or a shower. And look--monograms! What did I tell you guys? Monograms are in.










Tiffany cake by Studio Cakes. Blogging about blue cakes I felt bound to throw in a Tiffany cake, but let me tell you, I have some big reservations about these suckers. Before you get the wrong idea about me, let me say that I do not make a habit out of watching Bridezillas. In fact, I think that show is terrible. But I do remember seeing one episode in which a very trashy bride demanded a cake that looked like a Tiffany box. It struck me as odd because her engagement ring came from Wal-Mart.. ok, so they didn't say that, but I'm guessing I'm not too far off on that one. In my opinion, if you don't have a ring from that jewelry store, why would you make it such a big part of your day? I think the cake should convey your theme or at least related to the couple, and really, if a cornerstone of your relationship is a jewelry store, it's time to rethink the marriage. Generally, I don't care for the Tiffany cakes.. one cute exception though: showers. I came across this blog about a Breakfast at Tiffany's themed shower, and I have to say, it sounds adorable. I'm much more on-board with a shower centered around a classic movie.
http://newportnuptials.blogspot.com/2009/03/thats-right-im-just-crazy-about.html







Light and airy, this cute cake works well with a midday spring wedding.
















Another Martha Stewart cake. I imagine that this intricate swirl design was inspired by the barbed wire on the fences at Camp Cupcake. Hands-down, Martha is my favorite felon cake designer.













Beautiful modern cake by Vanilla Bake Shop. The sultry blue of the flowers turns this otherwise cheerful, causal cake into a more dignified dessert. Is this color "indigo," the lost member of the ROY G BIV forgotten shortly after second-grade?












Fantastic cake. A wedding is well-coordinated if you can look at one element and easily envision the rest. Here, I can see a New England beach wedding: bride in a flowy white dress her hair in loose messy tendrils, groom barefoot in linen pants and a white shirt with the sleeves rolled up.
On a side-note: if your cake conjures up images of a wedding very different than the one you're planning, change cake designs. The cake should not stand out as significantly more or less formal than the rest of your day. Recently I saw a wedding that featured stunningly elegant formal invitations, programs, and other paper products. The entire wedding seemed classy and up-scale. Then, the cake was incredibly playful and childlike. My advice: do not pair a brightly colored polka-dot, cupcake cake with a black-tie affair. If that's the cake you want, choose other whimsical elements to incorporate.







This sweet cake is complimented well by the pale pink flower topper.
















This stunning creation is one of those cakes that makes me (momentarily) wonder if I chose the right cake for my wedding. The timeless elegance of this cake evokes 50's Hollywood glamour while maintaining a delightful simplicity. Although the top cake gave it a run for it's money, this is my pick of the day.

Swirls of Love (or buttercream, chocolate, fondant, and sugar)

Ever versatile, swirls can be playful and fun or elegant and romantic.



Red swirl cake by Manassas Cakery.
The swirls here look well-done, and I'm glad the middle layer is different. Three tiers would have made the red seem overpowering and angry.












Gorgeous swirls, such soft romance and elegance. You can practically smell the hydrangea when you look at this cake.














Celebration swirls. The explosion of swirls on top of this cake is an edible manifestation of a joyful wedding reception.














Awesome cake by Just Fabulous Pasteries -- and how aptly named; this cake has FABULOUS written all over it. The varying heights of the tiers is brilliant, and the overall height of the cake is nothing short of majestic. The swirls here add a charmingly playful element that saves this cake from edging near boredom.











A lively cake is by Indulge Desserts. This cake will really brighten up a shower or reception; it's hard to look at it without smiling.
















This cake marries a sophisticated color scheme with a lighthearted swirl design.















LOVE this one. Great colors, and a fantastic chocolate swirl design. This is my pick of the day!

Lovely Letters

I am a big fan of use of monograms in weddings. If used right they bring a sense of timeless elegance and really add a touch of class to a wedding.

Word of advice: monograms are not for everyone. See: http://cakewrecks.blogspot.com/2009/07/series-of-unfortunate-monograms.html
I highly recommend looking through old cakewrecks posts, for two good reasons. (1) HILARIOUS; (2) You'll find plenty examples of what-not-to-do. Or more aptly, what your baker shouldn't do. If you do your research on wedding vendors it should be easy to avoid a wedding wreck.

Back to monograms:
They are great on invitations--though etiquette followers beware, no monograms using both first initials, and his last initial are to be used before you're actually wed--however, modern "monograms" which are more like logos made of your first names, are great on invites. You'll see monograms on everything from matchbook covers to candles to napkins. But my favorite place for them is...surprise: THE CAKE.











Cake by The Broadmoor. Photo by Cayton Photography.


I love the script used for the monogram.
















Cake by Queen of Cakes. Photo by Amber Procaccini Photography.

This may be my favorite. The initials and ampersand are adorable, and the oval/scrolly design surrounding them is perfect. You'll find I have an incredible lack of knowledge of technical terms for artistic doo-dahs and decorating techniques. Feel free to fill me in on what I should be calling things.













Cake by Cakes to Remember. Photograph by Click Imagery.


Beautifully simple











While I like the overall concept here, the monogram itself is not my favorite. I would have picked a more flowy, elegant script.











Cake by Cakes for Occasions. Picture by Alyssa Almedia Duncan Photography.


LOVE this cake! It's simple, classic, gorgeous.

The cakes that started it all.

When I was growing up (and maybe even now), my favorite movie, hands down, was Father of the Bride with Steve Martin. Franck (Martin Sheen) made me want to be a wedding coordinator, which remains my fantasy job. In real life I took a turn down a less exciting road: law school.

Here is the picture of the wedding cake Annie selected at Franck's suggestion. Her dad had a hard time swallowing the $1200 price, arguing that his first car didn't cost that much. The movie is a classic. If you haven't seen it, stop reading and go rent it. Now.






Our perfect cake from our perfect day :)
Made by The West Side Bakery in Akron, Ohio, this is the culmination of months of searching through hundreds (or thousands?) of pictures. There were many cakes that I thought were "the one," but go figure, of all things to have an opinion about, my husband voiced his dislike for a few of my intended cakes. In the end, we came up with a design we both loved--or at least I loved it, I'm not sure my husband would admit to ever "loving" a cake.

Our medium-sized wedding in no way called for a 5-tier cake, but my infatuation with cakes overruled the logic. The top two tiers are styrofoam, and the rest is pure deliciousness.
My favorite layer was banana with fudge filling. Also, this is definitely buttercream.. no fondant in sight.
While I love the smooth perfected look of fondant, it can't hold a candle to the taste and texture of buttercream. And what is the point of all those calories if you're just lukewarm about the indulgence?

Enough about the taste.. not the point of this blog.

The scrolls are loosely inspired on the scroll-work on our invitations. Surrounded by a bed of delicate flowers, set against a soft curtain backdrop, this cake captures the romantic feel of a wonderful day.