by Kellie Hall

Created on: October 03, 2007

The wedding cake is usually the centerpiece of the reception, really, and you can do so many things with it!

First off, decide what you and the groom want in terms of taste- in most wedding cakes these days, each tier is a different flavor, often with a different filling as well, so you can get plenty of variety.

Then decide how traditional the cake needs to be- this will depend mostly on the style of the rest of the wedding! Here are some ideas for the traditional, the funky, and the trendy-

- A tier of cupcakes is cute, simple, and fun. Make sure you have a sturdy shape so you can set the cupcakes up in a semi-traditional wedding cake shape.

- A cake table is great for a casual reception, turning the entire table into the decorated "cake" and having lots of options for the guests.

- A candy bar, perhaps with a super small cake just for the cutting, is great for a chic wedding where everyone is more likely to focus on the real food rather than the sweet stuff- you can have a lot of fun with colors this way.

- Tiers of different shapes are a wonderful way to shake things up just a little- circles on top of a hexagon, or diagonally alternating squares are wonderful.

- Separating the layers of the cake with decorative columns and mounds of fresh flowers or fruit can be very romantic and elegant.

- You can use a rubber stamp to impress into rolled-out fondant icing in a wonderfully subtle, elegant way- perhaps an old-fashioned stamp in the day's signature flower, or a custom one mimicking the lace or embroidery one your gown.

- The boldly monochromatic look is great with a natural color- perhaps the bottom of the cake is a rich eggplant, changing to a lavender tone nearer the top.

- Choose natural-looking colors for your cake that are variations on your own wedding colors to make it look more edible- a robin's egg blue or a lime green would be wonderful for the beach or Caribbean wedding, for instance.

- Silhouettes of fondant icing pressed onto the cake lend a modern elegance and dimensionality to any cake, and you can use this for any appropriate symbol- dragonflies, flowers, birds, an elegant brides-and-groom symbol.

- Over sized flowers made of icing make a bold, cheerful statement, and can be less expensive than more intricate options.

Remember to work out all of the details with your baker, sign a contract, and set the cake up somewhere stable! You wouldn't want your beautiful cake to get damaged by everyone dancing!

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