Wedding Cakes Inspired By Bridal Gowns

The wedding cake makes a grand statement at the reception, so it has to be really special. Why not take the design concept for your cake from something else that is really special: your wedding dress. These are some wonderful tips on how to create a wedding cake inspired by your bridal gown.

What is your absolute favorite thing about your wedding dress? It is the exquisite French lace on the bodice, a dramatically draped skirt, or perhaps a row of pearl buttons that match your pearl wedding jewelry? Any of these can become the starting point for a couture wedding cake. A talented baker can do some amazing things with fondant or gum paste to translate the most special features of your bridal gown into cake.

One tip when planning a wedding gown inspired cake: it is creepy if the cake is made to look like a tiny version of the actual gown. The idea is to pick one or two signature elements to use as the basis for the cake design. For instance, if your wedding dress is a silk taffeta ballgown with a stunning jeweled sash at the waist, the cake could be a five tiered confection with a row of jewels around the base of the center tier. It will look almost like your cake is wearing wedding jewelry of its own! An octagonal cake would be very chic and a bit less expected than the traditional round cake.

Lace gowns are very popular these days, and a good baker can replicate your lace very precisely. Give your baker a swatch of the exact type of lace that is used on your bridal gown (the gown designer should be able to provide you with a sample for a small fee). The lace is then used to create a flexible mold out of silicone. The mold is filled with sugar paste, and the result is your lace, recreated in delicious sugar! The sugar lace detail is adhered to the cake with sugar glue. To make sure that this very special detail is visible, request that the lace accent is made in a color which has a least a little contrast with the background frosting color. A pale blush hue would look lovely over white or ivory frosting, or go for a very opulent effect by dusting the lace pieces with a shimmery luster. A bouquet of sugar flowers would be an ideal cake topper for such a romantic wedding cake.

For wedding gowns with an exciting texture on the skirt, that can be another fantastic design inspiration. Your cake can have layers of ruffles cascading down the tiers or be covered in artfully draped fondant to resemble a draped silk gown. If you have selected a dress with a striking three-dimensional floral motif on the skirt, ask your baker to reproduce the same type of flowers for the cake. They can definitely be made to look like fabric blossoms. Naturally it will help if you give your baker a very good detail picture of the floral blossoms, or better yet, an actual sample flower. Cover the cake in the dramatic blossoms with wild abandon.

Any other special feature that you love on your gown can become the basis for the wedding cake design. Maybe you chose a gown in a unique color or it has crystals scattered all over the bodice. Perhaps your gown features a row of tailored bows down the back – that would be a great decoration running down the side of a cake. When your wedding cake is inspired by your bridal gown, you are sure to love your cake just as much as you do your dream wedding dress.

Visit us at Silverland Jewelry to find exclusive wedding jewelry for the bride, bridesmaids, flower girl, and mother of the bride. Sign up today for our free newsletter to read more of Bridget Mora’s articles about wedding ideas, trends, and style.