Photo: Gateaux Inc.
Groom's cakes are turning up at more and more weddings as couples get increasingly creative with their dessert offerings. But are they a requirement? Our wedding etiquette experts are here to answer your groom's cake questions in our daily post.
Do we have to have a groom's cake? We weren't planning on it.
Absolutely not. The groom's cake (which is often a fun-flavored, hobby-themed ode to your new hubby) started as a Southern tradition, but in recent years it has spread nationwide. But just like almost every other tradition, it's entirely optional. If you and your family are having a tug-of-war about the cake, however (chocolate versus vanilla, carrot versus custard), the groom's cake can be a simple way to satisfy those alternate cravings without upsetting the wedding-cake cart.
You Might Also Like:
Browse all wedding cake ideas
Wedding Etiquette Tips: The Wedding Cake
10 Wedding Cake Tips from Buddy "Cake Boss" Valastro
Photo: Leanne Ambrogio for Sweet Style
This unique cake by baker Jacki Fanto of Blissfully Sweet Cakes in Sydney, Australia, was inspired by the array of colors you see as the sun sets over the ocean. "I wanted create a cake topper that resembled a crashing wave, and decided to keep the rest of the cake simple, with clean lines," she says. The entire confection was embossed with wave patterns; then, each wave was handpainted a different shade using edible luster paint. "I started with the reds, pinks, and corals, then gradually moved to the gold, green, and blue colors of the ocean," Jacki says. The cake topper was inspired by the work of artist Jennifer Falck Linssen . Jacki cut the topper from fondant and then molded it to give the illusion of a crashing wave.
If you have a wedding cake you'd like to submit to Brides.com, please email photos and a brief description to Heather Lee at contact@brides.com.
—Heather Lee
You Might Also Like:
See all wedding cake photos
Browse more whimsical wedding cakes
Our Favorite Wedding Cakes, from Classic to Whimsical
Photo: Karen Buckle Photography
Blog reader Skye Howe of Sunny Girl Cakes in Queensland, Australia, submitted this adorable wedding cake decorated with a cake topper made of paper-flag pennants. The sweet and simple design is a smart idea if you're on a budget—ask your cake designer to keep the decorations on the minimal side, as demonstrated by the fondant flower cut-outs affixed to the base of each tier. And if you're up for a DIY project, you could easily make a similar paper-flag banner using wooden dowels and a variety patterned papers.
If you have a wedding cake you'd like to submit to Brides.com, please email photos and a brief description to Heather Lee at contact@brides.com.
—Heather Lee
You Might Also Like:
See all wedding cake photos
Browse more whimsical wedding cakes
Our Favorite Wedding Cakes, from Classic to Whimsical
Photo: Christina Szczupak
Throwing a nautical wedding? Then check out this charming wedding cake by Sweet Lisa's, located in Greenwich, CT. The buttercream-frosted tiers are decorated with tiny navy-blue anchors cut from fondant; each tier is also accented with edible "rope" made from twisting two strands of fondant together. The whimsical cake topper is a great DIY touch: an easy-to-make pennant banner written with the couple's initials! This sweet confection would be the perfect addition to a waterside wedding held at a yacht club or by the beach.
If you have a wedding cake you'd like to submit to Brides.com, please email photos and a brief description to Heather Lee at contact@brides.com.
—Heather Lee
You Might Also Like:
See all wedding cake photos
Browse more whimsical wedding cakes
Our Favorite Wedding Cakes, from Classic to Whimsical
Photo: Pepper Nix Photography
If you're hosting a glamorous Art Deco-themed wedding, check out this stunning confection by Cake-a-licious, a bakery located in West Jordan, Utah. The mint-and-gold color scheme is rather unexpected but feels fresh and modern, and the inclusion of one solid-gold cake tier helps balance out the overall look. And all of the bling-y touches—the sparkles on each cake tier, the glittery rhinestone wraps, and the gleaming gold starbursts (made from handcut fondant)—add a healthy dose of glamour without being over-the-top or gaudy.
If you have a wedding cake you'd like to submit to Brides.com, please email photos and a brief description to Heather Lee at contact@brides.com.
—Heather Lee
You Might Also Like:
See all wedding cake photos
Browse more glamorous wedding cakes
Our Favorite Wedding Cakes, from Classic to Whimsical
Photo: Getty Images
If you need to know the difference between fondant and buttercream, how to cleanse your palate during a cake tasting, or just how to save the cake's top tier, Buddy Valastro is your guy. The star of TLC's Cake Boss and Next Great Baker and the owner of Carlo's Bake Shop in Hoboken, New Jersey, knows wedding cakes like the back of his pastry knife. And we grilled him on just about everything—from groom's cakes to how to find your wedding cake baker—so that your wedding cake experience is sweet from start to finish.
See more of the Buddy's wedding cake tips in the complete slideshow.
You Might Also Like:
Browse hundreds of wedding cakes
Wedding Etiquette Tips: The Wedding Cake
Heart-Themed Wedding Cakes
Photo: Elizabeth Messina
Whether your wedding cake is chocolate ganache, vanilla buttercream, coconut, or some other delicious flavor (are you salivating yet?), you simply cannot let all that baked goodness go to waste. But what should you do with the leftovers? Our experts weigh in on this dilemma in our daily etiquette post.
Can we save the leftover layers of our wedding cake?
In a word: yes. A long-withstanding tradition is for the bride and groom to save the top layer of their wedding cake for their first anniversary. This is a nice gesture and a delicious way to toast one year of marriage. Beyond the top layer, it's nice to offer your guests slices of leftover wedding cake to take home. If the cake has already been cut, it will need to be refrigerated and enjoyed within 24 hours or so. Uncut wedding cake can go home with wedding guests as well, but it's entirely appropriate for the bride and groom to keep and enjoy it for themselves as well.
You Might Also Like:
Browse beautiful wedding cake ideas
Beautiful Wedding Cakes for Every Season
Heart-Themed Wedding Cakes
Photo: Lisa Lefkowitz
What should you do about cutting your wedding cake if it's a non-traditional one, like a cupcake cake? Our experts weigh in on wedding desserts and more in our daily wedding etiquette post.
We're having a cupcake wedding cake. Do we cut into a cupcake together or skip the custom?
If you still want to have a "cake moment," you and your husband can each hold your own cupcake and take a small nibble (don't put them back!). Alternatively, you can purchase a small round cake to cut into for photos.
You Might Also Like:
Browse gorgeous wedding cake ideas
Heart-Themed Wedding Cakes
Wedding Etiquette Tips: The Wedding Cake
Thursday February 28, 2013
Photo: Jon Tan for Liquid Fusion Photography
How chic is this rainbow wedding cake photographed by Jon Tan for Liquid Fusion Photography? I always love a good rainbow cake, but most of the multicolor designs I've seen are on the more casual and whimsical side. But this design—created by pastry chef Anne Heap of Pink Cake Box in New Jersey—is utterly elegant. The four cake tiers are covered in simple white fondant, them decorated with a ruffly cascade of handmade sugar flowers, all meticulously painted in varying shades of the rainbow. I love the versatility of this cake design, which would look equally at home in a glamorous hotel ballroom or a minimalist raw space.
If you have a wedding cake you'd like to submit to Brides.com, please email photos and a brief description to Heather Lee at contact@brides.com.
—Heather Lee
You Might Also Like:
See all wedding cake photos
Browse more whimsical wedding cakes
Our Favorite Wedding Cakes, from Classic to Whimsical
Tuesday February 26, 2013
Photo: Becky Young Photography
We turned to our wedding etiquette experts for advice on how to make sure your tiered confection is a piece of cake. From when to cut the cake, to what to serve instead of cake, find out how to hit the mark when it comes to one of the most celebrated—not to mention delicious—of all wedding traditions.
See all wedding cake etiquette questions and answers in the complete slideshow.
You Might Also Like:
Browse wedding cakes
Unique Groom's Cakes
America's Most Beautiful Cakes
Tuesday February 26, 2013
Photo: Sylwia Ok Photography
Today's featured wedding cake comes to us from Bakermama Cakes, located in Kodiak, Alaska. Owner Althea Heussnere tells us that the design's inspiration came directly from the bride, who requested a confection that complemented the wedding's color palette of orange, pink, and green. "She also asked me to make a cascade of flowers to match the blooms in her bouquet," says Althea. The end result featured modern square-shaped tiers covered in peach-colored fondant and adorned with a lush cascade of roses, hydrangeas, and spider mums, all carefully sculpted from sugar gumpaste.
If you have a wedding cake you'd like to submit to Brides.com, please email photos and a brief description to Heather Lee at contact@brides.com.
—Heather Lee
You Might Also Like:
See all wedding cake photos
Browse more square wedding cakes
Our Favorite Wedding Cakes, from Classic to Whimsical
Wednesday February 20, 2013
Photo: Mark Davidson
Here's a bright and sunny wedding cake for you to liven up a dreary winter day. This cheerful confection by New Hampshire-based Wild Orchid Baking Company features daisy-shaped fondant cutouts affixed to the top and bottom tiers (which were covered in yellow fondant), along with a textured fondant bow wrapped around the center. The final touch: a posy of handmade sugar daisies, sweetly tucked beneath the bow. I love this charming wedding cake for a more casual wedding celebration—maybe a backyard bash or a summertime reception on a rustic farm.
If you have a wedding cake you'd like to submit for the blog, please email photos and a brief description to Heather Lee at contact@brides.com.
—Heather Lee
You Might Also Like:
See all wedding cake photos
Heart-Themed Wedding Cakes
Our Favorite Wedding Cakes, from Classic to Whimsical
Thursday February 14, 2013
Photo: Courtesy of Pamela McCaffrey at Made With Love
In honor of today Valentine's Day today, we're featuring an elegant cake design by Pamela McCaffrey at Made With Love. The sweet single-tier confection would be lovely for an intimate wedding reception or as the designated "cutting cake." Inspired by a beautiful birthday card she received from her son that featured intricate papercut details, Pamela cut each flower, leaf, and heart by hand before affixing them to the pale-pink cake tier. The rose stems were also sculpted by hand with edible gumpaste. Happy Valentine's Day!
If you have a wedding cake you'd like to submit for the blog, please email photos and a brief description to Heather Lee at contact@brides.com.
—Heather Lee
You Might Also Like:
See all wedding cake photos
Wedding Cakes for Every Season
Design your dream wedding cake!
Thursday February 14, 2013
Photo: Gabriel Ryan Photographers
Wedding cakes come in all shapes and sizes, from the classic white buttercream to the towering five-tiered masterpiece. To celebrate this Valentine's Day, we've rounded up more than a dozen heart-themed confections that caught our eye for their ability to both pull at our heartstrings and tease our tastebuds.
See all 14 adorable heart-themed wedding cakes in the complete slideshow.
You Might Also Like:
Browse gorgeous wedding cakes
Beautiful Wedding Cakes for Every Season
Brides' 18 Best Wedding Cakes of 2012
Wednesday February 13, 2013
Photo: Courtesy of Bellissimo Cakes
Today's featured wedding cake comes to us all the way from the United Kingdom. Pastry chef Helen Mansey, owner of Bellissimo Cakes, in Liss, sent over this elegant white-and-silver wedding cake from her 2013 collection. The embellishments on the tiers were inspired by a lace wedding gown; Helen used hand-piping and brush embroidery techniques to replicate the look. For a unique twist, she decided to give the cake a silver middle tier. "I was inspired by the current trend of metallics in fashion right now," Helen says. To finish off the confection, she appliquéd hand-sculpted sugar peonies and Lily of the Valley to each tier.
If you have a wedding cake you'd like to submit for the blog, please email photos and a brief description to Heather Lee at contact@brides.com.
—Heather Lee
You Might Also Like:
See all wedding cake photos
Browse more romantic wedding cakes
Design your dream wedding cake!
