In the Bag

Love designer handbags? Have your favorites—right down to the trademark logos, straps, and buckles—masterfully re-created to form each tier of your wedding cake (Cakes by Design, cakesbydesign.com).

Brownie Points

Garnish your wedding cake with cookies in the shape of a bride (wearing a tiny tulle veil!) and groom (Ginger Betty's Bakery, gingerbettys.com).

Glamorous Glitter

Rhinestones, crystals, or other gems will add a chic twist to any wedding cake. Tie the sparklers to something fabulous you're wearing, such as diamond chandelier earrings.

Hot Frosting

Choose a cake frosting that can take the heat if you're marrying outdoors. Buttercream, for example, will melt right off in the sun. Fondant, on the other hand, will stay put.

Leftover Layer

Tie a ribbon around your top layer when you stick it in the freezer―that way you won't mistake it for leftovers. Constantly opening and resealing the cake could cause it to spoil.

Be Square

Order a square wedding cake to save money. It'll yield more slices than a traditional round one.

Architectural Design

End your reception on a dramatic note by unveiling a topsy-turvy wedding cake. The asymmetrical tiers create a striking, sculptured look that's fresh and modern.

Tasteful Tower

Not a fan of wedding cake? Create a towering pyramid of croquembouche, doughnuts, cupcakes, or petits fours.

Delicious Decoy

Cut costs by displaying a small, beautifully decorated wedding cake for the ceremonial cutting, then serving your guests from sheet cakes tucked out of sight.

Droopy Layers

If your wedding cake starts to suffer on a hot summer day, immediately put it in the reception site's freezer or on ice. The chill will firm it right up.

Perfect Patterns

Give your confectioner a swatch of vintage lace or intricate beading from your wedding dress, and ask her to replicate the pattern in your cake's frosting.

Signature Dessert

Personalize your wedding cake by asking your confectioner to paint your monogram on each tier. Or cover the cake table with a monogrammed cloth.

Custom Server

Cut into your wedding cake with custom-designed serving pieces that match your decor.

Groom's Cake

Honor your new husband with a groom's cake shaped to represent his favorite hobby. Think of a football for an avid football fan or a sailboat for a dedicated sailor.

Sweet Blooms

Save money by asking your confectioner to decorate your cake with fresh flowers instead of the more costly sugar-paste blooms.