Thursday, August 7, 2008

Custom Cake Toppers
More clients these days are asking me to create custom cake toppers or cake flowers for their wedding cakes. I think because the art of sugar or gumpaste flowers are so expensive that clay flowers are a great alternative. Plus the ready made ones already in a vase make great mementos of your wedding day and of course decorate your new home at the same time.

Stacie Tamaki wrote a great article in her Nitty Gritty section of http://www.theflirtybride.com/. It talked about how wedding guests steal everything they can get their hands on. I think even more so when the items are handmade guests go crazy. My Magnolia Bride, Kristy had her magnolia cake flowers that I made for her stolen before her wedding coordinators could take them for safe-keeping. At least with the cake topper in a vase, it would be hard for someone not to notice that it's being stolen. The same thing at my wedding happened, we made an announcement via the DJ to notify everyone what they could take and what they couldn't take. It's sad that you have to make that announcement, but sometimes it's necessary. Especially when your centerpiece vases are a rental from your florist. So although it may seem tacky, sometimes it's a must. Definitely check out Stacie's website because she has some great stories that have even better words of advice for brides.

Anyway, this cake topper was requested by a client who found me via Etsy and she asked if I could make Esperanza pink roses and green hydrangeas with pinkish tones. She has a square tiered cake with green ribbon on each layer and just wanted a topper. Although I could have said "no" to the order (since I'm completely booked as it is), I agreed to do it. We discussed various alternatives for the vase, but since she has a square cake, I figured this 5 inch flat vase would work nice without looking like it's another layer. Plus after the wedding is over, she can place it in her home and remember her wedding day and wedding cake with fond memories!

I love the unique cake toppers out on the wedding market, but I feel like the ones I create are unique in the sense that it becomes a floral arrangement you can have in your home and not something you just tuck in the china cabinet with all your china and crystal.

2 comments:

Tinygami said...

This is so gorgeous!

DK Designs said...

Thank you! It turned out my roses were so big that we couldn't do the silver mint julep cup, but I think this vase works out so much better because it's the same shape as the bride's cake and it will look like a mini layer on top of the 6 inch layer that it will sit on. I wish I could be a little butterfly (not a fly as they say) on the wall at every wedding that I'm a part of so I can see what it looks like. :)