Luxury Ways To Style Your Wedding Cake

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Nobody puts cake in the corner…

I’ll forever be campaigning to put your wedding cake front and centre of your celebrations. It makes me cry a little every time I see them shoved on a boring old 3ft table in the corner. Often on a creased, short, white tablecloth (shudder) next to an ugly fire exit sign – ok, you get the picture.

There’s so much more we can do to display your cake so it gets the attention it so rightly deserves. They’re often complete works of art that you and your cake designer have put so much time and thought into, it’s such a shame when they don’t get the spotlight they deserve. Just look how amazing this trio of beauties look when styled with my large copper frame and neon sign.

It might be that your venue has a ‘typical’ spot usually used for wedding cakes, these aren’t always in the best place and so I’m always on the look out at our venue visit to see whether there’s a better option.

A good backdrop is essential, think grand fireplace (perhaps not if it’ll be on…a buttercream wedding cake in front of a roaring fire might not be the best idea!). Is there perhaps a beautiful staircase or an exposed brick wall that would add interest to the overall aesthetic? If you’re looking at your venue and thinking there’s nowhere special to display your cake, fear not – we can absolutely create the perfect spot and backdrop.

For the same reason I’d always recommend hiring in table linen, it’s also a good idea to upgrade the linen your cake will be displayed on, it’s relatively inexpensive and really does make a world of difference. If your cake is being positioned on a bare wooden table then adding in layers of silk or chiffon can elevate it and help to mirror the luxuriousness of the cake itself. All items that can easily be hired in and colour matched with your overall styling.

Your wedding cake does not have to sit on a standard table at all.

Some of my favourite displays have involved positioning the cake on a tall plinth or using an antique console table that’s part of my decor collection. It looks incredible to fill the drawer with overflowing flowers as shown below.

Your venue plays a huge part in how best to style your cake. It might be that in a barn or vineyard there are rustic barrels to utilise.

Another key consideration is the styling around your cake display – candles and of course florals are always a winning formula.

If looking to include family wedding photos in your celebrations then photos from when their cakes were cut would also be a lovely touch.

I asked Louise from Louise Hayes Cake Design if she had any recommendations for ensuring your cake looks picture perfect on the day, she makes a very good point about cake stands, here’s what she had to say:

“This is such a simple one but unfortunately one that is often overlooked. Most venues will include a cost stand in their package but it’s so important to check what style of stand this is. Some venues will have a traditional silver plated stand, whilst others might offer a log stand. The key thing to consider is whether the stand they have available will suit the style of your cake. If you feel that it doesn’t, it’s worth checking with your cake designer as most, like myself, will have stands that they hire, which naturally suit the style of their cakes.”

The last thing I’d like to talk about today is dessert tables. A dessert table is a really easy way to achieve an elevated and luxurious feel to your celebrations. You’ve spent time (and money!) on picking the perfect cake, one that’ll feature heavily in your wedding gallery so why not go all out and surround it with lots of little pieces of gorgeousness?!

There are so many different ways we can style a dessert table, taking inspiration from your venue and the cake itself. Not only do they look beautiful but as any wedding guest will tell you, weddings can be long days and a sweet snack that’s easy to grab will always be a hit amongst your nearest and dearest! I love to display the treats on glass boxes and trays, or by using a mix of different height acrylic stands, it creates such interest on the table.

I think dessert tables are just starting to have their moment, a bit like pic’n’mix sweets did a few years ago, it’s a similar concept in that sugary treats are never a bad idea, but a dessert table is such a modern take on a traditional ‘sweetie cart’ and one that I believe offers far more styling opportunities.

Your cake designer will be able to create an array of bite-size treats, from macarons and biscuits to cake pops and chocolates – I can almost guarantee there’ll be nothing left at the end of the night!