Chic Wedding Cake on the cheap

by Jeaneene the Queen
(Michigan)

This simple cake design is elegant and has a wow factor. You can avoid the extra stress of the endless cake-style decisions and simplify a small part of your wedding!

Here are some cakes that your guests will rave about, yet are simple and inexpensive to buy from a cake baker. They do not require the hours of work that go into most decorated wedding cakes, thus the baker will not charge as much. So here we go!

At Bridal Shops, you can find gorgeous rhinestone initials for a monogram. Buy these in the following way:

The first letter of the bride's name: small
The first letter of the groom's name: small
The first letter of the last name after marriage: large

Instruct your cake maker to make a simple three (or more) tiered cake. Tell this person that you want either a sugar paste frosting or a fondant frosting over buttercream. The buttercream makes the finished color of the cake even (it's a very thin layer). You may choose a color at this point, or leave it white. This type of icing will give a very smooth look.

Top the cake with the monogram (initials) in this way:
bride's initial
couple's surname initial
groom's initial
The monogram can be placed atop the cake with or without a ribbon bow.


Next you may choose some 2 inch wide quality ribbon to be wrapped around the cake layers. These can be the same or they can coordinate. If at all possible, buy this ribbon in advance of your appointment with the cake person and take it with you to that meeting. I stress the word quality, as it will make the difference in the final look. You will save immensely on the cake, so you can afford to splurge on the ribbon!

Here are some color ideas:

Ivory fondant with chocolate-colored ribbon. The three layers may be wrapped with a solid, polka-dotted, and striped ribbon. Very trendy.

White fondant with ivory ribbons. This cake can be embellished with ivory silk flowers. A lovely and elegant presentation.

Turquoise ribbon on ivory fondant with chocolate embellishments, either of frosting or other decorations. Another trendy choice.

Replace the above turquoise with any other color.

Have the fondant tinted a pale version of one of your wedding theme colors, such as pink. Then use ivory or white ribbons or variations of both to complement the cake. A fitting monument and centerpiece to the color-coordinated wedding.

Hottest color combinations:
turquoise and lime green
pink and lime green
chocolate with turquoise
red with chocolate and white
pink with chocolate