The 10th Annual Bridal Extravaganza Sunday, February 27, 2000

Sunday, February 27, 2000

Y Cakes
Cakes range from minimal to psychedelic
By AMY ELLIOTT
www.theknot.com

Any way you slice it, wedding cakes are luscious, dreamy and poetic.

Millennial trends range from minimal chic to psychedelic fantasy and on to lavish explosions of flowers, crystals and pearls.

Incorporating elements of a couple’s personal style is the way of the future. Treat your Y2K confection like a work of art while keeping the following tips in mind:

Match it up

Deal with the cake after all decisions about bridal-dress style and reception decor have been made. These elements can then serve as a blueprint for the design and structure of your wedding confection. Let it visually reflect the essential qualities of your relationship, too.

Getting personal

These days, more and more couples are using their wedding cakes as a mode of personal expression. Is the wedding at an aquarium? Try a fish-shaped cake with iridescent sugar scales. None other than Prince Edward and Sophie Rhys-Jones (who met at an actual tennis tournament) featured tennis rackets on their wedding cake. Consider objects that relate to your personalities or wedding theme — couples have used seashells, buttons, ticket stubs and gummy worms as accents.

A matter of taste

A new, more sophisticated palate is taking charge, as couples embrace the many exotic cake flavors now available. Strive for a taste that’s sublime — sample the cake beforehand, complete with fillings and icing. Is the chocolate too intense? Are you getting the subtle hints of almond extract? Too many competing flavors might be overload and often variety can be expensive. Go all out, but don’t go nuts.

Top forms

What’s the latest on cake toppers? For real drama, crown your cake with a cluster of fresh flowers. Can’t decide between fresh or sugar flowers? Have the best of both worlds: Crystallized edible flowers such as violets have a charming, Victorian look. If you’re using fresh blooms on your cake, triple-check with your florist to ensure they have not been sprayed with pesticides.

If you have an heirloom piece — especially a fine porcelain antique — think about working with your baker to integrate it into the design.

His and hers

The popularity of groom’s cakes, a Southern custom, is on the rise nationally. While the bride’s cake is enjoyed as dessert, slices of the groom’s cake traditionally are given to guests as mementos. Superstition holds that if single women sleep with a slice under their pillows that night, they’ll dream of their future husbands. Legends aside, grooms are getting creative, ordering cakes shaped like iguanas, footballs, cigars and more.

Dress it up

Your cake will likely be on display before it’s cut and consumed. Make sure there is a designated cake table that allows an elegant presentation. A round table is ideal for round cakes, while a linear cake design may call for rectangular. Drape the table with sumptuous fabrics and decorate it with motifs, colors and flowers to match the cake (get your florist to help).

Cost-cutting tips

To save money, order a small wedding cake, then add several sheet cakes of the same flavor. Garnish with seasonal flowers (you’ll pay extra for elaborate molded shapes, vibrant colors or handmade sugar-flower detailing). Finally, fondant icing is more expensive than butter cream. Keep it simple.

Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service.