Cake Toppers: Essential Wedding Centerpiece Or Unnecessary Filler?

Wedding cake toppers are a fun way to add a personal touch to your special day. While they are not necessary, they can be a sweet way to commemorate your celebration. From traditional porcelain figurines to modern wire designs, there's a wide range of options to choose from. You can even opt for a simple cake with fresh flowers as a topper, which is becoming more common. Ultimately, it's up to you whether you want to include a cake topper or not. It's your day, so feel free to get creative and choose what best represents your style and theme!

Cake toppers are unnecessary if your cake looks fantastic without one

Simplicity

A cake topper might detract from the design, details, and overall appearance of your cake. If you have a \"couture\" cake, a topper could ruin the look. Many wedding cakes these days leave the top tier bare, which goes well with minimalist designs.

Budget

If you're on a tight budget, skipping the cake topper can save you some money. Cake toppers can range from under $30 to upwards of $100, so opting out can help you cut costs.

Decorative balance

If your wedding ceremony is already filled with many decorative items, a cake topper might be too much. A fresh, topper-free cake can balance out all the other accessories and decorations at your wedding.

Personal preference

Ultimately, whether or not to have a cake topper is a matter of personal preference. If you don't like the look of cake toppers or prefer the idea of flowers or a bare cake, that's your choice! As one source says, "Nothing is off limits at weddings anymore... and really, flowers on top isn't that strange. It's becoming very common."

They can be expensive, so you may want to cut them from your budget

Wedding cake toppers can be expensive, so if you're on a tight budget, you may want to cut them from your shopping list. While they can be a charming addition to your wedding cake, infusing a touch of creativity, personality and elegance, they are not a necessity.

If you're looking to save money, you can skip the cake topper and opt for a simple, elegant cake that stands out on its own. A minimalist design with a bare top tier can be just as striking and chic. Alternatively, you could use fresh flowers, sugar flowers, or buttercream blooms as a cost-effective topper. These options are not only budget-friendly but also add a timeless, natural touch to your cake.

If you have your heart set on a topper but want to save money, consider a topper made from less expensive materials. Acrylic or wooden toppers, for example, can be more affordable options while still allowing for personalisation. You could also explore DIY options or ask a crafty friend to create a unique topper for you.

Remember, your wedding day is about celebrating your love and creating memories. Whether you choose to include a cake topper or not, the most important thing is that you and your spouse-to-be are happy with the decision.

You can opt for flowers or leave the top tier bare instead

Flowers are a popular choice for wedding cake toppers, with many couples opting for sugar or buttercream flowers that match the blooms on the rest of the cake. Fresh flowers can also be used, but it's important to avoid varieties known to be toxic, such as hyacinths and Calla lilies. If you're looking for a more minimalist approach, leaving the top tier of your wedding cake bare is also a stylish option that's becoming increasingly common.

While traditional wedding cake toppers featuring plastic miniatures of a newly married couple were once trendy, today's couples are increasingly choosing to personalise their cake toppers or forgo them altogether. Ultimately, the decision to include a cake topper is a personal one, and there are no hard and fast rules. If you're working with a tight budget, forgoing a cake topper can be a simple way to save money. Similarly, if your wedding decor already includes many decorative items, opting for a fresh, unadorned cake can help to balance the overall look of your wedding ceremony.

If you do decide to include a cake topper, there are numerous options to choose from. Acrylic or wood laser-cut words and phrases can be used to display a quote, your names, or initials, adding a modern twist to a traditional element. Silhouette cake toppers, wire cake toppers, and hobbyist cake toppers that reflect your passions or interests are also popular choices. For those who want to incorporate flowers, sugar or buttercream flowers can be used to create a beautiful floral topper that complements the overall design of the cake.

They can be made from porcelain, wood, acrylic, plastic, wire or even Lego

Wedding cake toppers are not necessary, but they can be a fun and creative way to express your personality and style as a couple. If you do decide to have a cake topper, there are many options to choose from, and you can select the material that best suits your preferences and wedding theme.

One classic option is to have a cake topper made from porcelain. Porcelain cake toppers can be elegant and timeless, and they often feature intricate details and designs. For example, you can find porcelain cake toppers with intricate floral patterns or porcelain figurines that resemble the bride and groom.

Wooden cake toppers are another popular choice, especially for rustic or country-themed weddings. These toppers can be personalised with the couple's initials or wedding date, or they can be more simplistic, such as an ampersand or monogram.

Acrylic cake toppers have become increasingly popular due to their versatility and modern aesthetic. Acrylic toppers can be easily customised with details such as the couple's names, wedding date, or other personal touches. They are also lightweight and durable, making them a practical choice for destination weddings or outdoor receptions.

If you're looking for something more colourful and playful, plastic cake toppers might be a good option. Plastic toppers are often available in a wide range of colours and styles, and they can be a fun way to represent the couple's hobbies, interests, or sense of humour.

For a unique and whimsical touch, consider a wire cake topper. Wire toppers can be bent and shaped into various designs, such as the couple's initials or a meaningful symbol. They add a delicate and artistic element to the wedding cake.

Lastly, if you're a fan of Lego, why not incorporate it into your wedding cake topper? Lego cake toppers can be a fun and creative way to showcase your personality as a couple. You can either use existing Lego figures or customise your own to resemble the bride and groom.

Remember, your wedding cake topper should reflect your style and what you want. Whether you choose a traditional or unconventional topper, made from porcelain, wood, acrylic, plastic, wire, or Lego, it should be a representation of your unique love story.

Cake toppers can be traditional, modern or hobbyist in style

Cake toppers are not a necessity at weddings, but they can be a fun and whimsical addition to your wedding cake. They can be traditional, modern, or hobbyist in style, depending on your preference.

Traditional cake toppers often feature a vintage "bride and groom" design, with a couple of figurines dressed in wedding attire. These toppers were trendy for decades, and many couples still opt for this classic choice.

Modern cake toppers offer a wide range of options, from monograms, crowns, quotes, birds, fans, and small trophies to personalised phrases or words such as "I Do" or "Always and Forever." Monogram toppers typically feature the couple's initials, titles, or last names in a stylish font.

If you and your partner share a hobby or have a favourite animal, you can incorporate this into your cake topper. Animal cake toppers typically feature a pair of animal figurines dressed in wedding attire, such as doves, penguins, or dogs.

Cake toppers can also showcase your favourite characters or people. You can opt for plastic models of popular characters from Disney or children's shows, or go for an edible, modelled topper that resembles you and your partner.

Ultimately, the choice of cake topper is a personal one. You can select a topper that aligns with your wedding theme, the season, your hobbies, or any other detail that reflects your personality and style.

Frequently asked questions