Customizing Your Wedding Cake: Choosing The Perfect Topper

Choosing a wedding cake topper is a fun way to personalise your wedding and share your unique love story with your guests. While it's not a necessity, a cake topper can be a sweet commemoration of your special day and every event leading up to it. From traditional porcelain figurines to modern wire designs, there are endless options to choose from. You can select a topper that reflects your interests, hobbies, or wedding theme, or you can opt for a simple, elegant cake with no topper at all. The choice is yours!

Personalised touches

Adding personalised touches to your wedding cake topper is a great way to make your cake unique to you as a couple. Here are some ideas to get you started:

Romantic Figurines

You could opt for a romantic figurine of the bride and groom dancing or a 2D silhouette of the couple in a romantic pose. If you want something a little more fun, you could go for a caricature of the couple that denotes a shared hobby or interest.

Flags

If you and your partner are of different nationalities, you could use two crossed flags to symbolise the joining of your two nationalities.

Edible Luggage Tags

For a quirky and tasty addition, you could have edible luggage tags with your new initials or 'Mr and Mrs'.

Include Your Pets

If you want to include your pets in your wedding, you could have a cake topper made that features them too. Etsy is a great place to find custom cake toppers with pets.

Include Your Interests

You can personalise your cake topper with motifs that celebrate your personalities and interests. For example, you could include motorcycles, bicycles, musical instruments, or sports equipment.

Traditional Attire

If you want to include a cultural element to your wedding, you could opt for traditional Asian or Indian custom wedding cake toppers that feature the couple in traditional wedding attire.

Acrylic Cake Toppers

Acrylic cake toppers are a popular choice for modern weddings. You can choose eye-catching wording like "Best Day Ever", "We're Engaged", or "The Hunt is Over". You can also personalise acrylic cake toppers with your names or wedding date.

Wooden Cake Toppers

Wooden cake toppers are a classic and natural-looking option. You can personalise them with your favourite colour or a custom design that you can't find in stores.

Monograms and Letters

You can design a custom cake topper with monograms, letters, names, initials, or even a sentimental motto.

Online Vendors

If you're looking for a custom cake topper, try searching on online craft marketplaces like Etsy, Not on the High Street, or CraftCuts. You can also search for local cake makers online and ask about personalisation options.

Local Vendors

If you're looking for something unique, you could try visiting local artisans, bakeries, or gift shops to see if they can recommend someone or create a custom topper in-house.

Flowers

Material Variety

You can opt for real flowers, which add a touch of nature to your cake. However, real flowers may wilt, so choose hardy varieties and keep them refrigerated before use. Alternatively, you can use edible flowers, which are a great choice if you want a fully consumable cake. Just ensure they are certified as food-safe and free from pesticides.

If you want a long-lasting and low-maintenance option, artificial flowers are a perfect choice. High-quality silk flowers or artificial roses can be purchased from craft stores or online. Another option is sugar flowers, which are crafted from fondant or gum paste and can be made well in advance.

Themes and Colours

Match the flowers to your wedding's colour palette for a cohesive aesthetic. For example, blush pink, lilac, and mauve flowers for a soft, romantic look, or deep red and burgundy flowers for a more dramatic effect. You can also coordinate with the bride's bouquet, creating a beautiful connection between the cake and the bridal party.

Consider the season and choose flowers that reflect the time of year. For instance, daisies for spring or poinsettias for winter weddings. You can also incorporate natural elements like sprigs of lavender or eucalyptus to add a whimsical touch.

Design and Scalability

Floral cake toppers can range from minimalistic single-flower toppers to grand cascading arrangements. For modern, minimalist wedding cakes, a single statement flower, such as a peony or orchid, can make a powerful impact. Pair it with monochromatic icing to make the flower stand out.

If you have a multi-tiered cake, consider a floral hoop topper. Create a hoop with floral wire and wrap it with greenery and flowers. This adds a modern, asymmetrical element to your cake.

For a more traditional look, opt for a classic bouquet-style topper with a mix of flowers and foliage. You can use floral picks and wires to secure the arrangement and add pearl-shaped edible beads or gold leaf for a touch of opulence.

Preservation and Placement

If using fresh flowers, keep them refrigerated in a sealed container with damp paper towels until just before application to preserve their vibrancy. For sugar flowers, store them in an airtight container with silica gel packets to prevent moisture damage.

When placing flowers on the cake, always wrap flower stems in floral tape to maintain hygiene and prevent contamination. For heavy toppers, reinforce them with floral wires or edible glue, and consider using a stabilising dowel inserted into the cake for extra support.

Suppliers

You can find a wide range of floral cake toppers and decorations online at Amazon, Etsy, and Hobbycraft. Fresh flowers can be sourced from local markets, such as Covent Garden Flower Market or Columbia Road Flower Market in London. For artificial flowers and sugar-crafting kits, try The Cake Craft Store or Jane Asher's Cake Shop.

With these tips in mind, you can create a stunning floral wedding cake topper that complements your wedding theme and adds a touch of natural beauty to your celebration.

Cake topper materials

Wedding cake toppers can be made from a variety of materials, and the choice of material can add a unique touch to the overall wedding theme and style. Here are some popular options:

• Plastic: Plastic cake toppers are a classic and affordable option. They can be detailed and intricate, featuring figurines that resemble the bride and groom. Plastic toppers are lightweight and easy to transport, making them a convenient choice.
• Porcelain: Porcelain cake toppers offer a more elegant and delicate appearance. They are often chosen for their intricate details and ability to capture the couple's likeness. Porcelain toppers can be painted or glazed to match the wedding colours or the couple's skin tones and hair colours.
• Crystal: Crystal cake toppers add a touch of luxury and sparkle to the wedding cake. They can be intricate designs or simple monograms, reflecting the light and creating a dazzling display.
• Wood: Wooden cake toppers provide a rustic and natural look. They are often chosen for outdoor or rustic-themed weddings. Wooden toppers can be personalised with the couple's names, initials, or wedding date, making them a unique keepsake.
• Acrylic: Acrylic cake toppers are a modern and trendy choice. They are often multidimensional and can be customised with eye-catching wording or designs. Acrylic toppers come in various colours and sizes to match any wedding theme.
• Glass: Glass cake toppers offer a sophisticated and elegant option. They can be personalised to match the wedding colours or style, adding a touch of glamour to the celebration.
• Resin: Resin cake toppers are durable and can be highly detailed. They are often used for funny or whimsical scenes, such as a bride dragging a groom or a couple riding a motorcycle. Resin toppers are a great way to showcase the couple's sense of humour.
• Paper: Paper cake toppers are a unique and lightweight option. They can be customised with intricate designs, humorous scenes, or floral arrangements. Paper toppers are a budget-friendly choice and can be tailored to match any wedding theme.

When choosing a cake topper material, consider the overall wedding style, theme, and colour palette. The material should complement the cake design and enhance the desired atmosphere. Additionally, durability and longevity should be considered, especially if the couple wishes to keep the topper as a cherished keepsake or pass it on as a family heirloom.

Cake topper styles

There are endless options when it comes to wedding cake toppers, and you can choose one that reflects your personality and style. If you are a traditional couple, you might opt for hand-painted porcelain figurines, which can be customised to resemble the couple and become family heirlooms. Silhouette cake toppers are another option for those seeking a vintage, yet modern twist. These are usually made from acrylic or wood and can include silhouettes of balloons, words, pets or other items that hold a special meaning for the couple.

For a more modern and casual vibe, wire wedding cake toppers are a popular choice. These can be twisted and turned to spell out words, monograms or names in a fun script. If you and your partner share a hobby or passion, you can showcase this with a hobbyist cake topper. Common designs include golfers, motorcyclists, dog lovers and beach lovers, but the possibilities are endless.

Acrylic or wooden laser-cut words and phrases are another option for couples who want to display a meaningful quote, their names or initials. These toppers offer a modern twist on a traditional piece and can be customised with glitter or metallic finishes.

If you are having a themed wedding, you can take this opportunity to showcase your theme with a cake topper. Whether you are having a beach wedding, a woodland wedding or a garden wedding, there is a cake topper to match. For example, a pair of Adirondack chairs for a beach wedding, antlers for a woodland wedding, or a floral initial for a garden wedding.

Finally, you may opt to forgo a cake topper altogether and instead choose to decorate your cake with flowers, either sugar or buttercream flowers, or fresh blooms (being careful to avoid toxic varieties).

Cake topper cost

The cost of a cake topper can vary depending on its material, design, and size. Acrylic silhouette cake toppers, for instance, can be found for as little as $6.99, with most toppers in this style ranging from $8.99 to $10.99.

More intricate or themed cake toppers, such as those featuring popular characters, can be more expensive. For example, a Disney Princess cake topper featuring Aurora, Belle, and Cinderella costs $12.99, while a Spiderman-themed cake topper is priced at $16.99.

It is worth noting that prices may vary depending on the retailer and the specific product details, such as the size and material used. Some retailers may also offer discounts or deals that can affect the final price of the cake topper.

Frequently asked questions