Vintage Wedding Cake Decor: Simple Tips For A Classic Look

Decorating a vintage wedding cake is a fun way to pay homage to the past. The term vintage can refer to a variety of time periods, so there are endless options for designs. For example, if you want to evoke the 1920s, you might opt for a cake with Art Deco inspiration, featuring geometric shapes and ornate details. Alternatively, a cake with intricate piping and buttercream borders is reminiscent of the French Rococo style of the 1700s, known for its gilded and ornate aesthetic. When it comes to flavour, a white velvet cake or a classic wedding cake flavour are popular choices. But ultimately, the flavour and design of your vintage wedding cake are limited only by your imagination!

Vintage cake with buttercream piping

Vintage cakes are known for their frilly, over-piped designs and can be traced back to the French Rococo style of the 1700s. To create a vintage cake with buttercream piping, you will need to prepare your piping bag, practice your piping, and prepare your cakes. Here is a step-by-step guide:

Preparing Your Piping Bag:

Place your piping tip into the bag and cut off the tip, so that the piping tip comes through the bottom but remains secure. Add one cup of buttercream into the bag and twist the top. Squeeze the buttercream towards the tip, and your bag is now ready for piping.

Practicing Your Piping:

If you are new to piping, it is a good idea to practice first. You can pipe directly onto a cake board and then scrape off the buttercream to reuse it. There are many online tutorials and videos that can help you learn different piping techniques.

Preparing Your Cakes:

Bake your round cake layers and let them cool. You can use any flavour you like, but a classic wedding cake flavour like white velvet cake is a good option. Prepare your buttercream frosting and colour it if desired. Refrigerate or freeze your cakes so they are easier to handle when frosting. Trim the brown edges off the tops and sides of your cakes.

Filling and Frosting Your Cake:

Fill your cakes with your chosen filling or frosting. Cover your cake with a thin layer of buttercream, also known as a crumb coat, and refrigerate until firm. Apply a final coat of buttercream and smooth it out carefully to create a perfect canvas for your vintage piping.

Creating the Vintage Look:

To achieve the vintage look, layer your buttercream accents. Start with larger piping tips to create a base and then use smaller tips for more intricate details. Ensure your buttercream is smooth and bubble-free. Use a round cutter or a piece of paper to mark equal spaces on the top and bottom thirds of the cake, which will be your guide for ruffles. Apply your first piped border around the base and top of the cake. You can use a shell border or a reverse shell design.

Adding More Details:

Pipe ruffles using a Wilton 104 tip, with the round part of the tip pointing up. Pipe a round pearl border on top of the ruffles using a Wilton #4 tip. Pipe trios of shells to form a fleur d' lis where the ruffles meet, using a Wilton #16 star tip. You can also pipe small dots, stars, or any other designs you like to add more vintage charm.

Finish your vintage cake with some fresh flowers on top. You can also add a personal touch by writing a message or adding a vintage topper.

Gilded accents

Gold Foil or Leaf Details:

Gold foil or gold leaf accents are a stunning way to add gilded elegance to your wedding cake. Pairing gold foil with a black or dark-coloured cake will make the metallic hue shine. You can also opt for gold leaf to wrap around the bottom tier of a naked cake, transforming its look. Alternatively, go beyond traditional gold leaf by painting the florals or leaves on your cake with a shade of gold.

Gold Drip Effect:

Create a glamorous drip effect by pouring melted gold chocolate over your cake. This technique will add a touch of luxury and is especially effective when paired with white or light-coloured flowers and foliage.

Gold Monogram:

For a subtle touch of gold, consider a gold-foiled monogram. This simple and sweet detail can elevate a white cake beautifully. Sugar Cloud Baking Company paired a unique crocodile embossing design with a hand-painted gold monogram on a five-tier cake.

Gold Florals and Leaves:

Add a touch of shimmer to your wedding cake by pairing gold with pops of silver and pink. Hand-painted sugar leaves and buds, as well as gold-accented sugar flowers, will create an elegant and charming showpiece. Sweet Heather Anne created a cake with gold leaves and white sugar flowers with golden accents, making for a sophisticated statement.

Gilded Age Glamour:

Take inspiration from the Gilded Age and add a touch of gold with a stunning pattern. This theme is perfect for a garden-style or black-tie wedding. A gold pattern can be paired with a bold black cake, as seen in a creation by Sweet Heather Anne, or with pastel colours for a softer look.

Gold Speckle and Splatter:

For a more subtle gilded accent, consider a semi-naked cake with gold speckle or splatter. Lux Sucre Desserts created a semi-naked three-tiered cake with gold splatters to enhance the rustic vibe, perfect for a fall wedding. Alternatively, a brush of gold and small florals can make a single-tier cake absolutely charming.

These ideas provide a range of ways to incorporate gilded accents into your vintage wedding cake, adding a touch of glamour and elegance to your special day.

Flowers, fruit, and foliage

Flowers

When choosing flowers, it is important to select those that are food safe and free from dyes, sprays, and certain essential oils. While many flowers are edible, others are toxic and should be avoided. For example, roses, carnations, peonies, cornflowers, and sunflowers are all safe to use, whereas lilies of the valley, poppies, and daffodils are toxic.

The type of flower you choose can also complement the flavour of the cake. For instance, a cake with citrus flavours could be decorated with yellow tree peonies, hellebore, and wax flowers.

If you opt for fresh flowers, it is best to keep the cake in the fridge to preserve their freshness. They will last for eight hours in a fridge and a few hours outside of it.

Fruits

Fruits can add a pop of colour and a touch of sweetness to your wedding cake. Berries are a popular choice, with strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries being perfect for spring and summer, while cranberries are ideal for autumn and winter. Fresh or dried fruits can also be used to add texture and depth to your cake decorations.

Foliage

Foliage provides a subtle, natural finish to your wedding cake. Green foliage, such as leaves and herbs, can complement the flowers and fruits, adding a touch of elegance or rustic charm.

When combining flowers, fruit, and foliage, consider the shape, colour, texture, and balance of your decorations. Choose a colour palette that complements your cake, and play with different sizes and varieties to create depth and texture.

Whether you opt for a simple, minimalist design or a cascading floral arrangement, decorating a vintage wedding cake with flowers, fruit, and foliage is a beautiful way to make your dessert stand out.

Vintage patterns

Vintage wedding cakes are a delightful way to add charm and elegance to your special day. The vintage theme spans many decades, from the early 1800s to the 1980s, so there are endless choices for designs and patterns. Here are some ideas for vintage patterns to decorate a wedding cake:

Lace and Pearls

Lace and pearls are a classic combination that evokes elegance and vintage vibes. White lace and pearl details on a blush or champagne-coloured cake create a timeless and romantic look. For an extra touch of glamour, add a splash of gold or metallic accents.

Floral Patterns

Flowers are a staple of vintage cake designs, especially sugar or buttercream roses, peonies, and wildflowers. For a rustic 1940s charm, opt for a cake with textured buttercream and hand-painted roses and peonies in soft pinks and beiges. If you want to embrace the swinging sixties, go for a bright yellow and white cake with graphic mod patterns and floral accents.

Chinoiserie

Chinoiserie is an art and design style rooted in European history, often featured on pottery. This intricate blue and white pattern can be used to add a vintage touch to your cake, with delicate blue details popping against an otherwise white cake.

Art Deco

The Art Deco movement of the 1920s and 1930s is characterised by geometric shapes and bold lines. A vintage wedding cake inspired by this era might feature fondant or buttercream in sage green and soft gold, accented with organic shapes and flowery motifs. For a more glamorous take, opt for a black, gold, and ivory cake with chevron patterns and feather toppers.

Vintage Pottery

For a unique twist on vintage patterns, take inspiration from vintage pottery or porcelain. This could include blue and white china patterns or even a vintage stove for a cake stand, giving a nod to the past while still feeling fresh and modern.

Monograms

Monograms add a perfectly personalised touch to a vintage cake. Bright white and elegant gold details with a monogram topper create a sophisticated vintage look, especially when paired with intricate piping and scalloped edges.

There are endless possibilities for vintage patterns and designs to incorporate into your wedding cake. By combining different elements and drawing inspiration from various eras, you can create a unique and charming vintage-themed cake.

Cake toppers

Vintage wedding cake toppers are a great way to add a bit of magic to your special day. Here are some ideas for cake toppers to give your wedding a vintage feel:

Vintage Figurines

Bride and groom figurines have been a popular choice for vintage wedding cake toppers since the Victorian era. You could search for vintage figurines online, in antique shops, or even try to find one similar to your parents' or grandparents' wedding cake topper. If you want something more personalised, you could commission an artist to create custom figurines that resemble you and your partner.

Vintage-Inspired Designs

If you want to add a playful touch, opt for vintage-inspired figurines of a playful bride and groom. You can find these in various styles, from ceramic to plastic, and even hand-painted chalkware. For a more elegant look, choose an all-white cake with delicate sugar flowers and a vintage-inspired topper.

Romantic Details

Enhance the romance of your wedding cake with toppers that feature romantic details. For example, a groom holding the bride, or a silhouette of love with a personalised embroidered message. You could also add a protective glass dome over your cake and topper to give it a vintage feel.

Antique Crown

For a truly regal touch, use an antique crown as your cake topper. Keep the cake tiers simply decorated with buttercream frosting so that the crown takes centre stage. You can even extend the royal theme to your table centrepieces and party favours.

Vintage Accessories

Add some vintage glamour to your cake with accessories like a paper doll mix-and-match. You could have a black-tie groom paper doll or a ballroom beauty paper bride doll, or even a vintage bride with a tulle veil and lace dress.

Vintage wedding cake toppers are a wonderful way to add a unique and personal touch to your special day. Whether you choose to go with figurines, vintage-inspired designs, or elegant accessories, your cake topper will be a charming detail that your guests will adore.

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