There are many aspects to a wedding cake and when you want to choose a sensational wedding cake that sits at your reception for all to see, there are many considerations. You need to think about the style of the cake, the basic design, what kind of flavors you want and even what kind of frosting is on the cake.

The first thing you have to figure out is what you want the cake to look like. Tiered wedding cakes are traditional. This is where you have a large cake on the bottom, a medium in the middle and then topped off by a smaller one. Round is the more common shape, but more and more people are using squares now to be a little different. If you are having an art deco or vintage wedding style then having the cake match would be appropriate.

If you don’t want the traditional tiered cake, you can also choose to go with a molded shape, such as one in the shape of a heart, a wedding bell or something else. If you’ve ever seen any of the cake competitions on TV, you know that a cake can be made into the shape of virtually anything else. Keep in mind that when labor is more intensive, your cake will be more expensive as well.

Once you figure out the design of your cake, you need to consider what it is frosted with. There’s buttercream, fondant and whipped topping. Fondant is more expensive because it has to be rolled, but when you peel the fondant off, you can find buttercream underneath. This may be ideal if you want a flavored buttercream or even a fudge icing without it affecting the overall look of your cake.

The decorations are another important aspect. Do you want real flowers lining the layers or would you like to have handcrafted sugar flowers or other decorative items? Ribbons, dots, lines and many other things can also be piped onto the cake – either in the same color as the rest of the cake or you can incorporate the colors of your wedding bouquet into the cake.

The flavor of the cake is completely up to you. Once upon a time, the choices you would have been given were vanilla, chocolate or marble, but that’s not the only options anymore. There are many cake designers who are offering complex flavors. You can find blood orange and mango, chocolate hazelnut, lemon, coconut, and many others. If you wish to have a filling, this is an option as well. You can go for the fruitier fillings like strawberry and blueberry or the decadent, like mocha praline.

The wedding cake you choose should complement your wedding theme and embody who you are as a couple. Be creative and find a decorator who can make what you want happen and is easy to work with.

Diane writes occasionally for Page Stationery about the many aspects of weddings.

Wedding cakes can come in a huge price range, from hundreds of dollars into the many thousands. There are several factors that will determine whether you end up paying $2 a slice or $15 a slice. Learn about five easy ways to save money on your wedding cake.

One: Choose Classic Flavors. If you “have to have” an exotic cake flavor, expert to pay more for it than if you select a traditional white buttercream cake with a filling between each layers. The same is true of the cake frosting. Basic buttercream icing is very delicious, and it will cost you less than fondant. A couple of things go into the more expensive price tag for fondant frosting. For one thing, it is harder to work with. Also, fondant is not very tasty on its own, so most bakers do a rough frost of – you guessed it – traditional buttercream frosting under the fondant to improve the flavor. Remember that from wedding cakes to pearl bridal jewelry, things become classics for a good reason. You will definitely not be missing out on anything by opting for timeless cake flavors and a classic frosting.

Two: Avoid Handcrafted Flowers. Lavish sugar orchids that are painstakingly made by hand are spectacular, but they also cost a fortune. An incredible amount of time is required to make realistic looking sugar flowers, and that translates into an incredibly expensive cake. Rather than trying to mimic real flowers, just decorate your cake with real flowers. Fresh flowers are certainly very beautiful, and they are also far less costly than handmade sugar blossoms. If you absolutely must have sugar flowers on your cake, use them only for the cake topper, and decorate the lower tiers with a pretty satin or grosgrain ribbon band around the base of each tier.

Three: Fake It! The tiers, that is. For brides who really like the look of a big dramatic cake, a fantastic money saving tip is to have the baker use some fake layers in the cake. The bottom layer is usually real, and perhaps the top one is too. In between, Styrofoam tiers can be used to create the illusion of a towering cake. Once they are frosted, the fake layers will be absolutely indistinguishable from the real cake. Just be sure that the staff of the reception venue is informed ahead of time which layers to serve and which not to cut!

Four: Scale Down The Cake. If you just cannot imagine having Styrofoam tiers in your cake, another good way to bring down the cost is to have a smaller cake. Brides often do this when they would like to have a lavish cake design, but cannot afford to pay for a full sized version. The baker can make simple sheet cakes in the same flavor as the display cake so you have enough dessert to serve. The caterer cuts the back up sheet cake in the kitchen, so no one will be the wiser. A cute modern way to display a small cake is to have three or five single tier cakes arranged on pretty cake stands on a table. It is a great choice for the bride who likes whimsical handmade looking details, such as letterpress invitations and handcrafted jewelry for the bride.

Five: Order Your Cake From The Grocery Store. Some grocery stores actually have pretty good bakeries. What tends to make their cakes scream “grocery store cake!” is the decorations. The trick here is to order a tiered wedding cake that is simply frosted in white or ivory butttercream. Once the cake is delivered to the reception venue, add your own decorations to make it gorgeous. You could use fresh flowers (your florist can put them on for you if you don’t want to attempt this), a crystal monogram cake topper to match your crystal bridal jewelry, or even a set of pre-made marzipan decorations. When all of the decorations are in place, you will have a beautiful wedding cake, and no one will ever suspect how much money you saved.

Bridget Mora writes for www.silverlandjewelry.com, giving brides helpful wedding planning tips on all sorts of topics. Silverland Jewelry is your source for the most exquisite affordable bridal jewelry to match your wedding dress.

If you’re thinking about trying to DIY your wedding cake, here is an idea I love!.

How to Make Heart Shaped Cupcakes

I LOVE this idea – these are very simple to make and they look adorable. They would definitely be a hit for your wedding, and you can ice them how ever you wish to suit your theme or colors.

I found this little gem on Etsy while browsing Valentine’s Day gift ideas early today – SO CUTE!!!! This hedgehog cake topper is made by PassionArt and she has a great selection of other cute toppers as well. $52 – not bad at all.