For the past couple of years, we’ve seen a return to basics with a requests for the classic white-on-white wedding cake. As we move further out of the recession and into an exciting 2014, brides and grooms are taking more risks and moving in a direction of realistic opulence. It’s not too over the top. It’s understated glam. It’s I-want-to-have-fun-and-I’m-not-going-to-feel-bad-about-it (does that hashtag already exist?). Here are the top five predictions that we are seeing for the new year and hope there will continue to be more of.
Color
This is the boldest statement couples can make. Let’s throw a party and have it be fun! Couples are moving away from muted decor colors and traditional white cake to bolder and unexpected color combinations (hello, royal blue and fuchsia!). The other way to get completely away from the white-on-white is to opt for a caked iced in ganache. This is bold and not for everyone (though, the guys tend to love it!). Flowers and other details pop against the dark background.
Texture
Instead of adding more “stuff” to a cake, it can be understated yet still have lots of interest. Since we exclusively work with buttercream at our shop, we love to have fun with the look of the icing. It can be tailored or intentionally “messy.” Either way, it’s just fun!
Metallic detailing
Metallic is hot in furniture decor and with all of the Gatsby-craze of last summer, couples are still looking for a bit of glam. On cakes, we interpret this in the form of silver dragees or bands wrapping around a cake. Sometimes, an entire tier is hand painted with edible silver or gold leaf. The Sugar Flower Cake Shop aesthetic tends to be a little more subdued, so we love pairing these glam elements with contrasting elements (sometimes rustic and sometimes chic).
Painted cakes
Lately, I’ve been seeing a lot of watercolor. Invitation designers are using it more and more. It’s so pretty to look at and really fun to paint in buttercream. I’m hoping to do more watercolor cakes this spring and summer!
More (and more elaborate) piping
White on white wedding cakes will likely always be around. To keep them visually interesting, we love to pipe and pipe and pipe (plus maybe add a couple of sugar flowers!). The wedding cake is the one decor element that can really pull the entire event together. We love looking at invitations that have interesting patterns and translating that into something we can pipe onto a cake.
About Amy Noelle and Sugar Flower Cake Shop
A former teacher and actuary, Amy Noelle opened Sugar Flower Cake Shop in 2009, focusing on wedding and special occasion cakes made from local, seasonal, organic and fair-trade ingredients. At Sugar Flower Cake Shop, all the cakes are baked fresh and lathered with silky buttercream rather than stiff fondant. Many of Amy’s creations are adorned with exquisitely designed sugar flowers. Her work has appeared in numerous publications including Martha Stewart Weddings, The New York Times, New York Weddings, Bride’s Magazine, The Knot, Forbes and more. She’s given demos at Martha Stewart’s studio and Macy’s, and appeared on the STYLE Network and TV Land.
Amy uses only all natural ingredients, many locally sourced from NYC Greenmarket vendors such as Andrew’s New York City honey, cream and eggs from the Knoll Crest Farms and fruit from Berried Treasures Farm. Amy also eschews fondant for all-natural buttercream, including in the customer favorite NYC honey frosting, with Andrew’s Honey neighborhood varieties allowing brides a choice based on their neighborhood or location of the wedding. She also teaches classes at the studio covering everything from basic decorating to advanced baking techniques.
Photos: Don Hwang, Cody Rasig, Sugar Flower Cake Shop
