One of the stars of the show at most weddings—in addition to the couple, of course—is the wedding cake.

Not only is the cake an iconic wedding symbol that you and your guests can enjoy together, but it is also a great way to showcase your unique sense of style and personality.

Cakes are such a deeply entrenched tradition that even when people have a private wedding ceremony or elope, they still try to have a wedding cake.

These days, wedding cake trends range from small, simple creations perfect for small weddings to highly creative, edible works of art.

You can find a sampling of some of the wedding cake trends we’ve been seeing listed below.

Going All Out

Show-stopping wedding cakes that reach dramatic heights or feature elaborate designs are big (no pun intended) this year.

These cakes often go above and beyond the traditional three tiers for weddings and sometimes tie in with couples’ wedding themes.

Bas Relief Designs

More and more bakers are using are incorporating a carving technique known as bas relief into their wedding cake creations.

According to Cake-Geek.com, bas relief refers to “a pattern that is raised up from the surface of a piece of art.” And until recently, it was a term associated with sculpting.

“It's a beautiful method—one that translates just as prettily onto the blank canvas that is your wedding cake,” Sarah Schreiber wrote for MarthaStewart.com.  “It's also relatively subtle, which makes it a perfect option for couples who want to add refined, elevated detail work to their big-day dessert.”

Bold and Bright

If you believe your wedding should be an expression of joy and fun, you may want your cake to express those sentiments. 

The good news is, cakes in show-stopping colors—from blues, greens, and plums to primaries like blue, red, and yellow—are in hot demand.

Bakers are adding color to wedding cakes with colored fondant, dyed frostings, sugar art, hand-painted artistic touches, sprinkles, gold accents, and according to MarthaStewart.com, they’re even creating naked cakes “with splashes of dyed batter or layers of frosting.”

Marble Cake

These modern cakes are loved for their beauty, elegance, and modern vibe.

“The marbling is created by partially kneading a little colour into fondant and rolling it out,” Elizabeth Solaru wrote for Wedding Forward. “Most marble wedding cakes tend to be unadorned, but marble cakes work well with metallics such as gold or silver and also with geodes to create a stunning impact.”

Naked Wedding Cakes

What these cakes lack in frosting, they make up for in flavor and moisture.

Naked cakes were a big trend in 2013 and have been evolving since then.

"Most of our clients choose a naked or semi-naked design simply because they love the look and it fits the rustic or sometimes industrial theme of their venue and wedding reception," Ashley Lattier of Ashley Cakes told Brides Magazine. “A semi-naked cake follows the same style, with a bit more frosting on the cake. For this style, the baker typically adds a very thin layer of frosting to the cake, scraping the edges to let the cake layers show through.”

Pressed Flowers

The trend of pressing edible flowers into cakes didn’t get its start this year, but it is going strong.

To be clear, we’re not talking about flowers made of fondant or sugar—these are real flowers, and their visual impact is stunning.

“I love how they all range in color,” Janderyn Makris, owner of Earth and Sugar, told Brides magazine. “And, because it is particular in style, it doesn’t have to match the wedding decor. It is its own style that reflects ethereal beauty, and best of all, it can be done on a buttercream cake.”

Ruffle Cakes

Ruffle wedding cakes are a wildly popular trend these days, Alice Prendergast wrote for WeddingWire Canada.

“They’re classic, romantic and can be made to fit just about any wedding theme with just a few tweaks,” she added.

As with many wedding cake styles, ruffles lend themselves to a wide range of options, from traditional (with thin, horizontal lines of buttercream), to oversized to a more modern design with vertical lines.

Contact the Bell Tower on 34th to learn more about how we can help you create an excellent event that no one will ever forget.