What Has This Chick Been Huffing? Sos!
Decorating By amy2197 Updated 27 Mar 2009 , 2:19am by amy2197
Hi there...I didn't go through the entire thread, but I happen to have a cake in my photos with those colors your bride wants. Maybe you can get an idea from it?
Here's the link:
http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-photo_183173.html
Maybe if you got her to put 2-3" ribbon covered pillars in between the layers it would help the cake http://forum.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1312390
Then you could put the strawberries and sunflowers in the gaps a bit so the sunflowers don't overtake the cake...
I like this idea! I can't wait to see pics of this cake--I don't envy you this challenge!! But then again it might be fun--I agree with the idea of drawing it out and getting her to sign off on it.
Good luck!
Okay... played with my dummies and this is what I have. The biggest square I have is a 12", but you could easily go up a size to get more servings if you end up needing them.
IMHO... the most pleasing set up is with the square on the bottom. If you make the round on the bottom, the square above it shouldn't hit the edge of it... it just doesn't look good. If you make the square small enough so it doesn't, the rounds above are dwarfed by the bottom round.
What a cool cake, Adven68 -- you really did make that odd-sounding color combination come together nicely! I love it!
That's really pretty aligotmatt. It still amazes me how helpful cakecentral people are!!!!
That is workable. I think she wants the whole thing to be the teal-ish blue though. I still can't dig the round as the bottom tier though. I have always disliked the square on top of the round look though. It looks sloppy to me when there isn't a gap between the edge of the bottom tier and the tier above it.
I think the berries on the sticks is a great idea too.
I think it would look better if the whole cake was teal, and the red was brought in on the strawberries, 'gold' in the sunflowers, and black in the black pearls.
I don't like the square on top the round either, I do agree that a hex would be better. but, the customer is always right?
The cake is pretty, but the 2nd square looks off because it's touching the edges of the tier below it. Maybe it's just me, but I just can't get past that. Everytime I see a cake like that it's the first thing I notice and it ruins it for me.
I don't think the customer is always right. I think more often than not they have no clue what will flow best and it is our jobs as professionals to guide them towards the better choice without making them feel they aren't getting it.
The cake is pretty, but the 2nd square looks off because it's touching the edges of the tier below it. Maybe it's just me, but I just can't get past that. Everytime I see a cake like that it's the first thing I notice and it ruins it for me.
I don't think the customer is always right. I think more often than not they have no clue what will flow best and it is our jobs as professionals to guide them towards the better choice without making them feel they aren't getting it.
no no I agree... that's why I put a question mark on the end... I'm reminded of that scene in Mallrats, have you seen that movie? They are at... the mall... and he says, 'the customer is always right' and the guy responds, 'no, the customer is always an a-hole'
okay, maybe they aren't ALWAYS, but anytime I write, say or hear, 'the customer is always right' that response pops into my head... now you know my thoughts, it's scary...
I think that turquoise with black pearls, and sunflower and strawberry bouquets is out of the box enough... she will not look like any other bride.
Yeah, I see what you mean. Like the cake needs another inch or two to accomidate the square...
I honestly would have no idea how to figure out what size cakes to use for something like that.
LOL.. I love Mallrats.
It's hard to have a mixed shaped wedding cake with squares and rounds and have it look proportional. I wonder if you can show her what it will look like with the square on the bottom, maybe seeing her overall design will get her to give up the round bottom? Who knows. I like clients who say whatever you think will work best much more than those with a rigid idea.
What a cool cake, Adven68 -- you really did make that odd-sounding color combination come together nicely! I love it!
ooooh....thank you!! I better go read the rest of the thread...seems like there is a lot more involved! Yikes!
I just did it in Photoshop. Took the picture of my dummy set up and painted over it with teal at 65% opacity and them took the flowers and berries from the internet and plopped them in. It is just a really quick and messy thing.
I feel like I have a crappy cake support group now! Thanks ladies. you are the best. I will take the pics to the bride and beat her with them!!!
I emailed her all the pics that you ladies sent me. I told her that I didn't think the square in the middle would be very balanced. we'll see what she wants to do about it. The ball is in her court now. Thank you all so much for trying to help me with this one. We have got some seriously talented artists on cc! I appreciated the design drawings and setups. Let you guys know something when she emails me back.
This thought just occured to me, maybe you could offer her a strawberry filling instead of the random strawberries on the cake. Make is sound really cool, like a surprise feature for the guests or something.
It's a strawberry cake. She wants the stinking strawberries for color. I tried everything to talk her out of it
OK just to buck the trend here, as a graphic designer and wannabe artist, I like the square cake on top of the round! I get where she is coming from. It may not be traditionally aesthetically pleasing, but it fits the bill for artsy-fartsy people (that was said with love). And you said that the wedding/reception is being held at an art gallery downtown. So I am TOTALLY envisioning a nontraditional, modern, funky cake. Stop thinking about "the way cakes are normally put together" because that is specifically what she doesn't want. Think about a funky painting, a Picasso, Miro...someone who bucked the trend.
Several people have posted pics of the square on top of round, including jkalman's dummies. I think you need to remember that the bride WANTS it to be unconventional, and just go with it. In light of the explanation of what she wants, I don't like the dummies/cakes with the square on the bottom. The oddly-placed square adds unexpected movement and a visual punch. It DOES need to be almost as big as the round underneath it though; I agree, that one with the 8" round atop an 8" square looks bizarre...and NOT in an artsy way.
If you can get your head around her desire to have an offbeat cake, I think it will come out great!
Jury's still out on the strawberries though...
ETA: p.s., it's still going to be a turvy cake, right?
Some designs with the square on top of a round
http://cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1214521
tonedna! http://cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1198459
goth cake, stacked crazy but still gives you a visual on that center square http://cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1184295
I can totally picture the bottom tier of this being round http://cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1153792
Remember, if you are doing a turvy then the bottom of each tier will be tapered in and will land on the cake underneath it more "neatly" for lack of a better word. I.e. you will have the desired blank cake space. If you're not carving them, well...nevermind
one of the cakes ceshell posted agve me an idea.
if you stack the cake like this one: http://cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1184295 then the exact size of the square vs the round doesn't matter as much. then to fill in the "empty" space you could do the sunflower/strawberry arrangements as others have suggested.
good luck!
I found this cake (okay, it's not a full 'cake' cake) that I really, really like and I actually love how striking the teal and black are together. Maybe it is the type of colouring your bride is after? I also like the impressions - they add depth to it without overwhelming it.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lecupcake/419809902/
The only one that I liked out of the ones that cshell posted was Edna's because it has a square on the bottom... The first one looks un balanced and the wonky one does too, but with the tilt it's not so bad... still don't love it though.
I know she wants un conventional, but if I can't get behind the concept of a cake, I have a hard time putting everything I have into it. I am all for graphic design and edgier cakes, but perhaps I am too held up on balance. It very important to me in all aspects of life (a little OCD). A square on top of a round with the edges touching looks just awful to me. It ruins an otherwise nice cake.
I missed the tospy turvy part though... that will help. If the square is tapered in then it gives you some more wiggle room on the sizes.
I have an idea... Draw the cake she wants. Then draw a good design, w/o the strawberries & sunflowers. Maybe if she can see something that looks good next to her design she will change her mind. When you said the colors, I envisioned the cake in teal/blue, with paisley designs in red, black & gold on the cake. Some layers could have swirls, etc. And it could still be topped w/ sunflowers if she has to have them.
Awwwe.. that's too bad because it would look much better if it were TT. I just did a mock up and it made it flow better with the TT tapered square. Ah well.. can't knock us for trying right?
I pity you this one... sound awful. The mock ups aren't to bad though. I wonder what her attendees are saying.... hopefully tying to change her mind.
Alright, the deal is sealed! Emailed her the pics last night. She had a look and fell in love with your photoshop work jkalman. Thanks so much ladies! The bridezilla has been semi-tamed!
Quote by @%username% on %date%
%body%