A friend of mine wants to make Martha Stewart's "Sweet Songbirds" wedding cake and was asking me if the twigs on this cake could be made out of an edible material instead of using real birch twigs. I was thinking perhaps deep brown royal icing and make them on parchment paper ahead of time and put them on the cake right before the wedding. Does anyone have any other suggestions? I told her I'd get back to her on it. Thank you!
http://www.marthastewartweddings.com/photogallery/forest-weddings?lpgStart=1¤tslide=1¤tChapter=1#ms-global-breadcrumbs

I made twigs for my snowman's arms (in my photos) using lollipop sticks, gumpaste, shaping the twig parts, then painting it with chocolate (Wilton candy melts). I also did something similar for my trees in my tank diorama. It would just be a skinnier version. That may work for you!