So I'm making a small wedding cake for a friend's reception this weekend. She wanted lilies and hydrangea on it. I went to a local flower shop to order the flowers (since the couple already get married she doesn't have a florist she's working with) and the wedding consultant there said that they've done flowers for cakes before and ordered me a few stems of each flower - and told me that this way I'd be able to do what I want with them. I figured I would cut the stems, wrap them with floral tape or something and then put them ontop of the cake and along the tiers here and there - sticking them in if I needed for more stability. For the top tier I was thinking of laying down wax paper or something first so that the flowers don't get stuck to the cake or anything gross.

Now that I've done some more reading though, it looks like my plan is a BAD one - and that maybe the florist doesn't know as much about real flowers on wedding cakes as she lead on AND that the flowers my friend wants are poisonous!!!

Oh I've screwed up big time.....reception is on Sunday and I'm supposed to pick the flowers up on Friday. I was thinking of calling the shop tomorrow to be sure that the flowers are pesticide free etc....and if they're not - I have NO clue what to do!

HELP!

Can you make gumpaste flowers? I know it's kind of late, but they would probably be dry enough by Saturday if you cranked them out.... Or maybe you could do some other sort of topper, and lay the flowers around the outside of the cake or on the cake table?

OOH! Silk ones!! I know it's not as nice as real flowers, but you can get some nice, realistic looking silk ones!

I wonder if you could make a gumpaste plate type thing to set the flowers on. If made in the same color as the fondant/icing it wouldn't be too noticeable. Hope it all works out for you.

perhaps you can change flowers with the florist for ones that are safe.

if not silk is a good second choice for saftey reasons. Most of the shops have flowers that look so real.. they are more expensive sometimes than the fresh flowers.

I have a vendors licence for flowers that makes flowers cheaper for my clients but in a pinch costco and sams and even some bigger grocery stores have great floral departments that sometimes have a bigger selection than some florists and much cheaper too.

Don't panic... I am sure it will look beautiful and that things will come together.

let us know how it goes.

Thanks for the suggestions everyone! I am definitely not talented enough to make gumpaste flowers - have never done them! I was thinking of maybe getting one of those green floral foam things for the cake topper and putting the flowers in that....setting that ontop of a thing of wax paper or something ontop of the top tier.....do you think that would work.

The other thing is that she said she did like roses, so maybe I could change to those instead.....I will also look for silk flowers somewhere. If the florist won't let me change and/or I have to keep my flowers, I will most likely try and use them for decoration maybe around the base of the cake or just in vases as part of the display.

Thanks for calming me down - I know it'll be okay. I'm more just mad at myself for not doing more research - and for not trusting my gut when I was at the flower shop and thinking "I'm not so sure this lady really knows what she's doing!"

I would do the roses on the cake, since the bride said she liked them too, and they are so easy to find. I think your idea about putting the other flowers in vases would look really pretty! Good luck!

wrap your flowers REALLY well with floral tape, then a little plastic wrap around that, at michaels or other supply stores you can buy picks that are plastic and stick into the cake and have a little vase for the flowers to go in, use those and you should be fine, and yes most florist have no idea which flowers are safe for use in food products,

I agree with using the flower pics, if you choose to go with the fresh flowers. You should be okay, just need to make sure that no liquid from the cut stem comes into contact with something someone would eat. They sell the flower pics at the craft store in the cake decorating aisle.

If you think you might want to try making gumpaste flowers, Wilton has a new cutter set that includes cutters for both Calla Lilies and Hydrangea. The Calla Lilies are pretty simple to make, and the Hydrangea is a cutter/plunger/veiner deal... so they are simple as well... It's $30 for the set though ($17 with coupon), so if gumpaste flowers are not something you want to get into, it may not be worth it to you...

I also think using roses instead, and using your Hydrangea & Lilies in the display would be beautiful...

You have some great options, I know you're freaking out because it's so close to the date, but I'm sure the cake will be beautiful no matter which route you go! Good Luck!

Your idea of using a green styro/oasis is ok but you will need to wrap it in foil. The idea of making a gumpaste (or fondant) cup is great. That is very easy - just rollout a piece of fondant (to make it dry a bit harder knead in some Tylose or GumTex but I've used fondant straight and it dries) and drape it over a bowl/cup to dry. Should take just a few hours (overnight is great) then the flowers would not touch the cake in any way.

Thanks again SO much for all of the suggestions and help! I think I'm going to attempt the foam thingi on the top of the cake. I'm going to make it small enough so that it doesn't look too rounded and funny on the top of the cake. The plan is to put a piece of wax paper on the top of the cake then put this foam piece (wrapped in fondant) ontop of that - and stick the flowers in. I hope it works!

I am going to buy some roses and incorporate them into the whole thing so that I can put a few on the other tiers of the cake with those tube thingies at michael's. Any extra flowers are going to go in a couple of cute vases or something on the table and/or around the bottom of the cake stand.....wish me luck! If I learn how to post pictures on this thing - I'll be sure to do so!

Keeping my fingers crossed that everything works out okay for Sunday. This is my first wedding cake and while my friend is REALLY easy going and doesn't care what it looks like etc....I sure do!!!