Are these branches made out of gum paste? Or are they fabric/fake? If they were made, how can I make the gold leaves/branches like the ones on this cake? I don't think you can paint on wire, how do you get the wire gold?

[postimage id="3430" thumb="900"]

My bet is that they're fake since the metallic is so bright, but that could also be the lighting. http://factorydirectcraft.com/catalog/products/1302_2113_2070-35345-gold_silk_leaf_picks.html?ccset=US&zmam=62863317&zmas=1&zmac=1&zmap=35345&gclid=CjwKEAjwlfO3BRDR4Pj_u-iO2U0SJAD88y1SJEYNMxuS12gt3-mwhH4UHDtBBffURMsDzuENCAII3hoCWTLw_wcB

You can paint wires, so if you made them out of gumpaste use white wires and paint them too. But they won't look exactly like the leaves anyway, so I'm leaning toward those being fake.

http://factorydirectcraft.com/catalog/products/1302_2113_2070-35345-gold_silk_leaf_picks.html?ccset=US&zmam=62863317&zmas=1&zmac=1&zmap=35345&gclid=CjwKEAjwlfO3BRDR4Pj_u-iO2U0SJAD88y1SJEYNMxuS12gt3-mwhH4UHDtBBffURMsDzuENCAII3hoCWTLw_wcB

You could also use an edible gold spray and just spray the whole thing after you make it. It does have a metallic look it may not have such a light gold look but should be faster than painting. 

those are 'silk' fake leaves

I just did a version of that exact cake.  The bride and I decided to go with silk fake.  The weather is HOT, the venue a country hall with no aircon so the cake had to be refrigerated up until the last minute, the style was sweet quirky vintage country.  I bought silk leaves from a craft shop and wired them together and taped the stems with florist tape, the stretchy fabric kind not the plastic finished one.  I used Americolor Gold Sheen airbrush colour, two coats, which gave a more vintage look rather than the fake shiny look in the photo, and covered everything wires included.  Personally I don't like the fake shiny gold and this style of decoration, but hey, I'm not paying for it!