I need some help with this wedding cake. I've done the design, I still have to add a ribbon on the bottoms of the layers for the borders. This is my problem: The flowers she picked out don't match each other , the cake, or anything else I know she wants these flowers, but I'm afraid the cake is going to look bad. The red roses look okay, but then there is sunflowers, bright orangey-peachy roses, and I'm not sure what the other ones are. This is not how I'm going to arrange them..I just wanted to show you what the flowers look like. I'm kind of at a loss on how to put them together or display them. I know its kind of hard to see them in the picture, but any help would be appreciated. - Thanks
I've edited to add a closeup picture of the flowers I was given to use...maybe this will help a little
Maybe the ribbon that you pick could be one of those that are shaded and go from red on one side to orange-yellow to the other side...this way you force the colors to tie in.
I don't think the colors look all that bad, though the purple is a little strange. The orange red and yellow are great fall colors. I can't really give you any advice on how to arrange them since for me it's always a work in progress, but maybe if you've got a lot of sunflowers you can make a ring of them around the top, then incorporate more of them into a nosegay with the roses and funny purple things.
Alimonkey...what funny purple things? You mean the design on the cake or are you talking about a flower? Now I'm confused
Tanya: thats a good idea about the ribbon..I'll have to try to find one. Thanks
I like the design and the flowers are not too bad. If you can´t find the shaded ribbon, maybe use two ribbons one red and one orange and put both on each cake. Like =. I would do the red at the bottom and the other just on top, without any space between. Good luck with the cake.
Personally I love the flowers, I love all the bold colors.
Just tell the bride what you have and make her make the decision. If it's what she wants then she'll be happy.
Huh? I didn't see any purple on the cake, so I was talking about the flowers. Thought they might be birds of paradise but couldn't tell with the first pic. I'm sure whatever you do will be beautiful.
I like Tuggy's idea! If you can't get the ribbon that varies in shade...I'm sure you could find two shades of ribbon to use that would coordinate. I would get 2 different widths and layer them over each other...wider width behind a narrowerer width...along the bottom edge of each layer.
oh...I didn't realize there was some purple as well in the bunch...
when you do the ribbons around the base of each cake, you could tie a bow and have a bird of paradise stem in the center of each bow...and have each tier's bow slightly staggered from the tier below...
then, on the top tier, I like alimonkey's idea with the circle of sunflowers and a central bouqet of the 2 different colored roses, maybe some purple baby's breath type flowers and maybe a couple of birds of paradise also.
...obviously the bride should have the final say-so (or say-no!).
If there is to be a ribbon at the bottom of each tier, maybe a burnt orange one and a ...sunflower yellow one and a deep burgundyish one? Muted colors on the ribbon because this is a classy cake and I am sure you are avoiding making it garish while incorporating the colors. All in all the work is so lovely you wont be able to go wrong! Different color per tier maybe? And do the flowers stay on top or are you just experimenting? If not maybe you could put a flower or two on each tier coordinate it with matching ribbon color i.e. Red ribbon and rose on side around one tier..and so on? Orange flower and orange ribbon on next.... Or mixing the red flower w/ yellow ribbon and yellow flower on orange and orange on yellow? Or some variation? I personally would let the purple stand alone as an accent color...JMHO. By the way your work is gorgeous!
Edited because I realized my post read like a dr. seuss book
I don't have any suggestions for the cake because I have no idea I'm at a loss too! But just wanted to let you know the "funny looking flower" is called bird of paradise...just thought you might want to know.
Or possibly one of the vase ( i guess made of GP) like on some of colettes cakes and then they are kinda up off of the cake ..not directly on the cake more like they are an arrangement... then just coordinate one ribbon color all the way down from the bouquet I would say the orange because it is an in between color)instead of trying to pick up all those colors?
(edited also due to pumpkin pie eyed syndrome..and all night baking disease)
Thanks guys...I appreciate all of your suggestions. I was thinking just a thin burgundy ribbon around the base of each tier because there is so much color with the flowers I didn't want to go overboard. Now I'm thinking about the different color for each tier. I like the idea of putting the bird of paradise(thanks guys...had no idea what it was) in the bow.
I guess I'm just a little nervous about this one, because she asked for red "squiggleys" on the cake, but when she brought the flowers the roses are more burgundy. So I decided to do the darker, because I couldn't imagine putting all of these flowers with bright red scroll work. I think I just need to play with a few of the ideas mentioned until I come up with something.
Alimonkey: I thought you were calling my scroll work on the cake funny purple things
Show her the picture or end product, ask her nicely how she likes it, blah blah blah. tell her it looks a bit busy especially with the B.O. Paradise and that other one that looks like a magnolia/dogwood bloom and taht *perhaps* she should just stick with the dogwood/magnolia, the roses are sunflowers..
but IMHO, a B.O. Paradise doesn't belong on a cake, especially for a wedding.
maybe for a hawaiian themed party?
I think you did the right thing with the burgandy scrolls...it goes well with the roses. In my opinion...you have taken care of the burgandy...I think you should go with a thin orange ribbon. You could buy the burgandy and orange and then decide which one you like best.
By the way...I think the cake is very pretty...I like the use of the variety of bold colored flowers.
I think the layered ribbons will work best. Play with them at the store, or buy a few rolls and try out different things at home. Get a good quality ribbon...maybe grosgain....it will look very elegant, especially since the cake is monochromatic. I don't think you should do different colors on each level....that will really make it look NOT tied together. Just my opinion.
Good luck....don't forget to post pictures!!!
I wanted to add....maybe you can sort of stick the sunflowers towards the back of the bunch....kinda hide them a bit....those, IMHO, are the only ones that might not fit....the others are all very rich looking colors.
Thanks guys for the help. Magjoy: I agree with you about the birds of paradise, but I guess there is some reason she likes them.
Traci: Thank you for the compliment. I bought several different ribbons...haven't found any good orange colors yet. I did buy several in the red/burgundy family.
Adven68: I agree with you about keeping the ribbon the same on all layers....You are right about the sunflowers. I think they are throwing me off more than anything. They just don't seem to belong on the cake at all.
The good thing is that this cake doesn't need to be done until Thursday night...its a dummy cake(I'm making a cheesecake/cake combo to serve) so I have a little time to work with it. I brought the cake home so I would have time to play with it during the day. Maybe I'll try out the different ribbons and get your opinions.
Thanks everyone for your help...I definitely need it
Your customer definitely does not have a sense of what colors goe together, but the customer is always right, right? I know, I know...If you put some off white or cream colored bow loops and a lot of greenery intermixed in the boquet it, it may not look bad. I like gmcakes' idea about layering the ribbon colors. You could also use a neutral off white or cream for the ribbon around the cake if she would allow it. It would draw the attention to the floral piece on top and perhaps draw it all together. Good luck.
Vicky, MO
Thanks Vicky...the customer's always right except when they are wrong I like the idea of some cream colored bow loops. I have some cream colored silk roses that would look gorgeous with the burgundy roses, but I have to keep reminding myself its not my wedding cake
She originally asked me to do the wedding cake that is in my photos with a few changes. She said she wanted it to look exactly like it except she wanted red scrolls and she was going to bring flowers. I thought, well that won't be too bad because I thought she would bring some red roses and I could work with that. Then she dropped these flowers off and ever since then the cake has taken on a life of its own She said she wanted the pearls around it, but honestly it looks horrible that way. I think this is one of those times I might have to lead her a different way.
I guess the mark of a good decorator is making a cake look pretty no matter what you have to work with.
...if you can, maybe her florist could show you a sample of how they plan to make those flowers into a bouquet and that may give you something easier to work with...that way it will also tie in exactly with the other wedding decor.
ge978,
I was being sarcastic when I said the customer was always right. It's just hard to get that across in writing. You sound like you have it under control.
Vicky, MO
vicki: I knew you were kidding...I was being sarcastic too It is hard to tell sometimes in writing. Anyway thanks for your help! I'll post a picture when I'm done
Wow...I think the end product turned out beautiful! I think you really pulled all the colors together! Great job!!
I have to be honest, I had no idea how you could get all of that to work, (meaning all of the different types of flowers and colors) I was worried for you...but you did a FANTASTIC job of making it look great! WOW! You did such a beautiful job! I'm sure she is going to love it!
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