Well, now we should all be starting to get some bookings. What are brides asking for?

For me, 80% of my orders this year are stacked, round, and red trimmings.

I think I'm going to be tired of red.

Well, I only have 3 weddings booked since I am just starting in the business. All 3 of them are completely different though. One wants a huge assortment of cakes on the individual clear stands with lots of foo-foo designs. One wants plain fondant with a ribbon around the base (stacked). The other wanted tiers with bc, some of it in light colors. The only thing that might be similar is that there is cake underneath it all somewhere! No trends here.

I did notice at the bridal fairs that the brides were all talking about putting color accents on the cakes, either in frosting or ribbon or whatever, but not just white-only cakes. I noticed that color in the bride's dresses is really popular, and the idea seems to be carrying over.

No trends yet, everything different except alot of my may and june are using dark colors, instead of pastels and springy flowers. Deep reds, navy, brown, black, deep hues of orange and rust.

The red thing--what's up with that? Seems like it started later last year, and now it's all the rage. Believe it or not, the wedding cake in my gallery turned out to be incredibly beautiful once it was at destination and STUFFED with bright red roses!

True to form, now that the wedding DRESSES are getting a bit "frilly-er" so are the cakes. Simple and elegant is still in (always was), but color accents are definitely in vogue for both the dresses and the cakes. Gah! Not much room for error...

Groom's cakes aren't just a Southern thing anymore, either. Very much "in" style everywhere...(good! more cakes!)

But--I've had two SERIOUSLY WIERD REQUESTS: One cake stacked and off-set with collars. No biggie. But the other? (Not even sure it can be done )

...A hexagon cake with a waterfall. Not a fountain, mind you. A WATERFALL--A WORKING WATERFALL. In the cake. Yeah....you might just wanna call the Culligan man for that one, dear...

--Knox--

knoxcops, I had the same request!! I am in the kansas city area. this was a hexagon cake, with a real working waterfall running down the cake. it was going to be done using pvc pipe or something. the f.o.t.b. wanted me to make a "practice" cake, so make sure it would work....but didn't want to pay too much for TWO wedding cakes. he said if I could do this, it would "elevate me up as a cake decorator".......I thought to myself, "or elevate me down" I was NOT interested in doing this cake. for the amount of money they wanted to pay, it was not worth my time researching and trying to figure out how to have a real working water fall ON the cake, but don't get the cake wet. ohhhh, and it was going to have a water "mote" around the bottom.
maybe our brides are related?

I'm with you, call the calligan man!

haha

melody

I've noticed the biggest trend for me is round stacked cake, white, with color accent in a ribbon around each tier. I've gotten orders from some square cakes too, stacked with ribbon around each tier to match the color of the wedding dress, or flowers.

melody

My trend...CUPCAKES!
This seems to be the big thing for my brides ( and even corporate events)!

melodyscakes- me too! Round or square, white with color accent ribbon around each tier!! I also am gettin the red, but have had one request black velvet ribbon!!

knoxcops, the bride and groom said they just "thought it up" because he likes waterfalls. I would've considered it but they didn't want to pay over $300.00 and they would provide the fish tank air hoses and the pvc water fall. this was just to "ghetto" for me. I could just imagine the look. had they not said pvc pipe running down the front of the cake, then maybe..... or they said they were willing to pay whatever it took to achieve this look, then maybe. but the budget and the pvc pipe turned me off.
hope they get the cake they want.
maybe someone else will have the patience to build this for them....not me. oh, and it was for the busiest wedding season, june 2 so I would have to give up making a high $$$ cake for this one.
no thanks.
although, I did get another bride with a normal request to book that weekend.

melody

Most of my orders are stacked but all are doing the color thing, either with ribbons or flowers. Also getting more different shapes; oval, hearts, and hex.
I don't think I would even attempt the waterfall cake. I had enough challenge with my castle!

I have to admit, the whole waterfall idea is very intriguing. But how would you keep the cake from getting wet?? I'm hooked on the whole thing now. I pictured using my punch fountain as the cake stand somehow, but again with getting it wet. Although, you could offer a chocolate cake with a Kahlua waterfall. I sure wouldn't mind my cake soaked in that!

I asked this back in December and there was some great feedback: http://forum.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-53822.html

Moving forward, I'm gotten a few requests for hand-painted cakes... not something I've been asked before. I'm wondering if this'll be the Next Big Thing with my customers because it seems so out of the ordinary.

Since I am on the beach, of course most of the cakes I've booked thus far have a beach theme. Fortunately, they all have slightly different shapes or color themes.
On a happy note, a couple picked out a cake that I had designed for a wedding last year (and just changed the color accents a bit). That was a first for me; I felt like a legitimate cake decorator that day!
Also, I am getting many more requests for carved groom's cake lately. Different themes, and shapes, not just chocolate and fruit cakes....time to have some fun!
I have not baked a thing for pay yet this month, but I have weddings booked into October already, so I am not complaining; on the other hand, I am very thankful...and am in the middle planning stages of opening my shop by spring. (The building is being refurbished; now I just wait.)

Hi Everyone,
I have a taste testing coming up soon. It will be my first. The bride wants 8" cakes on each table (10 people per table) and probably 16-20 tables. I have some pics to show her and will suggest keeping it "simple". They are thinking of using fresh flowers. Her colors are cotton candy pink and tangerine - guess that's a new color combo. I picked up some silk gerbera daisies and day lilies to put on the 4" cakes I'll be using for the testing. I'll also use some ribbon just to give her some ideas but won't be using much else except a border. If I get the order it will be quite a task especially for my first wedding order. I've also heard the trend will be cake jewelry - guess we'll see. Good luck to you all - I'm excited and anxious for the "2007 wedding year" to begin!

I have 4 weddings booked and 11 personal tastings scheduled, as well as, my bridal tasting open houses. (Thanks to my idea for once monthly bridal tastings). My very first is coming up this Sunday and it's been booked for 3 weeks! WooHoo!!!! Anyway, the cakes that I have already booked are all stacked. Most are white with brightly colored accents. I am booking groom's cakes with just about every order, too. I make sure to say something along the lines of, "Okay, now that you have the bridal cake just the way you want it, let's move on to your groom's cake." No one seems to notice how I just transition into that. We design it and book it. It's that simple.

Let's keep this topic rolling. It's always helpful and interesting to see what trends are sweeping a specific area.

I have 26 weddings booked from now til July and most want stacked and they are a little flashier than last year. I am decorating with rhinestones on 2 of them. The castle theme for 2.
Lots of them wanting homemade toppers.
My bridal fair is in 3 weeks and I plan on making colorful high dollar cake displays.
mpc

The only trend that I have noticed so far is the tendency toward stacked cakes, and generally simple decoration. I only did 9 wedding cakes last year, and already have inquiries for 14 this year (some booked, some consultations scheduled). I work full time and only have every other weekend off, so this is really going to be a busy year. I just got my first $1000 wedding cake this week! I told DH that the time has come for him to learn how to bake cakes and make icing!!!

This is a good topic. I'll give it a bump!

Ribbons on plain white is a biggie. Also, candlestick holders on top tier of the cakes with a cascade of flowers hanging down.