Hi! I am new to this site. I've been decorating cakes for years, started playing around with fondant a few years ago...I'm still playing! I've done one wedding cake, and I'm doing another in about a month. I'm definitely not a professional! The bride wants 5 packages, 12",10", two 8" and a 6". She wants each one different, a white with polka dots of bronze, terra cotta and turquois, a white with beige stripes, a light mint green with black diamonds, light terra cotta with yellow stripes and a tiffany colored pkg. I have no idea how this is all going to work!! Two of the cakes will be stacked, unevenly, and then the others will be on either side. I'm not sure about the bows either, she was going to check into fabric for bows...has anyone done that? Her wedding theme is art deco. I'm not sure how to accomplish these various colors, and any ideas which two would look the best together? Also, I'm not sure how long this is going to take...decorating. Any suggestions would be welcome. I'm beginning to lose sleep!!

Ok, so you have art deco. First, request swatches of colors from the bride. This will help you match your colors. Remember, you're going to have to mix colors to get your hues. I always make a small batch of royal or bc and start playing with colors.

Also, do a google image search on art deco and/or south beach miami. alot of the buildings there are art deco. this is a 1930's era decor, but it started developing in the late 1920's. art deco and art nouveau are similar, so make sure you get the bride's ok before you start designing.

you may want to print some images and show them to the bride, get her opinions on designs color combos and such.

there is this wonderful cc member, user name doug. he has blessed us all with perfect drawings of blank cakes. you can print them out, draw on them, experiment with your designs before you start. just look him up in the member list and view his photos. I am totally indebted to doug for this contribution to our world here on CC.

If you're really stuck on the design thing, I would also suggest, as a last resort, to speak with a seasoned interior designer. they know their periods, and can show you samples of art deco in fabric, wall paper, etc. (i took 2 years of interior design, but its not as creative as cakes. too much paperwork!)

Anyway, HTH.

wow! i almost had to draw a picture to figure all that out!
i'm guess in the 10 & 12 are the stacked, and the 8 on the sides?
and where does that tiffany fit in? Doesn't even sound like it matches?

The problem i'm having is that she doesn't have a standard color that is in each cake. that would make things a lot easier for you.

If she is solidly into the art deco, i would say you should suggest to her that there be a little black in each cake, if even just a little bit because that is a major part of that style.

This link will help if you need to see some art deco samples, and they are great for printing out as templates just incase.

http://www.modellodesigns.com/Category.asp?cat_idno=1

Wow, what a challenge!

I agree about the Tiffany pkg not fitting in...and I like the suggestion about having one common color on all, I will definitely suggest it. I have a hard time getting in touch with her, we're playing phone tag at the moment. The color swatches are an excellent idea, I will request those.

Do you all make your own bows, have you ever used the premade from Wilton...I've never seen them, except in their books. I'm using all fondant, and my fondant bows are not the greatest. I need to practice more. Keep the suggestions coming...and thanks!!

i've only made 1 bow so far & that was befoe i found this sight so it looked really really bad, but they have a really good article ...

http://www.cakecentral.com/article17-How-to-Make-a-Fondant-Loop-Bow.html

or

http://www.cakecentral.com/article103-How-To-Make-a-Gumpaste-Bow.html

depending on the style you need.

i was also thinking (just from what i can picture in my head) that the striped cakes should either be the stacked ones or the outside ones, but they should both be in the same place. if one was stacked & the other was on the side i think it might be unbalanced overall.

if you had a picture or a sketch that you could post, or pm me i might be able to help more, cuz i might be visualizing something way off!

I'm gonna ask my b/f about this too, he is an architect so he might have an idea on how they could go together that would be more acurate to the style.
i'll keep thinking...

my fav. art deco cake from

Mike's Amazing Cakes.

bottom row, second from right

http://www.mikesamazingcakes.com/wedding.html

If you are also looking for color schemes, go to www.nashvillewraps.com

They have all kinds of great packaging, stripes, solids, scrolls, in several styles of each, all coordinated so you can mix and match.

Theresa