My husband's aunt just asked me to make her daughter's bridal shower cake in October...just a single tier, round or square. She said she is doing Halloween-y centerpieces on the table, so she suggested that for a theme?!! She then said the bridesmaids' dresses are a cocoa/taupe color so I could do something with "fall colors".

Any suggestions?!??

What kind of "Halloween-y" centerpieces is she going to do?

I would go with a fall theme rather than Halloween. You could do leaves, chrysanths in all the beautiful fall colors, the colors of the bridesmaids dresses could be incorporated so easily in this type of theme. I adore fall colors.

not sure on the Halloween-y centerpieces! I should have asked, I was just kinda surprised about that one!!

I've done leaves before...but never attempted mums. Can anyone tell me how hard they are??

anyone?? anyone else with other ideas?? Any way I can make it fall-ish but still with a bridal shower theme???

You could make a really pretty umbrella/parasol, with lots of fall flowers & leaves trailing down & write the words 'Showers of Flowers'.

I was actually thinking 3D. I think it would look lovely. You could make a really pretty umbrella tilted to the side & lots of pretty flowers & leaves in Fall colors lying on the ground around the umbrella, with a few on top of the umbrella. You could even make small flat umbrellas to go on the side of the cake with a few flowers as well.

sounds cool! I'd have to look into how to do it 3D though...

I was actually thinking 3D. I think it would look lovely. You could make a really pretty umbrella tilted to the side & lots of pretty flowers & leaves in Fall colors lying on the ground around the umbrella, with a few on top of the umbrella. You could even make small flat umbrellas to go on the side of the cake with a few flowers as well.Another idea would be an umbrella with hearts on the ground etc. the words could then be 'Showers of Love for your Future'. Hearts can be in fall colors.

Wow superstar! That sounds like a really great idea!

I think an Idea to make the umbrella would be to make a large circle of fondant and form it over the ball pan. When it gets on there you can take a smaller round cutter and cut little half circles off the edge to give that peak they have with the wire...I think that would work! Then you could do the umbrella in the bride's maid dresses and fall leaves around it like superstar said!
Hope I helped with an idea of how to make the umbrella if you were nervous about that!

thanks, guys! I like the idea of forming the fondant on the ball pan...wonder if it will get hard enough to stay like that??

thank you so much for the ideas!

There is one in herethat is the corpes bride. It would be perfect for a Holloween type bridal shower. It is really neat looking also

I love the fall colors/leaves idea.

I saw a cake somewhere (sorry can't remember) which had a 3-D umbrella on top. How about something like this ? http://www.cakedecorators.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=AO-508&Category_Code=CM-W

http://www.onestopcandle.com/thestore/prods/CM643.html

Mums are pretty easy, if you ask me. Have you taken the Wilton courses? If you haven't, maybe you know someone who has... they give you a little pattern to put on your flower nail, but you don't need it all that much. All you need is a Wilton tip 5, and make a little ball. Then take a tip 81 and hold it so it looks like a smile, then pull out some petals. Keep adding petals in a circular motion, stacking them up.

I hope that makes sense... :-/ I'm looking for any instructions online.

Here, from the Wilton website:

http://www.wilton.com/decorating/basic/mums.cfm

thanks for the links! I haven't taken the Wilton classes but I do have the books and saw those instructions. I just stink at roses, and if mums are anything like that....

thank you!

The technique stepOnmi describes is the right way to make the umbrella, use a ball the size that you want to make the umbrella, you can cover a regular ball with cling wrap, it all depends on what size you want. The fondant will dry hard if you add some Tylose to it or use gum paste.

thank you!

Kate, you don't have to make mums or roses, daisies come in all colors & the are so easy to make
You do such nice work. don't be afraid & you can add an extra ring of petals on the daisies too that will make them look fuller. Bronze one, yellow ones, orange ones & some berries as well.

more good ideas!!

I was looking through your photos, and the cake you've called "autumn leaves" would probably fit the bill... fall colors, has the pumpkin for Halloween (you could make it a jack-o-lantern? or make a little black cat to sit next to it?) JMO

http://cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=78165
Here is the cake I was talking about.

Kate, you don't have to make mums or roses, daisies come in all colors & the are so easy to make
You do such nice work. don't be afraid & you can add an extra ring of petals on the daisies too that will make them look fuller. Bronze one, yellow ones, orange ones & some berries as well.

I was looking through your photos too and I definitely think you can do this! I love the colors that superstar gave! Mums can be soo pretty! Go for it!

Good luck! Let us all know if you need more help!

thanks everyone! I love that corpse bride one, but I think the aunt is looking for more of a "sweet" Halloween or fall thing, if you know what I mean!!

I think I will try the umbrella with leaves and flowers...I think that fits the the theme nicely!

I can NOT make mums!! I have seen such pretty ones, but as much as I try - I cannot get the hang of them!

I think Fall leaves and some pumkins would be sooo pretty!