Great thread! No more pillars or fountains! Stacked cakes, anything goes!
Most of my cake orders are for fondant! I've know that some of you don't like fondant...and I used to not like recommending it either. BUT I read a post here on CC that talked about shooting yourself in the foot by turning down fondant orders....fondant increases the order by at least $1.00 per serving, and If you make mmf that adds up to some good money. Also, if you tell the bride that you make your own fondant, with a marshmellow base, they get a bit excited.
Most of my orders are for round stacked cakes. but that is where the simmilarities end...
I they do want more cake flavors and fillings.
when I do my cake consultations, I brind about 5 different cake flavors and 4 different fillings, and they LOVE to mix and match and come up with there favorite. that has been great for my business!
I would rethink not offering fondant!!
melody
I am doing more fondant and/or fondant accents. My orders are getting more flashy with sparkley glitter. I have one that is going to have me place diamonds along the bottom fondant ribbon of each square tier.
Another is getting a castle design that will consist of tiered cakes on fountain stands to look like a city we have laid it out and it should cover nearly an 8 foot x 3 foot area. She saw a pictue of Arlene's Cakes in Michigan. The internet is the place for many brides to view cakes comfortably to narrow down their selection.
Looking forward to 2007!
In England the tradtional fruit cake seems to be going out. Brides now seem to want 1 layer fruit, 1 layer sponge and 1 layer chocolate. Traditionally pillars were used here but they are definately oout of fashion. Brides want simple stacked cakes or they want something unusual to seperate the layers. My biggest seller at the moment is a cake with the top 2 layers stacked and petal filled wine glasses seperating the bottom layer. decorated with a few flowers and a simple topper. (see Jans cake in my photos)
Nice thread!!!
I'm getting more brides that want 4-5 tiers..stacked..no pillars or fountains. Even though I let them know they can have smaller "show" cakes with cutters,to save money, they want the whole cake on display and want them decorated. This has increased my income substantially.
Gumpaste flowers are in..in..in..those and bows.
My area seems to trend towards BC..yipee!!! 
They have also stopped bringing me those horrid cake toppers and are opting for something custom made from gumpaste or simple flowers or bows.
I'm seeing an adventurous side with flavors and combos. 
And most of them will give me an idea of what they want but are willing to let me "do my thing" with designs!!
All in all 2007 is looking great!!
I...I'm not sure if the traditional bride and groom toppers will make a come-back and I feel it's due to the outrageous pricing. A lot of them are over 50 bucks and not many brides are willing to pay that for a one-time use thing.
....
I've had no brides ever request a topsy-turvy cake. Maybe we're just 'ole sticks in the mud here in the midwest but cakes I've had requested from brides are more traditional. I describe it as they ooh and ahhh over the odd looking cakes and think "..... that cake looks pretty cool ..... for another bride ..... but not for MY wedding!"
I agree with this, indydebi. My average is closer to 200, but, like you, that includes much smaller and much larger cakes. Here in mid-Michigan I find that:
*Stacked cakes are in, pillars and fountains are out.
*Fondant is out (hooray), and good-tasting buttercream is in.
*Elevating the cake is popular, but not with traditional cake pillars and a fountain. I've put cakes on a plastic pillar that was meant to hold a plant, draped in a white tablecloth. I've also put cakes up on metal plant stands to elevate enough to get greens and lights underneath. The "floating tiers" stands (clear tubes elevating individual cakes) are popular here.
*Lots of my Brides are opting for ceramic figurines for toppers (Lladro, Precious Moments, etc.), but I have had some who are getting creative (last year had one with an original blown-glass initial made by a friend of the couple). By and large, though, fresh flowers are still in vogue here ('cuz they're easy for Bride to add to her flower order, I think - one less detail to stress over).
*Simple-simple-simple is still the battle cry of most of my Brides. Some want absolutely nothing on the sides of their cakes, which is striking, but makes for very painstaking attention to the smoothness of the icing, so it's a trade-off timewise. A few are opting for the ribbon look, but I have always had Brides who want to add details from their invitations (the paneled look is in, the heart design from the invitations is in, etc.). Maybe because I ask if there is a "theme" to the wedding so we can perhaps incorporate it into their cake? I dunno.
*Colors are getting more daring, but by and large, the white on white is still the most popular (most "Bridal"?) color option.
*Although simple is really in, I'm seeing a great trend in having writing on the cake sides, whether white-on-white or white on a coordinating color. This past year, one couple wanted the lyrics to their favorite song on the sides of their cake, which was perfect for them because it was playing when he proposed, it was their first dance song, and then on their cake. How lovely. And the song ("Wrapped Around") talks about a guy who's going to ask his girl to marry him "...it's time I put a ring on the finger I'm wrapped around..." And the words just "wrapped around" their cake. Maybe corny to some, but perfect for this couple.
*Flavors are in-in-in. My wedding cakes have always been mutiple-flavored. White cake is back, but in the form of white chocolate cake. Fudge Chocolate Chunk with a Raspberry filling (or a white chocolate raspberry mousse filling) is my top seller. Spice cake and Poppyseed cake are out, but Toasted Almond and Toasted Hazelnut are in. Carrot and Banana are always good sellers. Strawberry is in. And each tier a different flavor is REALLY in (which makes my husband crazy 
). Yellow and marble cake are definitely out-out-out. Haven't done either in probably a year or more.
*Groom's cakes are big here (sorry, you Southern gals ... it's so cold up here it just takes longer for some trends to catch on!!! 
). Especially if geared toward a hobby (see my airplane groom's cake or the big buck cake in my photos). I even had a groom request a giant Hostess cupcake (in my photos, too). Big time popular.
*Next year, my prices will be up, probably 12% - 15%. I didn't raise my prices with the rising gas prices, but waited until it has now (hopefully) leveled off. Problem is, it's been almost 3 years since I changed my prices, and with dairy going up it's definitely time.
*Cookie favors are in here. I'm getting orders for brides, grooms, champagne glasses and hearts. Also square/rectangular cookies with a monogram. I won't take an order for them on a weekend I've also got a wedding cake, though, unless I am shipping cookies somewhere and they can go out on Monday so I can bake for Saturday.
What a lovely thread for all of us wedding bakers. Nice to see some trends coming/going; let's keep this thread going for great reference!
Happy Baking One and All!
Odessa
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