OK, maybe I am being a little dramatic but have you ever wondered why a Bride would ask for a certain design. The design my Bride decided on has a couple of nice elements but over all, UGLY!
Here's the link if you are interested. And keep in mind this is exactly what the bride wanted- she called it rustic frosting.
Sorry about the bad pic- I took it with my cell phone.

http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1227243ed- she called it rustic frosting.

I had a bride that didnt care if the frosting was smooth either. She finally took my advice and went with the fondant covering. But the customer is always right!!

Eeeshh....ummm ....well, ..hmmm. I don't know what to say...it's not a design I would pick.

I think you did the best you could with a "bad" design. I was looking at your other cakes and this should be no indication of your skill.

Sometimes we as "artists" have to "suck it up" when we have to do something that is against our instinct.

Overall.. you did a great job. the flowers were a nice compliment.

Im still reeling from the monogram. Its awesome... care to share how you made it? Is it GP or did you use something else?

I may need to save face from the awful monogram my bride dropped off to me tonight that doesnt match AT ALLL!!!!!! (she's had a year and a half and I had given her 7 websites that sold beautiful toppers... SHE CHOSE wooden white ones with funky lettering that doesnt match the rest of the pearls and raised silver against green hexagon classy cake.... *sigh*

Should I call her mother?

Sorry... had to vent too.

Your cake is still very nice. You have to give them what they want they are paying for it. I have to a topsy turvy wedding cake with neon colors for the boss's daughter. I am so excited. Not really! Their colors are grape,neon green,electric yellow,electric orange and red. It looks like it should be for a circus themed kiddie party. Bad part is I am also invited to the event. Can't wait to hear what everyone says about it. So I feel your pain!

Shabby chic? Trying to find a good way to describe it... "Rustic" isn't bad... Though it sounds like something a mom would say when something her kid made turned out badly! Kinda made me giggle... And if it's EXACTLY what she wanted, then good on ya!

(I *DO* like the colors and the monogram!)

My one and only wedding cake order was for a cake with icing like that. There's a beautiful one here on CC that the bride wanted me to copy. I was disappointed because I wanted to do a nice smooth fondant cake, and I'm terrified of buttercream. lol But it turned out well. As long as the bride was happy then you can hold your head up high, right?
Fabulous job on the topper!

Anya

Thanks for the support everyone! I cringe ti think that people will assume it is my skill in question! It went to a very upscale historic mansion. Can you imagine!

I don't think there's anything wrong with it, I actually like it!! I do agree that maybe it's a bit of a casual style for a wedding... But overall I think the cake is gorgeous!!!

Well, if you are going to the party, when people ask you if you made it just make sure you tell them: "yes, I made custom cakes, it doesn't matter the design, any design you want, you are going to get exactly the cake you want for your venue if you order from me" believe me they are going to know it is not your work that sucks but their taste!

I have several Australian wedding cake magazines and by and large all the cakes in there are fondant covered and gorgeous! The buttercream cakes ALL look like your cake - rough iced like stucco plaster walls. I really dislike this look too, it's like the decorators forgot to finish them or let a 5 year old loose on the cake! I think you did the very best with what was requested. I say forget it and move on, leave it out of your portfolio if you really dislike it - it wouldn't be the first time that I've done that! (((HUGS)))

Probably because I'm a newbie, I really like this "rustic" style, too. (Didn't Jenna Bush's cake have icing like this?)

For some weird reason, I think the frosting on cakes like this *looks* like it tastes better than the frosting on a smooth, highly-decorated cake. It could be that Grandma's cakes always looked like this, and tasted great.

Or, it could be that others have had bad experiences with decorator frostings. Thirty years ago, when I decorated cakes when I was in school, I used a heavy, Crisco-based frosting that, frankly, tasted and had a mouth-feel just like Crisco. Yuck--but I didn't know any better. My brothers, who had to eat plenty of my practice cakes, have hated frosting since then. They much prefer plain cake or any frosting that looks like NON-decorator frosting. And, if someone has grown up associating decorated cakes with *bad* WalMart bakery frosting, they might be the same way.

I know it's different now, and there's a wide range of great-tasting frostings that lend themselves to more elaborate decoration. However, that early taste conditioning is difficult to overcome.

Just a thought.

This is cute though! Not something I would pick, but if she liked it, thats what matters! But it does look yummy! Good job!

I like that look depending on what the flowers are...The ones on your cake area little formal for the loose icing style, but whatever the bride is paying for is what she gets! I'm actually happy when they ask for that icing style, it means less smoothing time for me

I did a couple like that recently, one had gumpaste wildflowers that I made on it, and one had tulips. Your cake looked nice, so don't worry about it!

And i still think that cake looks yummy to eat!

I've seen this icing style in lots of wedding magz and internet photo sites .... I think "casual style" is a good way to describe it. I usually see it in a Garden Wedding style of environment and/or magz layout.

Nothing wrong with it .... it's just different.

if I bride came to me and asked me to make a simple icing design like this, I'd jump on it! If it's not perfect, no one can tell!

Not a design I'd choose but if that's what the customer wanted....

I've done several cakes that I didn't like because of the quirky design so I just do the cake and take the pic...it never goes into my portfolio though!

I agree with Indydebi.......... The bride loved the design, the bride got exactly what she wanted, and you got paid........... all equals a happy ending

Maybe someone else already said this (didn't read all the posts), but it is like the frosting on Jenna Bush's wedding cake!