Fountain In A Wedding Cake

Decorating By Jeannem Updated 6 May 2011 , 12:20pm by Jeannem

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Jeannem Posted 3 May 2011 , 5:55pm
post #1 of 18

My sweet niece is getting married and she would like a fountain -YIKES-in her wedding cake. Does anyone have pictures of something updated and for the 21st century?? She's looking at a black and white damask cake. oh please help-TIA

17 replies
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Jennifer353 Posted 5 May 2011 , 10:12am
post #2 of 18

I assume you mean a real fountain with actual water... What about having a hole in the middle of the (top) tier with the fountain up through the hole so the water pool level is level with the top of the cake and it looks like the fountain is part of the cake?

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ApplegumPam Posted 5 May 2011 , 10:29am
post #3 of 18

The fountain is making a return appearance? icon_surprised.gificon_surprised.gificon_surprised.gif

Don't wish to offend anybody but those cakes have to be some of the ugliest I have seen

Can't imagine how you could make it look good - but if that's what she likes - then she will probably be happy with the original version! LOL

So pleased they never took off here in Australia thumbs_up.gif

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BrindysBackyard Posted 5 May 2011 , 11:05am
post #4 of 18
Quote:
Originally Posted by ApplegumPam

The fountain is making a return appearance? icon_surprised.gificon_surprised.gificon_surprised.gif

Don't wish to offend anybody but those cakes have to be some of the ugliest I have seen




ditto

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indydebi Posted 5 May 2011 , 11:43am
post #5 of 18

Being one of those oldies who cut her cake decorating teeth on fountain cakes ...... icon_biggrin.gif

I think the clear stands look much MUCH better and more modern than the older style of the white plastic. Decorating the table around the base with LOTS of flowers/petals also helps soften the look.

I would also say "be prepared". In my observation, you can tell the state of the economy by the size of the cakes. The worse the economy, the bigger and grander the cake (just like how lipstick sales go up when the economy goes down!)

During the late 70s, early 80s, at the peak of the Oil Crisis, fountain cakes with stairs were THE big thing. As the prosperous 80s rolled in, fountains moved out and the (what I call) the short, dinky stacked cakes rolled in. A few years ago, when gas first hit $4/gallon, I saw an increase in the requests for cakes with pillars and/or fountains (did a few myself). As gas dropped back down to the $2.50/gal range, the short dinky stacked ones moved back into popularity.

gas is back up to $4/gal ..... cakes are going to get taller and grander.

My unscientific reasoining is that people are very willing to save and cut back and do the rice-n-beans things for everyday living. In the 70's/80s, we were willing to turn our furnace down and drive tiny fuel efficient cars. But during tough times, people are "tired of it" and seem to think "Its my wedding day ..... I'm not going to have a 'fuel efficient' wedding!" They want something, not necessarily mroe expensive, but something that LOOKS grander and bigger.

Sorry for the detour with the history lesson, but I found this observation to be interesting! icon_biggrin.gif

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crisseyann Posted 5 May 2011 , 11:54am
post #6 of 18

You made a very valid point, debi. Thanks!

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Enchantedcakes Posted 5 May 2011 , 12:22pm
post #7 of 18

I had a bride ask about one the other day and this was the photo she brought in:
http://weddingnuance.com/2011/02/wedding-cakes-gallery-with-fountains/fountains-wedding-cake-2/

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indydebi Posted 5 May 2011 , 12:36pm
post #8 of 18

Hey! I did a scaled down version of that cake last August! http://cakecentral.com/gallery/1437261 I wish the bride had left way more florals than she did (would have like more around the base of the big cake and more "fill" around the fountain.) But you can see how I used the clear pillars on the smaller cake and I like that look much better.

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indydebi Posted 5 May 2011 , 12:52pm
post #9 of 18

coincidentally, I went to facebook and CCer jillmakescakes posted this photo of a fountain cake she did recently.....

http://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?fbid=10150181971006684&set=a.344806026683.155465.334033731683&type=1&theater

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jenng1482 Posted 5 May 2011 , 1:16pm
post #10 of 18

I too just had a very young (20) couple bring me a pic similar to the one posted above but I believe was actually created in 1987!. I tried so hard to talk them out of it with no luck. She is et on the fountain, the stairs, the pillars, the little plastic people, ect. I dont want to do this cake!

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SecretAgentCakeBaker Posted 5 May 2011 , 1:27pm
post #11 of 18

Here is the only  modern-ish one I can find.
http://www.weddingred.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/fountain-wedding-cake1.jpg

http://www.outrageous-cakes.com/sitebuilder/images/Fountain_Cake_6-236x323.jpg

Maybe make the cake look like a real, outdoor type fountain? There does not appear to be water in this one. It looks like they used monofilament. If she wanted lights, maybe you could get some fiber optics, or just add some colored led lights to the holder.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4069/4633423214_f0f95a974e.jpg

Maybe the fountain itself has to be less traditional, newer or more interesting  looking.
Such as the 'fantasy' type here.
http://www.sugarcraft.com/catalog/wedding/Wfountains.htm

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cakeandpartygirl Posted 5 May 2011 , 1:43pm
post #12 of 18
Quote:
Originally Posted by SecretAgentCakeBaker

Here is the only  modern-ish one I can find.
http://www.weddingred.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/fountain-wedding-cake1.jpg

http://www.outrageous-cakes.com/sitebuilder/images/Fountain_Cake_6-236x323.jpg

Maybe make the cake look like a real, outdoor type fountain? There does not appear to be water in this one. It looks like they used monofilament. If she wanted lights, maybe you could get some fiber optics, or just add some colored led lights to the holder.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4069/4633423214_f0f95a974e.jpg

Maybe the fountain itself has to be less traditional, newer or more interesting  looking.
Such as the 'fantasy' type here.
http://www./catalog/wedding/Wfountains.htm





I like the 3rd one that is really pretty

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Jeannem Posted 5 May 2011 , 2:03pm
post #13 of 18

Wow--you guys get up early!!! Thanks so much for the help. I too am not looking forward to this cake--at least she doesn't want the stairways and people-ugh!! The wedding is at a fancy hotel in Minneapolis, and when they see me walk in with a fountain cake, I'm sure they'll think "grandma stuck in the 80's"
I do have the clear plexiglass stand(not Wilton) buried somewhere--at least that should help. Maybe I'll luck out and they won't have electricity at the cake set up location!!

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indydebi Posted 5 May 2011 , 7:13pm
post #14 of 18

"stuck in the 80s"! icon_lol.gificon_lol.gificon_lol.gificon_lol.gif

Bear in mind that before fountain/stairs cakes, wedding cakes mostly looked all the same .... mostly stacked or some with pillars; all white cake with all white icing; maybe some colored icing roses. All. Looked. The Same.

When fountains came out, they were such a WOW factor ..... something truly different (like those nasty looking zebra striped TT cakes that I really dislike! icon_cool.gif ) ..... and everyone wanted them. It was the only cake I made every single weekend for at least a year.

ONE time during this period I had a bride request a stacked cake and everyone had the same reaction as you "young 'uns" do now ...... "Wow, look at that old fashioned cake! Where did THAT come from? Haven't seen one of THOSE cakes in awhile!" icon_eek.gificon_lol.gif

what's old is new and vice versa! thumbs_up.gif

(ahhhhh! I luv sharing history!)

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Jeannem Posted 5 May 2011 , 11:44pm
post #15 of 18

Indydebi you just crack me up!! kinda like the same cake I've been doing for years-a few stacked layers with the colored band around the bottom of each tier and then a few flowers or maybe a dot. "Something simple and elegant" they always say yet they spend thousands on decorations. I'll definitely tell everyone that it's the "latest"-hehehehe.

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indydebi Posted 6 May 2011 , 12:08am
post #16 of 18

Jeannem, those would be the brides who say "I want something DIFFERENT! can you do a dinky stacked cake with ribbon around the bottom and these scrolls on the side?" (tilt head, bat eyelashes, look dizzy.) icon_lol.gificon_lol.gif

And then we have to give a big sigh, assure them that yes, we can manage to make that cake ..... again. then we close our eyes and do it in our sleep.

Yeah. "Different". Luv it. icon_lol.gif

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ApplegumPam Posted 6 May 2011 , 12:14am
post #17 of 18

Well based on the WOI factor - we might JUST be safe here

Our economy is thriving..... so US Aussie cakers are left with "under-stated fondant elegance' INSTEAD of those hideous plastic trashy fountains.... often containing the ALL IMPORTANT.... coloured water ! icon_surprised.gif

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Jeannem Posted 6 May 2011 , 12:20pm
post #18 of 18

ApplegumPam--we all agree that the fountains are not very elegant, and understated is good, I'd just like a bride who wants something other than the same old same old--like stencils, or lacework or a new technique that lets me spread my wings!

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