A potential client contacted me today wanting to recreate her parents wedding cake for their 50 year anniversary. In 2 weeks. Ugh. Anyway, I need money and don't want to disappoint so I said sure, show me what you've got. And this is what she wants. [postimage id="4641" thumb="900"]

Hobby Lobby

Those were discontinued in the 1970's or thereabouts.  You may find some on sites like eBay.

Here's an example of a set that has yellowed from age:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Wilton-2-Tier-Cake-Plate-Separators-Pillars-Lacy-Corners-/331900544491?hash=item4d46d065eb:g:U1wAAOSwLnBXUrSc   

SweetBitesMs,  Did you actually see a set or were you just giving a good college try?

don't worry about yellowing -- brush with egg white & water mixture and sprinkle on granulated sugar -- covers completely gives a sparkling look --

don't know how much of a piper you are but you could pipe those filigree pieces easy peasy in royal icing and place onto any pillar for the same effect 

those are Roman style pillars btw probably by wilton

best to you looks like fun

and of course there's a couple sprigs of lily of the valley meandering around a couple of the filigreed pillars -- short little tiers huh

each pilla gets two royal icing filigree pieces that join there making the corner edge

just make a right and left pattern

taller pillars on bottom tier maybe 7" then 4-5" pillars on the other two so adjust your filigree pattern for that

i love stuff like this -- 

i started baking professionally a few years after these folks got married and started decorating a few years after that 

8 filigree panels 7" tall (4 right 4 left)

16 filigree panels 4-5" tall (8 right 8 left)

you got this -- can't wait for pictures

Memphis, you are my hero! I hadn't even thought of making the lace corners out of royal. I don't do too much piping (mostly fondant work) but I can. I think I will probably go that route since the sets available on eBay are missing some of the corners anyway. 

Now when I said I don't do much piping, I really mean it. And this picture isn't the clearest but is the best we have to work with. Can you tell, or imagine, what type of borders this has? And the flowers on top? Leaves in the middle? Any other insights?

Sorry to ask so many questions. I'm not really a beginner (I've been decorating for 7 years) but I veered in the direction of carved/sculpted, fondant, etc. years ago. 

Apti, how in the world did you find those? I searched for hours!!

I'm retired and have absolutely nothing to do but surf the internet, lol

looks like a robust shell border and some simple swags on the side -- old fashioned loveliness --

hey guess what -- it's got bells on it  -- maybe 1", 1.5" bells -- I didn't notice till I looked closer --

and it looks like genuine blabla in the center of the pillars :) it might be plastic swans -- those were big back then but you could put a couple roses? 

but the bells could be either plastic -- I bet they are 'cause while this is a sweet cake it's not heavy on design -- don't even know if they make these anymore -- or they could also be made out of sugar & water like a panoramic egg -- 'member that stuff -- I think I actually have a mold -- hey you could do chocolate!

Aw- too bad I sold all of this crap when I closed my shop!

I bet if I look thru my old books I could find the pic that this was taken from!  :)

Yup- side design looks like basic scroll work "C's" and some stringwork, plastic or sugar bells in between tiers - probably with a smattering of silver foil leaves and silk lily of the ivy for good measure! 

I would say do either gumpaste or chocolate bells and roses in between the tiers....and use a single-plate method of construction, if possible!  Those wilton double-plate systems are a nightmare waiting to happen!  The filigree pieces (whether plastic or royal icing) can be set in place with a push-in type pillar. I've done it before.

the photo looks like there is actually a 4th cake tier on the bottom!

Yes, there is another tier underneath it all, which is nice since I'm replicating this cake for 150 people. I'm planning to use new cake plates and Grecian pillars, and I did find these filigree corners on eBay so I will soak them in oxyclean to try to whiten them up. 

My next google image search binge will be for 1966 Wilton wedding cakes...maybe I'll find a clearer picture!

thanks everyone! I appreciate the input. Don't stop now!!

not to mention am enjoying being yourhero  thanks!

wow -- you really scored -- congratulations!

[postimage id="4729" thumb="900"]I have a new question! We can't locate the original topper without tipping off the anniversary couple (surprise party!) and I can't find a replica for sale...so I was thinking I will either to a nice looking 50 on top, or get a vintage anniversary topper to complete "the look". Opinions?

i think i like the 50th  topper you found -- if you can find those paper lily of the valley on the covered wire dooeys you could wrap them around the rings for more of the original look -- but just a passing thought --

 i vote for the topper 

but a "50" is cool too -- in fact if you found the lily of the valley dooeys you could fashion an arch and put it over the "50" and it would be less expensive, less stressful with shipping and also very like the original -- put it on a footed stand -- even better 

I vote for the topper!  Wow!  Can't believe you found that. 

I like the grey hair....  Early on when I was learning cake decorating, I made some soccer cakes for boys and girls teams.  I used the Wilton plastic soccer figurines and painted on ponytails with a magic marker and then made teeny-tiny ponytails for a girls team.  I'm sure when Wilton made the original plastic soccer set that girls didn't play sports yet, lol.   Anyway, the moral of the story is that you can add all sorts of details to the plastic to re-create the look of the cake from 1950.

btw, K8memphis--your idea about coating with egg white and putting on sugar is Brilliant!!!

Here's my girls soccer team cake (made about 1 year into cake decorating).  One of the girls provided the best compliment I may ever receive when she said, "I want to marry this cake!"

https://christinascakes.shutterfly.com/pictures/369

Dang it...the edit feature is still broken.  I meant to say I made the bows on the magic marker ponytails with royal icing. 

I can't wait until you share the pictures and story of this 50th anniversary surprise party!!!!!

We have a 50th anniversary order for next month vintage look and it will be 3 different cakes on stands each cake will have a gold framed photo on top of the couple on their wedding day. I'm super excited about this one I don't know what is was but when I was looking for cakes for inspiration I really fell in love with the whole vintage type cakes. Maybe it's the fact that they are celebrating 50 years of marriage but I'm really excited and loved this thread too. Can't wait to see how yours turns out :)

I'm back! So, the cakes are baked and frozen, I made a bunch of sugar bells and I have the plates, dowels and lace corners...tomorrow is the day I decorate, which I am dreading. As I mentioned before I don't do much buttercream. 

So here is my next question- robust shell and 'c' scroll work, as well as string work were mentioned...and as silly as it might be I'm not really sure I know what those look like/how to do them. Does anyone have pics or tutorials they can guide me to? I'm so nervous about this, and I just wish I could see the cake more clearly!!

i meant big shell border, use a fat tip -- the beauty of your photograph not being clear is that you can make it up a bit as you go --

check out this link:

http://www.goodthingsbydavid.com/2013/05/vintage-wilton-wedding-cakes.html

check out the 'candlelight cake' -- 5th picture down -- those are swags and string work on the sides-- there's c scrolls on the 'champagne honeymoon cake' -- and on the 'kolor flo fountain' you can see swags and strings and fat shells --

make it something like that

[postimage id="4872" thumb="900"]Well, here it is! 

WOW!

Beautifull, You really nailed it!

Finaly did you pipe the corner panels with royal?. They look so nice. I bet your client and the surprised anniversary couple where very pleased. 

oh I love it -- it's amazing -- nostalgic perfection -- your sugar bells are translucent -- lovely -- and the ones just hanging out between tiers -- just right -- yeah what laetia said "you nailed it!" -- oh and you even got the lily of the valleys -- making me tear up -- you did a great job

insert clapping hands  standing O smilie face

Thanks so much!! Sugar bells were surprisingly easy to make! And no, I got lucky with the corner panels...found them on eBay!