All weddings have certain basics in common and the wedding cake is among the most important.  Whether you’re planning a small family gathering or a large, gala affair, the wedding cake normally takes center stage when it comes to reception decorations.  

Just like almost every other wedding detail, wedding cakes also follow popular trends.  In past blogs, we’ve discussed the trend toward geometric shapes instead of the traditional round cake.  We’ve also touched on more popular cake flavors, and which cakes tend to freeze best for that one year anniversary celebration.  Now we want to share the preferred frosting type for the 2010 wedding.

In past years, fondant has easily been the bride’s favorite because of its versatility and clean look.  However, fondant can be found lacking when it comes to taste and can also be quite costly.  The new frosting choice for 2010 has returned to buttercream.  Today’s bakers have found ways to make this flavorful frosting with the same smooth, clean look of fondant without the extra expense. 

So when it comes to today’s most popular frosting choice, you can have it all with buttercream.  Lower costs, beautiful versatility and delicious taste;  it’s truly a ‘buttercream dream’ come true!

Want to be ‘in style’ when it comes to your reception foods?  This year’s trends offer up a variety of tastes to fit most everyone’s budgets. 

With today’s growing health conscious mindset, it comes as no surprise that reception menus consisting of organic foods are gaining in popularity.  Seek out caterers that serve organically fed beef or chicken for your main course.  Or, if you prefer, keep a totally vegetarian menu.  Look for local organically grown produce for your salads, fruits, garnishes and juices.  Check with your caterer regarding meatless entrees that provide a wonderfully elegant presentation without the higher cost of steak or fish.

Specialty sandwiches are another trend that can help to keep the cost down.  Gourmet meats, cheeses and sauces add an ethnic flare without costing an arm and a leg.  It’s also a wonderful way to let your guests try several different flavor combinations, giving your reception a truly unique style. 

Another idea that is gaining in popularity is the appetizer reception.  Instead of a sit-down meal made up a several courses, a table filled with trays of appetizers would be set out in a buffet-style arrangement.  Again, this type of reception allows your guests to relish a variety of different flavors and at the same time, helps you to stay within your budget.

Today’s trendy wedding bar is now being stocked with an assortment of specialty drinks created with energy drinks such as Red Bull.  These popular high-energy concoctions  sparked the imagination of many bartenders and the results are not only creative but tasty.  Not into energy drinks?  Ask about unique healthy drinks made with teas.

There may be nothing new under the sun, but every once in awhile you see something a little different come along.  This year, a new trend for wedding receptions will be in the area of entertainment.  Instead of just the typical dinner and maybe some dancing until it’s time to go home, new forms of entertainment seem to be popping up.

Karaoke is finding its way into receptions, as well as other activities that will keep the guests involved.  Trivia games, guessing games, and drawing games are all great ways to lure guests into actively participating in the celebration.

Some couples are hiring artists to do candid sketches of their guests as prizes or take-home keepsakes from their wedding.  If this idea appeals to you, check into finding budding art students that might be interested in making a few extra dollars.

Wine & cheese tasting, or sampling different coffees or desserts is another idea that is gaining in popularity.  Use your imagination; be creative.  Just remember, when it comes to this year’s receptions, ‘interactive’ seems to be the buzz word.

The traditional round white wedding cake will always be in style, but a few new trends are starting to spring up.  Depending on your wedding theme, your cake can fit easily into the new ‘in’ colors.  Black and white cakes incorporate a truly elegant, chic and sophisticated look that is very much in style for this year.  Pastel hues in the blue, turquoise and green families are perfect for spring or garden weddings.  Pink is still a longtime favorite and shows no signs of losing that distinction.

The shape of wedding cakes is another area in which today’s trends are differing.  Square, hexagonal and other atypical geometric designs are replacing the more traditional round or heart-shaped cake.  Although they can be very traditional-looking , these new shapes can also give the cake a very modern and contemporary look, in addition to adding a lot of visual interest to any reception.

Wedding cakes made entirely out of cupcakes is a fairly recent concept that more and more brides seems to be intrigued with.  The newest twist to this idea is in the shape of the cupcakes.  As with the wedding cake shape, square cupcakes, as well as other geometric shapes, are replacing the typical round cupcakes. 

Are you looking for something just a little different for your wedding cake topper?  Then be sure to check into getting a customized wedding cake topper that is truly personalized.  These unique cake toppers not only incorporate yours and your groom’s heads, but they can also wear identical bridal gowns and tuxedos.  You can even go so far as to have the cake top couple depicting a favorite pastime, hobby, or activity.  This feature can fit very well into any theme wedding.  For example, your beach theme wedding cake can be topped with a couple wearing bathing suits or a hula skirt.  Musical weddings can feature a cake topper like the one pictured.

These personalized cake toppers can be pricey, so be sure to shop around.  Check out testimonials, ask how long your topper will take to be created, inquire about return policies or shipping insurance. 

The best part about these toppers is that their usefulness does not end with the wedding day.  These beautiful sculptures are really works of art which you’ll want to display for years to come.   

When planning the menu for your wedding reception, be sure to take your guests into consideration.  You and your husband-to-be know the people you are inviting.  Are any of your potential guests vegetarians, allergic to certain foods, unable to eat or drink certain things due to medication or health issues?

You don’t need to go overboard trying to please everyone.  I’m not suggesting that you consider a totally vegetarian menu, however, it is a nice idea to provide at least some foods that your ’special’ guests may enjoy.  Providing a salad bar with fresh fruits and vegetables, and staying away from common allergy foods such as peanuts is a small and considerate gesture that you guests may appreciate. 

My family and I once hosted a large 60th anniversary party for my husband’s parents.  While planning the menu, we realized that many of the guests had certain diet restrictions, so we simply included several items in the menu that they would be able to enjoy freely.  The additional cost was minimal, but the thought and effort to provide for these guests was regarded as priceless.

When planning your wedding budget, you’ll soon figure out that the lion’s share of that budget will go towards the reception.  With everything else you have to do to prepare for the big day, cooking for a reception is not a very appealing thought to any bride-to-be.  Having the reception food catered is a welcome idea and money very well spent.  So when it comes to choosing a caterer, you’ll want to make sure you get you money’s worth.  After all, no matter who actually prepares the food, every part of the reception will be a direct reflection on you.

Be open to different options when choosing a caterer.  Consider everything from small tea-time brunches to finger foods or dessert receptions, all the way up to complete sit-down dinners.  Ask if you can sample the foods they will be serving.  The caterer that my daughter and I finally decided upon actually invited us, along with several other brides and mothers, to a luncheon.  This enabled us to not only see what would be served, but also to taste it.  If a caterer is not willing to let you sample their cooking, they’re probably not worth hiring.  Remember, a good hostess tastes what she serves.

Remember, this is your wedding and you are in the driver’s seat when it comes to hiring a caterer.  The business you choose should be open to your ideas and suggestions.

It doesn’t take a fashion expert to know there are so many different shades of every color out there, that it’s difficult to match colors perfectly without clashing.  All you have to do is go shopping for a top to match that beautiful navy blue skirt you just bought to know what I’m talking about.

With all the wedding accessories you want to match, such as: napkins, flowers, bridesmaid dresses, cake decorations, wedding favors, etc., it can be difficult to find even similar shades of the same color.  When planning my daughters weddings, I found that purchasing a spool of ribbon, or 1/4 yard of fabric of the colors they chose, came in very helpful.  I would cut a small swatch of the fabric and take it with me wherever we went shopping.  I left samples of the colors with the bakery, florist and stationers in order to insure a color match.

You may even be able to visit the paint section of any department store and find paint sample cards with your color on it.  The cards are free and you can take several to hand out to your wedding vendors.

HELPFUL HINT:  When shopping for personalized napkins, be sure to ask how old their display is and if any of the colors have faded.  We made the mistake of matching the display napkins, which were the perfect shade of red, only to have them arrive a purplish shade.  Most vendors will replace such mistakes free of charge, but time may also be an issue if the wedding date is fast approaching.  Asking a few questions may help to prevent this problem altogether. 

The popularity of the traditional bride and groom cake topper is decreasing and being replaced by other, more unique styles of wedding cake toppers.  This now gives the couple a new outlet to express their individuality, not only in the style or theme of their wedding, but also in the smaller details. 

Cake toppers that seem to be increasing in their popularity are monogrammed toppers with the last name initial being slightly larger and in the between the first initial of the groom and of the bride.  I recently attended a wedding where the cake was adorned by this type of topper and it had a very elegant look.

Flowers are also a favorite topper for today’s wedding cake.  Most bakeries have access to water-filled dishes that can be used to arrange the flowers and keep them fresh-looking throughout the entire wedding ceremony and reception.

A more unique idea for today’s cake is an etched-glass topper.  The glass toppers normally come in a variety of shapes and can be etched with almost anything, from a verse, a monogram or even a picture of the bride and groom.

It’s always a good idea to consider the comfort of your guests when planning your wedding or reception.  It may be your dream to have an outdoor wedding, but if your planning an autumn wedding, take into account that the weather may be a little too cool for some very young or elderly guests.  Summer weddingsmay also bring temperatures that could be too high for certain people.  You would almost be forcing them not to attend if you make the accommodations less than adequate.

No one wants to talk you out of your dream wedding, but if there is a possibility of creating an adverse atmosphere for some of your guests, the best solution is to be prepared.  Make sure there is shade available for those you cannot bear the heat in the summer or shelter for those who may need to get out of  colder temperatures.  You may want to provide blankets in cooler weather or fans in warmer weather.  Be sure there are clear, easy-to-navigate pathways to the ceremony and reception areas.  Ushers may need to be able to help some guests not only to their seats during the ceremony, but also back to the reception once the ceremony is over.  During the reception, you’ll want to be sure that there are plenty of chairs available, even if you’re not planning a sit-down dinner.

Making your guests comfortable and keeping them safe will help everyone to remember your wedding as the beautiful event that it was meant to be.