36 of the Best Wedding Cake Toppers

July 27, 2011
Michael and Carina Photography

Looking for a way to really customize your reception? Crown your dessert with a unique decoration like these.

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Credit: Michael and Carina Photography
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Choosing your wedding cake is actually quite complex. You have to decide on a number of things, including its flavor, size, and design. Luckily, dreaming of the sweet end result makes the process a little bit easier (or, at the very least, more exciting). Plus, most of the decisions are fun to make—who doesn't enjoy sampling dessert? Snacking aside, one of our favorite parts of dessert planning is selecting your wedding cake's topper. While the detail is by no means required, many couples like the idea of crowning their confections with one. That's because doing so can really set your cake apart. If you're in search of the perfect finishing touch, stick around for some great ideas. We've put together a list of amazing wedding cake toppers to inspire you.

Traditional cake toppers most often involve figurines of the bride and groom, but your options don't end there. You can either modify the classic version—perhaps by adding a figurine of your pet—or do something different altogether. Laser-cut words and phrases are especially popular lately and can be used to display a quote, your names, or just your initials. Alternatively, you can work with wire letters, as shown on this adorable Nothing Bundt Cakes dessert. Other décor possibilities include flowers, banners, or even fruit. But really, you can work with whatever motif you like—the more meaningful and personalized to your relationship, the better.

Top an amazing night off with an amazing wedding cake topper to match. It'll be just one more element of your reception that guests won't soon forget.

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Copper Exclamation

Credit: Amy Fanton Photography

This Cake Concept dessert's copper "yay!" topper "absolutely described the emotions that day," this bride shared.

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Geode Topper

Credit: Allison Kuhn Photography
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Wow Factor Cakes & Desserts lived up to its name with this dazzling geode decoration.

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Banner Birds

Credit: Ashley Upchurch
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The bird toppers on this The Flour Garden dessert were designed to look like they were holding a banner displaying the couple's wedding date.

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Greenery Heart

Credit: Sara Lynn
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Greenery was festooned into a romantic shape for this Goldmine Cupcakes dessert.

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Talking Toppers

Credit: Ether and Smith

Why stop at one great topper, when you can have three? This couple served three separate M Cakes Sweets cakes: a large one displaying their newly-shared last name, and two small ones that said "I do" and "me too."

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Meaningful Statement

Credit: Suzy Goodrick
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These brides chose to make a statement with their "love is love" Ngo Creations topper, plus the rainbow floral accents on their cake by Ashley Welch.

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Dinosaur Couple

Credit: Perry Vaile

The bride and groom dinos were a fun addition to this Sablée wedding cake.

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Fairytale Figurines

Credit: Elizabeth Messina

The bride borrowed these Prince Charming and Cinderella toppers from her parents, who used them at their wedding decades ago. Instead of putting them on top of her crepe The Sugar'd Gnome cake, she placed them beside it for the brunch reception.

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Candle Trio

Credit: Lindy Hickman Photography
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This one-tiered The Dessert Stand cake gained some height from tall candle toppers.

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Tinsel Banner

Credit: Hannah Martin Photography

What's more celebratory than metallic tinsel? It was strung on a string and held up with sticks for a festive topper to this The Cake & The Giraffe confection.

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Storybook Saying

Credit: Esther Sun Photography

After tying the knot, these two were intent on living happily ever after. In turn, they crowned their Sweet Layers Cakes & Pastries confection with a Black Label Décor topper displaying the cute phrase.

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Tropical Topper

Credit: Our Labor of Love
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Rosewood Mayakoba made this tropical dessert, which boasted a fanning plant topper.

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Groom's Trophy

Credit: The Ganeys
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This groom honored his motocross accomplishments by crowning his Cakes by Maggie confection with an old trophy.

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Phonetic Topper

Credit: Sarah B Photography

The punctuation in this Summit Cakery cake's "for.ev.er." topper helped guests read it aloud just so.

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Initial Topper

Credit: Nicole Berrett Photography
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Leave your mark on your reception dessert with an elegant letter topper, like the one on this Robert's Catering cake.

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Wooden Cutout

Credit: Jordan Voth

This couple had a woodland-inspired affair, complete with a Front Range Catering Co. cake with a wooden mountain topper that read "our greatest adventure begins."

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Sparkly Saying

Credit: Jamie Y Photography
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This metallic Jenn and Jules Designs topper displayed the bride and groom's name surrounded by sparkle symbols, which also appeared on the Peridot Sweets cake.

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Thematic Word

Credit: Vivian Chen
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Present the theme of the day on your dessert, like this couple did with their Over the Rainbow Cupcakes & Desserts cake. Their Neighbor topper read "love," with the "o" replaced by a heart.

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Sentimental Symbols

Credit: KT Merry

The Herend peacock on this couple's Earth & Sugar wedding cake was meant to represent the groom's mother's hometown of Kingsville, Texas.

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Lovestruck Letters

Credit: Feather & Twine Photography

Make it clear that cupid struck with an arrow-themed topper like the one on this Sweet Treets Bakery dessert.

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Monogram Topper

Credit: Emilia Jane Photography
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This sleek monogram decoration looked just right on this modern MacKenzies' Bakery cake.

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Tennis Racquets

Credit: When He Found Her

These racquets may not have served tennis balls, but they helped this couple serve the ultimate tennis-themed Bobbette & Belle cake.

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Name Banner

Credit: Dylan M Howell
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A banner displayed this couple's names on their funfetti wedding cake.

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Pineapple Topper

Credit: Derek Wong Photography
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Pineapples mean "welcome," which is never a bad message at a wedding reception! Flowergirls Floral Design put one on this adorable Cakeworks Bakery cake.

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Unique Figurines

Credit: Dana Fernandez Photography

If you like the look of a traditional topper, but don't want something so basic, try finding one where the figurines are doing something other than standing. On this Kiss the Cook wedding cake, the groom dipped the bride.

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Family Portrait

Credit: Asia Pimentel Photography
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Why not include your best friend in your topper? The couple and their dog were spotlighted on this Cake Studio Bávaro confection.

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Skate Topper

Credit: Ryan Ray Photography

This couple's hobby, rollerblading, was displayed with a custom Sweet + Saucy cake.

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