marthastewart.com
Weddings
Wedding Ceremony & Reception
Wedding Reception Ideas
Wedding Cakes & Toppers
50 Beautiful Wedding Cakes That Are (Almost!) Too Pretty to Eat

50 Beautiful Wedding Cakes That Are (Almost!) Too Pretty to Eat

By Sarah Schreiber

July 27, 2011

Skip gallery slides

Credit: Emilia Jane Photography

These picture-perfect confections are serious dessert inspiration.

Start Slideshow

1 of 51

Credit: Emilia Jane Photography

Dessert tables may have gotten more diverse in recent years—think donuts, ice cream sandwiches, and cupcakes—but there's still nothing quite like a wedding cake. Classically white or boldly contemporary, reception confections aren't going away anytime soon. And we have to say, we're relieved. Take one cursory look at the beyond-gorgeous cakes you're about to see, and you'll feel the same way.

From hand-painted creations and deckle-edged masterpieces to drip cakes and treats adorned with fresh flowers, the following confections represent the best real weddings have to offer. They also represent incredible talent, on behalf of the inimitable bakers that make it happen—just one more reason to choose your wedding cake vendor wisely! Whatever the wedding type, these cakes were the focal point of the reception. Some brought the pretty on the color front, with punchy magenta fondant, ombré moss-green layers, and printed floral designs. Others were simple and refined, thanks to sponged metallic details, fresh flowers, and ripe fruits.

The following confections are different in many ways, but united in one: They're almost too pretty to slice into. While that adorable cake eating photo and the promise of delicious dessert make that cut necessary, these sweet eats are about to give you a whole new perspective on wedding cake. By the time you're finished through, you might stop referring to your confection as "cake," and begin describing it at "art."

2 of 51

Marble Leaf

Credit: Jenny Soi

Discover More Elegant Marble Wedding Ideas

This incredible dessert, made by Paper Heart Patisserie, looked like peeling sheets of Carrara marble, speckled with gold.

3 of 51

Barely Blush

Credit: Lee Yen Photography

Flour and Flourish used moss, oversized blooms, and sugar leaves to connect this confection back to its woodsy surroundings.

4 of 51

Subtle Texture

Credit: Abby Jiu Photography

At this three-day destination wedding in Portugal, guests received individual versions of this textured four-tier by T Bakes.

5 of 51

Blush, Lavender, and Gold

Credit: Luna de Mare

Discover Incredible Dessert Tables from Real Weddings

Pastel-hued sugar flowers—how lifelike is that anemone?—and a gold-topped tier made this Hey There, Cupcake! beauty the talk of the dessert table.

6 of 51

Tiny Accents

Credit: Abby Jiu Photography

A trail of miniscule gold-covered blooms brought this plush-looking cake into subtle relief.

7 of 51

Brush Strokes

Credit: Allison Kuhn Photography

WOW Factor's brush stroke-inspired cake incorporated this event's color palette—teal, lavender, blush, yellow, marsala, and ivory.

8 of 51

Green Ombré

Credit: Branco Prata

T Bakes strategically layered fondant on the first tier of this beauty, creating a crepe-effect that deepened from pale green to pine.

9 of 51

Asymmetrical

Credit: Damaris Mia Photography

Beveled edges gave a modern feel to this illustrated confection.

10 of 51

Barely-There Color

Credit: The Grovers

This deckle-edged cake got the barest hint of color thanks to a blue-green moment and sprig of fresh flowers.

11 of 51

Dimensional Vines

Credit: Lisa Lefkowitz

The sugar vines coming off this picturesque wedding cake perfectly matched the hand-painted 2D ones.

12 of 51

Floral Crest

Credit: Elizabeth Fogarty Photography

This adorable two-tier treat made by Fluffy Thoughts Cakes took on a sophisticated air thanks to a watercolor floral crest.

13 of 51

Gold-Tipped

Credit: Judy Pak

Love Deckled Edges? Check Out More Cakes That Use the Trend

The deckled edges of this pale mint wedding dessert were lined in shimmering gold.

14 of 51

Cerulean

Credit: Lisa Blume Photography

Exaggerated strips of true blue fondant brought texture to this masterpiece. If you look closely, you can see the fine white flowers hand-painted throughout.

15 of 51

Lifelike

Credit: Lucy Davenport

An intricate hand-painted rose vine dressed up this white confection, simultaneously tying it back to the dahlia and rose centerpieces.

16 of 51

Feminine

Credit: Damaris Mia Photography

Tiny gold beads outlined the tiers of this crisp and clean confection by LoveCakes.

17 of 51

Winter Color Scheme

Credit: Kristen Joy

Painted stripes of icy blue, see-through sapphire, and inky jet tied this Las Vegas Custom Cakes creation back to the couple's snowy Nevada venue.

18 of 51

Burgundy Fig

Credit: Luke and Cat

Gold-dripped figs topped this tall ombré confection by Sugary and Chic.

19 of 51

Emerald City

Credit: Chelsea Denise

The inspiration for this two-tiered Amy Cakes confection was the Emerald City from The Wizard of Oz.

20 of 51

Kumquats

Credit: Eric Kelley

Spotted with yellow kumquats and wrapped with leafy greens, this cake was the definition of natural.

21 of 51

Mint and Gold

Credit: Anne-Marie Bouchard

The Cake Whisperer created this masterpiece using grayed jade fondant, herbs, sugar flowers, and gold accents.

22 of 51

Dress Up

Credit: Ashley Kelemen Photography

The bride's laser-cut lace wedding dress was the inspiration for this Hey There Cupcake! creation.

23 of 51

Baby Blue Drip

Credit: Lucy Munoz Photography

A Wedding Trend We're Loving Now: Drip Cakes

Beverly's Bakery combined two major wedding cake trends for this bride's confection, with a naked-style base and drip accent.

24 of 51

Black Beauty

Credit: Lisa O’Dwyer

See More Cakes with Sugar Flowers Too Pretty to Eat

Inky black and adorned with sugar flowers, this cake, by Cupcakes and Counting, could have been plucked straight from a fairytale.

25 of 51

Green Scene

Credit: Kerry Jeanne Photography

A botanical illustration, outlined by an ornate gold "frame," brought vintage vibes to this Honey Crumb confection.

26 of 51

Feathered

Credit: Connie Whitlock

A delicate feather garland and sugar lace detailing were elegant touches on this dusty-blue wedding cake, by Megan Joy Cakes.

27 of 51

Fresh Figs

Credit: Yasmin Khaljavi Photography

Halved figs offered a punch of peachy pink to this barely-frosted cake by Dream Cakes.

28 of 51

Moody Blooms

Credit: This Rad Love

Hey There Cupcake! used a dark and stormy floral print to transform her two-tier into a work of art.

29 of 51

Cascading Florals

Credit: Carmen Santorelli Photography

See More Wedding Cakes Covered in Fresh Flowers

This smudged gray and cream Hey There, Cupcake! confection looked as if were carrying a bouquet of its own.

Account

More

50 Beautiful Wedding Cakes That Are (Almost!) Too Pretty to Eat

1 of 51

1 of 51

2 of 51

Marble Leaf

2 of 51

3 of 51

Barely Blush

3 of 51

4 of 51

Subtle Texture

4 of 51

5 of 51

Blush, Lavender, and Gold

5 of 51

6 of 51

Tiny Accents

6 of 51

7 of 51

Brush Strokes

7 of 51

8 of 51

Green Ombré

8 of 51

9 of 51

Asymmetrical

9 of 51

10 of 51

Barely-There Color

10 of 51

11 of 51

Dimensional Vines

11 of 51

12 of 51

Floral Crest

12 of 51

13 of 51

Gold-Tipped

13 of 51

14 of 51

Cerulean

14 of 51

15 of 51

Lifelike

15 of 51

16 of 51

Feminine

16 of 51

17 of 51

Winter Color Scheme

17 of 51

18 of 51

Burgundy Fig

18 of 51

19 of 51

Emerald City

19 of 51

20 of 51

Kumquats

20 of 51

21 of 51

Mint and Gold

21 of 51

22 of 51

Dress Up

22 of 51

23 of 51

Baby Blue Drip

23 of 51

24 of 51

Black Beauty

24 of 51

25 of 51

Green Scene

25 of 51

26 of 51

Feathered

26 of 51