Welcome back to Martini Mondays! Yes… I know. We technically didn’t have martinis in hand this week (don’t come for us), but that doesn’t mean you can’t sip something strong and pretty while you watch or listen. And don’t worry — I’ll be posting a new martini recipe on the blog soon. Peppermint chocolate frozen martini for the holidays, anyone? Because same.
But first, let’s wrap up our décor series with a topic we have very big feelings about…
Wedding cakes.
The Cake Trend Making a Comeback (and the Trend We’re Never Reviving)
Let’s start with a PSA:
The cupcake tower trend? Dead. Buried. May it never resurrect.
Cute for showers? Absolutely.
A wedding? No. Just no.
Now that we’ve cleared the air… the trend actually making noise is this very chic, very Italian-inspired one-layer buttercream cake covered in maraschino cherries. It’s giving Dolce Vita, it’s giving Riviera summer romance, and honestly… I’m here for it.
And speaking of Italian vibes — I was part of a styled shoot at an Italian restaurant in Old Town where the “cake” was a mini cannoli tower and it was EVERYTHING. I need one at Stevie’s future wedding dessert table. Manifesting it now.
Buttercream, Fondant & $40 Cakes That Taste Like Heaven
We talked a lot about the buttercream moment happening right now — crisp, clean, textured, but low height because buttercream simply can’t stack like fondant. That’s why those towering cakes you see everywhere are pretty much sculpted in fondant: structure, support, height.
And yes, in true mom fashion, mine threw out a gem of a tip:
Mariano’s makes a gorgeous custom buttercream cake for around $40 and it’s shockingly delicious.
Just saying. Options.
Your Cake Should Match Your Wedding’s Vibe
As always, everything comes back to your style and your décor story.
- Having an opulent, floral-forward ballroom wedding? Go grand.
- Having a chic minimalist moment? Go clean lines, modern pearls, metallics, sculptural sugar art.
- Not a cake person? Skip it. Or make it small. Or have it just for photos. Your wedding, your rules.
Some brides are traditional and love the cake-cutting moment. Some skip it completely. Some cut the cake secretly without telling anyone (which… why?). Personally, I love a cake as a visual statement. A beautiful cake becomes a piece of décor — it deserves to be part of the room, not tucked in a dark corner like a punishment.
Let’s Talk About My Wedding Cake (Yes, THE Cake)
If you’ve followed along, you know my cake was… an event.
My mom recreated a Sylvia Weinstock-inspired masterpiece — sugar flowers for days. She worked with Tina Spinosa, who literally started crafting the sugar flowers in January for my May wedding. These women were committed.
And yes, the top tier was real (because tradition!), the rest were display tiers, and yes… we kept the ENTIRE cake for years because it was too beautiful to throw out.
Did we eventually toss it?
Yes. Did Stevie and Jaysen haul a 50-pound sugar-sculpture up the stairs to the dumpster?
Also yes.
But the memories? Iconic.
Cake Flavors: What We Actually Love
When Chrissy and I started talking flavors, the list got long:
- Red velvet with cream cheese
- Carrot cake (Gibsons — if you know, you know… they cut it tableside and it’s the best carrot cake in Chicago, fight me)
- Lemon cakes with raspberry filling
- Lavender chiffon cakes (yes, that Deerfield Bakery one was unreal)
And the best part?
You don’t have to stick to one flavor. Each tier can be something different. A win for the indecisive girlies.
Where Should the Cake Go? The Placement Matters
This is where my stylist brain lights up.
Your cake should be a focal point — period.
Ideally:
- Near the dance floor
- In the flow of the room
- Visible, lit well, and part of your entrance moment
The old planner timeline still works:
Walk in → First dance → Cut the cake → Done.
Photos are cute, serving is easy, and the tradition stays alive without the cringe of a bouquet toss or garter moment. (Hard pass.)
My cake wasn’t on the dance floor because of the Hilton’s balcony layout, but even then, we positioned it as a visual centerpiece. And yes, apparently guests ignored me while looking for the cake. Thanks for coming!
Cake Disasters, Cake Shoving & Why Makeup Matters
We touched on the classic disasters:
- Cakes falling because someone tried to move them
- Cakes being placed dangerously close to table edges
- Cake stands cracking
- Missing toasting flutes
- And please… PLEASE… don’t shove cake in anyone’s face. Brides are wearing $1,000 makeup applications now. That’s a fast-track to an annulment.
Also:
Only professionals should move a cake.
End of story.
Are Cake Servers & Toasting Flutes Good Gifts?
Short answer:
Lovely? Yes.
Used often? Probably not.
But they’re sentimental, and when they come from someone special, they truly become keepsakes.
Just don’t leave them next your wedding cake when Chrissy is invited.
Final Thoughts (Before We Spiraled Into Stories About Flatware)
Wedding cakes aren’t just dessert. They’re décor. They’re tradition. They’re personality. They’re a moment.
And whether you choose:
- A towering floral masterpiece
- A Dolce Vita–inspired cherry cake
- A buttercream minimalist dream
- A cannoli tower (please do this)
- Or nothing at all
Make it feel like you.
If you want us to talk about something specific next week, drop your questions. Just know… we may or may not have martinis again. No promises.
Cheers, babes — see you next Monday. 🍸✨
