Photos: 6 Gorgeous Cake Ideas for Your Spring or Summer Wedding

From the lightest watercolor washes to the most intricate designs, hand-painted wedding cakes are this season’s most popular Big-Day confection.

These delicate hand-painted blooms give fresh ones some rare competition. Vanilla cake soaked with honey/lavender/white wine syrup, layered with honey/goat cheese buttercream and wrapped in Swiss fondant with hand-painted and three-dimensional flowers, $13 per person, created by Cake Life, Kensington. Italia Kastehelmi cake stand, $69.95 at Scarlett Alley, Old City. Villeroy & Boch Mariefleur salad plate, $29, after-dinner cup, $24, and saucer, $19, and La Classica gold fork, $140 for a five-piece place setting, all at Bloomingdale’s, King of Prussia.

Don’t worry about deciding on one pretty pastel: Have your baker swirl ’em all together. Lemon cake with fresh blueberries and a raspberry cream filling, covered in Swiss meringue vanilla bean frosting and watercolor buttercream, $6.50 per person, created by Amy’s Sweet Bake Shop, West Chester. Bernadaud Origine light blue service plate, $44, Italia Kastehelmi small plate, $20, and Roost green glasses, $69.96 for a set of four, all at Bloomingdale’s, King of Prussia.

A soft wash of color gets an edge from a more modern shape. Hexagonal confetti cake with crushed Oreo filling, covered in watercolor fondant with sugar succulents, $10 per person, created by Cake Studio, Ocean City. Vieri Rufolo gold glass charger, $48 at Bloomingdale’s, King of Prussia. Sferra linen napkin, $15, and Michael Wainwright gold knife, $55, both at Home Grown, Haverford.

A stripped-down design makes for a refined-rustic look. Champagne cake with raspberry Swiss meringue buttercream, ombré coral brushstrokes on fondant and handcrafted sugar flowers and leaves, $11.75 per person, created by Nutmeg Cake Design, Manayunk. Anna Weatherly Simply Anna charger, $114 at Manor Home & Gifts, Rittenhouse*. Kate Spade Rosy Glow toasting flutes, $65 for the set at Bloomingdale’s, King of Prussia. Swedish Grace mint plate, $19.95, and bowl, $14.95, and Sabre mint fork, $89.95 for a five-piece place setting, all at Scarlett Alley, Old City. Cake stand, stylist’s own.

Hit two trends with one gorgeous cake when it’s streaked in shimmery metallics. Raspberry pound cake with lemon curd filling, covered in ivory fondant with hand-painted gold stripes, $6.20 per person, created by Bredenbeck’s Bakery & Ice Cream, Chestnut Hill. Gold Roost glasses, $24.95 each at Scarlett Alley, Old City. Anna Weatherly Simply Anna polka-dot cup and saucer, $98 at Manor Home & Gifts*. Marble lazy Susan, stylist’s own.

When your piece of cake is also a piece of art. Vanilla buttermilk hand-painted square tile cake with raised appliqués, filled with lemon curd and lemon meringue buttercream, $12.50 per person, created by Whipped Bakeshop, Fishtown. Richard Ginori square white Vecchio plate, $160, Villeroy & Boch New Cottage goblet, $50, and New Wave spoon, $79 for a five-piece place setting, all at Bloomingdale’s, King of Prussia. William Yeoward champagne coupe, $40, and Sferra linen napkin, $15, both at Home Grown, Haverford.

*{Ed note: Manor Home & Gifts has closed since this issue’s publication.} 

Photography by Brett Thomas. Styling by Lauren Kozakiewicz. This article originally appeared in the spring/summer 2017 issue of Philadelphia Wedding. 

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