{swell weddings} sweet spots

Everyone knows that the best part of attending a wedding is...the cake of course! (Perhaps the one exception is the vows exchanged by the bride and groom!) So prepare for sal-i-vation city...It's time to consider the cake! These days cakes are getting more and more creative. It's not that those traditional tiers of round buttercream goodness are out of vogue, it's just that a myriad of other cake styles and decadent dessert options calleth. And to answer the age-old question of fondant vs. creme frosted cakes...I really think that my pastry chef friend Becca needs to grace us with a guest post. Stay tuned!

I dream of attending (and/or planning!) a wedding with a sweet buffet of confections and cakes. How magical is this photo(and the one above) from Rebecca Thus? I crave it all.

True confession: I've had a lifelong fetish for the cupcake tree. Ever since spotting this idea while watching the dream wedding week on Oprah with my mom when I was, like 10 years old, I've been head over heels in love with cupcakes! I love the flags topping the perfectly piped chocolate frosting on the cakes above (also from Rebecca Thus). What a simple way to incorporate your new monogram or a special symbol into the reception.

I promised my friend Kayt that I'd also include this pic of the cupcakes at our wedding! I ordered the cardboard(!) frame for the tree from cupcaketree.com and added the half doilies and other embellishments with the help of faithful friends. :) After searching high and low, I decided that the cardboard frame was definitely the way to go for displaying large quantities of cakes.

However, lovely ceramic cake stands are definitely the most beautiful way to display cupcakes at a smaller-scale event. Find this one here.

Last but certainly not least, I enjoy the idea of using monogrammed sugar cookies, macaroons, truffles, you name it, as favors! These will not clutter shelves of the sentimental as certain chotchke favors tend to do. Rather, they will send your guests home with a sweet, lingering moment of your perfect day. (Photo by flickr.) Sweet dreams!