As I had previously mentioned in the post regarding the History of Wedding Cakes, wedding cake toppers before the 20th century were generally made by a pastry chef or wedding cake baker and handcrafted from frosting, gum paste, marzipan or occasionally non-edible materials, such as plaster of Paris. These vintage cake toppers reflected the wedding theme and were often wedding bells, cupids or lovebird figurines. (For additional information about Wedding Cakes Display Ideas – Part One and Part Two, please click on the links)
Eventually figurines of the bride and the groom were also available. After World War I and into the 1920s these figurines became popular wedding cake topper. The bride and groom were generally separate figurines that were custom designed. These types of figurines were made from paper, glass or wood and then placed on the top layer of the wedding cake.
1920 wedding cake topper
In 1924, the Sears & Roebuck Company started to sell bride and groom cake toppers made of wax. The figurines were available with a choice of the bride with or without a fabric wedding veil and the groom with or without a top hat. These items proved to be very popular and the Sears catalog began to feature an entire page of wedding cake toppers readily available for anyone to purchase.
Later, as the popularity for wedding cake toppers increased, the figurines started to be mass produced throughout the world. Bride and groom cake toppers became available in a vast variety of materials, such porcelain and plastic. Throughout the years wedding cake toppers have taken on many different forms besides the traditional style with a bride wearing a white dress and the groom in any color of tuxedo, even the hair and eye color can be customized.
The different types of bride and groom figurines used for a wedding cake topper have also reflected the changing world. During World War II the figurines were often made with the groom wearing a military uniform. Cake toppers are also now available in different ethnicities and in recent years there have been same sex couple figurines.
1940 wedding cake topper
1950 wedding cake topper
1960 wedding cake topper
Wedding cake toppers can also be personalized to reflect a bridal couple’s occupations whether that be a doctor, policemen or fireman. There are other cake toppers that can depict a couple’s hobbies or sports; such are golfers, rock climbers, scuba divers or baseball or hockey. Some figurines can also be added to a wedding cake to include a bridal couple’s pets, such as dogs, cats and even horses.
bride and policeman groom cake topper
baseball bride and groom cake topper
a whimsical wooden bride and groom silhouette with a dog and cat
Today a bridal couple can select from an unlimited variety of wedding cake toppers and their selection would depend on their personal preferences and they should take into consideration their wedding colors, theme or the size of the wedding cake.
Listed below are several ideas and suggestions for wedding cake toppers –
Bride and groom wedding cake topper
The most common type of wedding cake topper is still the bride and groom figurine. Figurines can be found that reflect the choice of bride’s dress and groom’s tuxedo/suit, the bridal couple’s hair/eye color or their ethnicity. An unlimited variety of bride & groom cake toppers are available in several different types of materials, such as the classic plastic or resin figurines and fondant figurines made by a bakery or confectioner. With a search on the internet customized bride & groom cake toppers can also be found made of clay, paper, wood, porcelain or glass.
a classic porcelain bride and groom cake topper
1997 Hallmark Barbie and Ken ornament which was used at our wedding as a cake topper
Special Note: For a sentimental touch, a vintage wedding cake topper would be a great choice. It could be a family heirloom saved from a parent or grandparents wedding and would be a wonderful way of adding “something old” or “something borrowed” to the wedding cake.
Monogram wedding cake topper
A popular wedding cake topper is the monogram which can be a single initial from the bridal couple last name or the bride and groom first initial of their names romantically intertwined. Monogram cake toppers can be made for any wedding theme and are available in several different types of materials, such as fondant, plastic or resin, metal, wood or glass. Another beautiful option for a monogram cake topper is one made with real or artificial flowers.
an elegant monogram cake topper
a rustic twig cake topper using the bridal couple’s initials
For more on information, ideas and suggestions about using Monograms for wedding decorations, please click on the link.
Floral wedding cake topper
Floral wedding cake toppers are a great way to add an elegant style to a wedding cake. The floral cake topper choices are unlimited and the flowers can be either real or artificial. The selection of flowers or greenery used for a cake topper can be based on the wedding color or theme and can beautifully coordinate with the bride or bridesmaids bouquets or other floral wedding decorations.
a lovely floral wedding cake topper
Special Note: Be cautious when selecting real flowers for a cake topper and do not place them directly onto the wedding cake. If possible place the flowers on a foam piece that could be cover with icing to match the wedding cake or a small container, but be sure to remove the foam piece or container before cutting the cake and serving. Be advised that some flowers can wilt quickly or their pollen could fall onto the wedding cake so it would be advisable to use artificial flowers instead.
Other traditional types of wedding cake toppers
As previously mentioned, the first wedding cake toppers were wedding bells, cupids or lovebird figurines. These types of cake toppers would be a great alternative to use for a wedding and are still available in a wide variety of materials, such as plastic or glass.
a glass wedding cake topper with bells and love birds
a lovebird wedding cake topper
Please check back later on this blog for a post about unusual wedding cake toppers!