There’s no better way to put an individual touch on your big day than with your wedding cake. Jennifer Harrison, owner of the super-popular Layers Wedding Cake Design, says that when it comes to the sweet stuff, her clients are becoming bigger risk-takers. “This year and so far for 2011 they want the cake to stand out as a decorative element to the wedding,” she says. “They want it to represent their style and their personalities. They want a piece of art, not a traditional wedding cake.”
Harrison has observed that rich, vibrant colours are popular choices. “Purples, jewel tones, golds; intricate piping detail is back and oversized bold sugar flowers are a big hit.” Inspiration often comes from an invitation, the dress, linens or some other wedding detail. Harrison recently created an argyle-patterned cake for a couple who loved the pattern: “It was original and completely them!”
When booking your cake at a popular bakery like Layers, Harrison recommends 10 to 12 months in advance for July to September weddings, and eight to 10 months for the rest of the year; but no less than six months. Layers’ cakes range in price from $250 to $2,000, depending on the extravagance, with an average price of between $500 to $700.
Jennifer harrison is the owner of Layers Wedding Cake Design, specializing in delicate sugar flowers. One of Halifax’s most sought-after designers, Harrison trained with renowned couture cake legend Betty Van Norstrand. layersweddingcakes.com
This article appears in Duly Noted Spring 2011.