Wedding Cake Toppers — A Great Way to Carry Your Theme

For some brides, it's just not a wedding cake without a cake topper. And while it's true that many of today's cakes go bare, that simply means that a topper's now your personal choice ... and not just a fickle fashion.

In the 50s, everyone knew what a cake topper was: a kitschy bride and groom, smiling at their future in formal clothes. These same delightful dolls still make the scene. Some couples even have the honor of re-using their parents or grandparents' toppers!

And while it's true that many of the sleek cakes you see in magazines go topper-free, unless you count a graceful cascade of orchids, a fondant bow or a half dome of roses, many couples still want a visual reminder that the cake's about one thing: themselves, tying the knot.

So sure, their choice might be more streamlined or stylized than the 50s model, but it's still the same romantic reminder (which later doubles as a keepsake).

Ultra-Popular Toppers

Rumors of the cake topper's demise will always be premature! Here are some of today's most popular toppers:

Classical Toppers

Nostalgic and sweet, these lace and ceramic toppers feature familiar figures like lovebirds and doves, swans and hummingbirds, hearts and wedding bells, arches and butterflies ... or Precious Moments figures. Not to mention the more literal human figurines, which might be waltzing, embracing, or carrying (the bride).

Humorous Toppers

They still engender occasional "tsk tsks," but humorous toppers ... in which a determined bride "hooks" a groom or drags him back to the altar ... have a loyal following, and you can find ones that reflect favorite pastimes like fishing, golfing or hunting.

Interracial or Ethnic Toppers

Ethnic bride and groom figurines are important to many interracial couples, who enjoy our modern ability to place African-American or Hispanic figures on a cake, thus representing their unique union — and their families', too — in a visual way.

Occupational or Pastime Toppers

The, there's a healthy contingent of couples who, while fully feeling the seriousness of the event they're planning, want to inject the day with humor and personality. Many who serve the nation in some way (such as marines or navy members, firefighters, doctors or nurses) are enthusiastic about reflecting this in their cake toppers. Others, eager to create a low-key vibe, turn to pastime or personality toppers, like Harley-Davidson, NASCAR, Western-theme, camo, fishing or four-wheeling.

Family Toppers

Reflecting an important trend in bringing children from previous unions into the ceremony, family toppers that include the couples' offspring are becoming more popular by the year. To pull off a custom resemblance, they're often made-to-order with FIMO or gumpaste.

Fantasy Toppers

The cake topper plays a major role at a fantasy wedding, and you'll often see fanciful creations like pumpkin carriages and castles, favorite Disney characters like Mickey Mouse or Cinderella, medieval lords and ladies, or even dragons.

Beach Toppers

While many beach cakes go without toppers and simply feature a few exotic blooms or chocolate seashells, others sport a cake topper of miniature palm trees, or a cute set of Adirondack chairs.

Monogram Toppers

Monograms have been key players in the evolution of cake toppers, helping nudge the wedding cake in a sleeker, more personalized direction than we saw in, say, the 60s.

Often made of chrome or wood, sometimes left sleek and spare and other times coated in colored crystal rhinestones, these toppers are an elegant way to customize the event (and double as a pretty keepsake) while still blending with a chic cake design. Some couples choose a single, large letter; others choose the traditional three with middle being the largest.

Cake Jewelry

One of the newest entrants into the cake topper market, cake jewelry is for the couple who really wants to make their cake a visual stand-out, extravagant, fantastical and fun: or, in other words, just about as eye-catching as the bride.

But whether it's a glittery tiara filled with velvety roses or chandelier crystals dangling from a crystal cage, cake jewelry is so good at saying, "look at me!", it really needs to go on top of a pretty splendid cake to avoid overwhelming it.

Trade Notes on Toppers!

Found a cool topper, or hunting high and low for the perfect (yet elusive) one? Let us know below ...