Sugar flower wedding cakes are something of a specialist subject for us at Bluebell Kitchen. Almost every wedding cake we create features at least one of these delicate, hand crafted, hyper realistic beauties. They are our signature alternative to using real flowers on cakes. The creative possibilities are almost limitless when it comes to these sweet sugar stems. If you’re dreaming of a wedding cake design overflowing with cascading florals or finished with a statement bloom, sugar flowers are the perfect alternative that’s both safe and stylish.
1. Why Use Sugar Flowers On Wedding Cakes Instead Of Real Flowers?
There are two main reasons we only ever use sugar flowers. The first being that the majority of real flora are actually not safe for contact with food. Popular wedding blooms such as hydrangeas, gypsophila and eucalyptus are toxic because they’re sprayed with pesticides, and the only real flowers you should ever consider are organic – but these are quite limited in type and style.
This leads us nicely onto our second reason. Adding sugar flowers to your wedding cake gives us so much more freedom to create a design that is chic, creative and in keeping with other elements and colours at your wedding. We aren’t bound by botanical rules (who says your sugar flowers have to be the ‘right’ colour and in season!?) which means that gold roses, fluffy peonies in December and mini/maxi versions of your favourites are all an option. The beauty of our sugar flowers is that they’re extremely realistic, meaning that if you do choose to have botanically correct, in season florals, chances are nobody will be able to tell the difference!
“The cake you made for us was a work of art! It was the most beautiful cake I’ve ever seen! The sugar flowers looked more beautiful than our real flowers…” Katie and Rhys, The Old Kent Barn, Kent
2. How To Choose Your Sugar Flowers
We get it – the freedom to completely rewrite the rules of nature and adorn your cake with whatever kinds of blooms you can imagine might be a little overwhelming. Not to worry! We consider ourselves quite the connoisseurs when it comes to flower decorations, and we have a few tricks up our rolled-up sleeves to help design your bespoke showstopper.
Inspiration for your sugar flower wedding cake comes from many places, beginning with any favourite, significant or ‘on-theme’ flowers you want to include. For example, if your wedding has a tropical tone we can create exotic bird-of-paradise sugar flowers; if you got engaged in a field of daisies, we can pop those on there too! We’ll also work closely with your florist to ensure our handcrafted florals harmoniously grow alongside the real blooms in your bouquet and throughout your day.
During your consultation we’ll ask you to bring along lots of ideas and details, including your invitations, swatches of bridesmaid dress fabric, pictures of lace detailing on your gown and all the Pin-spiration pertaining to real flowers you love. We’ll use all this information to design a sugar flower wedding cake that perfectly marries with every other element of your day.
3. Is it Cheaper to use Sugar Flowers or Real Flowers on Your Wedding Cake?
As with so many other things at a wedding, our answer has to be: it depends! Remember, your wedding cake is designed just for you – we never copy or recreate designs – and the price isn’t based on just one element. If you choose a four-tier cake complete with textured tiers, a hand-painted element and an abundance of flourishing sugar flowers, it will be a higher investment than, say, a two tier mini-but-magical design featuring one fluffy statement sugar hydrangea.
Enjoy Freya and Harry’s beautiful Bradbourne House Kent wedding cake story here
One thing is for certain: sugar flowers will always transform your cake into a celebratory centrepiece, and you’re in no danger of your wedding cake fading into the background! Sugar flowers aren’t necessarily budget busting, and we can design gorgeous handmade blooms and foliage that really lend an iconic, luxurious finish to almost every style of wedding cake.
4. How Long do Sugar Flowers Last?
Sugar flowers can last a lifetime! No wilting or petal-dropping, and thanks to their wafer-thin creation they will last for years if looked after properly. They’re very delicate but we’ll always give you a box to store them in after your wedding. You may want to display them in a vase or re-use them on a first wedding anniversary cake.
“I really wanted someone who could make beautiful sugar roses and you would never have known that our roses were not real. They were absolutely stunning! ” Jess and Thomas, Knowle Country House, Kent
5. What Kind of Sugar Flower Wedding Cakes do You Make?
Sugar flowers are one of our signature skills, and we’re proud to be able to create almost anything from a few simple pieces of gum paste and some careful crafting! A finely textured sugar rose, a velvety peony or even a garland of ivy – you name it, we’ll make it.
Sugar flower wedding cakes are something we’re truly proud to specialise in at Bluebell Kitchen, and we love seeing our couples reactions to their beautiful blooms. Contact us to get creative with your cake!
Photos: Fiona Kelly Photography, Kerry Ann Duffy Photography, Rebecca Douglas Photography
