The One Detail That Takes Your Wedding Cake To The Next Level

Wedding cake trends have come and gone, but there's one detail that we will forever love on wedding cakes—sugar flowers. These intricate pieces of art can be so well done that it's easy to mistaken them for the real thing.

"I don't really think of sugar flowers as a trend, more like a keepsake by which couples can remember their wedding day," says Alexandria Murray, cake designer and owner of Finespun Cakes. "They're for people who appreciate the craftsmanship, art, and want to avoid a cookie-cutter wedding cake."

In fact, Murray says, one of the best aspects of choosing sugar flowers is that you can ave any flower you want on your cake. "Some types of fresh flowers are only available seasonally or regionally, or can be toxic, or have pesticide residue," Murray explains. "Sugar flowers are totally food friendly so you don't have to worry—and they are edible! I make all my sugar paste by hand, so I know every ingredient that goes into each flower."

According to Murray, sugar flowers are made with sugar paste one petal at a time by colouring, rolling and shaping each individual petal. After drying, they're dusted with petal dust, which brings them to life, before arranging them and adding them to the cake.

This process can take several days for individual flowers, and weeks if the flowers are more intricate. But Murray says the end result is worth it. "The time and effort pays off when I get to see my couples' shocked reactions when they get up-close to their cake for the first time," Murray says. "I love that they can really be something special that their guests will remember too!"

Because designs can range from basic to elaborate, the price of adding sugar flowers varies. "Pricing ranges from around $150 for something simple and elegant to well over $1000 for a show-stopping and luxurious arrangement," Murray shares.