When it comes to wedding cakes, there are a multitude of designs to choose from. Textured cakes – with ruffles, lace or pleats are a popular trend to consider. Here are ten textured cakes that we love:

1. Mini Cake 

To add some dimension to a single-layer cake, ruffles will create some extra volume and interest. Edged in gold, the metallic touch proves that small cakes still have enough impact.

2. Flowers and Pearls 

These flowers are the definition of how to incorporate texture into a wedding cake. The pearls work well with the flowers too and really show how a simple white cake can be elevated.

3. Petal Frosting 

Fondant isn’t the only way to go for cake coverings, buttercream looks just as lovely. A pink buttercream with a petal effect goes perfectly with a combination of fresh flowers. If you plan on making the cake yourself, this technique is a good one to learn if you’re not confident in rolling fondant.

4. Intricate Design

For another take on this trend, go for a raised piped design. It gives the look of additional texture without adding too much. This is a great idea for larger cakes as the end result isn’t too overwhelming.

5. Delicate Ruffles

These delicate ruffles are very pretty and give the illusion of a layered or crepe cake. With this detailing, some pink and peach blooms are all that’s needed to complete the look.

6. Blue Lace 

Lengths of blue lace have a vintage feel that looks striking against a traditional white cake. Another option if you wanted to cut costs on your cake, as you can add the lace to a simple design.

7. Elegant Branches 

Woodland weddings filled with nature and leafy elements have so many gorgeous decor options. If you’re looking for a way to incorporate this theme into your cake, then this is such an elegant idea. The piping on the cake replicates the look of branches in a neutral way.

8. All Buttercream 

This buttercream decoration has a rustic effect, perfect for an outdoor wedding when paired with wild berries and fern.

9. Ruffles and Glitter

Ruffles and glitter are surely a match made in heaven. Especially when it comes to cake decorations. Double the texture with alternating tiers that add both dimension and style.

10. Colorful Pleats 

Isn’t this watercolor-inspired pleated cake a show stopper?

Photo one: annaroussos.com; Photo two: blushweddingphotography.org; Photo three: jennysunphotography.com; Photo four: michellelindsayphotography.com; Photo five: ohdarlingphotography.com; Photo six: blovedblog.com; Photo seven: loveeyelet.com; Photo eight: weddingchicks.com; Photo nine: ruffledblog.com; Photo ten: Brides.com

Everyone knows that creating your registry is one of the best parts of wedding planning, but figuring out what to add – and what not to add – can sometimes be a daunting task. That margarita maker you’ve been eying might seem like a good idea at the time, but let’s be honest, it will probably just end up collecting dust after a few uses. Breakfast, on the other hand, is a daily occurrence and we strongly believe that breakfast in bed is the secret to a long and happy marriage. While you can’t actually add “breakfast in bed” to your registry (we wish!), you can add items that will make having breakfast in bed that much easier.

First, when it comes to breakfast, a good cup of coffee is key. The Cuisinart Single Cup Grind & Brew™ Coffeemaker grinds fresh beans each time so every single cup of coffee is the absolute best it can be. Brewing up to 16oz. at time, you never have to brew more than you need, and everyone can get the exact amount of coffee that they want.

Next, the ultimate breakfast in bed consists of waffles of course. The Cuisinart 4-Slice Belgian Waffle Maker bakes deep waffles with 1 inch pockets (to hold more toppings!) and has a 5 setting browning control for customized results. We recommend giving these Apple Walnut Waffles try.

Lastly, we like a little savory with our sweet in the morning. You could always add bacon, but we like the idea of these homemade sausage patties cooked up on the Cuisinart Griddler® Deluxe. With six cooking options in one – contact grill, Panini press, full griddle, full grill, half grill, half griddle and top melt – it’s perfect for breakfast, lunch and dinner! Now, who’s hungry?

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It was Cecilia’s dream to get married amongst the redwoods, so when she and fiancé Craig discovered Jedediah State Park (home to some of the biggest and oldest redwood trees in the world) during a trip to the Pacific Northwest, they knew they’d found their perfect wedding location. Despite the pouring rain, the couple were determined to exchange their vows outside beneath the trees and were blessed when the skies cleared just minutes  before their ceremony, allowing them to have the private and secluded ceremony they had been hoping for. Now that’s what we call serendipity!

A huge thank you to Dennis of Viera Photographics for being equally undeterred by the rain and capturing the couple so perfectly amidst the majestic redwood trees, and for generously sharing those photos with us today.

Cecilia, 27 & Craig, 31

Crescent City, CA

Wedding Date: September 20, 2013 (We chose the date because it’s my parents’ wedding anniversary)

Number of Guests: 9+ a Chihuahua

Wedding Cost: $12,000 including flights and hotels (treehouses, that is)

Wedding Ceremony Location: Stout Grove, Jedediah State Park, Crescent City, CA

Wedding Reception Location: Out N About Treehouses/Lily Pad, Cave Junction, OR

Why did you have an intimate wedding?

We are both pretty introverted and wanted to make sure that we were free to be ourselves and enjoy the day. I think I would have felt self-conscious having so many people watching us do this very intimate, personal, important thing. And I was worried about Craig not being the Craig I know on our wedding day. He’s super silly around me, but that goes away around people he doesn’t know well. For the same reasons, we decided to have Craig’s stepfather officiate the ceremony so that we weren’t standing up there with a person we didn’t know well. He did a great job.

What are some of the challenges that you faced planning an intimate wedding?

Most of the challenges we faced had to do with planning a destination wedding in a rather remote area. I had my heart set on Viera Photographics so I was really lucky that they were willing to travel all the way up to the California/Oregon border, and then also travel an hour between the ceremony and reception locations.

Since it is such a remote area, it took me a long time to find a caterer. And a lot of caterers had minimums of 50 guests. Eventually, I found a personal chef who also catered events.

I also really only had one florist to choose from, but they got my bouquet just right.

Why did you chose the Redwoods?

I had a dream of getting married in the redwoods so when Craig and I took a vacation to the Pacific Northwest, we decided to take the opportunity to scope out the redwoods for possible wedding locations. Neither of us had ever seen them before. We drove South from Portland, so Jedediah State Park was our first sight of the redwoods. It houses some of the oldest and biggest Redwoods in the world so it was definitely an appropriate first experience of redwoods. As I had expected, the redwoods were truly magical. There is a profound silence that I have never heard before and the sheer size of the trees is completely humbling. There is also something symbolic about getting married underneath trees that are thousands of years old. It is basically Nature’s own version of a temple and the most spiritual place I can imagine, and, therefore, the perfect place for exchanging our eternal vows.

Was it difficult to pare down the guest list?

By keeping it to immediate family only, we really eliminated any difficult decisions.

Did you have any ‘issues’ with the small guest list from friends and family? If so, how did you address them?

I think some people were disappointed that they weren’t going to be at our wedding, but I had a bridal shower where I was able to celebrate with friends and family, and Craig had a bachelor party/trip with his friends.

What were the highlights of the ceremony?

We had been looking at the weather forecast the week leading up to the big day and it looked rainy. I was still hoping the forecast would change so we held out until the night before to buy any umbrellas. Sure enough, the day of our wedding, it rained. Actually, it POURED. In fact, our photographer was delayed momentarily when a tree fell over in the road. Ironically, we had picked September to get married because it was supposed to be the month with the best weather in the area – summers can be really foggy.

We had come all the way from Denver to get married in the redwoods so there was no way we were going to get married indoors. We had spent the day before picking out the perfect spot in the woods where we would have the ceremony. It was off the path enough that we would have some privacy, but it meant a bit of hiking. When we woke up to the rain, we decided we would have to abandon that plan and go with a spot that was easier to get to.

We discussed a new spot that we thought we remembered, and then crossed our fingers that we were thinking of the same place. It was the prettiest location we had seen and sort of had a natural aisle to walk up. We had initially decided against it because there was a lot of foot traffic nearby and we wanted some privacy.  Since it was pouring, however, we decided that getting to the location quickly trumped privacy.

We arrived to find the grove completely vacant so we ended up getting the best location along with complete privacy. Stout Grove is the most popular grove in the park so it was unreal having it entirely to ourselves.

And then minutes before the ceremony, the rain stopped! We were able to have the ceremony without umbrellas, which was really quite a miracle given how hard it had been raining all day.

What were the highlights of the reception?

The rain had really delayed things so we ended up being a full hour late to our reception (which was really just a dinner). I called our caterer to let her know and she was so understanding. I am forever grateful for her reaction because I was already quite stressed about it. She was so gracious.

Anyway, we arrived at the Treehouse resort and made it over to the Lily Pad, which is a private treehouse a mile away from the main resort. We had kept the location of the reception secret from our family, so it was a lot of fun to pull up to the treehouses and see their reactions.

Our caterer and her daughter had decorated an outdoor picnic area for us. I had given her a few photos for inspiration, and she completely blew me away. It was the most beautiful thing to see and it felt so special to be surprised. On top of that, our dinner was one of the best meals we’ve ever had.

What was the best thing about having an intimate wedding?

I think we were able to enjoy ourselves a lot more. We didn’t have to spread ourselves thin talking with hundreds of guests like we’ve seen at some weddings. It felt much more like our day instead of putting on a show for guests.

It also allowed us to spend a lot less money and afford a lot more. We spent a lot less than the average wedding, but were able to afford top-notch photographers and filet mignon for dinner. And it was a vacation for our whole family.

What advice do you have for couples who are considering an intimate wedding?

If you are like us and think you would enjoy yourselves more with a smaller guest list, go for it. It’s such an important and personal day and I think couples deserve to have a wedding that they can actually enjoy. For some couples that means a huge party with tons of friends and dancing. For us, it meant just our immediate family, ancient trees, and a magical dinner. Oh, and a rainstorm apparently.

Vendors:

Wedding Dress: Little White Dress (Denver, CO).

Groom’s Clothes: Express

Photography: Viera Photographics – Dennis was amazing. Not only are our photographs beautiful, but Dennis himself really added a lot to our day. He was, after all, 1 of 12 humans present! He was so positive and even made me feel better about the rain. I think he said something like, “OK. Let’s do this!” He also loaded up his own car when we ran out room in our rental cars and helped us transport things from the ceremony to the reception.

Catering: Judy Hardy, Rogue Valley Personal Chef – I can’t say enough wonderful things about Judy and her daughter.

Flowers: Redwood Gardens Florist

Accommodations: Out N’ About Treehouse Resort – Our family stayed here in four different treehouse on the property. They also have ziplines and horseback riding.

Reception Venue: The Lily Pad – This treehouse is located on Sandy Lily’s personal property. We were able to return for our 1-year wedding anniversary as well. Sandy is straight out of the pages of a novel. She has a long braid that reaches down her back and a gentle dog that is part wolf. A very magical place.

Being a second wedding for both Lauren and Jon, the couple wanted to make their special day different from their more traditional first weddings. They did so by exchanging their written vows in an intimate ceremony by the lake at sunset as their immediate families looked on, and followed it with an outdoor celebration of dinner, dancing, and marshmallow toasting.

In the words of the bride: “Our wedding day was our perfect day! We wanted to have a very intimate day focused on each other and our families, so we chose to have a backyard wedding with only our parents, siblings, and nieces and nephews. It was the perfect setting, and a day filled with love, laughter and great food!”

A huge thanks to Jenna Henderson for sharing their beautiful second wedding with us!

Lauren, 30 & Jon, 32

Mount Juliet, TN

Wedding Date: October 18, 2014

Number of Guests: 10 adults, 8 kids

Wedding Cost: ~$10,000 – 15,000 including lodging for our families

Wedding Ceremony Location: Backyard of lake house

Wedding Reception Location: Patio of lake house

Why did you have an intimate wedding?

As a second wedding for both of us, we really wanted to focus the day on each other and our families. We wanted to make the wedding very distinct from our first weddings (which were the more traditional route), and be really special. We also wanted to have a really nice setting and food, and didn’t want to spend an outrageous amount of money (which is inevitable if you have a large party!).

What are some of the challenges that you faced planning an intimate wedding?

The most difficult part was finding a venue! Most venues are not set up for an intimate gathering, and even if they can accommodate it, they charge really expensive rates for such a small gathering! We were fortunate that we were able to find a beautiful home to rent and the owner allowed us to have the wedding in the backyard.

Was it difficult to pare down the guest list?

No, that’s why we kept it to immediate family only – parents, siblings, and nieces and nephews. We know that if we extended beyond that to close friends and family we’d have to triple the size – and risk more feelings being hurt by not having other friends and family invited. When we said it was immediate family, everyone understood and accepted that.

Did you have any ‘issues’ with the small guest list from friends and family? If so, how did you address them?

Not really – everyone understood, though we did feel bad sometimes telling people. We actually had a dinner party/reception with our families and a party with our friends at a later date, so we did get to celebrate with everyone even though they were not there for the actual ceremony.

What were the highlights of the ceremony?

Sharing our own vows with each other for the first time during the ceremony. Writing our own vows was certainly a challenge, but it made the day so much more intimate and special. It’s also something we will cherish forever.

What were the highlights of the reception?

Our nieces and nephews dancing! They were so cute and fun. They are seriously great dancers!

What was the best thing about having an intimate wedding?

Getting able to spend time with both sides of our family together. In a traditional setting, there’s not really the opportunity for your parents to spend a lot of time with your new in-laws because everyone’s busy mingling with their own families. In this setting, everyone was able to truly enjoy each other’s company and get to know one another – which is important to us because our families live in different states.

Also, I think not being stressed out about accommodating a large number of guests. When it’s just family, you can be flexible and adjust on the fly, and nothing is an issue. For example, on the afternoon of our wedding, we decided we wanted to have the ceremony about 15-20 minutes earlier than scheduled to catch the optimal sunset time and we were able to make the change no problem!

What advice do you have for couples who are considering an intimate wedding?

Don’t worry about what everyone else will think. At the end of the day, it’s your day, and you should celebrate the way in which you feel most comfortable. Get a great photographer (or videographer) so you can share those great moments with everyone else after the wedding. Also, having a reception/party for others was a great way to keep the intimate setting but still be able to involve and celebrate with others.

Vendors:

Photographer: Jenna Henderson

Venue: Private home, Old Hickory Lake, Nashville, TN

Catering: Chef & I

Florist: Belles Fleurs 

Rentals: Southern Events 

Hair & Makeup: Rachel Cothron

Minister: Brandon Rich

Ceremony Musician: Chris Marks

Reception Musician: Brandon Stiles

Dress: Winnie Couture

Suit: Ted Baker

Sash: Etsy

A wedding represents the joining of two lives, and with that often comes the joining of two distinct – sometimes conflicting – styles. The planning process, however, is a great time for you to discover you own unique style that represents you perfectly as a couple, and we think the best place to start is with your wedding invitations.

Wedding Paper Divas makes it easy for you to find and define your wedding style by offering hundreds of different designs to choose from – from traditional to modern, and everything in between – and the ability to customize your invitation suite just the way you want it.

Getting started is easy. All you have to do is find an invitation design that you like, then click the VIEW SUITE link to see all your options. By selecting a suite, all your stationery – from your save-the-dates to your thank you cards – will have a central theme, and you’ll save money by purchasing everything you need at once. Once you’ve made your selection there are a number of add-ons available, such as belly bands and envelope liners, to help you create the perfect stationery package.

In addition to all their great add-ons, Wedding Paper Divas also offers premium printing options, including letterpress and thermography, to help further customize the look of your stationery. Letterpress printing, with its impressed lettering and design, will add a timeless and luxurious look and feel to your invitations, while thermography printing will make your design jump off the page with its raised effect – either way, your invitations will look like a million bucks, but at a fraction of the cost. We call that a win-win!

To get started on your suite, click here, and find your wedding style!

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