Parlier kept her wedding file for nearly eight years, and when the time came, a bakery in Gatlinburg, Tenn., made her dream a reality.

"I have always loved 'Alice in Wonderland,' and the cake is actually called the Mad Hatter cake. I never even looked at another cake for my wedding," she said.

When Parlier married longtime sweetheart Aaron Parlier, their cake, with crooked, topsy-turvy layers, was frosted in brightly colored fondant icing. It had several flavors, including one layer of Parlier's favorite, carrot cake. It served 125 guests at a cost of $550, and was the talk of the reception. She responded to an e-mail query about wedding cakes.

"Nobody in their right mind is mean enough to tell a bride they look bad on their wedding day, but honest people will tell you if they really liked your cake," she said. "Everyone loved it, or at least thought it was so different from the average wedding cake. ... They talked about it all night."

Cakes have evolved from a minuscule wedding day detail to all-out shows of style. As weddings get more sophisticated, brides are tying in the cake with wedding themes and colors. Some brides are choosing sand castle-shaped cakes for beach-themed weddings, or cakes decorated with monograms or quotes. And many couples don't stop at one cake, either. Grooms cakes, largely a Southern tradition, are gaining popularity as couples seek to offer guests a variety of flavors and incorporate a little of the groom's style into the special day.

ENDLESS OPTIONS

Dorothy Pitcher, owner of The Cake Shoppe in Bartonville, Ill., says the options for wedding cakes are endless. While three out of four cakes she creates are simple stacked cakes, The Cake Shoppe has created many specialty cakes over the 28 years it has been in business. They have created a sand castle cake with edible seashells and coral. One couple were beekeepers, and for them the shop created a beehive cake, Pitcher said.

Pitcher says sometimes a bride will bring in a photograph of a cake she likes, but often they need assistance.

"When I sit with them and look through the albums, I'll mark which ones catch their eye and I can tell what (styles) they like by watching them. Then we design it together," she said.

Bonnie Krohn, pastry chef at Cyd's Sendsationals in Peoria Heights, Ill., said ganache - a mixture of cream and chocolate - and rolled fondant are popular icing choices. Fondant is a pliable icing that has a smooth, porcelain finish.

Cakes can even be decorated to match a china pattern, Krohn said. "The sky's really the limit."

Krohn also says that taste is key; brides are no longer limited to plain white cake with white icing. With so many flavors and fillings for customers to chose from, Krohn said she'll sometimes go through several tastings with a bride to make sure they're getting exactly the product they are happy with.

"The public has a more discerning palate than they used to, and they expect more," Krohn said. "You can buy a cheap cake, but most people are willing to spend extra for great cake."

SIMPLE IS IN

The simplest of wedding cakes start at about $1.50 per serving and can go as high as $15 per serving in larger cities. And different types of frostings and fillings can add to the cost.

Donna Draher of Trefzger's Bakery in Peoria Heights says a popular choice is a simple, white stacked cake garnished with fresh flowers that match bouquets or centerpieces. These cakes can be a more affordable choice, she said. And it's more economical to have a display cake for the bride and groom to cut and sheet cakes in the kitchen that can be cut and served to guests.

"Three thin layers per tier, with fillings in between, is becoming a pretty popular option," she said. "About 60 to 65 percent of brides do filling; raspberry and chocolate fudge are the most popular."

ASIAN FLAIR

Newlywed Rebecca Ancira said the sweets were important at her New Orleans wedding, as both her family and her husband's family eat dessert first. In addition to having a traditional wedding cake - almond flavored with various fruit and chocolate fillings - they also had a variety of sweets including monogrammed bite-size pastries. But what stole the show, she said, was their Asian-themed groom's cake. Ancira's husband, Wes, teaches and studies martial arts as a hobby. The groom's cake was a 3-D pagoda house made of chocolate pound cake with chocolate buttercream filling. It was displayed with one of Wes Ancira's ceremonial swords and an ikebana-inspired flower arrangement.

The cake, which cost about $300 and fed 100 guests, was made by Haydel's Bakery in New Orleans. The bakery is known for their 3-D cakes, particularly their replica of Louisiana State University's Tiger Stadium.

"When I got to the groom's cake I was stunned," Rebecca Ancira said. "I couldn't believe how amazing it looked. Immediately I went looking for Wes and brought him over to see the cake. We both just kept circling the cake table trying to see the cake from every angle.

"The groom's cake was definitely a highlight of the reception and one of the things that helped make our wedding memorable."

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Maid Of Honor: The Bride's First Lieutenant

By Ron King

What Does A Maid Of Honor Do?

The scope of the maid of honor's role in the wedding depends upon (1) how much responsibility she is willing to take on, and (2) how much responsibility the bride is willing to delegate. Usually the maid of honor is chosen because she is 1 of the bride's very closest friends, and her job description as maid of honor is similar to her activities as a friend.

Aide-De-Camp

The maid of honor does much more than simply walk down the aisle ahead of the bride and stand beside her during the ceremony. She is the "highest ranking" personal assistant to the bride during the wedding preparations. The maid of honor shoulders some large responsibilities, such as hosting the bridal shower and bachelorette party, and helping to choose the bridesmaid's dresses.

But she is also there just to be supportive of the bride, to act as a friend and confidante, and to help her in ways both great and small. Throughout the weeks and months of wedding planning, the maid of honor is involved every step of the way, from choosing a dress and wedding location to helping wrap favors and set up for the reception.

Party Hostess

2 of the larger responsibilities of the maid of honor are hosting the bridal shower and the bachelorette party. As 1 of the bride's closest friends, the maid of honor is the ideal candidate to host these gatherings. She knows best what type of party the bride will enjoy, and what types of gifts are most suitable for the bride's taste. Because the bridal shower and bachelorette party are aspects of the wedding preparation the bride usually has little control over, she'll have the pleasure of not stressing about them. She delegates these duties to her maid of honor, and rests assured that her friend will handle them admirably.

Wardrobe Consultant

Many times the maid of honor plays a key role in selecting dresses for the wedding. She ordinarily chooses her own dress for the wedding from a selection provided by the bride. Once the color and style of the maid of honor's dress has been selected, she works hand-in-hand with the bride to choose the bridesmaids' dresses. Their style and color will complement the maid of honor's dress, while taking into consideration what looks best on each of the bridesmaids. The maid of honor often assists the bride in choosing her own wedding dress.

Adviser And Confidante

The wedding day is understandably hectic for the maid of honor. Although she has supported the bride throughout the planning process, her most important responsibilities take place on the actual day of the wedding. Besides standing at the altar beside her friend, the most important role of the maid of honor this day is to keep the bride calm and to handle any last-minute problems that may arise.

Angel-In-Chief

Like most things in life, few weddings go exactly as planned, and it is the maid of honor's duty to be sure that any problem does not upset the bride. Emergency supplies the maid of honor should keep on hand include: extra stockings, lipstick in the bride's color, tissues, safety pins and hairpins. These can come in handy if the bride has any last-minute trouble with her attire, hair or makeup. The maid of honor plays the important role of ensuring that the bride looks her best throughout the day.

Counselor And Friend

When all is said and done, the most significant role of the maid of honor is to be a friend to the bride. The planning and preparations, and the actual wedding itself can be very stressful and emotional for the bride. What the bride needs more than anything else during this time is someone who will offer a sympathetic ear and practical advice. This, then, is the most important function of the maid of honor.

Visit Wedding Ideas to learn more. Ron King is a full-time researcher, writer, and web developer with a Website Here.

Copyright 2005 Ron King. This article may be reprinted if the resource box is left intact.

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