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Cutting the wedding cake is an important bridal moment which is why couples spend hours agonising over finding the right cake. Like everything else on your wedding day, from your dress to your table centrepieces, the wedding cake serves to express your personality and style to the world.
But there’s one way to quickly and easily customize your wedding cake, imbuing it with personality and completing the look – and that’s by choosing the right wedding cake topper.
Here’s a guide to help you select a wedding cake topper for your cake.

Before you rush out and buy the first cute wedding cake topper you come across, consider the following factors:
Wedding Theme
What is your wedding theme? Whether you’ve thought about it or not, you’re wedding is going to have a theme, be it classic, romantic, vintage, casual, rustic, modern, whimsical, eclectic or something else altogether. By matching your wedding cake topper to your overall theme, you’ll be creating a cohesive look and one that ties in the details together.
So, if you’re having a romantic wedding, consider a bride and groom figurine like this one that’s romantic, cute and elegant. For a fairytale themed wedding, consider something like this simple yet meaningful wooden topper and if you’re getting married overseasyou could include an element of that destination like this Paris themed wedding cake topper. See what we mean?
Wedding Cake Topper Materials
Not every wedding cake topper is made equal and considering the material used is not only hygienic but practical, if you plan on keeping the cake topper over the years. Pick a topper made of high-quality materials that will last.
The material you choose will of course depend on the style you’re going for, but some ideas include porcelain, wood, metal, glass, crystal, fresh flowers, sugar and acrylic. Each of these have their own pros and cons so pick according to what you’re looking for.
Your Cake

What good is a topper without the cake? The wedding cake topper should suit the cake in terms of color, size, shape and style. While it might be tempting to pick out a pretty topper and hope for the best, the wise decision is to approach this as a combined decision.
If you have the cake already in mind, then pick a topper to suit that and if you’re using a special topper, then have the cake made to maximize its beauty. If you’re buying both the cake and the topper anew, then choose them both to complement each other. Speak to your cake maker (be it a seasoned pastry chef or your best friend) and involve them in the decision as they should be able to point you in the right direction.
Why Have a Wedding Cake Topper?
So we’ve talked about how to pick a topper but do you really need one? What’s the purpose of a wedding cake topper and can’t you just have some sugar flowers placed on top to complete the look? Of course you can, but there are a few pros to including a topper that you might not have thought about:
- It’s a keepsake: Your wedding day will be over and the only thing that lasts from that special occasion are the photos, maybe the dress and the memories. But one more thing to include into your tangible collection of wedding day keepsakes is your wedding day topper. It’s something you can keep on your mantlepiece or dresser to always remember the day you got married.
- It can be an heirloom: Cake toppers make for excellent heirlooms to be passed onto the next generation or to another family member. For this, consider the quality of the materials, as already outlined above.
- It expresses your style: Whether you want your goofy, funny, dramatic, religious or romantic personality to come through, there’s a topper for every style. Let’s say the entire wedding is formal and traditional but you still want that weird and goofy side of yourself somewhere in your wedding – enter the cake topper.
- It quickly dresses up a plain cake: If you’re wedding cake is very plain and you want to spruce it up with minimal effort and cost, a cake topper can do just that for you. Even a simple cake topper, like the one pictured below, instantly adds an extra something to a plain cake and elevates its look.

- It makes for perfect photos: A gorgeous cake topper looks amazing in photos and makes your cake look more than it is. Again, pick one that complements your overall theme and colors to create the perfect cohesive look in your photos.
Wrapping Up…
So there you have it – how to choose your wedding cake topper and more importantly, why it’s a great idea to have one.
If you’re looking for inspiration, check out our article on the best wedding cake toppers.