Choosing your wedding cake is actually quite complex. You have to decide on a number of things, including its flavor, size, and design. Luckily, dreaming of the sweet end result makes the process a little bit easier (or, at the very least, more exciting). Plus, most of the decisions are fun to make—who doesn't enjoy sampling dessert? Snacking aside, one of our favorite parts of dessert planning is selecting your wedding cake's topper. While the detail is by no means required, many couples like the idea of crowning their confections with one. That's because doing so can really set your cake apart. If you're in search of the perfect finishing touch, stick around for some great ideas. We've put together a list of amazing wedding cake toppers to inspire you.
Traditional cake toppers most often involve figurines of the bride and groom, but your options don't end there. You can either modify the classic version—perhaps by adding a figurine of your pet—or do something different altogether. Laser-cut words and phrases are especially popular lately and can be used to display a quote, your names, or just your initials. Alternatively, you can work with wire letters, as shown on this adorable Nothing Bundt Cakes dessert. Other décor possibilities include flowers, banners, or even fruit. But really, you can work with whatever motif you like—the more meaningful and personalized to your relationship, the better.
Top an amazing night off with an amazing wedding cake topper to match. It'll be just one more element of your reception that guests won't soon forget.
Copper Exclamation
This Cake Concept dessert's copper "yay!" topper "absolutely described the emotions that day," this bride shared.
Geode Topper
Wow Factor Cakes & Desserts lived up to its name with this dazzling geode decoration.
Banner Birds
The bird toppers on this The Flour Garden dessert were designed to look like they were holding a banner displaying the couple's wedding date.
Greenery Heart
Greenery was festooned into a romantic shape for this Goldmine Cupcakes dessert.
Talking Toppers
Why stop at one great topper, when you can have three? This couple served three separate M Cakes Sweets cakes: a large one displaying their newly-shared last name, and two small ones that said "I do" and "me too."
Meaningful Statement
These brides chose to make a statement with their "love is love" Ngo Creations topper, plus the rainbow floral accents on their cake by Ashley Welch.
Fairytale Figurines
The bride borrowed these Prince Charming and Cinderella toppers from her parents, who used them at their wedding decades ago. Instead of putting them on top of her crepe The Sugar'd Gnome cake, she placed them beside it for the brunch reception.
Candle Trio
This one-tiered The Dessert Stand cake gained some height from tall candle toppers.
Tinsel Banner
What's more celebratory than metallic tinsel? It was strung on a string and held up with sticks for a festive topper to this The Cake & The Giraffe confection.
Storybook Saying
After tying the knot, these two were intent on living happily ever after. In turn, they crowned their Sweet Layers Cakes & Pastries confection with a Black Label Décor topper displaying the cute phrase.
Tropical Topper
Rosewood Mayakoba made this tropical dessert, which boasted a fanning plant topper.
Groom's Trophy
This groom honored his motocross accomplishments by crowning his Cakes by Maggie confection with an old trophy.
Phonetic Topper
The punctuation in this Summit Cakery cake's "for.ev.er." topper helped guests read it aloud just so.
Initial Topper
Leave your mark on your reception dessert with an elegant letter topper, like the one on this Robert's Catering cake.
Wooden Cutout
This couple had a woodland-inspired affair, complete with a Front Range Catering Co. cake with a wooden mountain topper that read "our greatest adventure begins."
Sparkly Saying
This metallic Jenn and Jules Designs topper displayed the bride and groom's name surrounded by sparkle symbols, which also appeared on the Peridot Sweets cake.
Thematic Word
Present the theme of the day on your dessert, like this couple did with their Over the Rainbow Cupcakes & Desserts cake. Their Neighbor topper read "love," with the "o" replaced by a heart.
Sentimental Symbols
The Herend peacock on this couple's Earth & Sugar wedding cake was meant to represent the groom's mother's hometown of Kingsville, Texas.
Lovestruck Letters
Make it clear that cupid struck with an arrow-themed topper like the one on this Sweet Treets Bakery dessert.
Monogram Topper
This sleek monogram decoration looked just right on this modern MacKenzies' Bakery cake.
Tennis Racquets
These racquets may not have served tennis balls, but they helped this couple serve the ultimate tennis-themed Bobbette & Belle cake.
Name Banner
A banner displayed this couple's names on their funfetti wedding cake.
Pineapple Topper
Pineapples mean "welcome," which is never a bad message at a wedding reception! Flowergirls Floral Design put one on this adorable Cakeworks Bakery cake.
Unique Figurines
If you like the look of a traditional topper, but don't want something so basic, try finding one where the figurines are doing something other than standing. On this Kiss the Cook wedding cake, the groom dipped the bride.
Family Portrait
Why not include your best friend in your topper? The couple and their dog were spotlighted on this Cake Studio Bávaro confection.
Skate Topper
This couple's hobby, rollerblading, was displayed with a custom Sweet + Saucy cake.
Cheesy Quote
This The Flour Factory cheese cake had the cutest thematic topper, reading, "you are the cheese to my crackers."
Vintage Topper
This bride's mother gave a 1950s cake topper to the couple and each bridesmaid.
Sparkler Toppers
These two stunned guests during their dessert course with a mini fireworks show. They topped their The Sugar Box cake with sparklers from Fortnum & Mason, which "got everyone's attention," the bride recalled fondly.
Rustic Love Birds
This couple's confection was crowned with a rustic bird cake topper.
Mini Gamers
This Momofuku Milk Bar dessert was finished with a custom topper by Paul Pape Designs based on the couple's avatars on Nintendo Wii.
Family Heirloom
One of the many confections this wedding boasted an antique topper first used at the bride's great-grandmother's wedding in 1915. It was covered with a cloche.
DIY Wedding Bells
This cake topper derived its charm from two wedding bells made with quilling paper, which were framed by vintage millinery lily-of-the-valley buds and a vintage linen ribbon, tied into a bow.
Floral Hoop
Ana's Custom Cakes topped this dessert with a miniature sugar sculpture of lilies of the valley woven together in a horseshoe-shaped arrangement.