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Updated Oct 14, 202418 Pearl Wedding Cake Ideas to Give Your Dessert Some Luster
A pearl of wisdom: Add these sprinkles to your cake.
Making your wedding dessert stand out while being authentic to your tastes (both literally and figuratively) is key. A pearl wedding cake is a simple but effective embellishment for any style or wedding cake size. You won't need to have a whole pearl-themed wedding for this to fit into your vision, since this classic gem is always in fashion. Plus, we spoke with experts on pearl wedding cakes about tips and tricks you need to know for planning this style of dessert, like budget concerns and how to work with your baker on this decor option. "Pearl cakes are often more expensive, as well, as the cost of the pearls is around $8–$10 per container, and it takes a long time to place each pearl with tweezers," Kelly Scott of Get Caked Bakery in Rochester, New York, says.
Mary Geer Draper, the baker at Draper's Catering of Memphis, adds, "Because there are so many options for pearls, I definitely recommend discussing pros and cons at your design consultation to see what's right for your vision and your budget. Find out what products and techniques your cake artist recommends, what they're most comfortable using and what will most effectively bring your vision to life." Ready to see some pearl cakes for yourself? We've gathered our favorites to help you in your wedding planning.
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In this article: Pearl Wedding Cake Ideas | Where to Buy Pearls for a Wedding Cake
Pearl Wedding Cake Ideas
Pearl decor is one of our favorite new wedding cake trends, and our expert bakers agree. "I love working with pearls on wedding cakes. They're classic, clean, versatile and they incorporate so well into so many different styles. My favorite way to use cake pearls is to incorporate them as a pop of color or texture, but I also love a classic cascade of white pearls on a white cake," Geer Draper says. So if you're considering pearl-decorated wedding cakes, then take a look at some real inspiration. Here are wedding cake ideas with pearls you'll definitely want to add to your mood board. (Pro tip: You can favorite images using the heart icon on the right-hand side of images by creating an account, so you can easily refer back to that image or article to show your baker.)
1. Tall, Mismatched Layers White Pearl Wedding Cake
Play around with your wedding cake shapes, like this four-tiered masterpiece with varied sizes. Between the sugar flowers and tiny pearls, you can still make an all-white cake pop with the right details.
2. Heart-Shaped Vintage Pearl Cake
Peep the buttercream pearls on this vintage cake? We're loving the resurgence of classic styles, like this piped icing and heart shape, and pearls add a little touch of elegance to those retro vibes.
3. Chic and Simple Pearl Wedding Cake
If you like simple wedding cakes with pearls, here's a design that still wows. Scott adds, "There are a few different ways to decorate with the pearls—i.e., do you want the pearls covering the whole cake? Or do you want more on the top, gradually fading to none on the bottom (what we would consider an ombre effect)?" Getting creative with your pearl cake is simple, thanks to this versatile design element that easily enhances any display.
4. Celestial Gold Pearl Wedding Cake
Photography: Tida Svy Photography
,Baker: Sugar From The Heart
With sugar pearls and sprinkles, you're not just limited to the quintessential pearl color. "Pearl cakes are very popular! The pearls are all edible and come in a variety of colors and finishes (like metallic)," Scott says. And this golden pearl cake with silver stars is out of this world.
5. Opulent Wedding Cake With Pearls and Flowers
Photography: Stacy Able Photography
,Baker: I Want A Cake
This showstopper of a cake blends pearl decorations with an explosion of edible florals. Cascading decor on your wedding cake brings a unique feel, and the blush hues on this dessert perfectly complement the pearlescent color.
6. Tiered Wedding Cake With Pink Ruffles and Pearls
Photography: HinkleyPhoto
Pink pearls are the rarest color, so how about adding some to your wedding cake? This pretty-in-pink cake is decked out with a 3D ruffle effect and pearl details to give your wedding dessert some much-needed texture and shine.
7. Gold Flakes and Pearls Wedding Cake
Any style of cake can benefit from some embellishments, and decorating with pearls allows all your elements to come together and create one-of-a-kind artwork. This cake's ruffled tiers, gold flakes and florals are made that much more stunning with the addition of tiny pearls scattered throughout.
8. All-White Two-Tier Wedding Cake With Pearls
A simple, white wedding cake with pearls is anything but boring. Take this one, for example, with its clever use of various pearl sizes in clusters at the top of the two tiers. It almost gives a bubble effect, perfect for any nautical-themed event.
9. Retro Pearl Style Piped Cake
Photography: Greg Ross Photography
Geer Draper says of piped pearls, "Buttercream can be used to create individual pearls, borders or the strings of pearls seen in many vintage-style cakes. The advantages of using buttercream to create a pearl design in place of something like an edible sugar pearl include versatility, as you're not limited to the standard sizes or colors of whatever pearls you can purchase. It's also the easiest cake to cut, serve and eat, since it's just icing rather than a hard sugar sprinkle." Though she adds that buttercream pearls typically don't have a shine, this couple's cake utilized a clever tactic of making the pearls a different color, making them especially pop.
10. Pink Pearl Wedding Cake
Have your guests asking, "Are those real pearls?" This chic cake plays around with classic sugar sprinkles beside silver and pearlescent decorations for an elevated look that may or may not be edible. (We'll never tell.)
11. Soft Yellow Lace Pearl Wedding Cake
Pearls on wedding cakes don't have to be the only embellishment, like this lace design. From the string of pearls on the top layer to the pearl piping throughout, the yellow wedding cake brings a classic, romantic vibe with a bit of charm.
12. Miniature Pearls Wedding Cake
Scott says, "While they are beautiful, they are a bit difficult to eat, so we suggest using caution, particularly with the larger pearls. Maybe just avoid the big ones!" This cake does a fabulous job of using smaller pearls and piping techniques to achieve the look, while making it easier for all your guests to enjoy.
13. Lambeth-Style Piped Pearl Cake
Lambeth wedding cakes are having a moment, and adding your own spin is a guaranteed way to make your dessert memorable. This piped, three-tier vintage cake has both sugar pearls and buttercream pearls for a tasty and sweet touch to your day.
14. Winter Three-Tier Pearl Wedding Cake
"Make sure you supply your baker with a photo of what you have in mind for the pearls on the cake," Scott says, like this winter-inspired display with a waterfall of pearl wedding cake decorations. Giving your baker an idea of what size, style and color you'd like helps them create the pearl cake of your dreams.
15. Polka Dots and Pearls Cake
Photography: Misha Media Photography,Baker: Oak Mill Bakery
With all of these pearl wedding cake designs, a classic polka dot style is a timeless way to transform any canvas. Consider asking your baker to use buttercream pearls and apply some pearl luster to them to create the effect of sprinkles.
16. Something Pearl, Something Blue Cake
Adding pearls to your buttercream wedding cake ideas creates a fun effect on the surface of your dessert, like this one with smaller pearls. "Another excellent product seen frequently on pearl cakes is nonpareils, which are tiny sugar pearl sprinkles. You've probably seen them most often in a rainbow mix, but they are also commonly available in single colors. They have the same uniformity and shine as larger sugar pearls, but without the hardness," Geer Draper says.
17. Marble and Pearl Staircase Cake
This unique staircase-style cake took things one step further (no pun intended) with a whole layer of pearls. Sandwiched between two floral layers, the pearl layer gives the appearance of sprinkles, but it's actually entirely achieved through icing.
18. Rainbows and Pearls Wedding Cake
When adding pearl wedding decor to your cake, sometimes simpler is better. "It takes time to hand-place each pearl. And yes, even the designs that look like the pearls were just thrown at the cake, most or all of the pearls are likely hand-placed to achieve that effect," Geer Draper says. This rainbow cake uses swipes of color and a cute cake topper to ensure that fewer pearls still wow.
Where to Buy Pearls for a Wedding Cake
Now that you have some inspo to draw from, it's time to put your pearl wedding decoration ideas into action. Finding edible pearls for wedding cakes is pretty easy these days, with so many choices and styles, but there's one classic sprinkle that always makes a statement. "When I think of pearl cakes, the first thing I think of is edible sugar pearls," Geer Draper says. "The biggest advantage to these pearls is their appearance. They are uniform in size, shape and color, and typically have a beautiful luster to them." Here are some shops to find edible wedding cake pearls for more affordable wedding cakes.
- The Knot Vendor Marketplace: Finding the right local baker or dessert shop is simple when you utilize our vendor marketplace. All you have to do is enter a location, and you can filter by different cakes and desserts and dietary options (such as gluten-free, dairy-free, kosher, halal, etc.). This way, you have a local resource who can bring your pearl wedding cake to life.
- Amazon: It's no secret Amazon has it all, and that includes edible pearls and sprinkles for your wedding cake. You can find many different colors, sizes and more when you filter through the results, including unique rainbow or ombre style pearls to take your cake to the next level.
- Etsy: Whether you're searching for pearls for wedding decorations or pearls for your cake, Etsy lets you support small businesses in your endeavor. This online shop has a mix of sprinkles and edible pearls, like a shimmery ivory to a breathtaking gold. The sky's the limit with this resource, and you can even find pearl-colored sprinkles in fun shapes (like hearts and seashells).
- Target: In stores or online, Target is a handy place to find your pearls for wedding cakes. Search for multiple colors and sizes of sugar pearls, sprinkles and other cake decorations to give your wedding dessert some luster. You can even order your tweezers here to place the pearls on your cake for an easy shopping trip.
- Local baking supply stores: Stores like Michaels or Hobby Lobby may have what you're looking for, but baking supply stores are where the bakers shop. You'll find a whole world of options, giving your wedding cake that professional touch. And who knows what other goodies you might see?
