If you are just overwhelmed at the possibilities for your wedding or holiday celebrations, take a break and head to your local fabric store. Browse the fabrics and you might just be inspired by a pattern, a color or a design. For weddings, even taking a cue from your wedding dress fabric can inspire a cake design like you see above. My longtime friend and collaborator, Ron Ben-Israel designed the cake above from a lace. Pull out a flower from the centerpieces or several types of flowers to adorn your cake as well, like these sugar orchids. (Ron is the master when it comes to making sugar flowers if you’ve seen my posts about his cakes before.) A toile might inspire you or even a plaid or a beautiful jewel tone of a velvet. You can always take that fabric and have table linens or napkins made, but if you don’t want to do that, a simple swatch will do to carry with you and inspire your celebration. From there the choices should be easier when you narrow down the color palette and the style, which a fabric can certainly do for you.

Note: If you are in NYC, try B & J Fabrics off 7th Avenue in midtown.

Toile inspired cakes.

A colorful lace, satin or tulle may inspire your color palette or style of event.