I worked with baker Samantha Connell on this cake for InStyle. We wanted to come up with a sweet and classic neapolitan inspired wedding cake. When designing your cake with your baker, remember that each tier could be a different color, and/or piped a different way. Though you want to keep things related so it doesn’t look too crazy. We kept to stripes, polka dots and solids in brown, white and pink. Keeping to a color palette is very important when planning an event. It also makes your choices a bit easier when you are focused on a few colors. When working with event planner Ann David on a neapolitan color palette for a small wedding, we presented pink carnation boutonnieres on trays lined with brown cotton velvet for every male guest. (see photo below) We used assorted ribbons to make it a bit more interesting. Remember, Masterstrokecanada.com has a wonderful selection of ribbons. You can have attendants circulate with the trays as guests arrive and offer them to each male guest, or you could have them on a table at the entrance to the ceremony, maybe even with the programs. It’s a good idea to have at least one person stationed at a table like this though to greet guests, offer them these items and answer any questions they may have. If this person was wearing the same color palette, it would really make the presentation pulled together visually. For instance a woman could wear a chocolate brown or pink dress and a man could wear a brown or tan suit with a white or pink shirt with a tie that coordinates. This cake and boutonnieres could also be perfect details for a special birthday or anniversary celebration.

Photos originally appeared in InStyle Weddings magazine. Cake photographed by William Meppem, Boutonnieres on tray and guest photographed by Maura McEvoy.