Weddings Summer 2009 > Planner

Confetti Cakes

Elisa Strauss specializes in custom-designed cakes, and her wedding confections stand up to her high standards. A favorite among brides is an antique-rose fondant cake with chocolate piping and edible appliquéd chocolate leaves ($10 to $20 per serving).

Elizabeth Hodes

A Princeton and music-conservatory grad, Hodes now channels her creative energy into original, ¬detailed cakes, often with a Far-East vibe. Her realistic decorations feature novel pairings of sugar-cast lime wedges with straw, roses with pepperberries, and water lilies with cattails. From $11 per serving.

Gail Watson Custom Cakes

Watson serves up romantic cakes with icing flowers that complement a bride’s dress or bouquet. She offers ten flavors of cake and even more fillings, from lemon curd to chocolate hazelnut praline ($9 to $12 per serving). Wedding-themed sugar cookies with a couples’ monogram are also available as a perfect wedding favor. Watson recently launched A Simple Cake for budget options ($6.50 to $8 per serving).

JollyBe Bakery

Fans of intricate artistry will adore these creations by art conservator Ruth Seidler-she worked in the conservation labs of two major museums. Fondant is her canvas of choice for creating beautiful floral-design brushwork, marzipan elements, and "stained glass" geometrical designs. From $9 per serving.

Lady M Cake Boutique

This divine gallery’s signature wedding cake, the Mille Crêpes, is a light-as-air pile of crêpes sandwiched between layers of cream custard with a hint of cherry liqueur, a caramelized top, and a garnish of gorgeous real and sugar flowers. $12 to $15 per serving.

Lovin Sullivan Cakes by Kate Sullivan

Fans of modern-with-touches-of-whimsy will love Sullivan’s funky but streamlined cakes. A former magazine photo editor, her attention to detail ensures that whatever a couple’s looking for-whether it be an unfussy white fondant with silver-coated almonds, or a heart-shaped cake covered in a velvety pink fondant with hundreds of tiny, royal-icing roses-it’ll be well-executed here. From $10 per serving.

Made in Heaven Cakes

Culinary prowess and art-school educations come together at this family-run bakery, owned by Lisa and Victor Zagami. Brides find favor with the golden-vanilla cake with lemon-chiffon mousse and raspberry filling; the shop owner’s signature flavor remains chocolate cake with cappuccino mousse filling. Order at least four months in advance. Cakes average $7 per serving.

Margaret Braun

Braun’s dazzling creations have a Baroque aesthetic; they’re perfect for those who like vibrant colors and ornate detailing. For chef Bobby Flay’s nuptials, the cake featured creamy orange and yellow stripes with a sugar chalice on top. Braun decorates each cake all by her lonesome, so expect prices to run into four figures (from $20 per serving).

From the Winter 2008 New York Wedding Guide