16 Fresh Flower Ideas for Wedding Cakes

Wedding cakes are the biggest stars of any wedding, second only to the bride of course!

Therefore, you’ll want to make your wedding cake stand out. The best way to create a glamorous cake that all your guests will remember is to decorate it with fresh flowers.

There are plenty of different types of flowers for wedding cakes. Romantic blooms like peonies and Juliet roses are popular wedding flowers known for their classic elegance. For more adventurous brides, mix things up by adding unique flowers like protea or even passion flowers to create an exotic look.

Whether your cake is enrobed in buttercream, fondant or even if it’s a trendy “naked” cake, these wedding cake flowers can be used to fit any style. We’ve found six wedding cakes with flowers that include 16 of the most stunning flowers for wedding cakes. We’ve created custom visuals below that feature each cake, along with key florals so that you can recreate the look. Below each visual you’ll find helpful descriptions for each flower as well!

Photo by: Julie Paisley

Featuring rustic champagne garden roses complemented by elegant wine-colored scabiosa flowers, this floral cake is perfect for a boho-chic wedding. Here, the flowers are arranged around the base of a cake, perfect for those who prefer a smaller wedding cake or a series of cakes in place of a large tiered cake.

Scabiosa – Scabiosa flowers bloom in the summer are known for their unique flower shape. The centers usually consist of buds that are surrounded by an outer ring of tiny flowers. Popular colors include deep red, white, magenta and violet.

Hypericum – Hypericum berries are popular as filler elements. They come from the St. John’s Wort plant and come in a variety of colors including red, orange, and yellow.

Photo by: ScenEmotion Films | Cake by: Delicious Artistry | Florals by: Yamaguchi Nursery

White, coral, and soft pink roses cascade down the length of this three-tiered cake to create a stunning ombré effect. Three different types of roses are used to create this feminine look: garden roses, Juliet roses, and spray roses.

Garden Rose – Garden roses are known for their large bloom sizes and high petal count. Garden roses are available in nearly every color, making them the most versatile type of flower to decorate your wedding cake with. Due to their larger size, use garden roses at various anchor points on your cake.

Juliet Rose – Juliet roses are a type of garden rose and has become highly popular in weddings in recent years. Known for their statement coral color, these delicate roses have a unique petal structure that mimics lace.

Spray Rose – Much smaller in size, spray roses are primarily used as filler flowers. Also available in many colors, their small size makes them especially versatile for decorating smaller surfaces. Use spray roses to fill in gaps between larger statement flowers.

Photo by: Ethereal Photography | Flowers by: Kate Dawes Flower Design | Cake by: Cakes by Simone

Lush and vibrant, this floral wedding cake arrangement is bursting with exotic colors including magenta, pink, and blue. The varying textures between the cup-shaped tulips, and wild chrysanthemums create a look that is both lush and vibrant.

Tulip – There are two types of tulips used in this arrangement: fringed and single. Single tulips are the classic tulips that are most recognized. Fringed tulips have a similar shape, but the differentiating factor are their frilly tipped petals, the color of which contrasts with the base color of the petals.

Dahlia – Dahlias are known for their elaborately layered petals. Due to their large size, dahlias are typically used as a focal point within an arrangement. Here the the dahlia is appropriately placed at the top of the cake.

Chrysanthemum – Like dahlias, chrysanthemums also have densely layered petals. As symbols of joy, chrysanthemums are one of the most popular wedding flowers. In fact, they are the most cultivated flowers in the United States! Also known as mums, they come in a variety of colors, sizes and shapes.

Photo by: Marianne Wilson Photography

There’s nothing more romantic than a fresh white cake adorned with classic roses. Exotic elements like passion flower, and succulents offer this classic wedding cake a tropical revival.

Passion Flower – Passion flowers serve as an exotic surprise in this cascading arrangement of classic garden roses. Although there are over 400 species of passionfruit vines, the most identifiable is Passiflora edulis which happens to be the only one that can actually fruit.

Succulent – Echeveria are the perfect types of succulents to incorporate into your wedding cake decor due to their flower-shaped anatomy. Their ashy green color makes them a complement to many types of wedding flowers.

Photo by: Emily March Photography | Cake by: Sugar Euphoria | Styled by: Rebecca Rose Creative

Inspired by the soft pastel shades of the French Impressionist era, this gorgeous wedding cake features coral pink garden roses, accented with delicate pink and white stock flowers along with cascading green amaranth. Velvety dusty miller leaves and seeded eucalyptus branches complete the look. The striking beauty of these floral elements is amplified by the white canvas, dotted with water-colored florals.

Stock Flower – Stock flowers, also known as gillyflowers, grow in cone-shaped clusters atop a central stem. They come in a variety of colors, the most popular being: white, pink, red and purple. Since stock flowers symbolize a happy life, they’re perfect as wedding flowers to symbolize a new chapter for a newlywed couple.

Amaranth – With origins dating back to the ancient Aztecs, this exotic plant produces elegant, cascading seed pods. The color of their seeds can range in color from light green like the ones pictured above, to maroon, fuchsia and brown.

Dusty Miller – Dusty Miller leaves further amplify the soft and elegant feel of this wedding cake. Their iconic velvety surfaces gives them a grey color that complements the tone of the eucalyptus leaves perfectly.

Photo by: Brianna Wilbur Photography

This unconventional beauty is made up of simple elements to create a wedding cake that is both stylish and sophisticated. Sea holly thistles are the main stars, accented by seeded eucalyptus. A rough application of gold leaf to the edges of the cake completes the modern look.

Sea Holly – Sea holly are thistle-like flowers consisting of a central blue-colored bud surrounded by silver prickly shaped petals. Just a few of these unique flowers are enough to make a dramatic impact!

Seeded Eucalyptus – If you want to add interesting texture to any floral arrangement, seeded eucalyptus are the answer. They’re delicate branches include clusters of tiny light green seeds and long leaves. Here, the ashy grey leaves complement the silvery blue sea holly flowers perfectly.

Gold Leaf – Although not a flower, gold leaf is a must when it comes to wedding cake decor. You don’t need to much of it either. Just a touch of gold leaf is enough to transform any cake into an elegant and classic statement.

Photo by: Jeremy Chou Photography

From garden roses to chrysanthemums, and from passion flowers to sea holly, there is a colorful plethora of flowers that can be used to transform your wedding cake. The best way to highlight these stunning florals is by starting with a simple cake base, like a pure white buttercream base or a trendy naked cake base. For more inspiration, browse our wedding bouquets and centerpieces for more stunning flowers to include in your wedding decor.