Cupcakes!

Cupcakes are an option that not a lot of people think about for weddings, but the idea is definitely gaining steam. Bakeries devoted to cupcakes are cropping up all over (my favorite is the Cupcake Station in downtown Birmingham, Michigan--see the picture at the left--, but definitely on the list to try is the Cupcake Kitchen in Clinton Twp., Michigan).

It's true that on the surface, they seem less formal than your four tiered masterpiece, and it's obviously not for everyone, but the benefits are definitely there. My favorite thing is that everyone gets their own. Say kids are coming to the wedding. Maybe the kids don't like the carrot cake you have your heart set on. So you buy a dozen of the cupcakes with traditional vanilla cake and frosting.
Or what if you can't decide on a flavor? Get half the cupcakes with strawberry cake and half with raspberry.

Of course, some wedding cake traditions are made a little more difficult with cupcakes, but you can still feed your new spouse cake. If you like the tradition of cutting the cake together, but also like this cupcake idea, consider getting a small or miniature cake for just you two and the bridal party, and put it on the top tier of the cupcake display. That way you have something on which to put that antique topper your grandmother saved.

(Picture at the right taken from mrandmrssweets.com)