Wedding cake toppers have a history that dates back to the late 19th century.  While they became very popular in the mid-20th century, most historians agree they first came on the scene in the 1890's.  However, the mainstream use of wedding cake toppers came about in the late 1920's.  

Originally, the wedding cake toppers featured a bride and groom.  These were in various poses and were removed and saved by the bride and groom as a memento of their wedding.  Later, other options such as bells, doves, cherubs, love birds, etc. became very acceptable.  As the style of the toppers varied, so did the materials they were made from.  

Today the bride and groom can choose from many varied types and styles of wedding cake toppers.  Some couples even choose to have no topper on the wedding cake or to have real or sugar flowers rather than what would be considered a "traditional" wedding cake topper.  Next to searching for types of wedding cakes, choosing a topper (or to not have a topper) is a very important part of planning your wedding cake.

While some couples choose to utilize a topper that has been handed down through the generations, others may choose to go a more contemporary route and use their initials on the top of their wedding cake.  Some may choose a topper that symbolizes their common interests or possibly how they met.  Still others may choose to use no topper at all or opt for a floral arrangement or other decoration that coordinates with their overall wedding style.  Some of the most popular wedding cake toppers are as follows:

-Monogrammed Initials.  You can spend anywhere from $10 up to over $300 for these adornments.  The initials can include the grooms last name and the first name initials of both bride and groom or just the first initials of the couple.  Also, the initials can range from simple scroll plastic scroll letters all the way up to sterling silver encrusted with Swarovski crystals.  

-Flowers.  Fresh, silk, or sugar flowers bring a traditional elegance to any wedding cake and can tie in easily with the style, and colors of the wedding.  

-Birds.  What says "wedding" better than a pair of lovebirds?  Recently, more and more of these whimsical birds have been decorating wedding cakes.  These beautiful cake toppers can be made from almost anything including plastic, ceramic, wood and even paper.  Some of the more realistic bird wedding cake toppers are made from paper and attached to sticks to give them a more natural look.

-Bride and Groom Figurines.  While you may think the traditional bride and groom figurines are a thing of the past, they are alive and doing well today.  These figurines can be the traditional bride and groom, a funny set of figurines such as the bride chasing the groom or even a personalized bride and groom custom made to resemble the actual couple.  

-Bunting Banner.  This is a relatively new trend that is turning up everywhere.  You will find bunting banners at birthday parties, wedding and baby showers, and now mini-versions are turning up on top of wedding cakes.  These banners can be custom made to say anything you want. For instance, Mr. and Mrs. Jones, Mary and John, I Do, etc. They can be made to reflect the style and feel or your wedding while also adding a pop of color or contributing to the elegance of your cake.  

Here are some examples of the most popular wedding cake toppers.

Top Five Wedding Cake Toppers