Paper Mache Wedding Cake

I am always trying to find creative ways to give a gift to someone.  I think it is virtually impossible for me to give someone just a gift card!  When I was planning my sister's bridal shower, I was trying to come up with ideas for a centerpiece and a creative gift.  I decided to make a wedding cake out of stacking paper mache boxes.    I wasn't sure what I was getting into, but it actually worked out perfectly!

Here is what you need for this project:

4 tiered stacking boxes (round or square)

White acrylic paint

White 3-dimensional paint

Ribbon (one thick, one medium, and one thin for flower arrangements)

Coordinating artificial flowers

hot glue

green flower tape

To get started, paint each box with the white acrylic paint.  Although optional, I painted the inside of the boxes as well since I used it as multiple gift boxes.  Each box took about 2-3 coats of white paint for an even color.   Once the paint dried, I then took the white 3-dimensional paint to make designs on the box.  For this project, I alternated the design with dots and swirls.   You can be creative here and design each cake with scroll work or even copy an image of the wedding cake selected for the wedding.   Be sure to avoid the bottom area where the ribbon will go around the box.  

Once the design is done, set the boxes aside to dry completely.    The 3D paint does take awhile to dry and can be difficult to work with if it is not completely dry (I am speaking from experience!).   While the boxes are drying, it is time to make the floral pieces.  Again, use your creativity to make an arrangement that matches the decor and style.  I used white roses and periwinkle with silver ribbon to match the wedding colors.   Each small arrangment had 2 roses with few flowers of periwinkle and fern leaves mixed in.  After the arrangement is put together, wrap the bottom stems with green flower tape to keep it together.  I then tied a small bow with the silver ribbon and hot glued it to the front of the arrangement.

You want to make a small arrangement for the bottom layers of your "cake."  To make the large arrangement for the top of the cake, I glue the flowers directly on to the lid of the top box.   Again I used a mixture of large open roses, periwinkle and fern leaves and glued them into an arrangement with a few silver ribbon curls.

Once everything is made, it is time to put it all together.  For the top 3 boxes, I used the medium width ribbon and the large ribbon for the bottom box.  Carefully wrap your ribbon around the bottom of the box and cut off the ribbon after a small overlap at the back of the box.  Using hot glue, carefully apply the ribbon to the box.  Repeat with each box.  

Once all of the ribbon has been applied, stack the boxes on top of each other and place the small flower arrangements on the boxes where you would like them to be.  Once you like the look of the "cake," hot glue each arrangement to the ribbon on the box.

Once everything has dried, your gift cake is done!  This can be used in so many different ways.  For my purpose, it was used as a centerpiece on the gift table, but I also filled each box with gifts for the bride.  After the shower, the boxes can then be used to store keepsakes from the wedding.

Blessings,