See the Winners of the National Wedding Cake Competition
They're almost too pretty to eat. Almost.
— -- There are wedding cakes. And then there are wedding cakes.
The winners of the Grand National Wedding Cake Competition -- which took place earlier this week in Oklahoma -- fall into the latter category. With 74 contestants from around the world and 82,000 people in attendance, the competition might be called the standard for sugar craft excellence.
The competition was founded in 1996 and this year's theme was Fashion Week. Contestants had to create a "fabulous, romantic, innovative, cake. Design ideas could be wide open but must not be risqué or copied."
Wedding cakes had to be a minimum of three full tiers and at least 4 inches high.
Cakes were judged on the following criteria. Ten (10) points for each element: 1) Neatness of cake covering, 2) Neatness of decoration, 3) Originality, 4) Creativity, 5) Skill 6) Choice of colors appropriate to design, 7) Interpretation of Theme, 8) Difficulty of techniques used, 9) Table draping and decorations, 10) Overall appearance.
But before you dive right in, take note: Cakes were judged solely on appearance, not on taste.