Cakes by Nina - Fresh Flowers to Use and Avoid on your wedding cake- Surrey, Hampshire & Berkshire

Your guide to safe, beautiful fresh floral decoration for luxury wedding cakes in Surrey, Hampshire & Berkshire

As a wedding cake designer, my first priority has always been creating beautiful wedding cakes that are also safe for my couples and their guests to enjoy.

Whilst fresh flowers can look stunning and many cake designers due them successfully when prepared correctly, I personally would choose handcrafted sugar flowers wherever possible.

To me, it simply isn't worth taking even the smallest risk on such an important day.

Fresh flowers can introduce unknowns, such as pollen, sap, naturally occurring plant toxins, insects or traces of pesticide, and every guest has different sensitivities or allergies. Although allergic reactions are uncommon, weddings bring together large groups of people whose medical histories we simply don't know.

Another important consideration is insurance. Like many specialist cake decorators, my public and product liability insurance does not provide cover for allergic reactions or adverse reactions arising from fresh flowers used on a cake. For that reason alone I believe the safest approach is to minimise any unnecessary risk wherever possible.

Ultimately, every couple is free to choose the style that best suits their wedding,

Fresh flowers on wedding cakes are timeless - they add romance, texture, and a natural elegance that compliments your wedding style. But not every flower is suitable for food use, and some can be harmful if placed incorrectly. As a luxury wedding cake designer in Camberley, Surrey, you must liaise with your florist to ensure every bloom used on your cake is safe.

Below is a helpful guide to the best flowers to use on wedding cakes, and the ones you should avoid. Please note not all florists are aware of this information but it is important to know.

Safe Fresh Flowers Commonly Used on Wedding Cakes

These flowers are widely considered safe for cake decoration when prepared correctly and sourced from reputable, pesticide-free suppliers, if in doubt do not use them - here at Cakes by Nina we offer beautifully handcrafted sugar flowers that are not only food safe, they are a wonderful keepsake of your wedding day.

Fresh - Roses

Classic, romantic, and available in every shade
Long-lasting and perfect for tiered cakes
Ideal for modern, classic or garden-style weddings

Fresh - Peonies

Soft, full and luxurious - be careful of huge blooms as they can take over your cake - in sugar flowers we can control the size to be in proportion for your cake
A favourite for statement floral arrangements

Fresh - Ranunculus

Delicate, layered petals
Beautiful for fine-art, elegant cake designs

Fresh Lisianthus

Soft, ruffled blooms - these are quite a delicate flower and can droop after time
A great filler and soft detailing

Hydrangea (with caution)

Stunning cluster that add volume - again be careful the blooms are not too big as they can take over your cake, in sugar flowers we can control the size
They wilt very quickly
Best used for short display times if going on cake

Herbs - Rosemary - Thyme - Lavender

These add a lovely fragrance to your cake, rustic feel
Perfect for outdoor or countryside weddings

Fresh Flowers to Avoid on your Wedding Cake

Some flowers are toxic or an irritant and should NEVER be placed directly on your wedding cake.

Eucalyptus

Very popular in bouquets but contains oils that can be harmful if ingested
Can be used decoratively around the cake, but not insterted into it

Gypsophila (Baby's Breath)

Contains irritants that can cause stomach upset or a rash
Often used in floristry not suitable for food contact

Daffodils & Narcissus

Highly toxic
Should NEVER be used on or near edible items

Foxgloves

Extremely poisonous
Not suitable for cake styling under any circumstances

Ivy

Poppies

Contains toxins and sap that can irritate skin
Avoid for cake decoration

Some varieties contain toxic compounds
Best avoided entirely

How we Ensure Flowers are Safe on Your Wedding Cake

We will chat to your florist to make sure no pesticides have been used and they are only supplying us flowers of the non toxic variety - if your florist can not guarantee this then we are so sorry but we will not take responsibility for decorating your cake, Cakes by Nina holds no responsibility for the use of unsuitable fresh flowers should one of your guests have a reaction or becomes ill because of them.
We ensure flowers are inserted with a protective barrier.
Only florist-approved, pesticide-free blooms are to be used
Your cake is assembled on-site to ensure freshness and stability
Peace of mind you can enjoy the beauty of your cake knowing there are no medicial issues with it

Additional -Flowers suitable for Cakes but bare in mind the above

Roses - Pansies & Violas - Lavender - Chamomile - Nasturtiums - Calendula - Hibiscus - Cornflowers - Elderflower - Jasmine - Fruit Blossoms -Mint - Rosemary - Thyme - Basil

Foliage to use on your wedding cake:

Rose leaves
Nasturtium leaves
Shiso (perilla)
Grape Leaves
Fig Leaves
Mint
Basil
Lemon Balm
Sage
Thyme

Ruscus leaves - is widely used to decorate cakes and as long as its been washed and is used on an sugarpaste cake where the icing can be peeled off its ok, but if using on an exposed food it must not touch the cake, this is mildly toxic if ingested, and is often treated with pesticides or preservatives, can carry dirt or bacteria from handling and transport

Additional Flowers not suitable for Cakes but bare in mind the above

ONLY USE ORGANIC/PESTICIDE-FREE FLOWERS

Avoid Toxic Plants - including the above - Foxglove, hydrandrea, lilly of the Valley, sweetpea

Foliage to avoid putting on your wedding cake:

Ivy
Eucalptus
Holly
Boxwood
Ferns (most)

Cover page for why sugar flowers over real flowers

Final Thoughts

Choosing the right flowers for your wedding cake is about beauty, safety and harmony with your overall wedding style. If in doubt we highly recommend using sugar flowers, this has nothing to do with up selling our services it is just the safest option. Be careful if florist say don't worry we will bung you a few in extra for the cake, that normally is literally what we get and they are usually of poor quality and quantity in the first place before we start.

Many florists haven't done any food hygiene or food allergen training and don't have a clue what flowers are toxic and what are not, our preference would be to use sugar flowers (this isn’t an up sell— it is just for peace of mind) or really good fake flowers, both we can make for you or source, this will also ensure your flowers look great all day and not just for a couple of hours.

Our liability insurance does not cover us if someone has an allergic reaction due to the fresh flowers being used on cakes, so if we refuse to put certain flowers on the cake please be aware we are not doing that to annoy, we are doing it in the best interest of you our client and health and safety. We do not take any responsibility to the quality and safeness of flowers used if they are being supplied by your florist. We also take no responsibility if you insist your florist decorates the cake for you and they damage it in any way. We are not responsible for any contamination that they might be caused by not preparing your flowers correctly.

Faux Flowers on Wedding Cakes – A Beautiful Alternative, But Not a Budget Shortcut

Faux flowers can create a stunning wedding cake and, with today's incredibly realistic artificial blooms, they can be almost indistinguishable from fresh flowers. They are a wonderful option for couples who wish to keep their bouquet, use flowers that are out of season, or simply love a particular style.

One of the biggest misconceptions, however, is that choosing faux flowers makes a cake significantly cheaper than one decorated with handcrafted sugar flowers. While the flowers themselves may cost less than individually made sugar blooms, there is still a considerable amount of work involved in preparing them safely for use on a cake.

Artificial flowers are manufactured with exposed wires and stems, which should never be inserted directly into a cake. Every individual stem must be carefully prepared using food-safe methods before it can be arranged. This process takes time and precision, ensuring there is a safe barrier between the decorative materials and your cake.

The flowers also need to be professionally arranged and secured to compliment the design of the cake. Creating a balanced, elegant arrangement is a skilled process and often takes just as much artistic consideration as working with sugar flowers.

For this reason, while faux flowers can sometimes offer a saving over handcrafted sugar flowers, the difference is often much smaller than people expect. Much of the cost lies in the preparation, design and safe installation rather than simply the flowers themselves.

Whichever option you choose, my priority is creating a beautiful centrepiece that is both safe and elegant, ensuring your wedding cake looks every bit as special as your day.