Flowers are widely used these days at weddings as gorgeous decor not only for the venue but also on the wedding cake. Fresh flowers on a wedding cake can help tie the whole wedding theme together from the bride’s bouquet to the mother of the bride’s corsage to table centrepieces. I love the cohesive look and the soft, natural look of real flowers, which really lends itself to weddings where couples want a rustic, natural or casual wedding style.
The problem with fresh flowers on a wedding cake
The wedding couples I have worked with are increasingly asking to incorporate real flowers in their weddings at a range of Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire weddings (and you’ll find me as the preferred wedding cake supplier at many of these gorgeous wedding venues).
However, there can be so much on the internet that makes it look as though you can have any flower or foliage you desire on your cake as decoration. Unfortunately, this is not the case, as many are toxic and some are even poisonous varieties of flowers. This could result in a serious allergic reaction, gastrointestinal upset or perhaps (in a worst-case scenario) even death.
Without seeking advice from a florist and wedding cake designer, the choice to have fresh flowers feature on a cake can create a big problem. So this is something I’ll talk to couples about when they meet with me at wedding fayres and at their wedding cake consultation.
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Which flowers are not safe to use on wedding cakes?
As a wedding cake designer I follow guidelines issued by the Food Standards Agency (FSA), with guidance last updated in 2024, about the safe use of fresh flowers in cake preparation.
There’s a whole range of popular, often timeless (and sometimes just trendy) flowers that brides choose because they add volume or height, are delicate and add to the romantic mood, or are colourful to stand out.
I love seeing these flowers at weddings, but they’re not safe alongside food. I really couldn’t be responsible for allergic reactions like dermatitis, nausea, or diarrhoea (not the type of wedding story you want people to recount in years to come!):
- Anemone, Amaryllis and Delphinium
- Dusty Miller, Eucalyptus and Gypsophila (Baby’s Breath)
- Hydrangea, Hypericum and Iris
- Lilies, Ranunculus and Ruscus
- Sweetpea and Queens Anne’s Lace
Florist – Bloomers & Bows, Macduff
Photographer – Dani Rose Photography
Florist – Paper & Petals
Florist – Paper & Petals
Photographer – Scott Arlow Photography
Gorgeous wedding bouquets featuring flowers that are unsafe for use on a wedding cake.
For a fuller (although by no means exhaustive) list of toxic / poisonous flowers that I will not use on wedding cakes, see FAQs section near the bottom of this blog post.
Non-toxic alternatives for decorating your wedding cake
So what are the options for cake decoration if I’ve just dashed your dream of having fresh flowers on your wedding cake? (Sorry!)
There are non-toxic flower varieties available including organically grown roses, lavender, and pansies! These can’t all be eaten but they are safe to use on food products as they won’t cause any serious harm if anything is transferred onto, or into, the cake or ingested accidentally.
Flowers that are grown for the purpose of culinary use are treated with safe colourants, preservatives, and sometimes pesticides. These are great options if you’re trying to find something to match your colour scheme.
And here’s my list of florists I recommend to help you select edible-safe flowers so that you can have a beautiful floral cake without taking risks:
Paper & Petals, Oldmeldrum
Bloomers & Bows, Macduff
Hays Flowers, Torphins
How I make fresh flowers on a wedding cake as safe as possible
Fresh flowers will never be 100% food safe. An alternative might be sugar flowers (my speciality – see below).
But if fresh flowers are what you’re keen on, here are the steps I follow to make fresh flowers as food safe as I possibly can:
STEP 1
I wash and dry them before using, as this will remove any dirt or bugs that could be present
STEP 2
I then trim the stems, removing thorns or excess leaves and wrap the stem in food-safe florist tape.
STEP 3
I then insert the taped stem into a biodegradable food-safe straw before placing it into your cake.
Sugar flowers: a safe and lasting alternative
Sugar flowers are completely food safe, even though you can’t eat them. Sugar flowers are on wires (using food-safe florist tape) and can even have polystyrene balls and stamens in them, yet they are food safe.
Other than their safety, what’s the huge plus to using sugar flowers? You will be able to keep them for years after your special day. With sugar flowers on display in your home, you’ll constantly be recounting stories from your beautiful, big day (just no stories about food poisoning!)
Photographer – Samantha Clyne Photography
Photographer – Josh Moverley Photography
Sugar flowers from gorgeous weddings in Aberdeenshire in 2025
FAQ
Fresh flowers and wedding cakes
Can you put fresh flowers on a wedding cake?
Yes it is possible to add fresh flowers to your cake as long as they are non-toxic varieties and even then they require to be prepared to make them as safe as possible before placing into your cake.
What flowers cannot be used on a wedding cake?
Alstroemeria, Amaryllis, Anemone, Anthurium, Aster, Azalea/Rhododendron, Beargrass, Bluebell, Cherry Blossom, Clematis, Cotton, Craspedia, Crocus, Daffodil, Delphinium, Dusty Miller, Eucalyptus, Euphorbia, Foxglove, Frangipani, Gypsophila (Baby’s Breath), Heather, Hellebore, Holly (with Berries) & Mistletoe, Hyacinth, Hydrangea, Hypericum, Iris, Ivy, Lilies, Ornithogalum, Philodendron, Physalis, Poinsettia, Poppy, Queen Anne’s Lace, Ranunculus, Ruscus, Sweet Pea.
Where can you buy fresh flowers for your wedding cake?
Your Wedding Florist can provide these florals for you which you can discuss with them when discussing your bouquet etc. If for some reason you are not having a fresh flower florist, I can arrange to source these from a local florist.
How far in advance can you put fresh flowers on a wedding cake?
Fresh flowers are best kept until I am setting your cake up at the venue itself, to enable them to keep looking as fresh as possible until you are ready to cut your cake.
What safety measures need to be taken to ensure fresh flowers are safe on a wedding cake?
As part of our cake consultation, we’ll dicuss the flowers you are thinking of having on your cake. I can then advise if they are safe to use and will undertake any prepatory work to make them as food safe as possible before placing them into your cake.
Ready to chat about cake for your wedding day?
And let’s make your wedding cake the most gorgeous creation that becomes a highlight of your special day
