PHOTO BY TYLER NORMAN PHOTOGRAPHY

W hen it comes to the little details of your wedding, having them reflect your relationship is a perfect way to make your day special. One simple way to do this? Try including a fun, individualized cake topper.

When Angela Longo and Jordan were preparing for their Oct. 2, 2021 wedding at the Pittsburgh Botanic Gardens, they knew there was one thing they had to include: their Boston Terrier Sophie.

“She is our whole world, and we wanted her to be included in the wedding in more ways than one since she couldn’t actually be there,” says Angela.

The couple enlisted Tasty Bakery in Murrysville to make both their cake and cake topper. The topper, an edible sculpture of their beloved dog, sat dutifully atop their cake where guests could admire its intricate details throughout the reception. The bakery was even able to perfectly replicate Sophie’s eyes, one blue and one brown. After their wedding, the couple was able to take miniature Sophie home with them.

“Our dog is in our freezer as a keepsake, which is pretty cool,” says Angela. 

PHOTO BY ALL HEART PHOTO

The night before their wedding on Sept. 18, 2021, Liz Beresford and Kevin Welty took matching ‘kissing’ Polaroid photos in their backyard, which were then displayed on top of their tiered cake the following day.

“The two photos together on top of the cake looked like we were kissing each other,” says Liz. 

The couple’ s celebration at Nova Place on the North Side was full of DIY details and other suave touches a friend described afterward as: ‘high school prom but Gucci.’

When high school sweethearts Mallory Sluhocki and Evan Kern got married on Oct. 2, 2021, they put a twist on a special aspect of their relationship: rubber ducks. 

Since they moved to Pittsburgh, Dave & Buster’s has become one of their favorite date locations. 

“I do refer to it as ‘our place,’” says Mallory. “We’re just big kids who like to have fun.”

Each time they go, they play the rubber duck claw machine and end up leaving with about 10 ducks. Now, Evan has a shelf in his game room dedicated to his collection of more than 100 rubber ducks. To celebrate their engagement, Mallory’s sister-in-law gifted the couple with matching bride and groom rubber ducks. 

“As soon as I saw them, I knew they had to be our cake toppers,” says Mallory. “I figured nothing about us is traditional, so why should these be?”