Hi everyone. I have a bit of a dilemma. My mom is getting married to a great guy in September. She has asked me to make her wedding cake. My mom and her fiancee are both 57 and previously married. Because of this, neither of them want to have a formal wedding. Most likely, it is going to be a backyard event with a reception in someone's house with less than 50 guests. My mom is an old hippie, loves funky stuff, yet loves classic clean lines. Due to this, she doesn't like any of the ideas that I've come up with for her cake. She says they are all either too clean cut and formal or too playful and fun for a wedding. The other issue is she hates fondant. I'm struggling to find a happy medium. Any ideas as to how to accomplish this without making it inappropriate for a wedding?
Have you had her look through the galleries on CC with you? You might be able to get an idea of waht she likes that way.
I've been makingg Italian buttercream frosting lately and I love it! It taste great - not too sweet. It doesn't crust though, so just keep that in mind. It's easy to get smooth. Good luck!
Can you give us a few examples (pics) of what she didn't like?
Something like this maybe? You could do that in buttercream and just forego the impression.
http://cakecentral.com/gallery/1933285
Just a simple square/round cake, nice ivory buttercream, with fresh flowers. 
I don't know much about hippies, but when I think of hippies, I think of daisies. Maybe make a cake with some daisies.
Have a peek at Jennifer Dontz's gallery. She has a lot of very pretty cakes, many of which you can do in buttercream, with fondant accents.
http://cakecentral.com/gallery/user/JenniferMI/
Here are a few specifically I am thinking of.
http://cakecentral.com/gallery/1352174 (use daisies, or your mom's favorite flower instead of the roses)
http://cakecentral.com/gallery/1175478
http://cakecentral.com/gallery/1175728
This one is especially fun. http://cakecentral.com/gallery/948643
if you order the supplies to make the daisies from her, she will also send you instructions to make them. I made a wedding cake for my brother and Jennifer was a huge help, telling me how to make the gerbera daisies.
I will tell you what I have really been liking a LOT lately...and, that is the "fluffy" icing look. You know, where the icing isn't smooth (like we usually like to see icing on wedding cakes), yet it looks like it's just been "slapped" on there. But, it's actually very romantic and whimsical. Yet, at the same time, can look very appropriate for a wedding.
Also, I don't know what your skill level is, but it's a very easy look to achieve even for beginner and intermediate cake artists.
Anyway, here is a photo of a cake that I found here on CC that is similar to what I'm talking about:
http://cakecentral.com/gallery/7185
and, certainly you don't have to do fresh flowers. You could do silk or sugar flowers instead OR go in a totally DIFFERENT direction and do some other type of adornment on the cake.
I really like this style. I think it strikes just the right balance between clean and playful and the sunflowers say hippie to me.
http://cakecentral.com/gallery/1277799
I have a low tolerance level for folks who don't do any of the work yet sit there and tell someone "I dont' like that .... I don't like that...."
"Ok, mom, go thru the millions of cake pictures out there and YOU tell ME what you like. When you find out, let me know. Talk to ya later!"
I think you are gonna have to wait until she has some more of the plans put together, does she have a dress yet? has she picked out any food? (in case you can get a theme via the type of food) and also like other said, flowers does she have any flowers of colors picked out?..
if she never give ya any direction then a classic cake on the outside and the funky colored cake on the inside! lol
I'd love to see pics of what she has already turned down..
Just an idea but maybe finding something that is not so wedding oriented and maybe more toward a favorite thing they like to do as a hobby such as fishing or collecting antiques ect or maybe a place they went for vacation something just about them. These type of cakes seem to be really popular for alot of that generation around my area right now. Hope maybe it can help!
A few examples of cakes that I've shown her are:
http://cakecentral.com/gallery/1313179
[url]<a href="http://weddings.theknot.com/Real-Weddings/32483/detailview.aspx?STOPREDIRECTING=TRUE&STOPREDIRECTING=TRUE&type=3&id=32483&PgReferrer=cse">White + Wood</a>[/url]
http://www.confectionersstudio.com/images/products/Wedding%20Cakes/fun%20retro%20design.jpg
http://www.cakeamerica.com/images/image1/polka-dots-and-stripes-wedding-cake-789.jpg
She said she wants a square cake. That's about all I've gotten out of her thus far. Roses are going to be incorporated in the wedding. I really like the fluffy icing cake that foxicakes posted. I'm going to run that by her and see if she likes it. I've shown her asymmetrical cakes as well, and she's not a big fan. Thanks for all the suggestions
Ohhhh, I see what you've shown her and I think those would be too modern!
She's in her late 50's so you know fondant and geometric cut outs are new to her as well as anything other than your basic round and square. 
You have to go retro!
Ask if she envisions piping on the cake. I'm guessing a big NO to pillars, etc. since it's a 2nd wedding and informal.
My vision from your brief description of her would be a two tiered stacked cake iced in ivory buttercream with fresh flowers. The rough iced cake looks perfect!
Ohhhh, I see what you've shown her and I think those would be too modern!
She's in her late 50's so you know fondant and geometric cut outs are new to her as well as anything other than your basic round and square.
Agree. I'm 52 and I would not want ANY of the above 3 cakes as my wedding cake .... and I'm a hip, cool, rad to the max, with it chic!
But ..... THese don't say "elegant, solemn, serious wedding vows" to most folks of my age/generation. These are "hip" party cakes, not wedding decor cakes.
(Please note I said "most folks" as there are exceptions to everything .... but this conversation is 'in general'. 
)
How about tie dye frosting for a layer?
http://cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-709720-.html&sid=e63579d59782f37e49fbb11526a0094f
https://picasaweb.google.com/jenniferbratko/MyPersonalWeddingCake#
This is my personal wedding cake (and the 1st tiered cake I ever did), square with the buttercream look you said. Maybe something like this? It's a small cake too, so it'll be the size you need.
Good luck!
Jen
Just a word of advise. If the wedding/reception is going to be outside, do not use a butter-cream icing unless you add meringue powder to it. On my first outdoor wedding cake, the borders and trim starting sliding off as the icing got really soft. Now, I use less shortening/butter and add meringue powder and have not had a problem.
If your mom wants something a little different, try this: make your base color a medium/light shade of a color she likes, trim in a lighter shade or off white. Use different shape layers, square bottom, hexagonal, then round. Use flowers as a topper, between layers if tiered or one or two flowers on sides if stacked. use ferns under plate of the bottom tier.
This style has been a favorite pick by the brides and grooms that have ordered a Wedding Cake for a garden style wedding/reception. Some had strands of Curling ribbon cascading from top of cake to the table. I had one couple that used sparklers on the top tier for a 4th of July wedding
Hope this helps!
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