My best friend is getting married, and I'm going to be making her cake. (And be the maid of honor!) Anyways, her colours are light pink, deep purple, and black. The flowers are daisys, orchids, and cherry blossoms. She wants butterflies and a basket weave. The problem is the wedding is kinda glitzy and formal. The things she wants just don't match the rest of the wedding, not to mention the flowers seem odd together to me. Any suggestions on how to make this work? Oh, it will also be an outdoor wedding in June

That is a lot going on. Cherry blossoms and Orchids can both be made to look more formal..daisies not so much. When I personally think formal and elegant I think very minimalist cakes. Tall white tiers, one or two bold orchids on a single tier. I wonder if you could show her some pics of things you find that you think coordinate well with her design and ask how she would want to incorporate them.

Also the painted look where the flowers are basically sketched on can look very formal...you could do an all white cake, Paint outlines of the flowers in black with pops of pink and purple. That could be really pretty and super elegant. Lastly what do her invitations and other decor look like.

FYI, what are you seeing that's formal in her decor and venue? Outdoor wedding, basketweave and daisies is far from formal so maybe she is envisioning a garden type wedding and you are envisioning something different.

It's a little mixed. Her dress, our dresses, the decor, is all glitzy glamour. Big time. Than she throws the basket weave in there, and the daisys have special meaning to the family. I saw a pic for Martha Stewarts modern basket weave, and I think that may be the compromise I need. I just have no clue how I'm going to fit daisys with the other flowers. But I'm thinking three tier, square, modern basket weave, and that's as far as I am now. She wants me to avoid Fondant if at all possible.