Hi Everybody!
What is the most creative way you have displayed your cupcakes (not using cupcake stands)?
I have a wedding at the end of August and the bride wants a display of cupcakes...My thought was to have them cascade down like a waterfall onto the table over tulle and fabric...she shared that idea with her maid of honor and the wonderful friend literally 'stole' the idea for her own wedding this past week...my bride learned a HUGE lesson (and had her heart crushed)...never share your wedding ideas with someone who is having a wedding before your own.
Now I have to do something with a "WOW" factor (after my other "WOW" factor was used)....does anyone have a "WWOWW" factor ???
Thanks for giving your creative help!
she shared that idea with her maid of honor and the wonderful friend literally 'stole' the idea for her own wedding this past week...my bride learned a HUGE lesson (and had her heart crushed)...never share your wedding ideas with someone who is having a wedding before your own.
I've decided that policy applies to wedding ideas as well names for your future children lol. I've seen too many people who have had wedding ideas and thier friends or family members stole them before they could use them and people who had chosen names they loved for their future kids years beforehand only to have family members or close friends use the same names (including first and middle name combos). So I've decided to keep those ideas to myself for now lol. My little sister is planning to get married soon and I'm helping her come up with ideas but I'm only sharing the ideas that I don't mind us both using lol.
I completely understand...my daughter had her favorite name for her little girl used 2 months before she was born by her best friend for that woman's daughter...I cannot think of another name I would want for my granddaughter than the one she now has 
If anyone has a WOW factor they have already used, then I do not think they would mind telling about it...I certainly am not wanting to take away someone's 'original' idea...am at the point where I need some 'brainstorming' ideas.
I'll try doing some google searches to see if I can come up with anything. I've haven't been to any weddings that did cupcakes yet and haven't really thought about ideas for displaying them before. But I need an excuse to slack off tonight instead of studying for my health assessment class so I'll see what I can find on my breaks from reading my ridiculously large textbook lol
Is it an indoor or out door wedding beach theme or classic church venue?
It is in an old historical house and I will be displaying it in the grand ballroom (which is really not that 'grand', but sizable).
The one thing I forgot to tell: her uncle works for either the Marriott or Grand Hyatt as their head caterer. He is going to be setting up the room and I want to impress him with a sharp, professional, jaw-dropping display...you know, we smaller city caterers have to do it all and this is one time I thought it was going to be that way...now that it is changed, I am struggling!!!! I know I should not worry about impressing some stranger, but she has bragged about me for so many years (I was also her Sunday School teacher) that I do not want to be less than what she thinks I am in her mind 
Originally, she wanted it in black and white, but now she has decided to do it in sage green and natural looking things (friend used the black and white color scheme, too).
I'm not sure if this idea would actually work or if it would go with the wedding theme but I saw some pictures of cupcake stands that have a tree branch look:
http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.altamodabridal.com/wp-content/uploads/utah-wedding-cakes-carries.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.altamodabridal.com/topics/food-and-drink&usg=__xNB1H1N5N-HaLO4pbRPF3Fq5QVA=&h=450&w=360&sz=82&hl=en&start=5&zoom=1&tbnid=vRHZb0DHCbYsDM:&tbnh=127&tbnw=102&ei=V0ToTdHQHM6Btgfd-62qAQ&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dwedding%2Bcupcake%2Bdisplays%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DX%26rlz%3D1T4TSND_enUS409US414%26biw%3D1311%26bih%3D568%26tbm%3Disch%26prmd%3Divns&itbs=1
http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0pGsbyBJkhQ/SYhvZhUZk_I/AAAAAAAABBg/ql0l8-L9e_w/s400/444.jpg&imgrefurl=http://ladiej37.blogspot.com/2009/02/cupcakes-tree-stand.html&usg=__3OdNU8nsad6CZnsxMziqGZ0RiBY=&h=400&w=299&sz=35&hl=en&start=7&zoom=1&tbnid=YUfNEC16FQ2VIM:&tbnh=124&tbnw=93&ei=eEToTcyWPMiatwfa44icAQ&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dwedding%2Bcupcake%2Bdisplays%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DX%26rlz%3D1T4TSND_enUS409US414%26biw%3D1311%26bih%3D568%26tbm%3Disch&itbs=1
I was thinking using a larger tree branch (like they do for Easter trees but larger) and somehow attaching the cupcakes to the branches. Maybe in little hanging paper cupcake holders that you could hang on the branches? Something like these maybe:
http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.morestylethancash.com/images/IMG_1854.JPG&imgrefurl=http://www.morestylethancash.com/cgi-sys/cgiwrap/irtalpak/managed-mt/mt-search.cgi%3Fblog_id%3D5%26tag%3DEaster%2Bbasket%2Bcupcake%2Bwrapper%26limit%3D20&usg=__vNrkank0ZLylx5XCcFD8SSPVWgU=&h=295&w=400&sz=40&hl=en&start=8&zoom=1&tbnid=dVHgCArvdwrpvM:&tbnh=91&tbnw=124&ei=LUvoTbPVMYu2tgfMnfWqAQ&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dbasket%2Bcupcake%2Bholders%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DX%26rlz%3D1G1TSND_ENUS432%26biw%3D1311%26bih%3D568%26tbm%3Disch&itbs=1
http://budgetsavvybride.co.uk/beautiful-butterfly-cupcake-holders/
Or maybe some way to put little spikes on the branches to stick them on? Not really sure but I think it would look pretty cool. I also saw this pic that would go with a garden type theme:
http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://quick-dish.tablespoon.com/files/2011/03/2011-03-04-cupcake-topiary-full-500.jpg&imgrefurl=http://quick-dish.tablespoon.com/2011/03/06/reheat-quick-dish-12/&usg=__sPnjpcjJq2iurZsFIMKPjQYTfiI=&h=701&w=500&sz=47&hl=en&start=8&zoom=1&tbnid=EGaVzYnfWbFUxM:&tbnh=140&tbnw=100&ei=qkXoTeGvNsSUtwefoOmiAQ&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dwedding%2Bcupcake%2Bdisplays%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DX%26rlz%3D1T4TSND_enUS409US414%26biw%3D1311%26bih%3D568%26tbm%3Disch&chk=sbg&itbs=1
Or possibly doing large fruit bowls like these with a dome shaped piece of styrofoam in the bowls to stick the cupcakes into so they form a domed shape in the bowl. Does that make sense?
http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://i14.ebayimg.com/04/i/001/00/d4/f00e_35.JPG&imgrefurl=http://cgi.ebay.com/MILKGLASS-WHITE-LARGE-FRUIT-BOWL-ELEGANT-5-3-4-TALL-/220261921397&usg=__fMEwU7ttMHBQ29kSd4ovMxZ1CTw=&h=225&w=300&sz=8&hl=en&start=4&zoom=1&tbnid=vOK-s2hDjkLlUM:&tbnh=87&tbnw=116&ei=UkzoTcyeB42htweR6pWqAQ&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dlarge%2Bmilkglass%2Bfruit%2Bbowl%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DX%26rlz%3D1T4TSND_enUS409US414%26biw%3D1311%26bih%3D568%26tbm%3Disch&itbs=1
http://pages.grandmasbasement.com/8282/PictPage/1921059490.html
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=190535822192&refid=store
That's all I've come up with so far. 99% of the pictures are all fairly boring cupcake stands. I'll post again if I come up with any more ideas.
What about getting logs either round slices or long ones cut in half HTH
That's kind of what I was thinking!...a cupcake stand made of round "slices" of logs in different sizes, stacked up like a wedding cake. Then, surround it with other random-sized rounds like this
http://www.marthastewart.com/photogallery/nature-inspired-crafts?lpgStart=1¤tslide=8¤tChapter=1
You could tuck branches, leaves, and plants here & there for effect.
The wedding cupcake pixel picture at offbeat bride is cute for a less formal affair - http://offbeatbride.com/2010/05/wedding-cupcake-displays
But for a big presentation you could have several cupcake boquets - Think about a tablescape with varying heights with several very large boquets and then a bunch of smaller ones. You could do the star tip swirl rose cupcakes in cupcake boquets, frosted in white all fitted into black painted terra cotta pots that had sage green cupcake liners. I have even seen those cupcake boquets with silk leaves and live baby's breath between the cupcakes. If you have a country theme you could even have some of the pots set on their sides with cupcakes "spilling" out of them. This would go with the natural theme...what's more natural than flowers.
I saw black and white ones - http://www.mylittlecakes.com/images/holiday_bouquet_549.jpg
I even saw topiary ones -
http://s288485642.initial-website.com/s/cc_images/cache_1124970404.png?t=1275099445
This also really caught my eye-
http://wedding-cupcakes.org/tag/unique-wedding-cupcake-decorations/
Go almost to the bottom to the Wedding Cupcakes with a Garden Theme - Cupcakes in Flower Pots! - I like those without the little signs. Because I was thinking the mini flower pots with sage green moss buttercream piped on the tops of the cupcakes and tiny white fondant flowers sprinkled in the moss interspersed around the cupcake boquets might look really nice. All the different pots could be painted black for the B&W theme but the sage green would be there too.
Search Google for cupcake boquets, if you like the idea and lots of different kinds will pop up!
Also found this: http://www.oncewed.com/514/diy/decorations/rustic-wedding-cake-stand/
(to go along with what I previously posted)
could you adapt this idea to suspend the cupcakes somehow?
http://www.notmartha.org/archives/2010/12/20/christmas-tree-ornament-mobile/
it obviously wouldn't have to be in a christmas tree shape
or you could fashion a cupcake wedding dress using a wire mesh frame.
What about getting logs either round slices or long ones cut in half HTH
How about this idea, using logs of different heights?? creating a very natural stack, taller int he back, cupcakes cascading down?? I am sure a piece of plywood would work to screw them down to so they don't all tip over like dominos lol! I might use that idea myself 
I live in the woods so finding little cupcake sized logs shouldnt be hard lol!
I recently dropped of a cutting cake and cupcakes at a venue in my area. The Wedding organizer for the venue was setting the tables with the bride's decorations. On each table sat a different kind of white wooden or wire candle holder. They had that Shabby Chic thing going on. Each candle holder was white, but each was a different height and style. Some of them had a rustic finish where some of the paint was distressed.
I wonder if you could take the candle holders (purchase at thrift store?) and cement a simple glass plate to the top of it and put your cupcakes on that, all different levels and heights?
Just a thought...
The ideas from the previous posters are great! To expand on those, you could do a garden or woodland theme.
The tree with the cupcakes on it, surrounded by a meadow (cupcakes piped with the grass tip, fondant flowers), and cupcakes topiaries.
Or the table could be covered with moss, different levels to look like hills, with flower cupcakes. Maybe the tree could have the heart with the couple's initials. Butterflies. Picket fence. Mushrooms. Bird, nest with robin's eggs (the blue ones). Maybe you could figure out how to make a stream of real water running through the display!
I hope you will post your creation when you are finished.
Here are some more inspiration photos.
http://wwwcharmingevent.files.wordpress.com/2010/03/tree-wedding-cake-jmp-photo.jpg
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pQTAjoCv9-g/TVQfPNKY5wI/AAAAAAAAD3c/dJD3ETDTrJs/s400/Cupcake_Kit.jpg
http://s4.thisnext.com/img/shop/804344.jpg
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_YLpP7T1LG4Q/TFSw66lewBI/AAAAAAAAEqU/a48nHoAze3c/s1600/flowercupcake1.jpg
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4132/5131743657_8ca2ae61c0.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/starbakery/5131750129/
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-XdszX2Vo1Mg/TXgtlXhIIHI/AAAAAAAADfI/oNKpMWvZkz8/11.JPG
http://www.pinkcakebox.com/images/cake629.jpg
http://cakecentral.com/gallery/1823079/1823082
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Ffja5A7i53k/S93UJjwQzrI/AAAAAAAADt0/-hFhTVs3SWE/s1600/woodland+mushroom+cupcakes.jpg
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=220656974627114&set=a.197378470288298.56611.197079076984904&type=1&ref=nf
http://s4.thisnext.com/media/largest_dimension/DAB571E2.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/patti-kakes/5009543872/in/photostream
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jgANTC84OAA/TdGlZYd0x0I/AAAAAAAABho/xPOajXiZOB8/s1600/May+12+2011+008.JPG
http://d30opm7hsgivgh.cloudfront.net/upload/23910452_uZ39GI77_b.jpg
http://www.marthastewart.com/262535/flowerpot-cakes?rsc=also_try
...thought I would let you all know how this ended...the bride decided to decorate with cut logs...she will have three of them the same height with the wedding cake on the middle one...the two on the outside will hold trays of cupcakes (trays will be thin slices of a log)...then there will be two shorter ones on each side (cascading from the taller twos) holding two more wooden trays, and then a third shorter pair of logs with the same trays...
There will be sage colored tulle intertwined throughout the logs, along with moss and leaves...I do not know if she will use small lights or not (up to her at this point). The cupcakes will be sage hydrangeas in chocolate brown cupcake wrappers...
Thanks so much for your input...I gave all of it to her, and she was thrilled that my CC friends were so generous of their time and talents to help make her day so very special...Thanks so much for helping give a young bride her Dream Day with a memory she can have the rest of her life...you all are awesome!
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