Cupcake wedding cakes give you more options for flavors, designs, and display for less than a traditional wedding cake.

Note: The kind of cupcakes you use for this is up to you. This is a great way to make a do-it-yourself wedding cake because the expertise required for a basic cupcake wedding cake is minimal.

• On a basic level, try to have at least two different flavors that are distinguishable externally (by frosting/wrapper/etc.) so your server/guests will know which is which. The smaller size means smaller cost and allows you to use more flavors if you so choose. Some traditional flavors are listed on our cake ideas page.

• For a beach theme wedding, you can put chocolate candy, white chocolate candy, or real shells on top of the cupcakes.

• You can top them with edible image cookies.

• You can top them with icing letters that spell something when displayed or with a monogram design.

• Now that you can get personalized m&m's (it's true - just check out their website), you can top your cupcakes with those.

• You can simply match the frosting colors to your wedding colors.

• The simplest, most basic way to display cupcake wedding cakes is to use a tiered cake stand and arrange your cupcakes by color.

• You can also use a tree arrangement - 5 across on the bottom, 4 across above that, 3 across above that and so on.

• Many couples still have a top tier of regular wedding cake with a traditional or monogram wedding cake topper. Then they use cupcakes for the lower tiers. You can save the top tier for your one year anniversary in a keepsake box in the freezer.

• If you're making a cupcake wedding cake or other do it yourself wedding cake ideas, try using a recipe for yogurt cake or creme cake to make your cupcakes. You'll be able to make them ahead of time but they'll stay moist, unlike many cake recipes. Search for recipes on the internet and experiment until you find one that suits you. You'll look like a pro and your guests will love them.

• You can arrange cupcakes to form monograms, words, or table numbers.

• Here's a new idea that's just starting to get more popular. You can have cupcakes made with royal icing or make your own cupcake wedding cakes with royal icing on top. Then...use piped royal icing to make your own monogram cupcakes. You can even use monogram or wedding logo stamps (substitute food coloring for ink) to put your design on the royal icing.

For a good site with some pictures of cupcake wedding cakes that will give you an idea of display options, visit www.elegantbakery.com. In addition to having experience using them,you'll find that it's a company with a lot of other unique wedding cake designs as well.

If you want to bridge the gap between cupcake wedding cakes and traditional cakes, then consider the Mini Wedding Cakes and Mini Wedding Cake Centerpieces at www.Scrumptions.com.

Original, fun, elegant, classy, and the centerpieces do double duty by acting as wedding decorations as well. You can even put table numbers on these as cake toppers. They can be custom made in any style with a prong on the bottom so they'll stay on the cakes. Just contact us for quotes.

If you're making cupcake wedding cakes as a do it yourself project, try www.kitchenkrafts.com for a lot of great tools, decorating ideas, and even display trees. They have a lot of things you'll like if you're going to make your own traditional wedding cake as well.

As always, we'll be adding new ideas as they come along so check back later or just subscribe to our RSS feed (under the navbar) or blog. They'll automatically update every time the site changes without the hassle of email.