And when it comes to weddings, my favorite parts are the details. I dig details. Of course making sure you’re marrying the right person can be kind of important too, but that concept is definitely beyond the scope of today’s post. *This post contains affiliate links. Please see our disclosure policy HERE.*
I’m talking about the little things. In my mind, it’s those little things that show your guests that their presence is important, and that the day is important to you. Those little things can make a big impact.
It’s probably a pretty universal truth that everyone thinks their own wedding was the best on record…and that’s a good thing. We should relish everything about that monumental occasion. I’m not unique in this assertion. I loved our wedding. But before I sit you all down and pull out the big ‘ol wedding albums and turn on the video for your viewing pleasure, I will dial it back today and just share one detail from that day.
I give you our DIY grooms cake.
MY OTHER PROJECTS
bourbon, whiskey & cigars DIY grooms cake supplies:
- (2) or more heavy gauge cardboard boxes (round OR square) with lids
- foam board/mat board (if you do not have lids that can be disassembled)
- spray adhesive or Modge Podge
- glitter
- hot glue and glue gun
- super cheesy cake topper
- spray paint (in color of choice)
- cigars of choice
- airplane bottles of choice
In this modern age of Pinterest and google and theknot.com, it’s almost impossible to have a truly original idea.
But we were married before the age of pinterest…before googling “grooms cake ideas” could yield pages of search results with brilliant ideas. And so I claim that this grooms “cake” is truly a “one and only” original idea that we dreamed up for our event. (And if you decide to google this kind of grooms cake, please be kind and do not tell me if there are, in fact, eighteen pages of similar items out there…I would like to remain blissfully unaware).
We wanted to have something that was off-kilter, quirky, funny and “us”. This is what we came up with. We made it ourselves, and if you want one, you could make one too.
How to assemble your DIY Grooms Cake:
1). Paint box(es) and apply glitter, if desired.
Our boxes were already white when we purchased, so we didn’t need to paint them. But if you’d like to paint yours, do that step first. Once painted and dry, glitter is the next step. Spray adhesive works well for this because it will lightly coat the entire box, and then you can simply apply the glitter and shake off the excess. The other alternative would be to use Modge Podge, and simply brush that on in a generous coat then glitter.
While applying the glitter, make sure you place a plastic bag or container underneath so you can collect the glitter that does not adhere and use it again. I coated and glittered both boxes that were to be used as the two cake layers. And we chose to use a simple white glitter.
2). Assemble base cake layer.
Flip your largest box upside-down. This is going to be your base cake layer. You can lightly glue your airplane bottles around the perimeter of the box. You want guests to be able to pull them off easily, but you also don’t want the entire thing to fall apart between your house and your wedding venue!
You may want to lay down a piece of foam board under the first cake layer to create a ledge on which to sit the airplane bottles. It only needs to be as big as the dimension of the box, plus the width of the airplane bottles. No larger. It will just make the structure a little more stable.
3). Build “shelf” for cigar layer.
On top of the first cake layers goes a layer of cigars. In order to prevent the cigars from being crushed, and to keep the cake stable as cigars are removed, we again made a platform that to sit under the 2nd cake layer. The dimension of this shelf was the size of the box above plus the width of the airplane bottles all around the perimeter of the cake. Use either your box top disassembled, or foam board.
You’ll want to put some “spacers” under this platform which will sit above your cigar layer. The platform will support the weight of the layers on top. We used some heavy-duty cardboard in an “X” shape, and hot glued it in place. You could use little pieces of wood, bottlecaps…anything that will give those cigars a bit of breathing room, and your cake a little stability.
You can go ahead and put the cigars in now, or save those until the last minute/day of wedding.
4). Glue next cake layer in place and repeat process.
In order to stabilize the structure, use hot glue to adhere the layers together. You’ll be glueing the cigar platform to the upside-down box being used for the second layer.
Remember that the more generous you are with the glue, the stronger your cake will be. Don’t worry if glue oozes out from around the seams. That will be covered by your airplane bottles anyhow.
Next, attach those airplane bottles to the 2nd box, just as you did for the base layer. After the airplane bottles are attached, create the platform for the next layer of cigars. We decided to make our cake just two layers tall. You can do as many or as few as you choose. The process of airplane bottles and cigar layers continues until you think there is enough of the good stuff to go around.
5). Don’t forget the cake topper!
Don’t forget that cake topper! That’s pretty clutch for a groom’s cake.
Voila! You now have a quirky (and very functional) groom’s cake!
And that’s what I call having our cake and drinking it too…
So go ahead! Stick that on your cake and smoke it!
I know…I couldn’t resist.
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That cake … is just awesome! You both look like you had a fabulous day! xoxo, Jessica
What a GREAT idea! I bet my husbands buddies would have been all over this.
Hi I'm stopping by from AZmomma.com . Found you at the link party from Truly Lovely. I really like this cake idea! My friend is getting married in September so I will pass it on to her
OMG! I LOOOOVE this idea!! I'm featuring you at next week's Link It or Lump It! Thanks for sharing! You might not have had Pinterest but people are going to copy this SO HARD, because it's fantastic 🙂
Ha,ha! What a creative and practical cake! I love it! Great pictures.
I love it!
This is such an awesome idea, and to think it's pre-pinterest! Speaking of… pinning it now! Thanks for sharing it at The Makers!
My husband would have killed for such a cake! Thanks for linking up at the Pretty Preppy Party!
I love a wedding with personality! What a cool idea!
Heather, it WAS an amazing wedding and you didn't miss one detail…still talking about it…years later….still have a friend that wants to see the o'l wedding book and video…we had a fabulous time…loved your personal note…you are amazing…
I am so stealing this idea for Honey's 40th birthday party this year!
Booze and cigars are his favorites!
~ Ashley
Love it! I think my fiance will love it too!!
This Cake is Awesome! I love it.. I love the bride & groom on top too! My husband would of wanted this back in the day! Stopping by to let you know I will be featuring them tomorrow in my P3 Party Post! So look for some social media action from me tomorrow! Thanks so much for pinning it to the board!
Kim
What a fun idea for a very sweet couple!