In a world where everything is instantly captured and posted online for posterity, today’s bride and groom want a wedding with plenty of “wow” factors. They are looking for those jaw-dropping elements that put the “special” in special occasions and create a buzz that will have guests talking long after the party’s over. Cake mapping, a staple at places like Disney World, is the latest trend for the cutting-edge couple looking for that spectacular celebration centerpiece. More festive than fondant flowers, and more Instagram worthy than icing, this technique uses digital imagery to add animation, texture, and dimension to the cake’s surface. The result is a mesmerizing masterpiece that looks almost too good to eat.

“This is something unique that you aren’t going to find at every wedding and that’s part of the appeal,” says Chris Koval, owner of Future Sounds DJ Service. Koval added cake mapping to his company’s menu in 2022 after learning about the process at a business convention. “It gives you the majestic cake that you want, but with a personalized dimension and aesthetic that looks so real you want to reach out and touch it.”

Collegiate logos, floating hearts, fireworks, flowers, and monograms are just a few of the many stock images and videos that couples can choose from, or they can provide their own personal images that meet the digital requirements.  Different images can be projected onto each side, and the images can change throughout the course of the event. It’s almost like getting multiple cakes in one.

Although cake mapping is new to Koval’s business, digital production is not. In addition to his more than 20 years in the wedding industry providing music and lighting services, he spent 15 years working on digital signage for UTSA. He explains that the cake mapping process is similar to that of digital displays, but rather than a flat screen, the canvas is a multi-layered cake. Each layer has its own dimensions, angles, and mapping systems, requiring an intricate, detailed approach. That’s why Koval works with a specific baker who understands the process and can create the perfect structure to showcase the requested images.

“We want to keep the process as simple as possible and by using our own baker, we know that the communication will be clear,” he says, adding that a five-layer, five-inch cake with a 16×16 base is the best place to start. “Anything smaller than a five-inch layer doesn’t do the images justice. They are too compressed.”

Cakes can be real, “dummy,” or a combination of both, and prices range from $1695 to $4750 depending on the number of images requested, and how many sides of the cake will be mapped. A lead time of at least three weeks is preferred.

Watch The Bridal Buzz show on cake Mapping…just click below.