Cake by Margaret Braun; Photo by Quentin Bacon

The wedding cake is right up there with the gown and flowers as a design element that really defines a wedding's style. Plus it's good to eat too. Since I got married way back when, wedding cakes have definitely come a long, long way. And now with so many talented bakers and designers lending their talents, the sky is the limit when creating the cake of your fantasies.

A few months ago, The Knot featured several incredible bakers on its TV show that I thought were just terrific. Here are some highlights from these very special folks:

Mike's Amazing Cakes
From the whimsical to the quirky, Mike's motto is if the laws of gravity and physics allow it, anything is possible. His more traditional wedding cakes are beautiful in the sense that the detailing is so life-like. From handmade flowers to exquisite lace detail, all made out of sugar, Mike's so-called standard wedding cakes are simply works of art.

But it's his imaginative cakes that will really bring a smile to your face. From the "Cinderella" castle to the wedding cake with the fire engine cake right next to it and the fireman "groom" rescuing his bride to the penguins getting married on an iceberg, they're all sure to please. And whatever your groom's favorite thing, Mike can pull it off. Examples of groom's cakes on his site include a catcher's mitt, a full-blown football stadium, a lobster (claws and all) and classic cars.

Mike is based in Seattle but can ship to any location in the world. Check out his work at:

http://www.mikesamazingcakes.com/default.asp?audvar=false

Margaret Braun
If you want opulent with a capital "O," look no further than Margaret Braun. Called the "Gianni Versace of Wedding Cakes" by the Los Angeles Times, Margaret's sugar artistry seems to know no bounds. Her cakes are stunning masterpieces to be admired and then enjoyed:

Photos from margaretbraun.com; Photos by Quentin Bacon

Check out more of her fantastic cakes at http://www.margaretbraun.com/.

Frosted Art Bakery
Bronwen Weber, founder of the Frosted Art Bakery in Dallas, TX (home of "America's favorite cupcake"), is an award winning baker and top pastry chef as well as an artist extraordinaire.

Her standard wedding cake designs are grouped in two different collections: Designer and Couture. Of course, she will also create whatever kind of cake you truly desire with just a concept and good old fashioned imagination. Here are a few examples of her stunning work:

"Designer Collection":

All photos from www.frostedart.com

"Couture Collection"

All photos from www.frostedart.com

See more great cakes at http://www.frostedart.com/index.htm.

Bon appetit!