Wedding cake topper trends: what couples choose now

Brick Figures style couple topper on a cake.

Yes, but not the generic kind. Paperlust's 2026 cake trends guide says the generic resin bride-and-groom figure has been fading for years. Tasting Table's 2026 list says bride and groom toppers are coming back.

So the stock figure is out. Retro figures and figures made to look like the couple are back.

A clay couple and their dog from another maker.

Editors and topper makers name the same few kinds this year.

• Custom figures: made to look like the couple, often with a hobby or a pet.
• Retro figures: classic bride-and-groom figures, or old porcelain toppers found at estate sales.
• Names and initials: cut from acrylic or wood. Clear and gold acrylic are popular. One maker sees a single shared initial or one word.
• Flowers and greenery: fresh flowers or olive branches on the top tier in place of a topper.

Trend lists show what editors like. Search counts show what shoppers type. In our Etsy scan, searches for dog and vintage wedding cake toppers led. Cat, "mr and mrs" and funny toppers came next.

Searches for minimalist or modern toppers were rare. Searches for "wedding cake topper" peak in January and are lowest in December. Source: our scan of Etsy, Sept 2026.

If you want a pet on yours, our guide to a topper with your dog covers the options.

Nine couples ordered a topper from us between August 26 and September 14, 2026. That is a small group, so take it as a snapshot. Here are the styles they picked.

• Origami: 4 couples
• 3D Animated: 3 couples
• Brick Figures: 1 couple
• Chibi: 1 couple

Origami style couple topper.

3D Animated style couple topper.

Of the 7 whose finish we noted, 4 chose glossy and 3 chose matte.

Paperlust's advice is to choose for the look of your wedding first, then for the cake. A retro figure works when it feels like a choice, so pick it on purpose.

Think about after the day, too. Couples often ask what to do with the topper once the cake is gone. A figure of the two of you can go on a shelf or into a frame.

Do we need a cake topper at all?

No. On wedding forums, many couples skipped it or used fresh flowers. A small top tier can look flat with nothing on it, so flowers or a topper help there.

Can our dog or cat be on the topper?

Some makers add pets, for example as flat silhouettes. We make figures of two people, with no pets for now.