7+ Creative Naked and Semi-Naked Wedding Cakes

Chic confections from real weddings to inspired your own laid-back dessert.

If you and your beloved have your eyes set on naked cake or a semi-naked wedding cake for your wedding dessert, take a look at these inspiring naked wedding cake ideas!

naked-cake-with-fresh-flowers-in-center-of-barn-venue-blush-drapery-chandeliers-foliage
Photo: Samuel Lippke Studios

When it comes to your wedding cuisine, most brides and grooms rightfully focus on the preferences and restrictions of their guests. Typically, this is the reason there are stereotypical food selections for a reception: a red-meat dish, a poultry or fish dish, and a vegetarian option.

While there are definitely ways to get creative with your wedding menu while still satisfying – and wowing! – your friends and family, the culinary zone in which you can really show some personality is with your wedding cake and desserts. Traditional white wedding cakes can sometimes be deemed as “unexciting,” which is why some couples elect to include a "naked" or "semi-naked" confection in their celebration to change things up a bit.

Naked cake designs are adored with very little frosting, leaving the tiers exposed. It gives the dessert an “unpolished” look that so many desire for their rustic or boho-chic events. Semi-naked cakes are slightly more covered with icing, leaving very small windows of uncovered layers throughout the confection. These are the perfect choice for brides and grooms who are designing their wedding around an eclectic or shabby-chic motif – or even, simply, if they aren’t big fans of an overload of frosting.

See examples from real weddings below, and be sure to click on the links below each photo of the couple's naked wedding cake for further wedding inspiration!

Photo by Tine Hoffman for TM Photography; From Real Wedding: An Intimate California Wedding with Natural Elements and Modern Trends

Photo by Vue Photography; From Real Wedding: A Baroque, Autumn Wedding with Deep Wine Tones in North Carolina

Photo by Katie Shuler Photography; Planning & Design by Tessa Lyn Events; From Real Wedding: Rustic-Chic Outdoor Wedding at a Winery in Northern California

Photo by Joe Laurin Photography; From Real Wedding: Simple, Chic Seaside Wedding with a White Palette in Rhode Island

Photo by Christine Bentley Photography; From Real Wedding: A Rustic-Elegant Barn Wedding in Santa Barbara, California

Photo by Samuel Lippke Studios; From Real Wedding: A Rustic, Camp-Themed Outdoor Wedding

Semi-Naked Cake with Flowers

Photo by Heather Kincaid; From Real Wedding: Jewish Ceremony + Romantic Fall Reception Décor in Ojai, California

Naked Wedding Cake with Fresh Flowers

Photo by Vicki Grafton Photography; From Real Wedding: An Australian Couple's Rooftop Destination Wedding in New York City

Semi-Naked Cake with Blueberries

Photo by Michelle Kyle Photography; From Real Wedding: Contemporary Wedding with Unique Vintage Elements in Long Beach

Naked Wedding Cake with Fresh Flowers

Photo by M. Hart Photography; Planning & Design by Natalie Sofer Weddings and Events; From Real Wedding: A Magical Wedding Inspired by Old Hollywood in Los Angeles

Colorful Flowers on Semi-Naked Cake

Photo by Jodee Debes Photography; Planning & Design by Tessa Lyn Events; From Real Wedding: Outdoor Ceremony + Reception with Bright Color Palette at LA Ranch

Semi-Naked White Wedding Cake

Photo by Susie & Will Photography; From Real Wedding: A Dreamy Outdoor Wedding with Luxe Décor in Las Vegas

For more ideas and inspiration, find out if a dessert station is right for your reception, see non-cake wedding dessert ideas, discover unique displays for your wedding cake, and be inspired by dessert pies you can include in your celebration or non-traditional wedding cakes.