One thing that I hate about setting up a wedding cake outdoors is the possibility that the bugs will find it. A cake that’s covered with gnats isn’t a pretty sight.
So when I set up the cake that was based on the Trevi Fountain I was interested in the net that they’d supplied for the purpose of keeping the bugs off.
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This net hung over the cake table and covered it completely with netting to keep any insects and blowing debris off of it.
It’s similar to some canopies that I’ve seen in other places, but this one served a purpose instead of just being part of the table decorations.
I decided to make one of my own, and it wasn’t too hard to do.
How to make a wedding cake canopy net.
To make your own wedding cake net, you’ll need a large hoop that’s used for macrame. You can get them on Amazon (click here to check prices) or possibly in some craft stores.
You need to make sure that it’s wide enough to provide clearance for the cake as it sits on the table, though. 20″ to 24″ wide hoops will work best.
The next thing that you’ll need is a lot of tulle fabric. You’ll need to know how far above the table the hoop will be hung.
The shorter the distance between the table and the spot it will hang from, the less fabric you’ll need.
How much fabric you’ll need will depend on the circumference of the table and the width of the fabric.
You’ll need to have at least twice the circumference of the table in the width of the fabric to give you some pretty draping. A little more would give you a softer look.
So if the table is 48″ wide, that’s the diameter. The circumference will be about 3 times as large, so that’s about 144 inches around.
If the fabric is 45″ wide, you’ll need at least 6, and probably 7, panels of fabric so that it drapes with folds and isn’t like a teepee when you put it around the table.
I would probably use 8 or 9 panels to make it even “drapier,” because the look will also be affected by how high the hoop is hung over the table.
Once you have the height from the hook to the ground (or just over the edge of the table,) you should cut the panels to be that tall plus about 10″ to give you room to hem and sew the tulle around the hoop.
Sew the panels together on the long sides to make one extra wide panel.
Hem one end of the panel, then hand-stitch the other end around the hoop. It’s going to be tight around the hoop, and you can use a sewing machine but hand-stitching it might be easier since you’ll be gathering a much larger piece of fabric around the hoop.
When you get to the place where you started attaching the panel, overlap the other end and sew it over the first part for a few inches so that you’ll be able to overlap the tent edges without leaving an opening.
When you’re done, you’ll have a hoop with the panel attached, and you’ll have to add a round piece across the top of the hoop to seal that end off. If you don’t, bugs will come in that way!
Attach some strong picture-hanging wire to the hoop going across the top so that you have a crossed wire to hang the hoop from.
If you make small holes in the top tulle and cross two wires to form an X in the center, the hoop will hang evenly and won’t swing back and forth too much.
Hang the hoop from the center area where the two wires cross, and drape the fabric around the table to protect the cake.
If all that is too much for you (and it might be!) you can also just buy a canopy that’s used for a bed.
Check these out on Amazon, they’re fairly inexpensive and you might be able to get them in different colors: Hoop Canopies
