Bringing Tiers to My Eyes: Sylvia Weinstock, the "queen of cakes."

Payard P�tisserie & Bistro
1032 Lexington Ave., nr. 73rd St.
212-717-5252
payard.com
By appointment only
Payard's bakery-source of some of the city's best pastries-also makes very chic wedding cakes. There are four fillings for the classic tiered cakes, including pav� ni�ois and sacher with chocolate ganache and raspberry preserve ($8 to $25).

Polka Dot Cake Studio
312 Bleecker St., nr. Grove St.
212-645-0500
This cozy little storefront's fanciful creations range from $8 to $13 a serving. Most popular are bright, modern fondant cakes (often covered in-can you guess?-polka dots), but it also does a variety of buttercream frostings. We love the devil's food cake for weddings.

Ron Ben-Israel Cakes, Inc.
42 Greene St., nr. Grand St., fifth fl.
212-625-3369
weddingcakes.com
By appointment only
Bold, realistic sugar blossoms (orchids are his latest favorite) adorn most of Ben-Israel's glamorous but tasteful cakes. A Martha Stewart favorite, Ben-Israel will replicate patterns from your linens, dresses, and china. The flavors range from classic white with crushed-vanilla-bean filling to chocolate with blood-orange or crunchy hazelnut ($12 to $15).

Sarabeth's Bakery
Chelsea Market,
75 Ninth Ave., at 15th St.
212-989-2424
sarabeth.com
By appointment only
The uptown crowd's favorite bakery and brunch spot also does gorgeous, traditional wedding cakes. Sarabeth Levine herself-yes, she does exist-designs the cakes, all of which are made from scratch. She generally avoids fondant, instead decorating with fresh flowers and white buttercream. For a spring wedding, it's best to pick your cake by January (from $10; 50-guest minimum).

Soutine Bakery
104 W. 70th St., nr. Columbus Ave.
212-496-1450
soutine.com
A tiny, understated bakery that happens to receive some of the highest accolades in the city, Soutine turns out sophisticated, refined wedding cakes in addition to stellar croquembouche and a "tower" of cupcakes. Soutine designs all manner of cakes, from fondant-frosted beauties with sugar-coated fruit to chocolate-ganache ones with lightning bolts on top ($6 to $7.50 per guest).

Sugar Sweet Sunshine
126 Rivington St., nr. Essex St.
212-995-1960
sugarsweetsunshine.com
This cute Lower East Side bakery is becoming a neighborhood staple for their cupcakes (one taste of the pistachio cake will make anyone a regular), which they'll style into cute trees for a minimal charge. Conventional buttercream-frosted cake styles are also available. Cupcakes are $18 per dozen; layer cakes average $300.

Sylvia Weinstock Cakes
273 Church St., nr. Franklin St.
212-925-6698
sylviaweinstock.com
Dubbed the Queen of Cakes by her peers, Weinstock and her staff create elaborate, sugar-flower-studded cakes that many socialites wouldn't go without. Her cakes have been stars at the weddings of Donald Trump, Whitney Houston, Michael Douglas, and even the Saudi royal family. Prices upon request.

Tompkins Square Bakery
341 E. 10th St., at Ave. B
212-460-9878
This brand-new East Village bakeshop specializes in homey treats like muffins and pies, but brides seeking beautiful, modern cakes with floral and fondant embellishments that won't break the bank need look no further. Prices start at $5 a serving.

Vosges Haut-Chocolat
132 Spring St., nr. Greene St.
212-625-2929
vosgeschocolate.com
Fusing exotic herbs and spices like curry, green tea, and even wasabi with standard flavors like chocolate and coconut, Vosges creates novel mini wedding cakes well suited to adventurous palates. There are five variations ($33 per cake, serves three to four guests): the stately, rose-infused chocolate Gatsby; the white-chocolate Daisy; the golden Naga filled with curry, vanilla bean, and coconut; the mod, dark-chocolate-truffle Black Pearl cake; and the delicate ginger and wasabi dark-chocolate ganache Kayoko cake.

William Greenberg Jr. Desserts
1100 Madison Ave., nr. 82nd St.
212-861-1340
wmgreenbergdesserts.com
Since 1946, this bakery has been providing the Upper East Side with stunning white wedding cakes topped with fresh whipped cream, fresh flowers, and delicate icing designs. Greenberg is also up for the less traditional: He once made miniature individual wedding cakes for a client (from $8.50).

Photographed by Kenneth Chen.