Tips for choosing the perfect wedding cake

One of my favorite quotes is the simple saying "You don't know what you don't know." Simple but very true, especially when it comes to wedding planning.

A big part of my job comes in educating my clients as most have not had to deal with the intricacies of planning a large event and there can be some real surprises.  I also like to use this blog as an educational tool for brides and grooms.

Certainly, one area that can be foreign to brides and grooms is ordering a bakery for the wedding cake. This is not a daily occurance so I am here to help the process.  By asking a few of these simple questions you can choose the right bakery for you.

Most brides want to know “how much”.  The cost of a cake varies based on ingredients and complexity of the design.  So when you inquire, rather than ask how much will a cake cost, ask your prospective bakery what is the price range.  Note that a large portion of the cost is in the design so the more intricate, the more you will pay.  I recommend that you have photos or a solid idea of what you want the cake to look like before contacting bakeries so they can provide accurate pricing information.

When it comes time for the tasting, not all bakeries will provide you with every single flavor to taste.  This can get costly and time consuming.  When making your tasting appointment guide them and let them know what flavors you like or don’t like.  This is also the time to let them know any allergies you might have.

Another good question to ask is who will be delivering the cake.  Will it be the baker themselves or do they have a company that they outsource?  If it’s the latter, I often recommend getting an emergency number of the bakery.  Mishaps happen and you may need to call on your baker to make some minor fixes to the cake should it get damaged in transport.  This is where your day of coordinator or wedding planner comes in.  Most likely they’ll handle the situation and you’ll be none the wiser, but if you’re planning the wedding and don’t have that luxury it’s nice to know they’ll be able to fix the cake in a jiffy.

Sometimes bakeries will put in faux layers or tiers for support.  I highly recommend asking your bakery if they will do this.  There’s nothing worse than trying to cut into the cake to find out that tier is fake!

I also recommend asking the bakery to provide a cake box for any left overs and for the top tier of your cake.  This way you can take your cake home and store it properly.

And finally, remember it’s not simply flower and eggs.  This is the livelihood of those who are making the cake.  Most likely these people have spent years perfecting their craft to be the best they can be.  There’s a reason they exist and a reason they’re good at what they do and they charge what they charge.

Go forth and eat tons of cake and until next time…

Cheers!