Everyone loves wedding cake - right? Everyone looks in awe at the design and wonders how the cake artist captured the happy couples personality so well - right? Well how does that happen? Today I'll talk you through the wedding cake consultation process here at Urban Cakehouse.
First of all congratulations! If you are reading this blog then you are probably planning your wedding right now. This is such an exciting time but it can also be really overwhelming too. You've probably browsed the internet, searched Facebook, explored Instagram and pinned until your heart is content on Pinterest. You may have your shortlist of potential cake artists and now is the time to make your final decision.
A wedding cake is a huge investment and is probably the most expensive cake you will ever buy! It is one of the most scrutinised and talked about part of any wedding after the happy couple's wedding outfits. You must ensure you have trust in your chosen cake artist and be confident that they can create your perfect cake.
Most cake artists will charge a small fee for that initial consultation and cake tasting. This is to cover time and ingredients but is usually deducted from the final price should you go on to book your cake with them. This consultation is a wise investment, if you don't like the taste of the cake, or you don't like the cake artist's style then it is best to know this before you make your booking.
So what can you expect from a wedding cake consultation?
Your Preparation
First of all make sure you have your date and your venue booked, if you don't have a date you may choose your perfectly matched cake artist only to find they are fully booked when you eventually secure your wedding date. It is best to know your venue too as the cake artist will advise cake design not only to reflect your personalities but to fit the venue too.
Styling by The Urban Wedding Company. Photo by 2 Ducks Galleries. Venue - Victoria Warehouse, Manchester.
Next, if there are any particular flavours you love or any you really dislike then let the cake artist know before you arrive. They can then bake a selection of flavours that you will hopefully enjoy. Also let them know of any allergies, food intolerance or any special dietary requirements. If your chosen cake artist doesn't offer cake during the consultation think carefully whether you want to book the service - it is important that your cake looks fabulous but it needs to taste delicious too!
Take lots of inspiration with you. Collect any photos, magazines, wedding invitations, room decorations, table settings, flowers you'd like and pictures of your outfits. Make a mood board if you can and take that with you or email it to the cake artist before the wedding cake consultation. This is so they have a feel for the type of wedding you are having, be it urban luxury, industrial, a boho wedding, festival wedding or a more traditional feel. It's your day, your way so the cake needs to fit the vibe of your wedding.
Collect some ideas of cakes that you like, although your cake artist cannot copy these, if there is a specific element or style of cake you are drawn to then they can design a bespoke cake for your wedding using elements of that style or colour.
The Consultation
Now for the fun part!
At Urban Cakehouse we always start with a glass of fizz and a get to know you chat! This is my favourite part. I love getting to know how couples met and they want to get to know me so they can put there trust in me on their special day.
Bring your partner with you, this is a joint decision and a big investment and you should both be happy with the final choice. It is possible to bring others with you too but let your cake artist know beforehand as they will need to prepare more cake. If you do bring others then they will all have an opinion on flavours and designs and too many opinions can leave you confused and may put you off the cake you really wanted. Remember this is your day!
Write down your thoughts so you can compare notes if you have other tastings and wedding cake consultations booked.
Be honest! If you don't like a flavour then say so. Believe me you will not offend the cake artist. We know that everyone has different tastes and if you are not honest then you may not get the final flavour combination you want.
Ask questions. If you are unsure of anything then please don't be afraid to ask. Ask about their food hygiene rating, ask to read testimonials, you want to make sure you are buying a top quality product.
Most importantly have fun! this is a super exciting time and you want this to be a positive experience.
So if you are looking for a unique, contemporary, unconventional wedding cake I'd love to meet you and chat all things wedding cake.
Lisa x
Urban Cakehouse
email: urbancakehousemail@gmail.com