So you are planning your big day. You want it all to be perfect, right? Well there are a few top tips when booking a wedding cake designer. Read on and you will go into your wedding cake consultation feeling prepared and ready to secure your ultimate wedding cake.
Wedding Cake Mistake No 1
Fresh flowers are they your friend or foe? You may have seen the most wonderful wedding cakes with amazing fresh floral arrangements on Pinterest but before you request the same from your florist make sure they are non toxic. Some flowers are just not food safe and your cake maker will refuse to use them. Remember many of the wedding cakes you see in blogs or in magazines may be dummy wedding cakes so they can use toxic flowers as the cake will never be eaten! To avoid being disappointed do your homework and make sure the flowers you love are food safe. There are many organic flower farmers now who will grow flowers especially to decorate cakes. Finally, make sure the flowers you like are in season at the time of your wedding. If you can't find or source the fresh flowers you'd like then the safer option is to ask your cake designer to make sugar or edible wafer paper flowers for your cake.
Wedding Cake Mistake No 2
Not choosing a professional wedding cake designer, wedding cake artist or wedding cake maker. Auntie Betty or the lady down the road may be able to bake beautiful cakes but can they bake what you want? Do they know how to stack a 5 tier wedding cake? Will it collapse before it even reaches the venue? Will the finish be as perfect as you imagined, will they be so stressed that they get cold feet the week before the event (believe me this frequently happens). Remember this is not just a cake you are buying, you are making memories and your wedding cake is probably the most photographed confectionery you will ever buy. Don't leave it to a novice.
Wedding Cake Mistake No 3
Think about the setup. You've pondered over the choice of wedding cake for weeks, you've poured over Pinterest and found a style that you love. You have given the wedding cake so much thought but you've overlooked the setup on the wedding day. Many of the wedding cakes you have seen on Pinterest and Instagram will be from styled shoots that could have taken half a day to photograph with may props and often custom made cake stands, tables and the like. It's really worth thinking of how you will display your cake to get maximum impact. You've made a big investment in the cake so make sure it is not just plonked on a table. Think of flowers, other sweet treats, quirky signs or something that will tie into the style of your wedding to complement the cake and make sure you have those Instagram worthy photos too.
Wedding Cake Mistake No 4
Try before you buy! If you think you don't have time or you don't want the extra expense of a wedding cake consultation then think again. Most wedding cake designers will charge a small fee to cover the ingredients and their time for a wedding cake consultation. This is money well spent. The wedding cake designer gets a chance to get to know and your likes and dislikes and you get to know them. If you don't like what you see (or taste) then it's £25 well spent and you can move on. Most wedding cake designers take off the wedding cake consultation fee from your final wedding cake total so it's definitely a good short term expense to invest in.
Wedding Cake Mistake No 5
Colours! If there is a particular colour you really want to have matched or if there is a certain lace or design you'd like copied onto your cake then leave a swatch of the fabric (or whatever else you need a colour /design match to). We all see colours differently and a photograph can not always reflect the true colour of the item photographed. To avoid disappointment on your wedding day leave samples with your wedding cake designer whenever possible.
Wedding Cake Mistake No 6
This is a big one, not taking advise from your wedding cake designer. If your wedding cake artist says that something will not work then trust them. They are the professional, they will know from experience either first hand or from watching colleagues with disastrous wedding cakes. They do realise this is your day and you should totally have things your way but if they tell you something will just not work then listen to their advise and maybe rethink your design/flavours/whatever else it may be.
Wedding Cake Mistake No 7
Not doing your home work. Similar to no 4. Before you even book for a wedding cake consultation read the wedding cake makers reviews and testimonials. If there are stories of collapsing cakes, late arrivals or dry old cakes then avoid even visiting them. Testimonials are a useful tool. Make sure they have a name and a date next to them, even better a photo of the cake. Also, make sure your wedding cake designer has a 5 star food hygiene rating and they have business insurance too.
Wedding Cake Mistake No 8
Trying to micromanage. Have trust in your wedding cake designer, you have a written contract or terms of agreement, let them get on with the job and trust them to deliver what you are paying them for. Don't worry about how the cake will arrive at the venue that is not your problem (unless you've made mistake no 9!!!!) Your wedding cake maker has done this many, many times before, they will liaise with your wedding co-ordinator/wedding planner or the venue and the cake will be there in a timely fashion. You are paying for a high end service and they will do their utmost to be totally professional, they won't let you down. Your wedding cake designer loves weddings and wants every wedding to be perfect.
Wedding Cake Mistake No 9
Not paying for delivery or thinking you can collect and set up the cake yourself to save money. For a small amount extra (or it could be free) your wedding cake designer will personally deliver your cake and make sure it is set up beautifully at the venue. You'd be nuts not to take them up on this. You may think your best friend or your brother is passing by and can collect the cake. NO! Your wedding cake designer knows how to transport and store a cake to ensure it gets to your wedding in perfect condition. Once the cake has left their care then you are responsible for it. What if you (or your nominated delivery person) has to do an emergency stop and the cake tips over? What if you trip carrying it into the venue? What if you can't stack it properly? Allow them to deliver and it is one less wedding day stress for you.
Wedding Cake Mistake No 10
You don't eat the cake!! Whaaat the worst mistake of them all. You've mingled, you've chatted, you've cut the cake, you've been photographed, you've smooched your first dance and now you fancy some cake. It's gone! Make sure you ask the serving staff to keep you and your new partner for life a nice big chunk of cake. A lot of love for you both has gone into the designing, the creating and the decorating of this beauty so make sure to enjoy it too.
So now you know the biggest mistakes you can make, go forth and taste cake. Enjoy your wedding cake consultation, have fun and find a wedding cake designer that understands you.
If you fancy booking a wedding cake consultation with me at Urban Cakehouse just drop me a line at urbancakehousemail@gmail.com
Photo credits
Marni @ Marni V Photography
Ed @ Clear Space Photography
Lisa @ Urban Cakehouse
I do fully loaded, gluten free or vegan wedding cake tastings at regular times throughout the year.
Get in touch I'd love to get to know you.
Best wishes
Lisa x