Planning your wedding is such an exciting time and full of choices and decisions. One of those decisions is what type of wedding cake will you choose or will you even have a wedding cake at all?
There are lots of options open to you, some couples choose not to have a wedding cake and perhaps choose a cheese stack, or a pork pie stack or maybe a macaron tower. However, I believe nothing is a magical as a showstopping wedding cake. I've put together my top tips for choosing your perfect wedding cake.
No 1. Go Social
Get onto social media, look at Instagram, hashtag wedding cakes and your local area. Search on Pinterest, use google and make a shortlist of your favourite cake makers. Seek out testimonials, have they been published in magazines or blogs? See which cake designers are being talked about by other clients. Which cake makers do you enjoy following, who creates designs that fit your style and personality? In our visual, social media world it is much easier to find the perfect cake designer to make your special wedding cake.
No 2. Go Taste
I would highly recommend booking a wedding cake consultation. At this consultation you will not only get to taste several flavour combinations of wedding cake and fillings, which is so important as you want your wedding cake to taste amazing, but you get to meet the cake designer too. Here you can see if their personality matches yours, are they on your wavelength, do they really fully understand what you want in terms of wedding cake design? Do they have the ability to make your cake? This is your chance to meet the cake designer face to face and ask all of the burning questions about your wedding cake taste and design.
No 3. Go Style
When it comes to style if you are feeling stuck for ideas then why not chose a style that matches your venue? For example if the building is an art deco style then maybe use this theme for your cake. If it's a warehouse then an industrial or urban wedding cake works really well. If you are having your reception in a tipi a more boho wedding cake would suit the venue maybe with the addition of some macrame or pampas grass. Otherwise use your outfits as inspiration, tie it in with the colour of the wedding party outfits. If you are having flowers then how about using the colours from the flowers as your wedding cake inspiration? Make sure your cake designer fits your style, if your cake maker does pretty piping and diamantes and you have your mind set on a concrete effect wedding cake then they may not be the cake maker for you!
No 4. Go Book It
Book as early as you are able to. Even if you are not completely sure of your wedding cake design or what flavour of cake you'd like I'd recommend you secure your wedding date with a booking fee. Your favourite baker will most likely take bookings up to a year in advance and the most popular wedding dates will be snapped up quickly with popular cake designers. You may be left looking for another cake maker who is not your number one choice.
No 5. Go Big or Go Home
How big does your cake need to be? How many guests will be attending your wedding? How will you use the cake? Will it be desert or will it be cut later in the day after a 3 course meal? Not all of your guests will want to eat wedding cake so if it is not the desert then I always recommend catering for 80-90% of your guests. If you have 300 guests a two tier wedding cake is just not going to be suitable. Again if you are having a more intimate wedding of 20-30 guests and you fancy a 5 tier cake then you are going to have a lot of wastage. You can discuss perhaps having some dummy tiers with your wedding cake designer if you think the cake will be too large for the number of guests.
No 6. Go Spend
Cost is a big issue, do discuss your budget with your wedding cake designer so they can design something realistically within your budget. This is the most expensive cake you are ever going to buy. You are paying not only for a cake but for highly skilled artistry, passion and time. Having hand painted or hand modeled elements on your cake will dramatically increase the price because of the time it takes to craft these designs. Sugar flowers again will dramatically increase the cost of a wedding cake. However, this is not just an ordinary cake, you are buying memories and this cake is going to be scrutinized and photographed by all of your guests.
No 7. Go Weather Watching
Do consider the weather. If you are have a wedding in the height of the summer in a marquee, tipi or glasshouse then maybe a buttercream wedding cake or a chocolate shard tower wedding cake isn't the best idea. If you do go for a cake like this keep it chilled for as long as you can so it doesn't start to collapse in the heat. If your wedding is outside and it starts to drizzle a wafer paper cake will start to disintegrate as it hates moisture! Again take advice from your wedding cake designer who will help you decide on the most appropriate cake for your wedding. Trust me they know what they are talking about
No 8. Go Selfish
Choose flavours YOU like. Choose a finish YOU like. This is YOUR cake. It's YOUR day.
No 9. Go Relax
For a stress free wedding day make sure you pay your wedding cake designer to deliver your wedding cake. Often cakes can be transported much better if they are not stacked and so need to be constructed at the venue. You want this cake to be in pristine condition when your guests see it. If anything happens to the cake on the journey to the venue your wedding cake designer can fix it. If you have friends or family delivering it they will no doubt feel stressed about it. If an accident happens on the way, for example a decoration falls off, then they probably won't be able to rectify this.
No 10. Go Enjoy
You've done all of the hard work; you've found your wedding cake designer, chosen your design, decided on your flavours and your cake has arrived at your venue. Have a wonderful day and don't forget to eat some cake!!! Enjoy x
If you'd like to book a wedding cake consultation with me the email : urbancakehousemail@gmail.com to make an appointment.
Lots of love Lisa x
Credits for final photo:
Venue: @donington_park_farmhouse Concept, Alternative Bouquets, Accessories & Jewellery: @CRZyBest Dress Maker: @fiona.elizabeth.couture Photography: @indigoandvioletweddings and @foyetography_weddings Styling Including Table: @TheWeddingAlchemist Styling Including Neon Sign: @thiswillbeforever Cupcakes & Donuts: @VBakes.molly Black Lace Boots: @houseofelliotlaceboots Hair: Scott @thelilygreysalon Make-up: @NatalieBolandmua Wedding Cake: @UrbanCakehouse Invites & Menus: @Millie_Stone_UK Models: @suki_celeste and Meg Shoes: @CRZyBest in collaboration with @theamberRoom