When it comes to planning your perfect day, choosing your wedding cake can be a fun treat for you and your partner. To help, we’ve compiled some tips to ensure this portion of your wedding day is a piece of cake.
Shortly after choosing your venue and ordering your wedding gown, you'll want to start planning with a bakery. Most bakeries prefer to have at least 6 months before your wedding. When scheduling with your baker, it's also best to go in for a tasting. This will help you decide flavor choices as well as give you and your partner an opportunity to check out the bakery’s skills and expectations, ask questions, and design your wedding cake. Before scheduling your tasting, there are a few things you’ll want to gather. The most important information you’ll want to have is your guest count. This will not only determine your cost and cake size but also plays an important role in designing your cake. Most wedding cakes are priced by the slice so having the guest count is key. Also the more complicated the cake, the higher the price tag. This can include hard-to-find fillings as well as if you’re using fondant or buttercream icing and the number of layers in your cake. The bakery will go over your pricing options as well as help ensure your cake is delicious.
When deciding the style of your cake, make sure you have your wedding theme nailed down. If you’re hosting a black-tie wedding, serving a casual style cake may seem out of place. Your cake topper can also play a role in the style of your cake. Going with the classic bride and groom or initials can still be personalized in the design of the topper. There are endless options online from companies specializing in personalizing cake toppers. You can also personalize your topper by adding in elements of you and your partner’s personality or interest. Some bakeries also offer personalization that goes beyond choosing flavors and colors and speaking with them can help you decide if adding a personal touch to your wedding cake is right for you. More and more couples are choosing to add a groom’s cake to serve with the wedding cake as well. This offers another flavor option as well as design element to the reception. Traditionally the groom’s cake is smaller and designed to reflect the groom’s special interests. You can also offer other dessert options in the reception to give guests more flavor choices.
When choosing your wedding cake, keep in mind the venue and weather of your special day. If your reception is outside in the summer heat, you’ll want to choose ingredients that can withstand the elements. You’ll also need to ensure the bakery has access and ample time to transport your cake and finalize any set up necessary on site. Complex cakes are more likely to require extra time for setup on site so keep that in mind when scheduling delivery. The bakery will also need to know if they will have to navigate long distances or stairs for delivery. The Barn at Double K Ranch offers a small elevator to the second floor however not all venues provide as easy access.
When choosing how to display your cake, make sure it is in a location that is easy for you and your partner to access and allow for good viewing by your guests. A round table is perfect for round cakes, and square or multiple cakes are best displayed on rectangular tables. Since your cake will likely be on display for some time before you cut into it, creating a beautiful display to show off your confection can be fun. If your florist is providing fresh blooms for your cake, you’ll want to coordinate that with your baker and account for extra time in set up.
From picking flavors to the design and set up, remember it’s your wedding and your wedding cake should reflect what you and your partner enjoy.