How to Choose a Wedding Cake Designer

There are many different types of wedding cakes to choose from. Round, square, tiered, single-layered, fruit, chocolate, and so on. What to choose?! It can be a tough decision. It's not just the actual wedding cake you must choose, though. You also have to decide which cake designer you are going to hire.

Read the following before choosing a wedding cake designer:

When to Start
You should start your search for the perfect wedding cake about three to four months before the Big Day. Make sure to place an order for the cake no later than three months before the wedding. A wedding cake is like a piece of art; it can't be made in a hurry, especially the decorations. Also, fruitcakes (the most common wedding cakes) taste better if they stand for quite a long period of time. It allows the cake to really draw the liquor into it.

Consult Wedding Cake Books and Bridal Magazines
Before going to a bakery it's a good idea to have a look at pictures of wedding cakes in wedding cake books and bridal magazines. This will give you an idea of what kind of designs you prefer, which will make it easier later when you meet with prospective cake designers.

Find Prospective Wedding Cake Designers
You need to find about four to six cake designers to meet with. To do so, you should have a look at our wedding directory, which lists all the wedding suppliers you might need, including wedding cake designers. You should also ask any newlywed friends or relatives if they have any suggestions. Other people you could ask are your other vendors, such as the florist and photographer. Other ways to find prospective bakers: bridal expos, online business directories, the yellow pages and bridal magazines/books.

Meet Prospective Wedding Cake Designers
After you have found about four to six prospective cake designers it's time to make appointments to meet with each one. Bring pictures of cakes you like and ask if the baker can design them. If you want your wedding cake to match the colours of your bridesmaids' dresses or your bridal bouquet, bring samples. Although you may have seen some nice pictures of wedding cakes already, make sure to also have a look at the cake designer's own cake samples. Not just pictures, but real cakes. This will give you an idea of how good a cake designer the baker is.

Taste-tests
Not only should you be able to have a look at the baker's wedding cakes, you should also be allowed to taste them. You and your guests will be eating it, so it has to be tasty! Ask to taste all sorts of cakes. Fruitcakes, mud cakes, carrot cakes, etc. Whatever flavour you want.

Ask Questions
At the meetings, ask as many questions as you like. Ask things such as whether the cake designer sells fresh or frozen cakes, costs, if delivery is included in the costs, whether there are any rental fees for pillars and stands, and so on. Click on Questions to Ask Wedding Cake Designers for more information.

Choose a Wedding Cake
There are many different types of wedding cakes to choose from.
In terms of flavour, there's the traditional fruitcake with white icing, but if you don't want to follow tradition, why not try a chocolate mud cake, a carrot cake, a vanilla sponge cake or even a profiterole cake? It's all up to your tastebuds!

In terms of shape, you don't need to limit yourself to a round or square wedding cake. Hexagon and heart-shaped wedding cakes are also quite common these days.

There is also the choice of single-layered or tiered wedding cakes to consider. Choosing either one of these basically depends on the number of guests you want to feed, and whether the wedding cake will be the only dessert or not. There are some restrictions, though. For example, not all types of cakes can be tiered. Some, such as sponge cakes, are too soft and will fall apart. Therefore, if you want a tiered wedding cake it is best to choose either a fruitcake or a mud cake. These are more compact than many other cakes.

Then there's the decorating to consider. Common wedding cake decorations include sugar flowers, fresh flowers, figurines and ribbons. The colour of the decorations often match the colour of the bridesmaids' dresses or the bridal bouquet.

Not only do you have to decide how you want the cake to taste and look, you must also decide its size. The size of your wedding cake will depend on the number of guests, as well as the purpose of the cake. Obviously, the more guests, the bigger the cake should be. For example, a round 9-inch fruitcake will serve about 40 people, whereas a 12-inch fruitcake will serve about 70 people. If it's a round mud or sponge cake, a 9-inch cake will serve about 20 people, and a 12-inch cake will serve about 35 people. Square cakes serve more people. If the purpose of the wedding cake is mainly for display it doesn't have to be really big, regardless of the number of guests. However, if the cake is going to be the only dessert served, it will have to be bigger.

Final Choice of a Wedding Cake Designer
When you have met with about four to six prospective cake designers it's time to make a final choice of whom to hire. Obviously, choose someone who is best able to bake and design the wedding cake of your dreams. Costs are, of course, also very important. Once you have chosen a cake designer, discuss things such as:

• cake size
• number of tiers, if any
• number of guests
• purpose of the cake, i.e. dessert or display
• type, e.g. flavour, design, etc.
• cost
• deposit
• wedding date

Sign a Contract
To protect both you and your cake designer, make sure to sign a contract. It should include, at minimum, the following:

• cake size
• type, e.g. flavour, design, etc.
• date when the cake has to be ready
• cost
• what is included in the cost, e.g. delivery, pillars, stands, etc.
• payment schedules
• deposit
• when the final payment is due
• refund and cancellation policies