Choosing a cake maker
If you’re reading this, chances are you have already done some of the groundwork for your big day – you’ve chosen the date, maybe booked the venue and are looking at menu options, thinking about invitation design – the list can be quite daunting! And often, it’s difficult to know where to start. Here’s our quick guide to choosing a cake maker who will supply you with a delicious and beautiful wedding cake that you – and your guests – will adore.
Reputation – word of mouth is probably the best way to find a cake maker you will be comfortable with. Talk to friends or colleagues about their weddings, or ask for recommendations from other wedding vendors. Your venue or caterer will have cut and served many wedding cakes while photographers usually get to see every aspect of a wedding day, including the cake. Tasting packs are a great way to go, giving you a number of flavours to try, and reputable cake suppliers will have no problem arranging this for you. Often there is a fee for the packs, deducted from the price when a booking is made. When looking for cake makers, be sure to look at their website, facebook page or blog to see what they are currently doing. Most facebook business pages now have a recommendation and review section for customers to give feedback – take a look and see what people are saying. Browse their photos and albums to get a feel for their work and see if their designs and finish are what you are looking for.
Budget – Try to have a figure in mind – and be realistic. If your cake design includes elaborate detailing like narrow fondant ruffles or silver leaf application that will take hours to complete, or if you want the cake to provide dessert for 120 people, it’s unlikely to be at the lower end of the price scale. Try looking at cake websites that have a standard range of cake designs and prices to get an idea of the current market. The basic variables to the price include design style and any additional elements (figures, sugar flowers, carved cake etc), specialty ingredients, delivery distance and serving numbers. An experienced cake maker can give you a ballpark figure for a plain iced cake for the number of serves you require, with decoration, delivery and so on calculated into the quote once the design has been confirmed.
The basics - The most commonly asked questions a cake maker will ask of you: What date is the wedding? Is the cake going to be served as dessert or will guests be taking small serves home as favours? Is it just for cutting? Do you want to keep the top tier? What is your budget? Where is the venue? The more information you have at the initial consultation, the fasterthe quoting process will be.
Design – Wedding cake designs are many and varied – just google wedding cake and see how many images come up! Rustic, topsy turvy, trails of flowers, ruffles, art deco, hand painted – it can get confusing! It’s probably best not to start looking at wedding cake ideas until you’ve decided on the overall theme, colour scheme, flowers, fabrics and so on. A good place to start looking for inspiration is Pinterest - some brides create their own inspiration boards and these are great for showing just what elements, styles and colours you like best. You and your cake maker need to be on the same page so that she/he can create the cake that is perfect for you and your wedding and a Pinterest board is a simple way to ensure that.
Tip 1 – Word of mouth is the best form of recommendation – ask friends and colleagues about their wedding cakes.
Tip 2 – If you haven’t tasted their cakes before, ask the cake vendor for a tasting pack.
Tip 3 – Share your “big picture” vision of your wedding with samples or an inspiration board to show colours, textures, flowers and other details. Your cake maker wants your cake to be as perfect for your big day as you do!
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Images by
Charmaine Otto Photography
Charmaine Otto Photography
