Designing your wedding cake would have to be one of the more exciting tasks on your wedding to-do list. From rustic naked cakes topped with fresh blooms to intricate 3-tier displays, the possibilities are endless.
But first, you’ll need to find the perfect cake baker to make your wedding cake dreams come true!
When it comes to choosing your cake artist, there are a few things you’ll need to consider. Read on as we share our guide to researching and booking your wedding cake baker, including a list of essential questions to ask before signing your contract.
Find Wedding Cake Inspiration
Before researching cake bakers, it can be helpful to have some cake inspiration on hand! Some bakers will have different areas of specialty, so coming up with a rough design first will help you narrow down your options.
The best places to find wedding cake inspiration would be Pinterest, Instagram and wedding blogs. Think about your overall wedding vision – whether that’s modern, bohemian or luxurious – and use this as a starting point to find complementary cake designs. You can check out our wedding cake board on Pinterest here for some ideas!
As you start looking for inspiration, it’s a good idea to keep your budget in the back of your mind, too. For example: handcrafted details like sugar flowers will be more expensive than a minimal buttercream cake.
Research Your Options
Now that you have a general idea of the style of your wedding cake, it’s time to start compiling a shortlist of potential cake bakers!
We’d suggest browsing local wedding directories and bridal blogs to find cake artists in your area, and narrowing down your options based on your style and budget. Have a good look through their online galleries, and be sure to read any testimonials from previous clients.
Before reaching out to potential vendors for a quote, you’ll also need to confirm your event date and venue, along with an approximate number of guests.
Questions to Ask Your Wedding Cake Baker
Once you’ve narrowed down a shortlist of cake bakers, you can reach out to them with an enquiry. Most cake bakers will offer a no-obligation consultation so they can discuss your requirements and tailor a quote accordingly.
Some bakers will also offer a cake tasting consultation, allowing you to sample their different flavors before committing to a contract. There is usually a small fee involved for tastings, though this is typically applied towards the final cost of your cake if you decide to proceed with a booking.
During your wedding cake consultations, we’d suggest asking your cake baker the following questions:
- Are you available on our event date?
- Do you offer cake tastings, and is this an additional cost?
- What cake flavors do you offer?
- Can I see some examples of your work?
- Can you cater for different dietary requirements?
- Do you have a minimum spend?
- What cake styles do you offer? Do you specialize in a particular style?
- Will you sketch our cake design beforehand?
- Will you deliver the cake to our venue on the day? Is there an additional fee for this?
- Will you set-up the cake for us?
- Do you provide a cake stand and knife?
- Can you work with our florist if we’d like fresh flowers on our cake?
- How many tiers would you recommend for our guest numbers?
- Can we freeze the top tier of our cake? If so, can you provide a box for this?
- How far in advance do we need to order our cake?
- What is the booking process, and when are payments required?
- When do you require final guest numbers from us?
Once you’ve weighed up your options and decided on the best fit, you can secure your booking with a deposit – and then the fun begins! Your cake baker will begin sketching up a design for your approval and confirming your chosen flavors and fillings. Then, on the day itself, you can enjoy the magic that was created!
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