Whether your wedding cake will be created by the country club where you will marry or by an independent cake designer, you will need to hire one as soon as possible. Find the perfect fit with these top tips.
Even if choosing your wedding cake is the last big item on your planning checklist, you'd do well to find a confectionary genius ASAP. First and foremost, find out if your reception site allows you to bring in an outside baker -- increasingly, sites prefer to keep this aspect of business to themselves.
First figure out if the cake is the least of your worries (you just want something sweet and gooey to feed each other) or if it's high on the "must-obsess-over" list. If it's not that important to you, don't splurge on a custom-designed cake fit for royalty. And if you've determined your cake budget, the selection process will be that much easier. Here are your options:
Caterer/Reception Hall
Nine times out of ten, these folks can produce a delicious wedding cake. But just because you trust their take on poached salmon and penne a la vodka doesn't mean they're wedding cake wizards. Our advice? Be specific about your desires: bust out visual examples, ask to see pictures of their past cakes, and sample the wares. Hopefully, you'll be delighted.
Pros: Convenience
Cons: May not be able to create your dream confection
Commercial Bakery or Boutique Bakery
Check out your neighborhood (supermarket or specialty) bakery, which may or may not specialize in wedding cakes (but may make awesome eclairs). You might have limited design, personalization, or flavor choices, but good bakeries offer styles that accommodate a variety of tastes -- and taste buds.
Pros: Convenience and lower cost
Con: May not be able to create your dream confection
Custom Design
The current trend in cakes favors enlisting the expertise of an independent cake designer. His or her cakes feature exquisite workmanship, sophisticated ingredients, and decorative techniques. Designers are passionate and treat each confection like a work of art. This approach allows for personalization and robustly imaginative planning. Many couples use their cake to reflect certain unique characteristics or qualities, and a gifted cake designer is often the only one who can turn your vision into reality.
Pros: Personalization
Cons: Cost is usually much higher
Note: You might also get friends' recommendations; get referrals from your caterer (or reception site manager); ask florists and photographers for recommendations (visually aesthetic souls that they are, they should know of some creative cake bakers); ask your favorite restaurant's pastry chef to recommend bakeries, or see if he/she will agree to take on a freelance project; and attend local bridal shows.
As you start setting up appointments, find out when each baker's next tasting is scheduled. At tastings, clients are invited into the bakery to sample exemplary cakes, ask questions, and review portfolios. This is an excellent opportunity to meet bakers and fully understand the range of their abilities. Don't be shy -- attend as many tastings as possible.
