Singaporebrides | Essentials

July 2014

5 Tips on Choosing a Wedding Cake

By Audrie Soh

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Choosing the perfect wedding cake is not as easy a task as you think it’ll be, even if you have a sweet tooth.

There are a host of things to consider when picking a wedding cake such as its design and size, and you’ll want to entrust this important responsibility to someone whom you can rely on to create the wedding cake of your dreams. Here are 5 essential tips you need to know when choosing the perfect cake for your big day.

Tip #1: Choose a Reputable Bakery/Baker

You’ll want to entrust the important task of creating a wedding cake to a bakery or baker who has received positive feedback from other couples and is the to-go place for wedding cakes. Start your search for reputable bakeries by asking for recommendations from friends and family, or take to the Internet and social media sites such as Facebook and Instagram for trending bakers. Browse through their handiwork on their websites, Facebook or Instagram pages and read up on what their customers’ have to say about their service and cakes.

Shortlist your favourite bakers and pay them a visit to find out more about their services and pricing. Arm yourself with the seven questions you must ask your baker during your meeting, and request for samples of recent wedding cakes they’ve designed and how much lead time they need for a wedding cake order. It is important that you spend some time speaking with the baker to determine if you are comfortable with working with them or not. For bakers without a physical shop, don’t rely solely on the photos and customer feedback for your decision. Order a basic cake from them for a look and taste of their work before you decide to approach them for your wedding cake.

Tip #2: The B-word

I’m referring to your budget, of course (yes, you need one for your wedding cake as well). Before your visit to a baker, decide between you and your groom-to-be how much you’re willing to spend on the wedding cake. The size of your cake, its design and the type of frosting used are some factors that will influence your wedding cake budget. Be honest with your baker on how much you’re looking to spend on the cake and whether you can or cannot go beyond that amount. This will allow them to better advice you on the size, design and type of frosting available for your cake based on your budget. If you’re on a tight budget, opt for buttercream frosting or fresh fruit decorations instead of fondant or a floral cascade.

Tip #3: Let Your Guest List Decide The Size of Your Cake

Your guest list will not only determine how much you should set aside for your wedding cake, it will also decide on how big and ornately decorated it should be. Depending on the size of each slice of cake served to your guests and whether every guest takes a piece, a 3-tiered cake will serve 50-100 guests while 5 or more tiers are required for a guest list of 200 and more. Although your wedding cake should catch your guests’ attention, it shouldn’t stick out like a sore thumb. So don’t insist on a 5-tier cake when you’re hosting an intimate reception of 100 guests. Instead, the size of your wedding cake should match the size of your celebration.

Tip #4: Get Creative!

Wedding cakes come in many shapes and sizes. And if you prefer having wedding cupcakes instead, don’t let the notion of a traditional wedding cake hold you back. But whether you go with a whole cake or cupcakes, you should have an idea of how you want them to look like. Some brides draw inspiration for their cakes from their wedding theme, venue and even the design of their wedding gown. Magazines and the Internet are great sources of cake design inspirations too. Consolidate your research on moodboards like Pinterest so you can refer to them whenever and wherever you want to. Note down what you like about those cakes – its colour, shape, flavours or design? Understanding what elements you’re attracted to will enable you to communicate your ideas to your baker more efficiently.

Tip #5: Give Taste and Appearance Equal Importance

Like wedding gown designers, every baker has their own cake designing and baking styles as well. Meeting them in person will give you an idea on whether they specialise in traditional or the modern rustic-looking naked cake designs, or prefer a denser and moist cake to airier and less moist ones. Some bakers, especially the bigger and more commercialised bakeries, can cater to more than one design and baking style. In that case, you should pick the one whom you feel can fulfill your requests the best.

While looks are important, it is not everything. Ask to sample their cakes during your consultation to decide if you love the texture and flavour profile of the cakes. The last thing you want to do is to compromise on the flavour in favour of its design, and serve your guests a slice of unappetising cake.

Feature Image from Wheeler’s Estate’s Elegant English Garden Wedding Styled Shoot.

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