Don’t lose your mind over choosing a wedding cake. Getting through the planning process can be challenging and stressful, but it is full of excitement, too. The key is knowing what to do. Gather your inspiration, set your budget, and seek out trusted local bakers for tastings, flavors, and design ideas. Most importantly, start early and bring your vision to life.
If you are planning a wedding, then you know it can be such an exciting time—magical, even. But you’d likely be stretching the truth if you said it wasn’t overwhelming, too. There is a lot involved in making that one special day something incredible to remember. This means that even the simplest tasks, like how to choose a wedding cake, can seem much bigger than they are.
Think about it—there are so many designs, colors, flavors, fillings, and various trends to choose from. Do you have a vision for your cake? How do you bring it to life? How do you find a vendor you can trust to show up for your big day? And what should your topper look like? Don’t forget all those guests with nut allergies! Phew! This is where you stop for a moment, take in a deep breath, and exhale.
Now, let’s talk about how to choose a wedding cake without losing your mind.
Gather Your Ideas
It makes it much easier to walk into a bakery or a meeting with a cake artist when you have some ideas or direction in mind for your wedding cake. You may not know the exact flavor or have all the details, but searching through wedding websites, Pinterest, magazines, and the like can help get you started on your vision.
When doing this, it is important to take time to imagine your wedding as a whole. After all, your cake should complement the celebration and all other aspects of the big day. Knowing this should help you to have a jumping off point.
Something else to think about is your cake-cutting plan. This isn’t a moment to pass over—especially if you have always dreamt of linking arms together and offering your partner a bite in the messiest, yet satisfying way. This is the moment of love and laughter at many celebrations. Of course, others prefer to have an intimate moment or else simply cut and serve the cake without much attention. These details are important, so think them through.
Once you can gather your inspiration and have a general idea of what it is you want your wedding cake to look like, it can reduce the stress going forward.
Know Your Budget—And Guest Count
Did you know that wedding cakes can range from a couple of hundred dollars to several thousand dollars? There are a lot of factors that make up the price, but knowing your budget and how many guests your cake will need to feed in advance can narrow down your options pretty quickly. And let’s be real, that can reduce the headache.
Be open about your budget. Sometimes simplifying the design, reducing the tiers, or making other such changes can reduce the overall cost while still keeping your vision alive. You may even want to have a small cake on display for cutting while your guests are served from a sheet cake that is tucked away in the kitchen. There is a way to make your budget work.
Choose the Design To Match Your Style
Wedding cakes can look incredible, and they can become an additional eye-catching design element to your overall event. Bakers take into consideration the decor and design aspects, from the flowers and colors to your dress and the theme. So much can be incorporated into a cake, allowing it to be a perfect display of your love story for your big day.
As for the topper? This is a significant part of the wedding cake and should never be ignored. Some couples use it to have a little fun, while others keep it more serious and formal. Either way, as you work with your baker, you want to make sure that the topper you choose is the perfect size and weight for your cake.
Do Not Underestimate the Power of Taste
While having a stunning cake can be important for aesthetic reasons, it is the taste that most people will want to remember. So, you need to prioritize taste and quality. Discuss the ingredients and process with your baker. Are there quality ingredients used? Is the cake made fresh or frozen and thawed? How far in advance of the wedding will it be made?
You want your cake to look beautiful and taste delicious, so be sure to work with a vendor who makes taste and quality a priority, and then schedule a tasting. There is a good chance that they will ask you about some of your favorite flavors so that they may put some samples together. Take the time to think about what it is you like so that you can share this information.
The possibilities for flavor are endless. Aside from traditional vanilla and chocolate, you have lavender, lemon, raspberry, caramel, and so much more to choose from. The best part? You don’t just have to settle on one flavor. If you are getting a tiered cake, you may be able to get a different flavor for each. Remember, this is your day.
Logistics Are Key
Once you have the ideas, the baker, the perfect taste, and a design that truly matches your wedding vibe, the next big step is figuring out how you are going to get it from point A to point B without any mishaps.
This is something that you need to discuss in detail with your cake artist so that there is no confusion once the big day arrives. A few questions to ask include:
- Do you deliver the cake?
- Is there a delivery fee?
- Do you set up the cake table and display?
Discuss the plan and then confirm it again just before the wedding. Then, delegate someone to oversee the cake’s arrival and setup. This will give you confidence that your cake will be displayed with elegance while you turn your focus to other things that need your attention.
When to Go Cake Shopping
Now that you have a better understanding of all that is involved in wedding cakes, when should you start planning? One thing’s for sure, this isn’t something you want to leave for the last minute.
An ideal timeline is reaching out to bakers about six to nine months before your wedding—maybe even a little sooner if you are getting married during peak season in Rhode Island. The best of the best cake artists will book up fast, so allow yourself time to meet them, have your tasting, talk about your vision, and make plans to move forward.
A wedding cake is not just another cake, so you don’t want it to be rushed. Start your shopping early.
Find a Cake Artist You Can Trust
A quick search online will give you a list of bakers that can create the dessert for your big day. But how do you know whom to trust or whether or not they can truly bring your vision to life? If you have never gone through this experience before, knowing whom to have confidence in can be scary.
Take it slow and get to know your cake artist. Read reviews, get referrals, and listen to what they have to say. Learn about who they are and the passion behind why they do what they do. Share your thoughts on the design, but find someone you feel comfortable giving the reins to—someone who can include their creative input and suggestions as the expert.
Narrow Your Search with REEL Vendor Network
Whether this is your first time doing the wedding planning or you are unfamiliar with the Rhode Island wedding scene, finding the perfect bakery and cake artist for such a special day can be overwhelming.
Thankfully, REEL Vendor Network understands this and has simplified the process, saving you lots of time and aggravation. They make it easy to connect couples with trusted local vendors who are highly rated and trusted in the industry. They offer a variety of styles and can meet many different demands to make your wedding as memorable and magical as possible.
With the click of a button, the RVN platform gives you access to vetted local cake companies and experts who are able to bring your vision to life. The best part? They also link you with caterers, DJs, florists, videographers, venues, and so much more.
If you are engaged to be married, start building your dream wedding vendor team in Rhode Island today with REEL Vendor Network.
Conclusion
Weddings are supposed to be a time of fun celebration, not full of stress and fatigue. Know what to ask, know where to look, and know who to trust. If you start planning early, you can rest easy knowing that you have access to the best cake artist in the area.