Author: Lucy

Wedding cakes are not your typical dessert. Because, first, how many times will we get the chance to plan one? If you’ve never baked or worked in the kitchen, this is probably the most invested you’ll ever be in a confection.  

This cake is also a centerpiece, towering all the other sweets on the table, and grabbing your guests’ attention effortlessly. It’s one of the most awaited parts of your special day, and depending how its set up, can even offer a wonderful backdrop for your photos.  

Most importantly, it reflects your style as a couple – minimalist, adventurous, or elegant. Your cake is personalized to fit your tastes and requirements.  

That all being said, planning can still be stressful or overwhelming. To help you feel more confident about navigating the process, we break it down into different phases, starting from a year before your wedding down to the day itself.  

Let’s talk about things you need to think about, so you can stay organized. Keep this ultimate wedding cake checklist handy, and let’s dive in! 

12+ Months Out – Start Gathering Inspiration 

Here’s one of the most exciting parts of planning a wedding cake: searching for design inspirations. You’ll never run out of options online, so hop on Pinterest or Instagram to browse options or follow wedding blogs.  

If you already have your wedding theme ironed out, you’ll want to incorporate that as you choose a design for your cake. Don’t forget your color palette and the venue vibe. You’ll want your cake to match the occasion. If you’re having a tropical or nature themed wedding, check out cakes designed with fresh florals.  

For easy browsing, start a mood board. Put together all the design samples you findin one place. This will help your cake maker understand the results you want to see and recommend a final design similar to or even better than those you found online. 

Save every image you love, regardless of its likely cost. There’s no filtering at this point. You can partner with your baker on how you can modify elements for the total cost to match your budget. 

9–12 Months Out – Research Bakers & Book Consultations 

After browsing online for inspirations, it’s time to look for a talented, reliable baker to help you bring your ideas to life. The usual starting point are search engines. Include your location, so the results are immediately filtered to nearby options.  

Make full use of resources, such as client reviews, to learn more about what people say about their service and their products. Don’t forget to check out their portfolio, too. Not just the images they’re sharing on their website, but those shared by their clients as well. This will give you a transparent perspective of how they handle their deliveries and how satisfied their recipients are. 

Once you’ve found multiple candidates that ‘get your style’, try to narrow down to 2-3 potential bakers. From here, take the time to communicate with the team. See how they handle inquiries and communicate with potential clients.  

Ask the following questions:  

Are you available on our wedding date? Sought-after bakers get booked fast. Confirm if they’ll be able to accommodate you. 

Do you offer delivery and setup? Delivering wedding cakes isn’t as simple as it seems. Check if they also offer delivery so you’ll have one less thing to worry about. While at it, see if they also offer presentation assistance.  

What’s your pricing structure? Find out how they charge fees for cake orders and if they can customize a design based on your budget.  

Do you have a minimum order? See if they have minimum required quantities for orders, especially if you’re planning to use them for the rest of your wedding reception desserts. 

6–9 Months Out – Cake Tasting Time! 

And now we’ve come to the most delicious part of the planning – the cake tasting! Your wedding cake should be as delicious as it looks. After all, it’s made to be enjoyed! While it can double as a stunning decor, it should deliver too as it’s probably the most expensive cake you’ll ever buy. So, how do these tastings go? Let’s break it down! 

Schedule tastings with your top choices. Take your partner with you because you’ll want their opinion counted, too. 

What to bring:  

Your mood board. If you loved everything you tried and are happy with how communication is going, then it wouldn’t hurt to pull up your mood board and share it with the team.  

Venue info. Cakes cannot be displayed indoor or outdoor in warm temperature. Your baker has to know when you’re planning the wedding and where the reception will be held, so they can strategize or recommend options accordingly.   

Estimated guest count. Will there be enough slices to go around for all your guests? Whether or not everyone can or wants to have cake, inform your baker of your estimated guest count so they can help you plan the right size. 

Questions to ask during the tasting:  

What flavors and fillings are available? See which options fit your taste, so your baker can take note of them. 

Can we mix flavors across tiers? You might be wondering if variants can be added, in case you and partner have different preferences or would like a unique wedding cake.  

Do you offer allergy-friendly or vegan options? You or your guests might have dietary requirements, so it helps to let your baker know upfront. Discuss how these specifications will affect the overall cost, so you can also set realistic expectations. 

What’s your policy on cake toppers and decor? Do they welcome toppers or decors outside of their creation? Or do they make everything in-house?  

4–6 Months Out – Finalize the Design & Book Your Baker 

You’re wedding day is in a few months. By now you’ve probably talked to your partner about which baker you’re going with. Don’t delay further, because schedules for in-demand bakers get booked quickly. Once you’re sure, make that call and book your date.  

Choose:  

Cake size and number of tiers. Let your baker know which cake size you prefer, including the number of tiers.

Flavor combinations. Share your final decision on the flavors you want incorporated in your cake.  

Decoration style. You’ll also want to let your baker know which wedding cake style you want, be it fondant, buttercream, textured, naked, etc. 

Topper and floral elements. Of course, the cake design wouldn’t be complete without the topper. Talk to your baker about your preferences. It’s best to do it early if you’re thinking of an intricate design.

Confirm:  

Price and deposit. Bakers usually require a deposit to cover any upfront costs and so you can secure your spot.

Delivery logistics. Double-check if the baker can deliver the cake to your reception venue because otherwise, you’ll need to plan for this, too. It’s understandable for them to charge extra fees, depending on the venue location.  

Setup time and contact person at the venue. You’ll be too busy to be your baker’s contact person on your big day, so as early as now, decide who they should coordinate with at the venue. It could be a family member or your wedding planner.

1 Month Out – Confirm Final Details 

Four weeks to go before your wedding. If there are any changes that will affect your cake order, be sure to update your baker.  

Double-check guest numbers. How many among those you’ve invited will make it to your special day? 

Reconfirm delivery details and time.  Even if your baker isn’t following up (they could be super busy too if it’s peak season for custom cake orders), be the first to confirm the delivery time.  

Communicate any last-minute design changes. If there’s anything you want removed or added, let them know now so you can also find out if they’re able to accommodate it.  

Make sure your venue is aware of when the cake will arrive. The cake may need to be refrigerated or kept in a cold area for a while before the cake-cutting. Let your venue know when you’re expecting the cake delivery so they can also have their staff on standby to assist. Keep in mind that others will charge extra for this, which could include the knife, utensils, and serving costs. 

Section 6: Day Of – Enjoy the Cake Moment! 

This is it! Congratulations on your big day! Before things get incredibly hectic, make sure to arrange everything. Delegation is key! 

Assign someone to check it arrives safely and is placed properly. Ideally, this should be the contact person you provided your baker.  

Have your photographer ready for the cake-cutting moment. You cannot miss those perfect shots with your custom cake. Steer clear of unsightly signages, stay away from heavy foot traffic, and look for a spot with beautiful lighting.  

If saving the top tier, make sure it’s boxed and stored properly. It’s okay to save the top tier for you and your other half to indulge in the day after. Arrange for a storage to ensure it’s secure for transport.  

Pro tip: If serving a dessert table as well, consider how the cake will be sliced and served. Should you enlist the help of the venue admin or your catering team? Decide what makes sense based on your program, the flow of traffic, or the space layout. Don’t leave anything to assumptions. You could end up knife-less or without a dedicated spot for your cake. Yes, we’ve seen this happen! 

With early planning and a reliable baker, you can make the wedding cake process stress-free! 

We’ve seen it from personal experience. Planning, ordering, designing, and delivering wedding cakes don’t have to be a frustrating experience. It can be enjoyable, too!  

We’re all for making these moments count, because sometimes, it’s the stories during the preparation phase that are sweeter to look back to. 

If you need more ideas to help you nail your wedding cake, refer to our post about flavor inspirations and cake trends. You’re welcome to reach out to us if you have more questions. We hope this checklist helps, and again, congratulations!  

They say your wedding cake is one of your most distinguished guests on your big day. 

It’s the center of attention (heavily-photographed at that), and even has its own table. Plus, guests are likely to talk about how it tastes long after the occasion. 

So for your custom cake, what should you keep in mind? You might have had a lot of design inspirations saved, but how do you narrow down your choices? What’s the perfect cake for the bride and the groom? 

Here are a few factors to take into account and discuss with your cake designer.

Set a baseline for your budget.

Like any other aspect of your wedding, you don’t want to overspend on your cake. Yes, you want it to be delightful, but that doesn’t mean you can’t set a budget for it. Instead of thinking about a specific price, consider setting a range. When you reach out to cake designers, let them know immediately what budget you have in mind. This will help them recommend suitable choices, all while considering your specific requirements. 

Search trusted local pastry chefs.

Look into highly-rated wedding cake bakers in your area. What designs do they specialize in? What flavors do they offer? Don’t limit your search to cake designs you initially like. Try to check as many types as possible, as there may be other options that fit your requirements and budget limitations better. There might be choices you haven’t seen before, but are also worth considering.

Think about your wedding style.

Of course, it’s important to think about the details present in your wedding. What’s your color palette? Can you think of special flowers or meaningful items that can be incorporated into the cake design? What prominent elements or decors in your event set-up – flowers, shapes, patterns, or bows? Your baker can use these elements to make your cake uniquely yours.

Consider your favorite flavor.

While there are cake designers that are open to using different flavors, you might want to go for a single flavor. And that boils down to your personal favorite. When you’re offering too many options, one might run out fast, while some may be barely touched. So instead, consider sticking to what you love the most, and sharing that with your guests. 

Still undecided? That’s okay! Your baker can help.

You might want to go for unusual cake designs – a tiered tower of macarons, cupcakes, or doughnuts. 

Or a naked cake that comes without an icing layer, allowing you to see the bread and fillings. The advantage with these cake styles is that they’re easier to eat. There’s no need for knives and grabbing a portion is less intimidating. 

The perfect wedding cake is different for every couple. That’s because it should reflect what the bride and groom like. While you can’t help but think about your guests – their flavor preferences and dietary requirements, for example – it can become too stressful to worry about all these at the same time. 

Put your preferences first, and perhaps talk to your baker about how you can offer other dessert choices. It’s your day, after all. It’s only fitting to think about what makes you happy.

Wondering whether the extra cost for a custom cake is worth it?

We get it. Store-bought options are easily-accessible and cheaper. But there’s a reason behind that. There are also plenty of wonderful reasons why custom creation cakes tend to cost higher. 

And we’ll try to share in this post why these cakes easily beat ready-made options.

They’re works of art.

There’s no other way to describe them. Custom cakes are hand-made especially for you. 

Your baker will have to spend several hours to perfect the flavor and form that you prefer. So in terms of quality, it’s obvious these cakes are miles ahead of  mass-produced grocery products. They demand a higher level of craftsmanship to produce. 

Chances are your designer has been practicing their craft for many  years, so they can deliver any type of cake the client requests.

They also use techniques they’ve honed over time to fulfill details you want added, be it an ombre-colored surface, ornate pattern, or a multitude of shapes and scrolls. 

They’re made of high-quality ingredients.

Pastry chefs ensure that clients will be able to enjoy their order. They care about your dietary requirements and take note of potential allergens. 

They also purchase the ingredients themselves, hand picking and scrutinizing each label and supplier to ensure they’re getting only the best and freshest products. Because they know that the finished output can only be as good as its ingredients. 

They don’t settle for the cheapest item they see. Instead, they choose products whose quality they can confidently vouch for.

This commitment to excellence is reflected in each of their creations, which they only pass on to their clients once it meets their rigorous standards. 

They’re one-of-a-kind.

There’s nothing like your custom cake, and that’s one of the many reasons it’s special. 

You can have it in any design you want, and the options are endless. Your cake designer will do their best to make your vision happen. And it’s hard not to take photos as a souvenir once you see the end results. 

The cake’s presence itself makes your event even more memorable. You’re not only celebrating your special day, you’re also putting the spotlight on local bakers and cake artists.

Each purchase you make helps support small businesses in your area.

Have you ever had a dress or any type of clothing custom-tailored for you? 

You probably didn’t go to a ready-to-wear shop because you’re certain you will not find what you need there. Your seamstress, on the other hand, will take the time to discuss your specific requirements. 

They’ll dedicate their expertise, so in the end, you’ll have an outfit that fits right and satisfies your checklist. Knowing this, you’ll be happy to spend more than you usually do on store-bought clothes.

The same goes with custom cakes. These creations go beyond the idea of having a typical dessert for your event. Every detail is meticulously sculpted, so it’s well worth the investment. 

The cake takes the center stage and will be remembered long after your celebration. 

So, what’s your dream custom wedding cake design? Still looking for inspirations?

Try checking out Pinterest or even Instagram to get started, and share what you find with your cake designer.