Question 1

When Should You Order Wedding Cake?

Accepted Answer

Know Your Needs

If your wedding venue offers catering services, they may also be able to bake a custom cake for your wedding, so always check with your property manager before hiring an outside vendor. If, however, you learn that you're responsible for supplying your big-day dessert, research locale bakeries soon after setting the date.

Every cake baker has a different price range, visual aesthetic for decorations, and available flavour options, so finding one that checks all of your boxes may take some digging. If you're having difficulty narrowing down the options, schedule a cake tasting session at each contender and vote on the best-tasting baked good.

Estimate Size

Since you'll likely have to order your cake before you receive your final RSVPs, you'll have to provide your baker with an idea of how large you'll need your cake to be. For example, if you've invited 150 guests, give your pro that information.

Most will say you can order a cake large enough to feed about 75 per cent of your guest list since several attendees won't take a slice, but this number will vary from barker to baker. If you know that you want to serve a five-tiered treat regardless of how many guests attend, relay that information early.

Place the Order

Most bakeries suggest placing your wedding cake order about six months before your big day. Some smaller bakeries fill their reservations fast, especially during peak wedding season, so booking early will ensure you won't run into scheduling conflicts.

This will also give you sufficient time to schedule a consultation, choose your preferred flavour, and nail down the design. If you're getting married during the off-season, the timeline can be more flexible; you probably won't run into any issues ordering a cake two or three months in advance.

Also, keep in mind that you'll likely need to put down a non-refundable deposit (usually around 50% of the total price) to hold your reservation after booking.

Question 2

Do People Eat Cake at a Wedding?

Accepted Answer

Pro: You Need Just One Dessert Option.

If you're planning to get a wedding cake that's large enough to feed all of your guests, then it's okay to offer just one dessert option. This can be a money saver, depending on how large your guest count is and how you choose to have your cake decorated.

Con: Not Everyone Likes Cake.

When there's only one dessert option, there's a good chance you do not please everyone's palate. Whether they don't love the flavours you've chosen or detest cake in general, not everyone at the party will choose to eat your dessert. Only about 50-60% of guests will grab a slice when the cake is offered.

Pro: You Can Still Mix Flavours.

Most bakers allow couples to choose two or more flavours for a traditional tiered wedding cake, so you can still offer a variety of options to guests without splurging on a full dessert table. Another option would be to order a cake in one flavour, then offer other options in sheet cakes cut in the kitchen. No one will know the difference.

Con: Guests May Not Get What They Want.

If your cake contains two flavours-say, chocolate and vanilla-you will undoubtedly have guests who don't receive the flavour they want. They can usually swap with someone nearby or ask the waitstaff for an alternative slice, but this could do more work for your vendors in the end.

Pro: You Can Do the Math.

Because ordering wedding cake is a science, you can be very specific with the quantity of cake you're ordering. That means you're able to purchase just enough for each guest.

Con: There Will Probably Be Leftovers.

Yes, you can order the right size cake for your guest count, but that doesn't mean it will all get eaten. You could still end up with a lot of cake wasted if many guests choose not to grab a slice.

Pro: You Can Make Dessert Into Its Course.

If you love the idea of a formal, seated four-course meal, serving wedding cake at the table helps make it possible without too much-added expense.

Con: it Will Be a Long Meal.

Guests tend to get antsy when they've been sitting for too long at a wedding, so many will get up and start wandering around while the cake is being served. If the dance floor isn't going at this point, it could be awkward in the timeline where guests don't know what to do with themselves.

Question 3

What to Know About Wedding Cakes?

Accepted Answer

They Were Originally a Symbol of Fertility.

Wedding cakes have been steeped in tradition since medieval times. Originally they were made with only wheat (a symbol of fertility and prosperity) and thrown at the bride. Eventually, they became edible, although they were broken over the bride's head as a symbol of breaking the bride's virginity and the groom's dominance over her. (Was this the forerunner for smashing the cake into one's face?)

Wedding Cake Crumbs Were Kept Under Pillows.

Fortunately, as cakes became larger, this tradition disappeared. During the 17 century, wedding cakes were simple tiered plum cakes. During this time, the wedding cakes crumbs were often found under pillows of single attendees, hoping to dream of future spouses.

They Are Based on a Church.

In 1703 a man named Thomas Rich, a baker's apprentice, fell in love with his employer's daughter and asked her to marry him. He wanted to make an extravagant cake, so he drew on St Bride's Church in London (see photo on the right) for inspiration.

Originally, such cakes were reserved for royalty only. Today, with pillars and hardened icing, it is not unusual to see five-tiered cakes, although Kim Kardashian had to have eight (see the image above — it cost $20,000!) However, three-tiered cakes seem to be more in vogue; the bottom for the reception, the second layer for sharing and the third layer to keep for the first anniversary.

They represent the first task that a pair does in public as a married couple.

By the 19th century, cutting the wedding cake became the symbol of the first task that the wedding pair did jointly as a married couple. Then came the tradition of feeding a piece to one another, a symbol of the commitment of the newly married that they could provide for each other. This was supposed to be a romantic gesture, showing love and affection.

Wedding Cakes Are Not Always White.

It is not necessary to have a white wedding cake, another traditional symbol of purity. In contemporary times, brides coordinate their cakes with colour schemes and textures (laces, ruffles, etc.) of their wedding apparel. Cakes have different tiers of hues, usually darker to lightest. Real flowers, leaves or fruit can adorn the tops. Other tops have stencilled scenes or portraits of the bridal couple.

Question 4

How Do I Choose a Wedding Cake Baker?

Accepted Answer

Stick to Your Style

Wedding cakes are special snowflakes. They come in many different shapes and sizes and can be customised to fit your big day to a T. Knowing the wedding theme and colour palette of your wedding will help you tremendously when searching for your ideal wedding cake baker.

Remember, they are like artists who wield piping bags instead of paintbrushes. Like Picasso and Matisse, each has its unique style, and you'll want to find one that suits the style of your big day. Of course, you want your wedding cake design to stand out, but you don't want it to clash with the rest of the party.

Do Some Research

You don't want to settle for less than perfection, so kicking off your hunt with a little research is a must. We have a handy search tool that'll give you a peek into the portfolios of wedding cake vendors from the Maritimes to the west coast.

In this phase of the process, Instagram is also your friend - check out popular hashtags specific to your area (i.e., #weddingcakestoronto). If you've got some time on your hands, going to a wedding show never hurts! You'll get to see a bunch of options IRL and maybe even do a bit of tasting.

Read Reviews and Ask Around

The next step is getting some verbal or written reviews. While checking out a baker's portfolio will get you acquainted with their style, you won't glean much else from photos. You'll want to look for insights on delivery times and methods, how helpful they were for the entire process and if the cake was as tasty as it looked in pictures.

Alternatively, if you were treated to a particularly good slice of cake at a pal's wedding, don't be shy about asking for their baker's info. There's no need to put in extra work if you already know and love a specific baker's cake.

Give Them a Follow

As I mentioned above, Instagram is your friend when hunting for a wedding cake baker. When you've found one or two that you love, throw them a follow. Scrolling through their highlight reel will help give you some ideas for your cake.

Get in Touch

Once you've narrowed it down to a handful of skilled wedding cake bakers, you should consider reaching out. Yes, getting in touch with a stranger is sometimes uncomfortable, but you'll have to bite the bullet if you want them to craft you your dream wedding cake.

If you've found them using the WeddingWire vendor tool, you can reach out to them with the click of a few buttons (just click the "request pricing" button, and you can add a comment with further questions). We've drawn up a template, so you know just what to say.

Question 5

What Type of Cake Is Best for Weddings?

Accepted Answer

Red Velvet

Appropriately named for its deep red colour, red velvet cake is the perfect hue to represent love and romance on your wedding day. Its flavour is not quite chocolaty yet not quite vanilla either. Instead, it is rich and smooth and is frequently paired with cream cheese frosting.

Chocolate

With so many different levels of richness and options for flavour pairings, chocolate remains one of the most popular wedding cake flavours of the year. What typically is a childhood favourite can be elevated to a sophisticated level when mixed with flavour accents such as mint, orange and strawberry. Indulge in richness with chocolate fudge, or lighten the flavour by choosing a German chocolate cake.

White Chocolate With Raspberry

Combining the sweet richness of white chocolate with the tart fruitiness of raspberry is a winning combination that is soaring in popularity in 2014. Whether it's a raspberry jam, raspberry cream or fresh raspberry filling, this delicious pairing is a refreshing take on the traditional chocolate flavoured cakes.

Lemon

Light and tangy lemon cakes are one of the most popular flavour trends of the year. This citrus flavour is perfect for a spring wedding and is a great choice for couples who don't want a too heavy and rich cake. Instead, pair with raspberries or strawberries and whipped cream for a tasty fruity blend, or stick to lemon buttercream frosting to complete the cake.

Vanilla

You can't go wrong with plain vanilla, and many couples are choosing to go with tradition with a vanilla wedding cake in 2014. This is one of the most basic cakes and can be kept simple with vanilla frosting, or it can be dressed up any way you like with essentially any frosting, filling or fruit. It's an excellent base for more exotic and fun flavours, so if you're thinking about trying something out that may not necessarily be a crowd-pleaser, using a vanilla cake as a base is a good compromise.

Coconut and Lime

Channel the tropics with this tasty flavour combo that is reminiscent of an island vacation. Rich and creamy coconut cake combined with a tangy and tart lime filling or frosting are a match made in heaven. Perfect for those wanting a sweet and rich cake without having to choose from the chocolate flavour family.

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