The reception may be all about securing a marquee hire for your Surrey venue, arranging chairs and tables, and then decorating the entire space, but the real centrepiece is undoubtedly the cake. However, where do you even start when it comes to picking the cake for the most important day of your life? With taste, style and finding the best supplier, all the while keeping every guest happy, it can be a tricky one, but the Metro have 10 tips to help you through the process.
- First up, it’s easy to rule out anything that you or your partner don’t want. A real aversion to a particularly cake whether that’s chocolate, fruit or sponge, is a good place to start. Also, think about any food intolerances or dietary requirements. You won’t be able to accommodate everyone at the wedding, but it can be a safer bet to avoid an ingredient like nuts so that no one’s at risk for a potentially disastrous evening.
- It’s never too early to start to think about the cake, so when you know you’re getting married, get in touch with bakeries to see how long a lead time is required in order that you can have a tasting with them. Leave it too late and it will feel like a rush job, and nobody wants to miss out on a cake tasting, right?
- When it comes to nailing the visual, the bakery may have some examples of previous cakes, but in general, it’s up to you to let them know what you want for your scheme. Take to Pinterest, Instagram and your favourite wedding blogs to start to build p some inspiration. Take elements from different cakes for a new and original design.
- You need to consider how your visual choices will affect taste and longevity. Naked cakes, for example, will go stale quicker, and if you’ve got a summer wedding, just be aware that if you end up with a really hot day, anything that can melt, like chocolate, could be a risk.
- When it comes to choosing a baker, see if your wedding venue comes with a preferred supplier first. These will have often catered a number of weddings at the venue, so you have a certain level of quality guaranteed
- If you have a certain, special baker in mind, consider how close they are to your venue. Some charge for travel time, while of course the further a cake has to travel, the more chance of a problem occurring en route.
- Keep more than one option for bakers in mind. If your dream supplier can’t do what you have your heart set on, it’s unfortunately time to put them on the discard pile and look into another supplier in the area.
- Testimonials are key. Not only will you get an idea of the real quality, but how easy the bakery is to work with.
- We’ve already discussed tastings, so don’t miss out on this. Some will do this face to face, while others will send a box over to you at home.
10. If you need to compromise on flavours, then why not consider changing the tiers up? Most bakers own’t charge extra for this, and it means you can try t