November 8, 2012

Q & A: How Much Cake Do We Order?


What's up Thursday? What's up? That was to the tune of Sir Mix-a-lot's Jump On It. No? Well anyway it is Thursday which means almost the weekend. Next week is going to be pretty amazing on Lovebird Productions. It may include a few new how-to videos. Just maybe.

Now on to Q & A Thursday!

Q. My fiance and I are starting to do a few cake tastings at our favorite bakeries. My only concern is I do not know how much cake to order. Can you help?

A. Of course I can help! Oh the woes of wedding cakes. It is baffling how a detail like cake can be stressful. What flavor do you pick? What type of frosting is best? How many tiers do you need?

Let me just stop you right now because cake tasting and the overall decision should be one thing you truly enjoy. You get to eat cake. You get to eat lots of cake. Let me encourage you in enjoying this piece of the wedding planning process. Yes, other things may be difficult along the way but enjoy the cake. You can have your cake and eat it too. How many times can you say that?

When it comes to picking your cake, there are so many different ways to go. Chocolate? Square? Two tiers? Fondant  Cream cheese? Smooth frosting? Forget the cake and stick with pie? Here are a few tips to help with how much cake you really need plus finding your best baker and deal:

1. Research your baker. This is so important. It can make a difference not only in your quality of cake but also your overall price.

2. Ask other brides. I am a firm believer in word of mouth referrals. Other brides have planned and conquered. Let them pass on their advice. It can really help out and make things more simple.

3. Have a guess when it comes to your guest count. When ordering your cake, the baker is going to understand that you do not have a final head count but a guesstimate allows them to tell you just how much cake you will need. We invited around 250 people and I guessed that 150 would attend. There will be various shapes and sizes to work with when it comes to people versus cake.

4. Ask questions. This point goes with any vendor you hire for your wedding day. Make sure you know exactly what you are agreeing upon. What time will they deliver the cake? Do you need to pay for the cake in full or just put down a deposit? Can they adjust the size if more guests RSVP than originally planned? Where do they store it? Do not be afraid of your thoughts. The more questions you ask, the better you feel.

5. Show them your bookmarked favorites. Whether it is a photo on your phone from Pinterest or a tear out from your must have bridal magazine, a picture is going to help your baker. It gives them direction and something to build on. A majority of bakeries also have a portfolio on hand. They will be able to take a certain thing you like from one cake and add that to another photo that you like. Get creative!

6. Order a bit less than what the baker recommends. Now I am not saying order half of their recommendation but I could have easily gone done a small tier. Not all guests are going to eat a piece. Also bakers have a round about amount for how much your ideal cake can serve i.e. a three tier cake can serve anywhere between 80-120 guests. That is a wide range. Let them know your budget and expectations.

I hope this helps and good luck cake tasting! For more lovely little cake related posts like how to cut your cake or how to even get started on picking your cake design click here and here. Happy Thursday!

1 comment:

I would love to hear from you! Let's encourage one another.