Amongst all of the decisions you will make when planning your wedding, designing the perfect wedding cake will be one of the sweetest but there are still lots of choices to be made especially if you go non-traditional. 

Your wedding cake is more than just a cake, it is the center of attention for your guests when they arrive at the reception hall, it will be prominent in lots of your wedding pictures, and it should have a taste that will create sweet memories.

Start planning your wedding cake with a few decisions before you visit bakers. First, you will need to have locked down the number of guests attending. Make sure you have at least one slice of wedding cake for every attendee. Second, you should have a budget to guide the baker in designing what you want and what you can afford. Third, you should have an idea of your vision, square or round, how many tiers, colors and decorations, cake toppers, and flavors. If you have seen designs you like in magazines or friends weddings, cut out the article of bring a photo of the wedding cake when you go to your baker.

There are as many choices in wedding cake flavors as there are types of wedding cakes. Most bakers can decorate any shape, type, flavor of cake you desire including traditional, chocolate, vanilla, cheesecake, fruit filled, mousse filled, or even ice cream cake. So start with a wedding cake that is special to you. If you can’t make up your mind, you can even have a different cake for each layer.

Other considerations are the type of flowers surrounding your wedding cake or on it. Do you want sugar flowers, real flowers or silk flowers? The wedding cake topper does not have to be a plastic couple, it can be anything that is special to you or perhaps a decorative piece such as a blown glass statue.

Selecting a baker requires the same cautions as selecting any other vendor for your wedding day. Choose a reputable baker, check their credentials, ask for references, and make sure every detail of what you are ordering is in the contract.  Visit a few bakeries, sample their cakes, look through their cake portfolios, and ask questions. Show them your ideas and hear how they create a picture of realizing your vision.

After you have selected your baker, work with them to design your perfect wedding cake. It is best to finish your wedding cake planning and order the cake at least three months ahead of time. The most popular bakers will book up in advance and may not be available if you delay.

TIPS:

• Place your wedding cake center stage for photos and not near a door with an exit sign hanging above it or somethingthat will ruin the photo op.

• Freeze the top tier of the wedding cake with 3 layers of plastic wrap, to lock out freezer burn.

• Eat the top layer of the wedding cake1 month after the weddings rather than 1 year after. This way if will taste like wedding cake not shoe leather.

• Make sure that if you choose to use fresh flowers on your wedding cake, they are not poisonous.