Designing your unique wedding cake
I firmly believe that designing your wedding cake should be one of the most enjoyable parts of your wedding planning journey! Here I'll share with you some of the key parts of the process that I go through in the planning stages of creating your unique wedding cake. If you've got your wedding date confirmed and you're starting to think about your dream wedding cake, hopefully this will give you some inspiration and food for thought.
Gathering ideas
Some couples have a clear plan for their wedding cake design from the get-go, but it's also common to meet couples who don't, and are looking for a flash of cake inspiration! At the first face-to-face meeting or chat over the phone, I start by asking couples about their plans for their wedding day and if they have a particular style in mind, and try and draw out how this reflects both their personalities. Couples might have started a mood board or noted down some things that they're drawn to for inspiration, such as a particular flower, or place that is special to them.
After the initial info-gathering, we can start defining all the glorious little details that make the cake special and unique to your day. Smooth or textured buttercream? Tumbling wild flowers and grasses, or colour co-ordinated flowers in neat posies? Will you have seasonal fruit incorporated into your decoration? I love getting into the little details of a design - it’s one of the best parts of my job!
We'll also consider the important practicalities that will have an impact on your final choice of cake, and can't be overlooked! Factors such as the air temperature, what time of day your cake is being served and how long it's on display for, dietary requirements of your guests, how far it has to travel (the list goes on!), will all have a bearing on the final design. With over a decade of experience of making wedding cakes, I'll be able to advise you across all these areas, and create a cake that fits beautifully with your day.
A wedding cake consultation
Not everyone wants to or needs to have a cake consultation, but it's lovely for me to be able to meet couples in person and chat about their special day over a cuppa. It really helps to get a feel for the couple's personal style, and vibe of a wedding. I am also happy to chat over the phone to fit around your commitments - life is busy when you're planning a wedding! Having a consultation is great if you're not sure what kind of cake you want, or if you have lots of ideas and need help narrowing them down! Consultations typically last 45 mins-1 hour, and can include a tasting box to sample at the consultation, or take home afterwards.
The tasting box!
Now for my favourite part - the eating of cake! With my tasting boxes you can choose four flavours from my delicious wedding cake menu to enjoy at home. My wedding cake menu is available on request, and includes favourites such as Carrot, pecan & orange cake with fresh orange buttercream, and Raspberry & white chocolate sponge with fresh raspberry puree buttercream. I can also create bespoke flavours to add an extra personal touch; maybe adding your favourite local tipple to the filling, or encorporating a flower that has a special meaning to your relationship.
A tasting box to share at home is a great way to involve family and friends in the experience.
Couples sometimes get family and friends involved in cake-tasting to help with the final important decision (my portions are generous!). In the box, tasting notes postcards will be provided to note down your thoughts, so you can remember which flavours stood out for you. Tasting boxes can be ordered for £30, by email or phone (please order with at least 2 weeks notice when booking your tasting box).
A few wedding cake FAQ's…
How far in advance should we order our wedding cake from you? I absolutely love getting advanced notice! It really helps so much with my planning and ordering of materials. My answer would be to give as much notice as possible. Couples getting married on a weekend in peak wedding season (May - August) usually contact me around 12 months in advance to avoid disappointment. If your organisation style is more last-minute, I can often fit in weekday and non-peak season weddings with far less advance notice, so it's always worth checking my availability!
Can you deliver our wedding cake? Yes! I’m usually able to deliver wherever you need me within the UK. I charge a mileage charge of £1 per mile. I strongly recommend adding delivery to your order if you have a large or tiered cake as there are quite a few things that can go wrong during the transportation of wedding cakes if you don't have the proper set up and experience! Quite often with a large cake it is necessary for me to stack and set it up at the venue to add last minute flowers and ensure that it looks its best and is clear from direct sunlight, heat sources etc. You’d be surprised how many venues automatically put the cake table in front of a hot radiator, or next to a window on a meltingly hot day!
What if I don't want a tiered wedding cake? I can whip up many alternatives to a tiered (stacked) wedding cake if that isn't your thing. You might want to opt for a dessert table style, stacked with brownies, slices and cupcakes. You could go for a single, large cake, or a trio of cakes that are arranged separately rather than in tiers. Or a combination of all of the above, there are many delicious possibilities!
Can you put non-edible flowers on our wedding cake? I personally do not recommend putting fresh, non-edible flowers and foliage on cakes as contact with the flowers/plants can pose a safety risk to the guests who will be eating the cake. I prefer to use only edible, organically grown flowers from my own garden or a trusted local grower to ensure that nothing harmful has been in contact with the cake flowers and foliage. Sacha at The Floral Potager has a huge selection of flowers of all colours, both fresh and dried, and we frequently work together to come up with something to suit all cakes in all seasons. I am very happy to work with your florist to come up with cake flower arrangements and make sure that you and your guests have the best experience!
If you would like to chat with me about your wedding cake ideas, please drop me an email to info@rowantreebakery.co.uk or give me a call - I look forward to hearing from you!