I am a wedding cake decorator by profession. When you decide it is time to pick out your wedding cake, there are some questions you need to be prepared to answer. The most important to the cake shop are the date of your wedding, how many servings, and when does it need to be delivered. Those are all things that have to be scheduled ahead of time.
When is your wedding? If it is in May, June, July, or August, be prepared for cake shops to be booked up 4 to 6 months in advance. Plan early. If you think you can throw together a last minute wedding in two weeks, expect a lot of road blocks. If you have your heart set on a cake from your favorite specialty shop or bakery and procrastinate, you might end up going to Walmart.
How many guests are you inviting? How many servings do you need in your cake? Will you want to order a grooms cake as well? If you are just planning to serve a bridal cake and punch, expect almost everyone to eat cake. If you are serving a sit-down dinner, or serving hot finger foods, some of your guests will opt for the munchies instead of the cake, and you can order a smaller cake. Some couples will expect to serve all of their guests and divide the number of servings required between the bridal cake and the grooms cake. Just keep in mind that many guests will want to try both cakes, since they are usually different flavors. You don't want to run out of cake.
Where is the reception being held? And what time do you want the cake/cakes delivered? Most shops will deliver and set up your cake for you. In our shop, if the reception is in the city limits, delivery is free. If you want an out-of-town delivery, we charge $.50 a mile round trip. Those long-distance deliveries will need to be schelduled early.
What kind of cake do you want? What flavor would you like? Cakes can be traditional in design to really contemporary. Depending on your area of the country and whether you use a bakery or a specialty shop, there will be many flavors to choose from. Some will charge one price for white/vanilla cake and charge more for every other flavor available. In our shop, we offer white, chocolate, strawberry, lemon, spice, yellow or marble for the basic price. We charge more for Italian Creme, Red Velvet or Carrot. The more non-traditional or unusual your selection, expect the price to reflect that choice. Do you want buttercream icing? or something different such as whipped topping or creme cheese icing. Again, unusual or specialty icings may effect your price.
Is your wedding an outside wedding? Or will it be indoors? If your wedding cake will sit outside for an hour or so in June or July, and you have your heart set on whipped topping, you might need to change your mind. No one wants their wedding cake to melt all over the table cloth.
Most shops determine what they charge by the slice. Depending on your part of the country and whether or not you go to an in-store bakery, or a wedding specialty cake shop, you can expect to pay anywhere from $1.50 a slice to $15.00 a slice. The price will begin with your flavor choice and end with the design choice. Basic designs might include traditional scallops and ruffles, or basket weave, but anything else might adjust the price. A cake with edible fondant pearls, or fondant drapes, accents or roses will increase in price. A cake totally covered in fondant will usually cost more. The look of a fondant covered cake is exceptional, but some guests do not like the extreme sweet taste and will pick it off as they eat their cake. Another alternative is for your decorator to give you a faux fondant look using butter creme icing and a hot knife technique when she decorates. The price will be less and your guests will not pick around the fondant.
Do you want your cake decorated with fondant or gum paste flowers? Or silk or fresh flowers? Fondant and gum paste decorations need to be made in advance so this is another reason for early planning. The cake shop might agree to decorate the cake with silk flowers if you supply them ahead of time. Most shops have delivery people to deliver the cake, not decorators who can do last minute decorations on the spot. Fresh flower decorations are usually left to the florist. Be prepared to have to coordinate delivery times to suit the schedules of both the florist and the cake shop. Another reason to plan early.
How do I pick out my design? Most shops have display cakes to look at and plenty of photo albums or wedding cake books to browse through. You may bring in outside designs, look on the internet, or design it yourself. Be prepared to be flexible. The wedding cake shop has to use available sizes of baking pans, so if you are wanting a 5 tier cake and only need servings for 50, expect to have to adjust your thinking. If you want to put a round cake on top of a hexagon, on top of a square, on top of a round...expect to serve quite a lot. The wedding shop has to pick sizes that will fit on top of another cake of a different shape, while keeping in mind whether or not it will be proportionate. They are the experts. They know what will work and what will not. Take their advice. They want your cake to be as beautiful as you do. Their reputation is on the line.
If you are just browsing, or price shopping, you can go in and ask lots of questions. But when you are ready to order your wedding cake, be prepared to make a down payment. Once you give the shop "earnest" money, they will put you on their calender. You will be required to have all design decisions and payment made anywhere from one week to a month or so in advance of your wedding. If you change your mind or some unforeseen thing happens and you cancel your cake, do not expect a full refund. The wedding shop has probably turned down other potential customers to reserve your cake.
If you go to a wedding shop and bring all of your nieces and nephews, your future mother-in-law, the groom and your mother, don't expect to have a fun time. And don't expect the wedding designer to be excited to see you coming. The more people involved, the more drama or arguing that might ensue. Plan ahead. Look at lots of bridal books or designs online to pick one or two options. A wedding cake is something special to add to that once-in-a-lifetime event. It takes some thought and planning, but if you are prepared, the ordering will not be difficult. Have your mind made up, and be prepared to take their recommendations, and everything will go smoothly. Congratulations! You're getting married!