Plan Your Wedding Cake Tasting

Begin your wedding cake tasting by booking appointments with bakeries and by researching cake design and flavors that you like. Bring pictures and ideas of wedding cake designs and flavors that you like to the consultation. When it is time for the tasting, make sure to eat beforehand, taste the elements separately and ask the baker questions. Remember to take notes so you can compare and contrast each bakery before you make a decision and sign a contract.

Steps

Booking the Appointment

1. Nail down the wedding details first. Before you begin researching bakeries, you should have your wedding venue, guest count, wedding date and time, and your wedding design (flower arrangements and colors) already set. Knowing these details will enable you and your baker to plan a wedding cake that fits your wedding vision.
2. Look for bakeries. Ask married friends or family members about reputable bakeries in your area. Also, identify wedding cakes you have eaten and enjoyed in the past, and try to contact the bakery that made the cake. You can also search for bakeries in your local area online. Make a list of two or three bakeries that you are interested in.
3. Set up an in-person consultation. Do this by calling the bakeries on your list. When you set up the appointment, ask the bakery if there is a tasting fee and how the fee will be applied. Also, let the bakery know the number of people that will be attending the tasting.
   • Make sure to ask if there are any additional fees if you decide to bring extra people along.
   • You should schedule your consultation six months before your wedding date.
4. Space out your tastings. Try to avoid booking all of your appointments in one day or one weekend. Instead, space out your tastings over a couple of weeks. This way, you can avoid overloading your taste buds and make a better decision.

Brainstorming Cake Ideas

1. Research cake designs. Look for inspirational wedding cake designs online. Choose and save pictures of designs that you like. Bring these pictures with you to the tasting. You can also browse the baker’s portfolio to get more ideas.
   • When browsing cake designs, keep in mind the size and shape of the venue, as well as your budget. For example, if your wedding is in a big venue, you may want a tiered cake.
   • Remember that the bigger the cake and the more ornate the design is, the more expensive the cake will be.
2. Brainstorm flavor combinations. Identify flavor combinations that you have already tried and liked, for example, lemon cake and raspberry filling. Also browse the bakeries' menus and identify flavor combinations that you would like to try. Write the flavor combinations down and bring the list with you to the bakery when you go to your tasting.
3. Decide what kind of frosting you want. When you are doing this, make sure to consider the time of day your wedding will take place at, as well as the season. For example, because buttercream frosting has a low melting point, you may want to choose a different type of frosting if your wedding will be outside during the summer.
   • Buttercream, fondant, and cream cheese icing are common wedding cake icings.
4. Adorn your wedding cake. Think about how you would like your cake to be decorated. Many wedding cakes are adorned with flowers or fresh fruit. Additionally, if you have an heirloom or a vintage cake topper, make sure to let your baker know so they can incorporate it into the design.
   • For example, many wedding cake designs incorporate a cascade of fresh or sugar flowers.
   • Instead of flowers, you can have an ornate design piped on the cake.

Tasting the Cakes

1. Bring a helpful person along. Because they know the details of your wedding intimately, your wedding planner is a great person to bring along with you to your cake tasting. You could also bring along a family member or friend who understands your wedding day vision.
   • If you decide to bring an additional person to the tasting, choose a supportive person who will let you make the ultimate decision.
2. Eat beforehand. If you go to your cake tasting on an empty stomach, then it will be harder to choose flavors because everything will taste good. Going when you are not hungry will enable you to actually taste the cake, filling, and frosting flavors and decide which ones you like best.
   • Eating cake while you are hungry may also cause you to feel sick.
3. Taste things separately. Make sure to taste the cakes, fillings and frostings separately. This way you can get a better idea of how things taste and what you like and dislike. Once you have tasted everything separately, then try different combinations of the elements that you like.
   • Additionally, when tasting the cakes, begin with the lighter cakes and end with the heavier cakes.
4. Take notes and ask questions. Take note of cake, filling and frosting combinations that you like. Also take note of the flavors the bakery can and cannot offer. This way you can compare and contrast each bakery after you have finished all of your tastings. Additionally, make sure to ask the baker important questions so you can make an informed decision before you sign a contract. Ask the baker:
   • “When will the cake be made?”
   • “Do you deliver and if you do, when will it be delivered and what is the delivery fee?”
   • “What specific ingredients are used in the cake, filling and frosting?”
   • “How much do decorations cost, and what is the price difference between a tiered and sheet cake?”

Sources and Citations

See also

• Work for a Wedding Planner
• Be a Great Groom
• Be a Wedding Planner
• Choose a Wedding Chapel in Gatlinburg, Tennessee
• Stop Your Parents from Controlling Your Wedding Plans
• Choose a Rustic Wedding Dress
• Avoid Buying a Counterfeit Wedding Gown
• Accommodate Wedding Guests with Dietary Restrictions
• Set Up a Wedding Escort Card Table
• Choose Elegant Wedding Decor

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