The selection of your wedding cake vendor should be one of the most enjoyable parts of wedding planning. Who wouldn’t love to partake in the cake tasting session?!
Here’s what you’ll need to know when looking for a wedding cake vendor.
You should start your search early, with the goal of selecting your cake vendor about 3 or 4 months before your wedding. Get references from friends, family, or other vendors and read newlywed reviews for advice. It’s also a good idea to choose a bakery near your wedding location to decrease the chance of any damage to the cake in transit to your reception site.
Keep in mind, many venues and/or caterers charge ‘cake cutting fees’ when bringing in a cake from an outside vendor, so be sure you account for this extra charge in your budget.
When scheduling your cake tasting, you should bring photos of cakes and styles you like along with photos/color swatches of your dress, bridesmaids dresses, and wedding theme. You never know where you or the baker will find inspiration for your cake!
If given an option, choose delivery. You do not want to be responsible for transporting the cake. Once it leaves the baker’s hands, you are to blame if anything happens! Put your baker in touch with your contact from the reception venue to determine delivery time and location on the wedding day.
Your wedding contract should include the following:
- Wedding date and time and location for delivery
- Sketch and description of your cake
- Cake flavor, filling, decoration, shape, icing, color, number of people the cake is to feed
- Deposit and payment information
- Any items or services the baker will be providing
- If you choose fresh flowers to decorate your cake, determine who is responsible for placing them on the cake (baker or florist)
- Flavour of choice
- Who is in charge of delivering the cake to the venue
Finally, ask if your baker will make you an anniversary cake in one year so you do not have to eat old wedding cake on your anniversary!