Wedding Cakes

So you're getting married?

Congratulations!

One of the most creative and unique ways a bride can express her personality and imagination is through a truly exqusite wedding cake. Something that will suit the theme and "feel" of this special, once-in-a-lifetime occasion.

Choosing the perfect wedding cake design can take a lot of thought and research.

The following are some things to keep in mind:

Start planning early! A wedding cake should be ordered about 6 months in advance (this will differ with suppliers, especially popular ones, so have your ideas narrowed down by then.) You will also probably have to pay a deposit on ordering, and the final amount before the wedding.

Look around at all kinds of different design ideas. There is a wealth of information and cake picture galleries online, which makes gathering design ideas easy. Or you can visit the premises of various designers/suppliers.

Keep in mind that the more unusual or intricate your wedding cake is, the more you will probably have to pay for it. Wedding cakes can be quite expensive, so do shop around. Be wary of "too cheap" as you may get what you pay for, but then not necessarily does the most expensive mean you will get better than someone who charges less.

You can get some really good deals with smaller designers/suppliers who operate from home, with an online presence for advertising and ordering, and don't have excessive overheads of staff and office space to cover.

Ask friends and family for recommendations. Don't forget considering the kindly neighbour, or your old Aunty, who is a whiz at cake decoration... if you're lucky enough to have one!

How many guests are you expecting? Is the wedding cake the main dessert item, or is it basically a traditional memento? For a dessert piece allow about 5cm square for each guest, otherwise 2.5cm should be sufficient.

Many brides still like to follow the tradition of keeping the small upper layer to be cut on the first anniversary, so if you are planning multi layers, you may wish to do this. Miniature matching cakes can also be made for this purpose, or for extra special guests to take home.

Do you want a wedding cake in the traditional sense, or would you like a multi cup cake style, or profriteroles, or something else again? You don't necessarily have to go with what is "traditional".

What about wedding cake flavour? Maybe you'd like the traditional fruit cake, especially if you want to keep it for some time, but maybe you'd like something different. You can choose almost anything- depending on what the particular supplier will make- so maybe you'd prefer a chocolate cake, lemon and poppy, carrot, mud cake, sponge, cheesecake, filled cake... or whatever you fancy! And you could choose to have different layers made of different cake too, to suit multiple tastes.   Sometimes a couple will also have a groom's cake, which is typically of a different cake type to the main wedding cake.

Icings and fillings can provide a wide choice of individuality too. You don't have to stick to marzipan (almond paste) covered with royal icing. Buttercreams, assorted chocolate coatings and chocolate swirls, toffees, exotic fruit fillings... delights for the taste buds! Icing colour choice can be as wide as your imagination. Some brides match the colour of their wedding dress, or their bridesmaids dresses, or use highlights of these colours. Sugar flowers, lacework etc can add glamour.

Do you want to go with a traditional round or square shaped wedding cake? Or maybe you'd like hexagonal, or oval, or diamonds? Or you could choose a fancy sculpted cake, of a fantasy design, or representing something that is special to you. Maybe you are both dedicated footy supporters who met at a match, so might like a cake decorated in your teams colours in the shape of a football? Perhaps a cake shaped like a fairytale castle, to represent the magic of your future lives together? Or a musical instrument, for a music lover couple?

What about the cake decoration? A traditional bride and groom- or a humorous animal character couple? Or a graceful swan? A replica of your future house? A mini boquet, identical to the bride's boquet? A cascade of sugar, chocolate, silk, or real flowers? Ribbons? Beading? A rainbow and fluffy clouds? An traditional style cake from another country? A photograph or drawing transformed into an iced decoration? A family heirloom decoration in glass or crystal? It is nice to have something on the cake that can be kept as a memento forever.

Good luck on creating the wedding cake of your dreams!