What’s a wedding reception without a wedding cake? A number of metaphors come to mind, but they all state the same: a wedding cake is as important a part of your wedding as anything else, embodying the tradition and innocent fun you had designing that delicious treat and enjoying the reaction of your guests.
Professionally made or “grandma’s little bakery”?
When it comes to the wedding cake, there is a Sophie’s choice between the two options: homemade or professionally made. There is no right or wrong answer here, as everything depends on how much time you have and how good you (or your friends/relatives etc) are at baking a cake of such a significant size. Remember that this is not the case when the taste matters more than the way your cake looks, both factors are very important.
If you do have someone willing to take on that responsible task, such as your grandmother owning a secret family recipe, don’t hesitate to say yes to the generous offer. However, if you have very specific requirements to that cake, it’s best to get professional help and order the pastry from a bakery. Professional bakeries have all the equipment necessary to make your cake a real piece of artwork. Besides, the variety of options they offer is overwhelming: it’s pretty much anything that comes to your inventive mind, also something that a home decorator will have a whole lot of trouble executing.
When to order the cake?
Although it does not take weeks to make a cake, reserving a certain date when you need it done is important (especially if the place is popular). The first step is visiting the place (making an appointment is preferable to be sure you are attended to properly) and deciding which taste, flavor, texture and style of the cake you prefer. There are multi-tiered cakes that come in all kinds of shapes and thicknesses, leaving plenty of room for imagination. You could have your cake’s style harmonized with that of the wedding or come up with something else. It’s important to know your budget when you order the cake and reserve the date, as that way you will know if you can afford a more exquisite design or go with a simpler one.
Everyone gets a slice
No matter how beautiful your wedding cake is and how much money you spent on it, the impression will be spoilt if some guests do not get a slice. Considering that in most cases, there are last-minute guests, such a mishap needs to be avoided by planning everything properly. There are so many different styles of a wedding cake and ways of organizing it, calculating how big you need it may be tricky, but that’s just an illusion.
Based on the diameter of each tier the bakery is offering, you can calculate the size of the cake. For instance, a 10-inch pan serves thirty-six slices (two inches thick, six inches high), while a 20-inch pan serves 120 slices. It’s important to estimate more servings that there are guests, as some of them may want a second slice. Based on the standard baking pan sizes and the number of guests invited, you can order layers of different size.
Setting the scene
The table for your wedding cake is supposed to be decorated in a certain way, that way becoming a focal point of the wedding reception, so decorating the cake table is another important step to keep in mind. If your wedding cake has a certain theme, the cake table decoration should reflect it in some way. For instance, you can use the same kind of décor for both the cake and the table. Often, couples prefer roses – they go well on the cake as well as on the table, where you can simply scatter rose petals giving the whole setting a whole new romantic look. However, when using flowers, you need to remember their style should also match the decoration of the tables at which the guests are seated. Using too many different types of décor is risky unless you know exactly what you are doing.
Wedding cake pitfalls
It’s important to be ready for all kind of weather, especially since you order the cake quite early in advance. Rain, wind, hot weather and insects can all ruin your day unless you are ready for pretty much anything. Always have a backup plan in case plan A does not work because of weather r other unfortunate circumstances.
Cutting the cake
Assuming that someone will just come by and cut your cake magically, without you even noticing it, may be wrong. It’s great if this service is included into the fee of the caterer or reception site, but if it’s not, you will need to figure something out on the spot. Asking one of your friends to do it means someone will be missing the fun the ceremony is supposed to be for every guest. Surely, the best way to deal with this issue is to make sure your caterer provides cake serving knifes and will cut it when the moment comes.