My OH has come up with a very good question. What happens at the inital meet and greets? I know obviously you'll go into more detail about when/where your big day is and go through design ideas/flavour ideas etc but how do they usually play out? Also when is the most important part of the cake deciding - the tasting of the flavours?
We also have no idea what sort of design we want so what sort of questions should we ask?
Any tips/hints/advice would be most appreciated.
xx
Every Once In a While In The Middle of an Ordinary Life
. . . Love Gives Us a Fairytale. . .
CommentAuthorGlitterfairy
Sorry not much help here as we are having cup cakes and I specifically told the lady what I wanted.
Our wedding day - 6 October 2012
CommentAuthorAmyP7
I presume you just look at pictures and get an idea what you might want and try the flavours to see what you like. I have not found someone to make my cake yet, so don't really know. Starting to panic now lol x x
CommentAuthorbarbie86
I would try to go armed with some idea of what you want: eg square/round, number of tiers, etc as well as a few style options.
The main thing that will affect price is the amount of work that goes into it: so, a completely plain cake decorated only with ribbons is going to be cheaper than one with lots of hand-made flowers, and cheaper still than one with an intricate all-over lace design.
As far as tasting goes, I will be insisting on tasting cakes on my first meeting if I like their work. For me, there is zero point going any further and even bothering to get quotes until I have tasted what they have on offer. I've been to several wedding fairs and tried several cakes, and only one was up to standard IMPO; the others were just not good. And given it's going to be eaten, for me the taste is the most important thing.
CommentAuthorLaura JaneW
Dont go with the most expensive company either or the one with the fanciest decorations! I went to a wedding fayre recently and the woman had HUNDREDS of different flavours and the cakes were SOOO fancy decorated. I tasted at least three of the flavours and they were not well made at all. Very heavy and stodgy cakes! I have went with a company online who are cheaper but the cakes they make are fab!
This woman has been recommended to me by the dress shop i got my dress from and her website / portfolio does look really welcoming/professional etc. first thing I knew not to do, as with anything really, just because it may have a hefty pricetag doesnt mean itll be worth the pennies you know.
I can actually make cakes, not amazingly but not the worst, and so many people have told me i should do our wedding cake, but i get so stressed over cupcakes / single tiers now that i could not even imagine the stress levels 1-2days before! I'd love traditional fruit cake but OH and pretty much the majority of the guests don't like fruit so it'd be a waste so would have to do mainly sponge which again can only do day before you know, so trying to venture out to the real professionals! If it tastes and looks good i'll happily pay that little bit more, but not just going to hand over my money for any old thing! We don't want anything to extravagant so that should help the price a little. x
Every Once In a While In The Middle of an Ordinary Life
. . . Love Gives Us a Fairytale. . .
CommentAuthorbarbie86
Re fruit vs sponge: we're having 3-4 tiers: top tier will be fruit as my mum likes it (and given she's paying, I think she should have the cake she likes lol) as do a couple of our other guests, but the majority don't. Bottom tier will be plain sponge with strawberry and buttercream. The next tier will be chocolate or red velvet; and if we have a 4th, the second smallest one will be lemon. That way, there's something for everyone ;-)
Also totally see where you're coming from re making your own: I really cannot bake, but even if I could, I would just get SO stressed undertaking something so major so near the wedding! I literally don't want to have anything to do in the week before apart from get plenty of 'beauty' sleep and pamper myself lol
CommentAuthorLulu1388
Yeh think we've got as far as deciding 3 tiers... thats about it haha.
Well one of this ladies flavours is sticky toffee and vanilla..... thats had me sold tbh! and everyone ive mentioned it to! they all want to come to taster haha. So will probs have that as biggest one, smallest will be fruit as i LOVE fruit cake, that can be mine haha, and middle, not sure yet. But this all depends obviously on who we end up with. Other companies have said on their websites that they can do other flavours - but am sure this will incur a charge...
Also as i've made cakes and got quite a bit of knowledge... Prices won't slip past me! It's ridiculous what some people charge as 'profit' and stuff so won't be getting toooo ripped off. I know, i will need as much 'beauty' sleep as possible, even though i can tell you now 8.5months before, that the week before, sleep wont be happening! x
Every Once In a While In The Middle of an Ordinary Life
. . . Love Gives Us a Fairytale. . .
CommentAuthorTatty
You could maybe take some pictures of styles you like to give them an idea of what you like? That's usually a good start x
Love: A wildly misunderstood, although highly desirable,
malfunction of the heart.
37 Pounds down, 22 pounds to go! I will be a skinny bride!
28th March 2014 will be the day I marry my best friend.
CommentAuthorSam
I'd look at her portfolio, talk rough costs, & taste cake :)
