Things to Consider...
There are many things to consider when choosing your wedding cake, not least how many guests you need it to feed and therefore how many tiers the cake needs to have. Some smaller weddings don't need a three tier cake, but many couples prefer the look of three tiers and so it is possible to have a small three tier cake which will provide a similar number of portions as a two tier cake.
The cake will be a focal point at the reception and will feature prominently in the photos, so it needs to be beautiful to look at and professionally presented. The quality of the ingredients is obviously an important consideration as it will have a direct influence on the taste of the cake and therefore the enjoyment of your guests.
The type of cake is worth careful consideration as there are now other possibilities besides the more traditional rich fruit cake. Maybe a sponge cake would be preferred or even a delicious light fruit cake with apricots, ginger, cherries and pineapple. If you love chocolate, then moist chocolate cake is becoming more popular, covered with real dark chocolate ganache and decorated with real chocolate decorations, it provides a totally different look to the traditional white wedding cake, or it can be covered in white chocolate for a creamy coloured finish.
The design of the cake is a matter of personal taste , whether to go for a simple sophisticated style, or something much more elaborate. Would you like the colour of the decoration to match the bridesmaids dresses? Would you like to have fresh flowers on the cake, which will match your bouquet, or would you like silk flowers or have flowers specially made in sugar? Maybe you want to break with tradition and not have flowers on the cake at all?
Would you like the cake tiers to be assembled using pillars in the traditional way, or do you prefer a stacked cake in the American style? Maybe you like the look of a spiral cake stand, or maybe we can come up with another idea for a unique and personal look.
What type of icing do you prefer? The modern sugarpaste icing is soft to cut and has a softer look on the cake whereas the traditional royal icing has a crisper, more formal look and is firmer to cut. Some people consider royal icing to be superior in taste.
Do you need the cake delivered and set up on the day, or would you prefer to pick the cake up and ask your caterer or venue staff to set it up? Experience has taught me that not all caterers or hotel staff know the correct way to set up a wedding cake and I have heard some real horror stories of caterers storing the cake in the fridge which could spell disaster for certain decorations!
Above are just a few considerations to take into account when choosing your wedding cake, there are others! For the sake of your big day, please make sure that you go to a wedding cake maker who has plenty of experience and who is prepared to take the time to find out what you would really like. I have 35 years experience in making and decorating wedding cakes and would be delighted to talk you through all of the above options to make sure that your cake is worthy of the very special occasion that is your wedding.