RESERVE YOUR DATE WITH A DECORATOR OR BAKERY:   Call the bakery and check for the date you need. If the date is open, then you can set up an appointment to meet with the decorator to discuss your cake. Depending on the decorator you may need to call as far as 6 months to a year ahead to reserve your date. Many specialty cake decorators limit the number of wedding cakes they do each week. Thursday thru Saturday's is very hectic for baking, decorating, and delivering wedding cakes. Most weddings are on the weekends and therefore the bakers deadlines also coincide with that timetable. A phone call to make an appointment to visit the bakery about your cake will be appreciated. Just walking in and expecting undivided attention might lead to disappointment if they simply do not have time to visit with you on that day.

DEPOSIT:  Be prepared to leave a deposit to insure that the bakery reserves the date.

TASTE IS IMPORTANT: The outside beauty of you wedding cake will be important for your pictures and your personal statement. The taste, flavor, and texture of your cake are very important. The inside of your cake is what you will be serving to you guest. I will do my very best to make your cake flavorful, moist and yummy to eat.

COST: Be prepared to pay for the cake decorator’s time. Simple cake designs are the least expensive. The more time and complicated the design the more you should be prepared to pay the decorator. Know ahead of time what amount of money you can budget toward your cake and that will help the decorator help you choose wisely from their designs.

OUTDOOR PITFALLS: If you are planning an outdoor wedding in the summer heat remember flies love sweets, heat melts most icings and fresh flowers will wilt in prolonged exposure to heat. Rain and wind can cause havoc such as blowing table cloths right off tables. You need to have a backup site just in case of unforeseen extreme weather conditions. Outdoor weddings can be beautiful, just be prepared in case mother nature turns on you.

FRESH FLOWERS: Some fresh flowers and greenery might be harmful if ingested so please select carefully, consult with your florist and choose wisely

COLOR:  If you expect a cake decorator to come close to the colors you are using in the wedding you should take a swatch of fabric in each color to the baker. Dark colors are difficult to achieve the right shade and color in icing.

CAKE PLACEMENT AT THE RECEPTION: Consult with the reception site as well as your cake person, look at the walls and consider the background for your wedding pictures when planning where the cake will be placed. Are there fire extinguishers, plugs, restroom signs, etc. in the background of your cake placement? Other things you might want to consider at the reception site are how the traffic flow will be handled; a cake placed near the dance floor can be hazardous. Make sure the tables are sturdy enough to hold your cake; a wedding cake can be very heavy. Also check to see that the reception site has table covering's for the cake table.

CAKE TOPPERS: When choosing a cake topper for your cake considers the weight. Icing and cake are soft so very heavy ornaments may not be very well supported. If you do select a heavy cake topper and it shall fall from the cake it can do damage to the tiers as it fall downward. All cake toppers are not center balanced, so please choose carefully when choosing your cake topper.

FINAL CAKE PAYMENT: Final payment will vary with each decorator. Three weeks in advance of your wedding is reasonable for most bakers.

DELIVERY: The delivery fee for your cake will vary depending on the distance of your reception from the bakery; most local weddings will not have a delivery charge.