Everything You Need to Know About Ordering a Wedding Cake

When it comes to your wedding, choosing the perfect wedding cake for your special day is a hefty task in itself. The options are truly endless. From buttercream to ganache, sugar flowers and piping, it can feel a bit overwhelming! Rest assured, we have you covered. Before committing to the wedding cake of your dreams, we want to make sure you cover all your bases. We have gathered together everything that a bride should know when it comes to cake. Read on!

Cake: The Chocolate Llama Cake Company // Photo: Hannah Mayson Photography

How to Book a Cake Vendor

Just like any other part of the wedding process, finding your dream cake is so important! Picking the perfect cake starts with picking the perfect vendor. Determining your vendor should start with research. Research, research and more research! Search for vendors whose style, design and pricing align with your wedding checklist. Once you find the wedding cake vendor of your dreams, it’s time to book! You can schedule a tasting via on the phone or send an inquiry through their website! Do what works for you! Don’t forget, before your cake tasting, bring a list of questions. Here are the questions we feel our brides should have ready at any tasting they enjoy! Now let your taste buds get to work!

1. What flavors and fillings do you offer?
2. Is a tasting included in the fee?
3. How big should our cake be to feed our guests?
4. Do you have a portfolio of past designs?
5. How do you price your cakes?
6. How far in advance do we need to order the cake?
7. How many cakes do you deliver on the same day?

What Does a Cake Tasting Look Like

Once you have diligently sifted through every wedding blog and Pinterest board, you have settled on your vendor! Yay! Now it’s time for the best day ever – cake tasting day! What couple doesn’t get excited about eating endless amounts of cake? Aside from all the fun, we want you to be prepared for what really happens in a traditional cake tasting appointment. Typically, the couple will discuss with the baker flavor combos and what the overall cake design will look like. It’s basically like a brainstorming session but with yummy samples. Finally, the couple can select their wedding cake topper. Choose from a bouquet of fresh flowers, a family heirloom or a classic bride and groom statuette. Let your imagination run wild! Just remember to keep your budget in mind to avoid mishaps down the road!

Cake Size Per Guest Count

Have you ever heard of a wedding catastrophe where there isn’t enough cake? We sure hope not, but we want to make sure every bride knows the perfect amount of cake depending on her guest list. Wilton, a tried and true cake guru, shares that a small 3 tier cake (6x8x10 round) will feed 74 guests. Other cake enthusiasts say traditionally three tiers will serve between 50 to 100 guests. With that in mind, depending on the size of your guest list, you can add tiers to your cake to accommodate. Keep in mind that every guest won’t have a slice of cake and some guests may RSVP “no” so we recommend ordering your cake after you solidify your guest list. We know the cake is the best part, but too much cake may be a bit of a problem! Also, a great tip to know is wedding cake is often priced by the slice ($1.50 to $15) so keep this in mind when ordering a cake for your guests that also works with your budget!

CAKE SIZE GUIDE

Flavor Options

When it comes to picking the flavor for your wedding cake, the flavor combos are truly endless. Your cake is going to be something you remember, so we want to ensure you pick the perfect flavor for your special day! We recommend choosing your cake flavor after you have decided on your wedding theme. Different flavors are more appropriate for different seasons. For example, lemon would be a delicious option for a spring wedding! But all-in-all, you choose whatever you and the groom prefer most! With your baker’s help, play around with flavor combos and frosting types – and don’t think you have to pick just one flavor. Get creative and have fun! We put together a list of the most popular wedding cake flavors to help spark some inspiration! Enjoy!

• Vanilla with a buttercream frosting and raspberry jam 
• Red velvet with a cream cheese frosting
• Carrot with a cream cheese frosting topped with candied pecans
• Chocolate with a chocolate or white-chocolate buttercream frosting
• Lemon with a vanilla buttercream frosting with a lemon curd filling topped with raspberry jam
• Pink champagne with a Bavarian cream frosting topped with strawberries
• White chocolate raspberry with a white-chocolate buttercream and a raspberry jam filling

Cake Design

When designed right, your wedding cake will be a statement piece at your reception for all your guests to see! Your cake should communicate your wedding style and accent your decor. There are so many style options and trends so research design ideas or work with your baker to pick a style that speaks to you. With that being said, we have some great tips to design a gorgeous wedding cake that will make your special day one to remember. First off, the inside of your cake should mimic the outside in terms of flavor in design. If you choose a lemon cake, play with lemon accents to decorate. And have you ever heard the term “opposites attract”? Play with design elements like lace, appliqués, textures and florals. Mix metallics and clean lines. Contrast colors. Finally, if you are wanting to use fresh blooms on your cake, choose flowers that are in season for when you are getting married. This way they will be available and blooming at their best. Flowers you are wanting not in season? No worries, instead opt for sugar flowers. They look just as real and they add a gorgeous design element to your cake. As we have mentioned time and time again, the options are endless so choose a cake design that fits your style and makes you smile!

CAKE DESIGN INSPO

What do you Need for Serving

Oh, what fun to cut the cake! Cutting the wedding cake has been a long time tradition to honor the bride and groom. It is such a sweet moment when the bride and groom exchange cake and eat it for the first time in front of their guests. Cutting cake sounds easy, right? Well, it can be if you use the right serving utensils. When cutting the cake, start by cutting the cake from the bottom tier with a knife, not the server. Then with the knife, slide the cake onto the server to place on a plate! Viola! Also, remember to pick a wedding cake knife and server set that you will love for years to come!

Who is in Charge of Cutting the Cake?

With any wedding task, there comes an assumed etiquette, and cutting the cake is not different. In traditional wedding ceremonies, the cake is usually cut between dinner in dancing. This provides a silent cue for those with young children or older couples freedom to leave if they’re not planning to stay for the “party.” When it comes to actually cutting the cake, the tradition dates back decades of the bride and groom cutting the first piece to smash into each other’s faces. Some couples prefer the maid of honor to do the cake cutting or a trusted friend or family member. Another option is to have staff at the venue do the honors. Just know some venues or catering companies charge a cake cutting fee per slice. Whoever cuts the cake is truly up to the bride and groom’s preference. You seriously can’t go wrong!

What Else Does a Couple Need for the Cake Cutting?

As we mentioned earlier, when it comes to cutting the cake, the most important essential is a cake knife and serving set! Serving sets come in all colors, shapes and styles to fit any bride to be! Along with that, couples often have serveware to accompany. This can include champagne flutes, personalized napkins, and serving plates and forks that match the wedding aesthetic. Shop our faves in our Amazon shop!

SHOP CAKE ACCESSORIES

Saving the Top Tier

Dating back to the 19th century, so a long time ago, couples have been saving the top tier of their wedding cake. Couples save their cake to enjoy a slice on their first wedding anniversary – so sweet! The proper way to save the cake is to wrap it really well in plastic wrap and store it in an airtight container in the freezer. Before covering the cake, remember to remove all fresh flowers, leaves, sugar accents or garnishes to avoid the nasty freezer burn. If you forgot to save some cake from your big day or don’t feel comfortable eating year-old cake, don’t panic. Contact your original cake bakery and request a small cake in the same flavor combo to commemorate your anniversary! If you are wanting the real deal though, make sure to coordinate with a trusted family member or your maid of honor to collect the top tier of the cake to preserve during the reception and to transport to a freezer post-celebration. With all these tips, enjoy your cake and know this long-standing tradition will bless you and your husband with luck and prosperity for years to come! Cheers!

Now that you have learned everything you need, it’s time to pick your cake! Check out some of Houston’s best cake vendors!