Norfolk Cake-maker Debbie from Sassa’s Bespoke Cakes & Cupcakes share the best tips and advice when booking a wedding cake maker. Frustrated by past mis-advice in some of the big glossy Bride magazines regarding ordering a wedding cake, the worst one being ‘3 months to go…. order cake’ they wrote this article hoping to make things a little clearer for couples with our advice on both how to choose a cake maker and what questions to ask.
HOW DO I CHOOSE A CAKE-MAKER? Most reputable cake makers will have a website with galleries showing their previous work. You can also use recommendations from friends, family or wedding venues, (be aware however that some venues recommend suppliers for a percentage cut of their order, so it might be worth asking them if this is the case). Wedding shows are a good way to source cake makers also as most cake makers will provide samples for you to try there and then as well as an opportunity to see their handy work in the flesh. Cake makers should always hold a food hygiene certificate, ask to see it if it’s not displayed when you go to see them. It’s also worth asking them what insurance cover they have for damage during transportation and if they hold public liability insurance.
WHEN TO ORDER YOUR WEDDING CAKE
Cake makers can usually start taking bookings 6 months to a year in advance. Certain dates are very popular and in particular we’ve found that August Bank Holiday gets booked up very quickly. If you have left it late however just be sure to check your preferred cake makers availability before you start discussing designs and costs. It’s always good to have some idea of theme and number of guests you will want to provide cake to before arranging a meeting. Your cake maker won’t be able to provide you with an accurate quote for a 3 tier cake without knowing how big those 3 tiers needs to be.
BOOKING YOUR WEDDING CAKE
Once you have made initial contact to check that your preferred cake maker is available for your wedding date and is able to make the sort of cake you are after, most cake makers will offer you a consultation. Some will do this free of charge and some will ask for a fee so check what their policy is before making the appointment. At the consultation you will most likely be offered some sample cake or be given some samples to take away. You will be able to discuss the details of what sort of cake you are after. Make sure that your cake maker has a good selection of previous cake pictures for you to look through or even better dummy cakes as photographs can sometimes be quite forgiving. Make sure that you are 100% happy that your cake maker understands exactly what it is you want before you pay a deposit. If you really don’t know what you want, look for a cake maker that offers a full design service.
BEWARE HIDDEN COSTS & CHEAP CAKES!
Some costs could be added as extras such as delivery, set up, or stand hire. Make sure these are included in your quote before paying a deposit. To be honest most reputable cake makers will not be offering their services ‘cheap as chips’. Stick to the old rule, if it seems too good to be true, it probably is. Experience is worth paying for if you want a well iced, well structured cake that will arrive in one piece on your wedding day. Cakes are generally priced on the time and skill they take to produce….. size doesn’t always count. If you can find a cake maker that understands you well and is enthusiastic about making your cake for you it can be a very exciting time and you should be able to build a good relationship with them during the period that you’re dealing with them.
Article written by Debbie of Sassa’s Bespoke Cakes & Cupcakes 
Sassa’s Cakes is a family run business baking from our own kitchen, offering bespoke cakes and cupcakes for special occasions and weddings to customers in the Norfolk and Suffolk area.
All of our cakes are baked and hand decorated in our own kitchen.
We take great pride in what we do and pay extra special attention to every detail that goes onto our cakes and also on our good customer service.
