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Are you worried about the added cost of your cake when you’ve already spent on other elements of your wedding?
By now you’ve probably been through a list of things you need to budget for and one of the last elements is going to be your cake. It’s just the way it is. Of course, being a passionate cake designer, I want to believe it’s the first thing on your mind, but I also know that realistically, this isn’t always true.
Consider this - Not all designs need to break your budget. They really don’t. There are a few things that you could consider before planning your wedding cake and how important it is comes from you. Sure, you could get a member of your family or a friend to make your cake for next to nothing, but, from my experience, having spoken to mum's of brides, it’s been evident that this has caused them undue stress, when actually, all they wanted to do was relax and enjoy the whole experience with you. I recently had a mother of a bride say to me, and these were her actual words “never again, it was so stressful. I was so worried about making it and then dropping it before the wedding!” They would never admit to feeling like this at the time - so why put them through it?
In the days leading up to your wedding, it gets a bit intense. I had an Indian/English wedding of about 300 guests. I helped make my own wedding cake with my cake designer and then went on to make each guest an individual sugar rose. But what was I thinking? I added undue pressure when I should have been enjoying the lead-up to my big day.
I don’t want this for you or your family members, so I’ve listed 5 key things to consider when your wedding cake is the last thing on your mind:
TIP 1
BE REALISTIC ABOUT YOUR BUDGET AND STICK WITH A DESIGN
Like everything else on your to do list, it will incur some kind of cost. It’s good to know how much you want to spend on your cake and setting a realistic budget is essential. Before moving forward, you need to consider if you want a simple or extravagant design. Always think realistically here; if you keep it simple, a naked cake could be an option and this could be adorned with fresh flowers, sugar flowers or fruit. This option doesn’t need much planning and design time and therefore costs less. If you want an extravagant design, this will use more materials and time and therefore cost extra. Should you want something in between, make sure you ask for this. Once you’ve decided on a budget for your cake though - stick with it. If you constantly change the design, chances are you’ll lose control of your budget.
TIP 2
KEEP ON TOP OF HOW MANY GUESTS YOU WILL BE FEEDING
This part is essential if you want your cake designer to quote you accurately. Price may be the reason you choose to go with that supplier, so having an idea of how many guests you will likely be feeding is essential. It doesn’t have to be the final count, but it will affect the price and so this is good to know ahead of time and something you'll need to make your designer aware of.
TIP 3
DECIDE ON FLAVOURS
Cakes with fresh fruit and alcohol are the most expensive ingredients so it is essential that you consider this. By far the least expensive flavour will be vanilla sponge and this can be tailored according to your needs. You could add lemon, orange, rose or even peanuts. (If choosing peanuts, always be sure to notify your guests). A vanilla sponge presents a good base by which to expand on flavour. You could even combine with a flavoured buttercream or ganache.
Consider guests with dietary requirements and how many you will need to cater for in this bracket. Specialist cakes can taste a little different and so you may only want a single tier to be added with this flavour option.
And, if you just can’t decide...
ask for a consulation!
I really hope that these tips help you to manage your cake budget so that you can enjoy, what is, the most exciting part in the run up to your wedding.