~Tip Tuesdays~ Choosing your Wedding Cake!

Wow your guests with a delicious, beautiful and memorable cake cutting ceremony, ensuring it is something worth admiring and photographing!

The cake is one of "centres of attention" at the wedding reception (next to the bride and her dress of course!) Make sure that you get exactly what you are looking by being very diligent in your selection.

The last thing you want is to have a dry, crumbly cake that tastes funny.

Here are some tips to help you in choosing your "Pièce de résistance"!! (in no particular order!)

~ one ~ Know your budget limitations. Some brides will go with fake tiers for height in the hope of saving money but bare in mind that although some cake artists will charge you less for fake tiers some may not. This is because it takes as much time to put decor on a fake cake as it does a real one. Depending on your design. explore this option as if you have a plain tier in between, you could still make a saving!!

~ two ~ Provide information about your décor, colours of the flowers and dresses, room shape, menu and running order of the day to your cake artist. If you are leaning towards a custom cake, then the advantage will be yours if you allow yourself adequate time to choose your cake.

~ three ~ Check with your venue if there are any restrictions, for example some heritage sites do not allow chocolate or berries.

~ four ~ Choose a reputable cake artist. Ask to see a portfolio of their work and if you have a style of cake in mind, find someone who can interpret your vision.

~ five ~ Consider shape, size (tier count), flavours, and temperature of the venue and try not to use perishable ingredients if the temperature will be an issue. It has to taste as good as it looks so sample all flavours! If you are having trouble deciding, perhaps you could try a different flavour for each tier? Also, don’t forget about those guests with allergies!

~ six ~ Confirm who will be delivering and setting up your cake and at what approximate time. You want it to arrive fresh and intact. You don't want to see your cake sweating by the time you are ready to cut it! Delivery + setup times can be communicated to your Wedding Planner as you are developing the timeline for the day.

A predicted trend for 2013 is shaping up to be along the lines of "classic vintage" inspired by satin materials and lots of icing! Soft colours such as mint seem to be gaining popularity as well.

Now for some eye candy ladies! Hopefully one of these beautiful creations guides you to your perfect wedding cake!

Want to break the mould from traditional tiered cakes? Here are some alternatives to consider. Everything from cupcakes, cookies, cake pops, macaroons and even cheese. Whatever tickles your fancy!