As a certified wedding and event planner you will run into brides who want a top-to-bottom traditional wedding, fashion, cake and all. Other times you’ll run into brides who want to showcase their creative personalities. This means, in many cases, anything goes. When your creative brides come to you looking for outside-the-box cake ideas here are some great ones to consider. And keep in mind that many of these ideas are affordable options, too, for brides on a budget. (All of the sources/vendors are listed below. Be sure to visit their sites - especially if they’re in your area. They do great work!)

Sources
1: Macaron cake from Bobbette and Belle of Toronto
2. Mini wedding cakes cake from Maisie Fantasie of the U.K.
3. Simple but sweet cupcakes cake from Sprinkles of L.A. and now Chicago, too.
4. More traditional cupcake-layer cake found on thecakelist.com.
5. Donut cake from a cute Florida wedding, courtesy of Karen Lisa Artistic Photography.
6. Ice cream cake! From Silbermann’s of San Rafael, California.
7. Pie “wedding cake”, photo courtesy of The Ginger Pig ‘Hog Blog’.
8. Ice-cream sandwich cake (in this case made of pink and white Skinny Cow treats.)
9. Croquembouche cake created by La Duni restaurant of Dallas, Texas.

Photo courtesy of Real Simple.

We previously talked about the first steps to take when choosing a wedding cake, namely doing your research. Once you’ve set a budget, discussed the style, and met with both the bride and the groom you’re ready to move on to the more specific details. So what are the next few things to consider?

For one, you’ll want to begin gathering possible vendors to meet with, with your bride and groom. As a certified wedding and event coordinator we know that you’ve got a list of your favorite bakeries to work with. Keep in mind, however, that a bride may already have another vendor in mind who is new to you. If you find yourself visiting a new bakery prepare to ask a few questions, such as:

Can they supply references?
Do they have a portfolio to flip through?
Do they offer cake tastings?
Are cake stands and toppers included in the price?
Are they able to cater to certain allergies?
How far in advance do they prepare the cake?
Can you see a list of the typical ingredients they use? (Brand name butters, etc.)
Who supplies fresh flowers, if they’re used?
Are there extra charges for delivery and set up?

Covering all the bases will help insure that the product is the best it can be and the bride is as happy as possible with her cake. Don’t be afraid to meet with new vendors; they might end up being a valuable tool in your wedding-planning belt! Some of you might be saying, “I don’t have a list of trusted bakeries yet. How do I build one?” First, don’t get overwhelmed! A quick Google search of your area or a flip through the phone book may lead you to wonder how you’ll ever weed out the bad bakeries.

* It’s possible to narrow bakeries down by specialty. Which ones don’t even offer wedding cakes? They’re quick to mark off your list.
* Price can vary significantly from bakery to bakery. Try organizing them from least to most expensive so you’ll know exactly which ones to match with each bride.
* Make an appointment and meet with them. Letting them know that you’re coming will help them prepare to offer you their best information, including photos, prices and maybe even a tasting of your own. Brides will appreciate your opinion of the product before they consider calling a certain bakery.
* Find out the specifics of each bakeries’ contract. How much do they charge for changes or cancellations? How far will they travel? Do they often any satisfaction guarantees? How much deposit do they require, and how far in advance do they expect orders and payment?
* Find out who does the work. If you’re looking at the portfolio of the owner or head baker make sure they’re the ones making the cakes - not assistants. If assistants are doing the work they should be able to offer you a portfolio, too.
* And finally are they willing to recommend you to their customers since you’re recommending them to yours?

We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again. Wedding and event coordinators are often only as good as the vendors they work with. You need to have relationships with vendors whom you trust, which means you have to do quite a bit of leg work before you even bring a bride through their doors. If you can answer a bride’s questions about a bakery’s previous work, pricing and contracts you’ve already completed half the battle. The rest - design, flavor and frosting - are, as they say, a piece of cake!

Courtesy of Piece A Cake of North Carolina

“Jackson wants a groom’s cake in the shape of a giant armadillo. He’s got an aunt who makes them.”
“It’s got gray icing! I can’t even begin to think how you’d make gray icing.”
“People are going to be hacking into the poor animal that looks like it’s bleeding to death.”

Or something to that effect. (Forgive us if we get a few words out of order!)

You’ve seen the play or popular movie, Steel Magnolias, right? When Shelby marries Jackson, Jackson’s aunt makes him a gray armadillo groom’s cake (that they put in the garage during the reception, which makes the whole situation even funnier.) Yes, a groom’s cake. We’ve never considered the wedding cake to be made specifically for the bride, but we can see where some people would get that idea. We also know that not every groom is interested in planning their wedding so a groom’s cake is a nice tribute to him and his hobbies, whatever they may be.

Courtesy of Edible Artistry of North Carolina

The history of the groom’s cake is varied, but here are a couple of legends tied to it:
* Some historians say it dates to the 17th century and was for a long time a lost tradition that has seen a resurgence in the last several years.
*Other historians say that the groom’s cake is modern tradition, which likely originated in the Southeastern U.S. in the early 19th Century.
* It has been said that at one time the groom’s cake was actually the top layer of the wedding cake, but it was removed, soaked in brandy and preserved for the couple’s first wedding anniversary.
* Perhaps you’ve heard the old wive’s tale that if the single lady guests take a slice of the groom’s cake home and put it under their pillow they will dream of their future husband.

We think that a groom’s cake is a great way to incorporate some fun into the reception or perhaps even the rehearsal dinner, where it may be better enjoyed. The popularity of dessert and candy buffets, alongside the traditional wedding cake, make having a groom’s cake at the reception a kind of sugar overkill. Serving it at the rehearsal dinner, however, is a great way to include a special dessert in the festivities, and many brides may want to keep it a surprise for their husbands.

Courtesy of Lively Caking of Texas

When you’re a wedding planner and you have a bride who wants to either incorporate traditional customs into her planning or offer something special to her groom, a groom’s cake is a nice touch. Today’s bakeries and sugar artists can make almost anything, consider: sports logos, stadiums or gear; video-game covers or consoles; briefcases, outdoor equipment or even a stack of books. Anything is possible, and it’s easy to find a cake that represents the groom. The most important thing is to make sure the bride has fun choosing the cake! We’re sure that the rehearsal or wedding guests will be excited to see the bride’s (and your) creativity!

Finding the perfect wedding cake is no easy feat: It’s impossible to even begin narrowing down the choices of style, color, flavor, size … the list goes on and on. There are several things for certified wedding and event planners to keep in mind as they begin to help couples narrow down their choices for choosing and ordering their cake. First things first: Do some research. (That is a requirement for you and the bridal couple!)

Photo courtesy of Sweet Things Blog (Click to visit their amazing bakery!)

First: Have your bridal couples prepare for the Cake Talk. It’s a good idea for them to have an idea of what they want, and encouraging them to keep a folder of clips is a great way to get a feel for what they’re going for. But be sure that you also have a folder of suggestions for them to flip through. Who knows? That one cake they’ve been trying to find but can’t might be just the clip you’ve collected for them.

Second: Make sure that they have gone into this together. The cake should be a reflection of them and what they like to eat. You don’t want the groom scrunching his nose as he eats a piece of cake with rose-water-flavored petals on top! (Pictures do speak louder than words, you know.) Suggest cakes with different flavored layers. Or maybe they would consider cupcakes: one for him, one for her, so they each take a bite of exactly what they like!

Third: Make sure the cake fits into the overall design. It’s very likely that you have already discussed with the couple their colors and style for the wedding. Elegant? An all-white cake would be gorgeous. Vintage? Pound cakes made with family recipes, lightly dusted with powdered sugar, would be perfect. Colorful and funky? Topsy-turvy cakes are popular right now and can set a fun tone to the reception.

Fourth: Know the budget. This goes without saying, really, but knowing how much the couple is willing to spend on the cake will guide a lot of the decisions. Don’t let them get their heart set on a five-foot, gold-dusted cake with hand-made lilies if they can’t afford it. (No one likes to see a bride with a broken heart!)

There are lots of other things to consider when buying a wedding cake, but these suggestions are a great way to start. What questions do you ask your couples when you begin helping them design and choose their wedding cake?