Sometimes having too many options can be overwhelming!
Competition in the cake world (wedding, birthday, anniversary, any celebration) is fierce.
How do you choose the right cake designer for your special event?
Use the 5 tips below as a guide to making the best decision for you. (Click on the + to show more!)
1. Research. Research. Research.
Before you initiate a conversation with a potential cake designer, you need to find them first!
Although social media (primarily Instagram and Facebook) is a very popular medium to find designers, you can still find many vendors at wedding shows. But if you wanted to find a designer without time or location restraints then Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and business websites are perfect resources.
The benefit of using social media is that you can save photos of cakes and ideas you like for future reference. Having one place (like a Pinterest board) helps keep everything streamlined.
2. Consider your aesthetic.
Make a prioritized list of the adjectives you want to describe your bespoke cake.
These can include words like: simple, modern, extravagant, delicious, understated.
What do you value more? Flavour or appearance? Fondant or buttercream?
Answering these questions will lead you to your ideal criteria. Next, you’ll need to ensure that your potential designer has related experience.
A picture is worth a thousand words, but verified customer reviews (think Google or Facebook) is a great place to start too!
3. Seek advice from professionals and peers.
You’ve heard this before: Network! Network! Network!
If you’re using an event planner to help organize your special event, they likely have a list of cake designers they’ve worked with before.
If you have other vendors (think florists, venues, caterers, photographers – heck, even the DJ!), they may also have made industry contacts.
And guess what? If someone is willing to give a personal recommendation, it likely means they trust that particular person/service enough not to embarrass them by stuffing it up!
Ask friends and family to tap into their networks too! It’s all about who you know.
4. Consider the cost.
At the end of the day not every designer will be within your budget.
Most cake designers have pricing guidelines on their website based on the quality of ingredients they use, the previous experience they have, and (sometimes) their current availability. Look for these guidelines to have a general idea of how much the cake you’re looking for might cost.
As beautiful and delicious as a bespoke cake may be, don’t forget it’s only one aspect of your event. Set a budget and stick to it unless you’re willing to compromise somewhere else.
But wait! What if you don’t like cake?!
Think of an alternative!
“Traditional” does not necessarily mean “traditional for you”. Start a new tradition with something you really love!
Pies, donuts, cheese, waffles, cinnamon rolls, squares – it’s all being done these days! Choose your own adventure and enjoy!
But wait! What if you really like cake and you like all of the other things?!
Oh hi! *waves*
You’re just like me! I can never choose between desserts. A little of everything always makes me much happier than a lot of one thing.
Dessert tables are a great option for those who want variety or for those who just can’t decide! Find a wedding cake shop that can provide a variety of sweets as well as your cake to streamline the number of vendors you’ll need to coordinate.
And last, but certainly not least:
5. Trust your gut.
Sometimes choosing a cake designer is not solely limited to cake-related abilities, but also what the experience will be like working with them.
After making initial contact were they reasonably attentive? Did they catch your vision? Maybe they helped you create the vision you didn’t know you had? What’s your gut feeling?
The event planning process can be overwhelming. Having someone who you can trust and feel like they’re on your team can alleviate a lot of stress.
So there you go! Some tips on how to choose your cake designer. If you have any other tips, feel free to include them in the comments below!