7 Wedding Cake Don'ts

Cakes are delicious! And wedding cakes are beautiful! I am not sure I am a cake junkie like someone I know. At a wedding, I wouldn’t mind if I am not served the main meal; I always want a tiny bite of the wedding cake. As you already know, (in case you don’t know, now you know), your wedding cake will be visible to everyone at the reception. 

The aesthetic and taste will be talked about by all. Consequently, there are things you need to put into consideration before booking a cake baker. I have given out seven things you should not do as regards your wedding cake. The list is endless. Feel free to add to it in the ‘have your say’ section of this post.

• DON’T HIRE A FRIEND – I have always said this and I will say it again. Hiring a friend may not save you money in the end; you may actually lose a friend instead. Though one of your girlfriends bakes cakes well or your grandaunt is good with cakes used for family functions, it is not a license that they can make your wedding cake. Let a pro handle your wedding cake. A wedding cake is quite different from a birthday cake. Let your sis handle birthday cakes while you consult a reputable and professional baker for your wedding cake.

• DON’T BOOK LATE – a wedding cake is not only a dessert served at your wedding; it adds to the aesthetic value of your entire wedding. All eyes will be on it. If you catch me at your wedding, be certain I will want to see how beautiful your cake is. Therefore, you will want your cake to be well baked and decorated. Booking the baker a month to your wedding is not advisable. Book at least three months in advance. Give the baker enough time to perform her magic and set up that beautiful cake you imagined on your wedding day.
• DON’T TRY TO PLEASE EVERYONE – because a wedding is a people affair, you may be tempted to follow the crowd and want to please everyone. It doesn’t really matter if your mom doesn’t like sugar or your brother hates butter crème. Whether your wedding guests would prefer chocolate to vanilla is not really necessary. It is your day; it is your call. Choose what you love as a couple – favourite shape, filling, frosting, flavour, and colour.
• DON’T PICK AN INEDIBLE COLOUR – inedible doesn’t necessarily mean poisonous, please. Dark hues such as red, purple, royal blue or even a light colour like hot pink are a no-no! They colour everyone’s tongues and lips. If you must incorporate these colours, use them in the flowers or get a ribbon of the colour to be used on your cake. Some of your guests, especially, the women, are wearing lipstick already. I am sure they would not appreciate your gift of lip colour. Don’t give their lips another colour to wear. Your lips and tongues ain’t spared either. You would eat out of the cake after the cake cutting!
• DON’T NEGLECT DETAILS – regardless of how beautiful your cake may look to the eyes, an untidy cake table would affect the beauty of your cake, especially in photographs. When planning the wedding cake, put the cake table and cake stand(s) into consideration. A well balanced cake is not likely to crash due to just a little push from a drunken guest. Choose cake stands that will complement the appearance of your cake.
• DON’T PICK UP THE CAKE YOURSELF – if you have to pay the baker for delivery, especially to the venue, it is a wise investment. You do not have the time in your hands as a busy bride. Moreover, it is the job of the baker to get the cake to the reception and set it up for the event. Thus, wedding cake emergencies that may arise like toppling is taken care of by the expert. Sending your cousin, Betty who knows nothing about wedding cakes would be a disaster waiting to happen. Does she know how to handle the wedding cake without impending injury to the cake? And don’t you think it will be fun to see the bride already dressed running to the cake shop to pick up her cake?
• DON’T FORGET TO EAT YOUR CAKE – you invested so much to have that beautiful cake on display at the reception. You have a right to eat out of your money. Depending on the number of tiers of your cake, the middle or top tier can be saved just for the couple to eat all alone. Trust me, you can eat your cake and have it. Enjoy your cake while it lasts