With so many details to take car of in planning a wedding, it is a great idea to draw upon the knowledge of experts when making your selections. The wedding cake plays an important role in the marriage reception, since it serves as decoration, activity (bride and groom cutting the cake together) and of course, dessert.

            Cakes are available to fit any size wedding, budget or style. Most brides and grooms will agree that they want the cake to look nice and also to taste good. Most wedding cakes need to be ordered several months in advance of the affair and it is customary to meet with your cake designer to discuss what you have in mind, your color scheme, etc.

            Sally Plautz, owner of Cake Dreams (www.cakedreamsbysally.com), advises couples to look in magazines and into their own imaginations to come up with about three to five cake designs to consider. She encourages people to let their cake reflect their own personal style and the style of their wedding.

            Carla Carpenter of Carla’s Cakes (www.carlascakes.com) also suggests choosing a design that is elegant, yet simple enough to transport well. Keep in mind that if your cake is not made onsite, it will need to be moved from the bakery or cake creation specialist’s location to your wedding reception.

            Jennifer Stevens, owner of Ambrosia Cake Creations (www.ambrosiacakecreations.com) says her top tip is to take the time to plan where your cake is going to be displayed at your wedding. She points out that the table needs to be steady and away from guest traffic, and that you should also pay attention to the background because it will be photographed.

            When choosing your wedding cake, there will be many decisions to be made. You’ll need to choose not only your cake’s appearance, but also the flavor, types of frosting and materials used, colors, etc. All of the experts we spoke with suggested that you bring color samples of your wedding party, table linens, etc., so that information can be considered during your cake consultation.

            Are there any things to avoid when choosing your wedding cake? You bet, and many are things that you may not have thought of. For example, Carpenter explained, “It may be best to avoid cakes with icings or fillings that need refrigeration, especially if the reception is outside. The cake will have to be delivered several hours before the wedding and sit at room temperature for quite some time.”

            Stevens mentioned that darkly colored icing may cause a bitter flavor and suggests using fresh flowers, silk or gum paste flowers to bring in some color instead. Plautz agreed about the possibility of bitter flavor and also pointed out that dark colors can stain your guests’ teeth and tongue. She suggested, “I usually advise brides who want to use dark colors in their color schemes to use it with or on rolled fondant, as most guests do not prefer to eat the fondant.”

            Plautz also brought the whole subject back to its original intent… don’t forget that the cake is the dessert you and your guests will be enjoying! She articulated, “Many have found that they attend weddings where the cake is gorgeous, but tastes terrible, or is very dry and crumbly. I feel strongly that a cake should taste as good as it looks and therefore, I have a commitment to the highest quality in flavor and texture for my cakes. Never sacrifice taste for ‘the look.’”