You should choose your cake two to three months before your wedding. Keep your budget in mind when selecting your cake and baker. The price of the cake depends on size, type of frosting and decorations.

Selecting your cake

A traditional wedding cake is white cake with three tiers and white buttercream frosting. However, you should choose the flavor you like. There are many flavor choices including chocolate, carrot, rum or even cheesecake.

While some couples choose just frosting decorations for the cake, other options include flowers and figurines. Your cake is part of your wedding decorations so it should match the color and style of your wedding. Explore different options but remember that the type of decorations you use could affect the price of the cake.

Selecting your bakery

When choosing a bakery, you will want one that specializes in wedding cakes. When you meet with bakers you should describe your wedding and number of guests. You should look at photos of wedding cakes they have made and ask to taste samples. As always get everything in writing to avoid any misunderstandings.

Questions to as the bakery

• What are their cancellation and refund policies?

• Are delivery and set-up fees included in the price? If not, what are they?

• What are your decorating options?

• If fresh flowers are being used, is the bakery going to supply the flowers or do they need to be provided by the florist?

• Are there any additional charges or deposits required for cake tops, pillars or other decorative elements?

Something to consider

You may want to buy your own serving utensils for the cake so you can keep them as a souvenir. If you decide that you do not want to do this, ask your baker if they will provide them as part of the service.

Cake customs

One of the biggest wedding events is the cutting of the cake. The tradition states that the groom should place his right hand over the brides’ and they cut the first slice together. They share the first slice by feeding it to each other. Often, the bride and groom have a mini food fight and end up with cake on their face, but remember there are still pictures to be taken.

It is also a custom to freeze the top tier of your wedding cake. On your first anniversary, you and your spouse can enjoy the cake like you did on your wedding day.

Groom’s cake

Although it is not something all couples do, the groom’s cake is supposed to be a gift from the bride to the groom to honor him. It is usually a dark cake soaked with liquor or has fruits and nuts.

There are many options on how to serve the groom’s cake. Sometimes it is served during the reception as a second choice for guests or packed up for guests to take home. It can also be included as one of the layers in the bridal cake. Some couples even serve the groom’s cake at the rehearsal dinner instead of reception.

There is a superstition about the groom’s cake that a single woman who sleeps with a piece of groom’s cake under her pillow will dream of her future husband.