How easy would it be to walk into one room and have all your wedding
needs met? Many reception halls require you to use their caterers and
subsequently their cakes for the payoff of a cheaper overall price.
This sounds fantastic on paper, but be wary of this option. Many
reception halls have a limited selection of cakes that you can choose
from and take less care than a professional bakery or cake design
establishment. Many times, if you do bring in your own cake, you are
charged a cake cutting fee. Find out in advance what this is and weigh
out the pros and cons of whether you'd prefer to save a few dollars by
using the reception halls caterers or bringing in your own (often
times nicer) cake.
Price
If you want fresh passion fruit flown in specifically from Hawaii for
your cake, it will cost you. If live butterflies are going to be
released from your cake when you cut the first slice, it will not be
cheap. If you want Sylvia Weinstock or Francois Payard to make your
cake, it will be very expensive. But if you want to keep it simple
with less frills and more flavor it doesn't have to break the bank.
Consider asking a culinary friend for advice, or even assistance, in
baking your cake. Choose a three tier cake for look and cut into a
sheet cake for the bulk of your guests. When doing a cake tasting with
a caterer or bakery, ask which flavors and designs will cost more (due
to increased labor) and how to reign in these costs.
Remember that many factors make a good wedding, and a good wedding
cake. Bear in mind the above factors when planning out your cake and
your guests will leave wiping the crumbs from their smiling mouths.