Do's and don'ts of planning your wedding cake

We are very quickly coming up on 10 years in the wedding industry!  In those 10 years we have learned ALOT!  Not only about cakes, but about brides too!  Some brides have brought me to happy tears with their kindness and generosity and others leave me in a blank stare.  Thankfully, the former is more common!  So, do you want me to let you in on a little secret?  Those brides...the one's who are sweet, humble, and treat us like we are the professionals...their kindness gets them a lot more with their cake.  Here are a few tips to be the best bride ever in the eyes of their baker:

• DO SHARE YOUR BUDGET - So you have a budget?  Great!  So does every other bride.  Be honest with your baker about your budget.  Knowing your budget can help us guide you and give you tips and subtle changes to give you the cake you desire without going over your price point.
• DO NOT BE DISHONEST - This should seem obvious.  We really are not trying to sabotage your wedding. We are in this industry because we love working with couples and being a small piece of your wedding day.  So, if we say something can or cannot be done, please do not go behind our back and do it anyway.  It undermines us a professionals, and can hurt our business if your deception damages our cakes in anyway.
• DO LISTEN - Once we open our shop we don't stop learning.  We are always studying cakes, trends, new ways to do things, technology, etc.  We spend countless hours every month in seminars and meetings learning how to improve our skills and business.  When we make a suggestion or change regarding your cake, please understand we are doing this because we know the inner workings of cakes and how to get the look you are going for in the best possible way.
• DO NOT BE MARRIED TO AN IDEA - I love Pinterest!  I have hundreds of pins...not only professionally, but personally as well.  I think my husband will move out if I show him one more chandelier! That being said, many of these cakes are staged...meaning they are fake.  If you see an idea that you love and your baker either cannot do it or has to make changes, don't demand that the cake look exactly like the photo. Every baker is an artist with their own personal touch and style.  The cake may not be a 100% replica and you need to be comfortable with that.  Besides, you want a custom cake...not a copycat cake anyway...that's why you are hiring a custom cake baker.  Additionally, if the design is obviously the creation of another baker, it is not good baker etiquette to completely steal the artistry of another professional.  However, taking elements of one cake and putting our own personal spin on it is a great way to get your custom, gorgeous, one of a kind cake!    
• DO BE PREPARED - On your wedding day, make sure everything is ready to go for when your baker arrives.  If you have a wedding planner or day of coordinator, that's her job and you can just relax and enjoy your day.  But, if you are the one in charge you may need to do a little prep work that day.  Know what time we will be arriving.  Have the cake table set up and skirted at least 30 minutes before we arrive.  Who knows, traffic may be in our favor.  Have the cake stand, flowers, cake toppers, and other cake decorations at the cake table ready and waiting for us.  This will allow us to quietly slip in, set up your cake, and slip out without disturbing you.