Designing your dream wedding cake

This week we are highlighting the one wedding vendor appointment your groom may attend with you voluntarily! [smile]  We had the great pleasure of visiting with Anita of the very popular, Midnight Sun Cakery in Anchorage to discuss wedding cakes.

Q: What can couples do to be prepared for their wedding cake consultation?

A: In addition to knowing how many guests the cake or cakes must serve and whether you will want to save a portion for your first anniversary, it is important to have a vision or theme identified. Gather items or photos that tell the story of you as a couple and what you envision for the event to bring to your initial consultation. Surprisingly, photos of other cakes are not as useful as items such as the bride’s dress, examples of the wedding colors, and photos of the décor or style that represent you and your tastes. Anita is an artist and these examples of your own personal style help her create a cake that is perfectly unique to you!

Q: What can couples expect during the initial consultation?

A: The initial consultation is the time for Anita to begin to get to know you, your vision for your wedding and reception, and the number of guests you expect. Hopefully you have gathered and brought the items mentioned above so that you can discuss your style inspirations.   Now for the fun part… you will be tasting many of the favorite cake flavors and fillings (yum!) and Anita will begin sketching out ideas. Couples have some flexibility in building a cake to suit the number of servings needed so as Anita sketches, you will be able to give her feedback until together you have designed your dream wedding cake!

Q: How far in advance should couples expect to book?

A: Summer and peak season brides should expect to leave a deposit to save the date 6-9 months prior to the wedding date. Brides getting married in the off-season should aim for reserving their dates 3-6 months in advance.

Q: What was popular for wedding cakes this past summer?

A: Buttercream was a popular choice over fondant and Anita has noted the popularity of a more textured cake which has complimented the rustic décor popular last summer. Ombre tinted cakes and cakes featuring fresh flowers were also beautiful choices this summer and Anita feels will continue to be popular.   Cupcakes appear to be losing popularity and round stacked cakes have been more popular than square. The figurine topper also appears to be out in favor of personalized scripted toppers or no topper at all.

Q: What do you predict will be the style trend for 2016?

A: The prediction is that the stacked round cake will continue to be a popular choice but will feature variations in tier heights for a chic and on trend presentation. Buttercream in creamy white or ombre will continue to beat out fondant as a choice in 2016. Anita also loves the use of edible rice paper flowers and predicts they will be a popular choice in 2016. The flowers take color extremely well which means any color may be used and they add fantastic 3 dimensional design at a reduced price from traditional gum paste flowers. As for flavors, the chocolate swirl (chocolate ganache swirled through white cake with chocolate ganache filling) is predicted to continue as a favorite but in true Alaskan spirit, Midnight Sun Cakery is now offering a vanilla cake with fireweed and honey filling. Sounds divine!

Q: What about the cake stand?

A: Midnight Sun Cakery requires a deposit but does not charge for cake stands because it adds to and is so important to the overall presentation of the cake. It is important that the cake stand not only match the couple’s style but also be designed to hold the weight of the cake, which depending upon the size, can be substantial. Anita has partnered with a vendor specializing in beautiful and professional cake stands!

Pro TIPs:

Remember that every tier can be a different flavor and sheet cakes are a cost effective way to supplement your tiered cake if you are serving many guests. Your guests will have the same great flavor and as most cakes are cut for serving out of sight, your guests will likely not realize the difference.

Speaking of serving, be aware that caterers or vendors may charge to cut and serve your cake while others may require a professional food server to do this. Depending on the venue, this can be a substantial per serving charge so check with your caterer or venue to avoid the surprise.

Anita is the owner/cake artist of Midnight Sun Cakery specializing in wedding and custom cakes in Anchorage, Alaska. View her beautiful work at www.midnightsuncakery.com or contact her at 907.229.0347 or [email protected].

Happy planning!

Elegante Light Photography

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