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| Here are a few questions we continually get from brides. We hope you find them helpful! |
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| For some great ideas on information you need to know regarding ordering a wedding cake, we recommend you visit Earlene’s Cakes. | ||
| Thank you so much Debi Brim from Cater It Simple for your wonderful use of FAQs, your help, advice, kind words, and encouragement! | ||
| Do you do samplings/tastings and how much are they? |
| I keep seeing lots about mini cakes on each guest table instead of one big wedding cake. How much can I expect to save doing this? |
| Can I use fresh flowers on my cake? |
| Do your prices include the fresh flowers? |
| How soon should we book our date with you (or any wedding professional?) |
| Why are deposits non-refundable with so many vendors? |
| When should we cut the wedding cake? |
| Which are your most popular flavors? |
| Can I choose more than one flavor? |
| Can you copy a picture from a magazine? |
| What size cake will I need? |
| When is final payment due? |
| Do you care if someone else (another decorator, relative, friend or store) makes another cake for the same reception where your cake will be displayed? |
| Are there extra charges for using fountains or special cake stands? |
| Do you ship your cakes? |
| Do you charge for wedding cake delivery? |
| Do you do samplings/tastings and how much are they?Yes, we do samplings for weddings ONLY and we do not charge for them. You may bring up to a total of 4 people (bride, groom and 2 guests) to the sampling. Samplings are by appointment only and you should allow 60 minutes. During this time, you will sample some of our cake and we will spend some time discussing your wedding and what you are looking for. Please bring photographs, color swatches, an idea of how many guests you are inviting, or anything you might want incorporated on your cake.TOP |
| I keep seeing lots about mini cakes on each guest table instead of one big wedding cake. How much can I expect to save doing this?Actually, you will pay more for these cakes than you would a big wedding cake. LOTS more. I get very frustrated when articles in the magazines and websites, written by people who have never baked a wedding cake in their life, mislead brides with these kinds of suggestions.Making a lot of little cakes is much more labor intensive (read “higher cost”) than making one big cake … increased baking time, takes longer to decorate all of those smaller cakes than it does one big cake (read “Labor intensive” read “higher cost”), add’l supplies (20 cakes boxes instead of 3, more icing, more icing flowers for decor), transportation issues, etc.
You also end up buying more cake than you need. Wedding cake is sold “per serving” (like paint is sold per gallon and carpet is sold per yard). Let’s assume the bride wants a “simple” 8” two-layer cake on each table for her 160 guests. Normally you can sit 8 guests to a table, so there will be 20 tables, ergo 20 cakes. An 8” cake yields 24 wedding size servings. 20 cakes x 24 servings each = 480 cake servings Let’s just use $3.00 per serving for easy math. The individual cakes would cost $1440 (480 servings x $3 per serving). And when you start getting into mini tiered cakes per table, the cost is even greater because of the extra equipment needed to create a tiered cake, the extra labor to set up 20 little wedding cakes instead of one big one, plus the extra-extra cake you’d be buying. The standard regular wedding cake would cost $480 (160 servings x $3). You are not saving money with the mini’s ….. you are spending THREE TIMES the money by buying THREE TIMES the cake. Even if your venue is charging you a $1 per person cake-cutting-fee, you are still ahead by getting the larger, traditional cake. This reminds me ….. If you have 20 cakes on 20 tables, be sure you buy 20 cake cutting knives – one per table – so the guests can have something to cut the cake. And how much do those run? $10-$12 each? More? Times 20? Now that I’ve finished my lecture, let me concede one thing: If you buy your “simple, mini cake” from a place that has a freezer full of a hundred small cakes where they can just pull them out and slap some icing on it, you MIGHT be able to get them cheaper. But we don’t operate that way. We don’t make your wedding cake a year or a month a head of time. At Covered with Icing, your cake is created just for you, right before your wedding. It is custom-baked, custom designed and custom decorated. Your guests will enjoy a freshly baked cake, not one that has been in a warehouse freezer for a year. |
| Can I use fresh flowers on my cake?Fresh flowers are used frequently on wedding cakes. However, you need to be aware that some flowers are poisonous and should not be placed in contact with food. Here is a linkto a list of flowers that are considered safe. Check with your florist and tell him/her the flowers are to be used on a cake so they can be sure to obtain safe flowers and flowers that have not been treated with pesticides.TOP |
| Do your prices include the fresh flowers?No. You need to order your flowers through your florist. You get the best price that way, and you are sure the flowers will match. I will assemble the flowers on the cake if they are provided prior to set up. I will provide any gumpaste flowers you would like for an additional charge.TOP |
| How soon should we book our date with you (or any wedding professional?)“As soon as you know the date” is the ideal answer, but that’s not what you’re looking for, is it? Honestly, it is very difficult to set a “3 months in advance” or “1 year in advance” response because the correct answer is “It depends on how organized the OTHER brides are!” For example, as of this writing (in Sept ’07) I have a wedding booked for Sept, 2008…. More than 12 months away. But if you needed a cake for November 17 (30 days from now), I have that date available. Next year it is projected that 8/8/08 will be the biggest demand date. So if you are competing with other brides for the same popular date, the most organized bride, the bride who makes a decision quickly, is the bride who will get the photographer, caterer, florist, etc., for her date.One of my favorite quotes is attributed to Abraham Lincoln and it seems to apply here: “Good things come to those who wait …. but only the things left by those who hustle.” |
| Why are deposits non-refundable with so many vendors?A very fair question! Photographers and reception sites can logically only book one wedding per day. Cake creators, caterers and many florists can only book a certain number of weddings per day, and some of these limit it to one per day. When a bride books that date, the vendor closes that date to any other bride/booking. This means we may turn down business from future inquiries for that date. (I personally turned down 3 brides for the date of 7/7/07 because I was booked with two other wedding receptions.)Should something happen and you change your mind, move your date, or want to use another vendor, and you cancel your booking, especially close to the date, it creates a financial hardship for the vendor. As you know, not too many brides book their caterer, photographer, etc., 3 or 4 weeks before the event. This means the vendor has no opportunity to re-book that date. The vendor has already turned down business that could have been booked except for the fact that he/she closed that date just for you. We still have to pay the rent. The non-refundable deposit covers the lost opportunities and the costs incurred by the vendor based on your commitment. |
| When should we cut the wedding cake?This question should be asked more often. Let us share some of our observations. The time-line we frequently see is not the one we’d recommend because we find it inconsiderate of your guests.The bridal couple tends to serve the meal to the guests, have the toasts, the first dance, the “this”, the “that” and FINALLY they will remember they have a pretty ornate cake they need to cut and allow it to be served to their guests. But what has happened is many of their guests have already left. The couple ends up with a lot of cake left over, and some guests who left disappointed because they didn’t have the opportunity to share in the couple’s wedding cake celebration.
Let us also point out that your wedding cake is the only thing at your reception that is designated “wedding”. To many guests, the cake IS the reception. Your DJ’s music isn’t “wedding” music (you had that at the church), your food isn’t “wedding chicken” or “wedding salad”. But your cake is “wedding cake”. And to time it so that many of your guests are required to leave before they share in the cake cutting ceremony (and it IS a ceremony…as much a part of your celebration as the Best Man’s Toast, the First Dance, etc.), is very inconsiderate to your guests. Not to mention that you paid for 200 servings but ended up only using 75 (yes, we’ve seen it happen!) What we recommend: Shortly after you arrive and before the meal is served, do the official cake cutting with your photographer. That event is taken care of and out of the way. Your caterer will cut the wedding cake after the meal, when he/she sees that your guests are ready for dessert. This can save you money in photographer time, also. If your photographer charges you for flat time (i.e. 4 hours), then you want to eliminate any reason to keep him for “overtime”. |
| Which are your most popular flavors?Traditional white, Chocolate, and White Almond Sour CreamTOP |
| Can I choose more than one flavor?Yes. You can choose as many flavors as you have tiers.TOP |
| I’ve heard fondant is gross…what do you think?I have worked hard coming up with a tasty fondant recipe that was to my liking. It is soft when you cut it, with a light flavor similar to buttercream. The texture is what throws some people off-it is slightly chewy like candy corn. I ice the cake with buttercream before I cover it with fondant. That way you get the sleek finish of fondant with the yummy flavor of buttercream. Please ask for a sample during your consultation.TOP |
| Can you copy a picture from a magazine?I cannot make an exact copy of any photo, but will be happy to create a similar version with my own touches to make it truly original for your special day.TOP |
| What size cake will I need?You can usually count on needing one serving of bride’s cake per invitation sent out, and half that number for groom’s cake.TOP |
| When is payment due?Your wedding cake must be paid for in full 2 weeks before delivery. No money, no cake, no exceptions.TOP |
| Do you care if someone else (another decorator, relative, friend or store) makes another cake for the same reception where your cake will be displayed?I am very comfortable and proud of what I have to offer the happy couple. I do not want anyone thinking that my work is that of someone else or take credit for another person’s work. You will find that most decorators feel the exact same way. If you need more cake than you had originally ordered, I am happy to make kitchen cakes that are reasonably priced to make up the difference.TOP |
| Are there extra charges for using fountains or special cake stands?Covered with Icing charges small deposits or rental fees on cake stands and equipment used to set up your cake. This is returnable as long as everything is returned by 5pm the Wednesday following delivery. Late fees of $25 per day will be charged on equipment that is late returning. If we must replace equipment because you have not returned it on time, or it has been lost or broken you will be billed for the replacement costs. This can run up to $500 or more depending on the stand.TOP |
| Do you ship your cakes?No, I am not able to ship my cakes.TOP |
| Do you charge for wedding cake delivery?Delivery is free within a 15 mile radius of Hendersonville, TN. Beyond that, a delivery fee will be charged.TOP |
Heather Noble
PO Box 1077
Hendersonville, TN 37077
(615) 338-0466