Recently I've had a spate of late phone calls for wedding cakes. And by late I mean late. One caller needed a cake in 5 days' time. Was it a small cake? No. A 4 tier stunning satin sheen number with 5 large sugar flowers.
People often have good reasons for leaving things until the last minute. The most common reason I get is that a friend was meant to be making the cake and...
It just doesn't bear thinking about. I'm not sure who to feel more sorry for - the friend or the couple getting married.
But the question is, when is the best time to order a wedding cake? If you aren't getting married until 2022, is it realistic to order one now?
So here are my 6 top tips on the best time to order:
There's under 18 months to the wedding & you know the date and venue. Since there's so much to organise for a wedding, there's no point putting off booking the cake. Since it can't be made or bought in advance (like wine or table accessories) you need to make sure your cake designer is available.
You're getting married on a really popular or awkward day. This includes any time in August, bank holiday weekends, just before Xmas, between Xmas and New Year and Easter. Book as early as you possibly can to avoid disappointment.
9 months before the wedding on a 'normal' day in an unpopular month - e.g. a Saturday in November.
At least a year in advance if you've got special dietary requirements. A lot of my brides or grooms need gluten-free and/or vegan. Not every cake maker can accommodate this so it's important to lock in a cake designer who can.
When you've spotted your dream cake. If you see a design you love there's no point in waiting, especially as other cake designers can't do the same design without obtaining copyright permission.
You want to save money. Book now and your cake price will be guaranteed. But next year it may have gone up. Booking early means getting a better deal.
Of course, there'll always be someone who manages to get a cake made at the last minute. But for every person who's managed that, there are ten who were told their favourite cake maker was unavailable or there simply wasn't time to make their dream design.
To avoid the drama and for more information on wedding cakes, do get in touch via the contact page here.