edith meyer

Once you have your cake design planned and your flavors picked out, it's now time to figure out different costs. Cakes are usually priced by the slice. Will the cake be large enough to feed your guests, or will you need to purchase another sheet cake to serve? Would it be cheaper for you to have a smaller cake and a larger sheet cake? Some even offer a fake cake (with real top tier) and a sheet cake in order to cut the costs. Also, what about the flavor/filling combos - you might love the fresh mixed berries, but if you're on a budget, replacing them with something else might be a good idea.

If you're going for floral decorations, make sure the baker is supplying them all, and if so, do you have a better connection that can get them at a better price? (Now's when I should also add, make sure the flowers you use are edible).

Don't overlook things like cake stands, cutters, toppers, either. Find out if they come with the cake (a cake always looks so much prettier on a cake stand), or if they require a deposit.

To read the last few tips, read more

We've talked about a few different wedding cake trends, and maybe you already have the perfect cake in mind, but how do you go about finding it? What kind of questions should ask your baker? What do you do at a cake tasting? To help you out, I've talked to brides who've been there/done that as well as several of my favorite bakers who were able to tell me what to ask/look for.

First of all, when you begin your cake hunt, give yourself plenty of time (they say 4-6 months minimum) and visit as many vendors as you can. Some high-demand bakers charge for individual cake tastings, while others do them for free. Other bakers also do a large tasting for many potential clients at once, so check with your desired bakery to find out before hand. Ideally a free one-on-one consultation is the best, however if you know what you want, then book the appointments. To learn about the different types of tasting appointments, read more

What would Wedding Season be without wedding cake coverage? I mean hello! When I think of weddings, my mind immediately races to images of gorgeous cakes. Each year it seems like the cakes get more and more intricate and more and more amazing. All next week I'll be highlighting lots of different kinds of cakes (groom's cakes, cupcakes, weird cakes, what to look for in a cake, and so on), but to kick things off, I thought it would be cool to find out what the latest wedding cake trends are.

I was lucky enough to speak to three of America's hottest wedding cake bakers - you've seen these ladies on TV and in magazines - and they gave me the lowdown on what's new, what's hot, and what's important. From left to right, the cakes were created by FoodTV favorite Colette Peters, Susan Morgan of the beautiful Elegant Cheese Cakes, and organic cake specialist Edith Meyer.

The first trend on the list is personalized cakes. Edith Meyer said that "Cakes for 2007 seem to be much more personal and less I-saw-this-in-a-magazine." She's even had clients bring in handpainted heirloom china to create on the cake. Another personalized trend is the introduction of the initial monogramming, as well as the return of the personalized cake topper.

This particular cake was made by Edith Meyer from sugar flowers meticulously cut to match the detail of the bride's dress.

To see a few more amazing cakes and learn some more wedding cake trends,
 read more