PART 1 – INTRODUCTION
Oh gosh! From booking your favourite band to ensuring your dream wedding venue is available, it can seem like there are plenty of things to prepare for your big day. When it comes to the literal icing on the celebration – your wedding cake – there is a lot to consider too! Not only does the cake play a starring role in various wedding traditions and photos. It also serves as a delectable treat for you and your guests.
Understandably, choosing your ideal wedding cake can feel daunting, especially given the numerous options available. However, fret not, cake lovers! Check out our handy guide to selecting the ultimate wedding cake that not only tastes divine but also beautifully complements your wedding theme and style.
PART 2 – SELECTING THE PERFECT WEDDING CAKE FOR YOUR BIG DAY
2.1. Top Wedding Cake Trends For Inspiration
Are you unsure of where to begin? In that case, why not look at the top wedding cake trends capturing the hearts of couples and guests alike in Singapore for inspiration? Whether you are a fan of contemporary creativity or lean towards traditional elegance, there is bound to be a design that captures your style and personality.
Trend #1: Timeless elegance
Some things never go out of style, and a classic all-white wedding cake is one of them. This cake exudes timeless elegance, symbolising purity and the beginning of a new life together while being sophisticated and chic. Its simplicity stands the test of time and allows for versatility, making it the perfect match for any wedding theme or colour scheme.
Trend #2: Whimsical romance
Couples seeking a touch of whimsy and romance can consider infusing a pop of colour into their festivities with a pastel-painted wedding cake. Imagine an edible and delicious cake reminiscent of a beautiful sunset or a serene ocean, with dreamy hues skillfully blended to create a mesmerising, ethereal effect. What an excellent conversation starter it will be at the wedding!
Trend #3: Rustic simplicity
Recently, semi-naked cakes have captured the hearts of many couples seeking a more relaxed and organic feel for their wedding. This cake, which is stripped down to its essence, with minimal frosting on the outside, exudes a rustic charm that celebrates the beauty of imperfection and simplicity while showcasing just enough of the cake layers to give guests an enticing peek at what they are going to eat. Now, that is inviting!
Trend #4: Luxurious glamour
Elevate your wedding cake to a new level of luxury and have it match the glitz and glamour of your wedding decor with gold or silver accents. These metallic accents, which can take various forms, from edible gold leaf to metallic-coloured fondant, help add a touch of sophistication and opulence, transforming a simple cake into a dazzling masterpiece!
Trend #5: Nature’s beauty
Floral adornments have long been a staple in wedding decor as they symbolise love and beauty. However, they are beginning to make their grand entrance on wedding cakes in recent years. From cascading roses to delicate peonies and vibrant orchids, flowers add a touch of garden-inspired elegance and a natural fragrance to the cake. You can even go the extra mile and match the flower decorations with your bridal bouquet, ensuring a seamless integration of floral beauty throughout the celebration.
Trend #6: Sensory delight
Make a bold statement and provide a feast for the senses with textured wedding cakes featuring playful geometric designs. The contrast between smooth fondant and intricate patterns creates a visually stunning masterpiece that demands to be admired and savoured. These geometric marvels are not only a testament to your unique style and willingness to embrace the unconventional. They can also enhance the cake’s aesthetic appeal while providing a sensory delight for guests.
Trend #7: Dessert diversity
Those tired of traditional single-tiered wedding cakes can consider breaking away from convention and opting for a cake tower or dessert spread. Adorn your cake tower with multiple desserts, like cupcakes and tarts, to create a visually appealing display. Doing so allows for diversity in flavours and designs, allowing guests to sample various delectable treats, satisfying different tastes and preferences.
2.2. Factors To Consider When Choosing Your Ideal Wedding Cake
Settling on your preferred wedding cake trend is merely one aspect of choosing your ideal wedding cake. Once that is done, there is still plenty more to consider, from the flavours and type of icing to the fillings and toppers. Yes! The process can seem overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. Almost everything comes down to these five essential factors.
Factor #1: Budget
Remember, your cake is just one of many wedding expenses. Therefore, it is essential to consider your overall wedding costs and allocate a suitable amount for the cake. After all, you want to understand what you can afford before setting your sights on a specific cake. Don’t be fooled by the cake’s appearance, as even a simple cake can cost a premium if the design is intricate.
We recommend having a cost range in mind when notifying a cake shop. This way, the bakery can gauge what they can offer that is still within your budget. Don’t forget to account for additional expenses like delivery and setup fees. Doing so can help you make a more informed decision and avoid any surprises later on.
Factor #2: Wedding theme and style
Your wedding cake is more than a dessert; it is a statement piece highlighting your unique taste and style. More importantly, it should blend seamlessly with the desired aesthetic of your big day. So, consider your wedding theme, colour palette, and venue when discussing the cake’s design with your baker. Provide them with as many details as possible so that they can incorporate elements representing your shared experiences or personalities, transforming the cake into a true reflection of your love story.
Factor #3: Flavour
Your wedding cake should taste as good as it looks. Don’t be afraid to explore unique and adventurous flavour combinations if you feel bold. Those who prefer to play it safe can’t go wrong with perennial crowd-pleasers like chocolate, red velvet, or vanilla. With that said, you should also remember to keep in mind your guests’ preferences and dietary restrictions when making a decision. For instance, consider a vegan cake if some of your guests are vegan.
Factor #4: Shape and size of the cake
Generally, the size of your wedding cake is dependent on the number of guests and the desired servings. So, take a look at your guest list and discuss with your baker the appropriate size for your cake. As for the shape of the cake, most couples tend to prefer traditional round tiers or modern square layers. However, those seeking to add a touch of whimsical to the festivities can elect for a more esoteric shape that reflects their personality.
Factor #5: Cake-cutting ceremony
The cake-cutting ceremony is a highlight of numerous wedding receptions and a time-honoured tradition that usually occurs at the end of the wedding reception. However, fondant is sensitive to heat and humidity – two elements that are almost always constant in tropical Singapore. As a result, those considering an outdoor wedding may want to consider the timing of the cake cutting to ensure the fondant does not melt and sag off the cake.
We recommend keeping the wedding cake refrigerated until it is time for the cake-cutting ceremony to commence. Don’t forget to coordinate with your photographer to capture this sweet moment and choose an appropriate song or background music to accompany the event. The cake cutting is a symbol of your first shared task as a married couple, so aim to make it a memorable one!
2.3. How To Select The Ideal Bakery
Between deciding on your ideal wedding cake trend and planning out the various aspects of your wedding cake, such as the budget, cake size, and the style and flavour of the cake, you are close to finalising every essential detail of your wedding cake. Now, you are left with finding the ideal baker to bring your ideas to life and deliver your dream wedding cake.
Tip #1: Start by drafting a list
Like most wedding vendors, your search for your ideal baker can seem endless. Fortunately, the internet is the perfect tool to help you get started with your search. Start by reading reviews of the various wedding cake vendors to see which popular cake shops in Singapore are getting the best buzz in your area.
Don’t limit yourself to internet results, either. Ask your recently married friends for word-of-mouth recommendations, check out the local wedding expo, or stop by bakeries with wedding cakes on display. These are all viable routes to identifying your ideal bakery. Once you have your research in hand, begin narrowing your options to three to five bakers you want to contact.
Tip #2: Book a consultation with your preferred baker
When you have a potential match, you will want to meet in person to discuss your vision for the wedding cake and address any queries you may have. Book a consultation with the cake shop and bring any inspiration or reference you want to share with the baker. Photos of your dress and samples of your wedding’s colour palette and decor are excellent, as they give the baker an idea of what they should be working with.
At the end of the day, you should leave the consultation with a concrete understanding of what the baker can do and whether they are the right fit for your wedding. We recommend consulting more than one bakery and scheduling several taste tests to compare and contrast your options. Once you have an ideal candidate in mind, remember to reserve their service well in advance, as wedding bakeries book up fast and designing a custom cake requires time.
Learn More: 3 Important Questions To Ask During Your Wedding Cake Consultation
Tip #3: Taste the cake first
Finally, we have arrived at the best part – the cake tasting. While it may or may not be a part of the original consultation, most cake shops tend to offer customers an opportunity to sample the different flavours they have available and ensure the taste is to their liking. Don’t be afraid to get creative with the flavours. Some bakers even offer more than one flavour if you have a tiered cake.
2.4. How To Preserve Your Wedding Cake For Your First Anniversary
Traditionally, newlywed couples share a slice from the top tier of their wedding cake on their first wedding anniversary. If you wish to partake in this tradition, it is essential that you correctly store and preserve the cake, as poor technique will result in a spoiled and inedible cake. Here is how you can go about preserving the top tier of your wedding cake.
Step #1: Remove all adornments from the cake.
This rule applies not only to any fresh ingredients or flowers on the cake but also to the sugar or fondant flowers, as they spoil quickly. Remove everything to be safe!
Step #2: Chill the cake in the refrigerator.
We recommend coordinating with the staff at your wedding venue, as the top tier of the wedding cake must be chilled shortly after the event. The process only takes a few hours, but it will harden the icing and prevent the plastic wrap from sticking, making it easier to prepare the cake for freezing.
Step #3: Wrap the cake in plastic wrap and place it in a freezer inside an airtight container.
Once the cake has hardened, it should be simple to wrap it in several layers of plastic wrap. Subsequently, place the wrapped cake in an airtight container or freezer bag before setting it in your freezer. Don’t forget to label the cake so that you will remember what this item in your freezer is.
Step #4: Thaw the cake the day before your wedding anniversary.
Remember to take the entire parcel from your freezer and place the cake directly in your refrigerator the day before your wedding anniversary to allow it to thaw.
Step #5: Remove the cake from the packaging and let it sit for a few hours.
After about 24 hours, take the cake out of its packaging and remove all the plastic wrap before letting it sit for a few hours on a plate on your counter. Doing so will bring the cake to room temperature, making it ideal for consumption.
Step #6: Enjoy your cake!
Please note that your wedding cake will be stale after a year in the freezer. However, the cake should still be perfectly safe for consumption if you follow the correct steps to preserve it. Of course, specific types of cake, like almond or chocolate, tend to last longer and taste better than a fruit-filled or whipped cream-topped cake.
If you are not a fan of this tradition, that is perfectly fine! Besides, there are other alternatives for reliving the memories of your wedding day on your anniversary while enjoying a fresh slice of cake. You could order a small replica of the cake from your baker (please check on the availability with the cake shop) or spice up a basic anniversary cake with your original wedding cake topper.
PART 3 – YOUR MOST PRESSING WEDDING CAKE QUESTIONS ANSWERED
Do you still have several queries in mind after checking out our comprehensive guide? Fret not, as we have compiled an FAQ of the most pressing questions we constantly receive from customers about our wedding cakes to help you further demystify the art of choosing the ideal wedding cake for your big day.
Question #1: When should I start looking for a wedding cake baker?
The most popular wedding cake shops in Singapore can be fully booked a few months in advance. So, if you leave it late, you might find it challenging to find the ideal baker for your big day. Therefore, we recommend beginning your search and securing your baker’s services as soon as you have a date.
Don’t worry about the intricacies of the cake. You can confirm the details as the date approaches. With that said, you still need to give your baker ample time to design and prepare the cake. At Fieldnotes, we recommend our customers order their cakes online at least two weeks in advance.
Question #2: How big should my cake be?
Many couples struggle to decide on the size of their wedding cake. However, the solution is as simple as reviewing the number of guests they would like their cake to serve.
Additionally, there are three serving sizes to be aware of:
- 1 inch x 1 inch: This is usually for fruit cake or for big buffet weddings where guests only want a sample of the cake.
- 1 inch x 2 inch: This is the standard portion, also known as a ‘party serving’.
- 2 inch x 2 inch: This is a dessert portion, recommended when the cake is a part of the dessert course.
Meanwhile, some couples may already have their desired number of cake tiers in mind. Providing this information, your preferred serving size, and number of guests can give us an idea of how much cake is needed.
Question #3: Can I have my wedding cake delivered to the venue?
Yes! We do deliver islandwide. Those who wish to have their wedding cake delivered to the venue can choose between three delivery options.
Option 1: All-Day Delivery
The delivery fee for All-Day Delivery services is S$10.90 islandwide, with an additional S$5 surcharge for cake deliveries to Sentosa or Tuas.
Customers can choose from the following delivery time slots:
- Monday to Saturday, from 9 AM to 7 PM
- Sunday, from 9 AM to 3 PM
Please note that all orders are arranged to arrive within the chosen time slot. We cannot arrange for the delivery to arrive at, by, or after a specific time since our drivers handle multiple deliveries in a single trip and follow a route that is carefully planned and optimised.
Option 2: Flexi Delivery
The delivery fee for our Flexi Delivery services is S$15.90 islandwide, with an additional S$5 surcharge for cake deliveries to Sentosa or Tuas. Customers with spending above S$120 can enjoy free islandwide Flexi Delivery.
Customers can choose from the following delivery time slots:
- Monday to Saturday, from 9 AM to 2 PM or 2 PM to 7 PM;
- Sunday, from 9 AM to 12 PM or 12 PM to 3 PM
Similarly, all orders are arranged to arrive within the chosen time slot. We cannot schedule the delivery to arrive at, by, or after a specific time, as our drivers handle multiple deliveries in a single trip and follow a route that is carefully planned and optimised.
Option 3: Specific Time DeliveryThe delivery fee for our Specific Time Delivery services is S$30 islandwide, with an additional S$5 surcharge for cake deliveries to Sentosa or Tuas. Customers can specify a 1-hour time slot for the cake to arrive, starting from 9 AM.
For deliveries to hotels, shopping malls, and other restricted zones, the cake can only be strictly collected at the main lobby or the nearest pick-up point by default. We can deliver directly to your hotel room or restaurant, provided you notify us in advance. However, a surcharge of S$5, excluding GST, will apply.
PART 4 – CONCLUSION
When it comes to planning your wedding, few decisions are as delightful and essential as choosing the perfect wedding cake. The cake is not just a dessert; it is a centrepiece symbolising your unique love story and a sweet declaration of your journey together as a couple. Keep what we shared in mind, and you are sure to select a wedding cake that will dazzle your taste buds and leave an enduring impression on your guests!
At Fieldnotes, our wedding cakes are guided by the principles of minimalism and simplicity, as we believe in minimalism and originality away from the noise and crowd. If this design philosophy speaks to you, do not hesitate to reach out to us for your big day. We also offer a range of confectioneries, including sugar-free cakes, to satisfy a diverse array of diet preferences and cravings. Visit our website to browse our comprehensive catalogue today.
