Questions to Ask a Cake Designer

Ain't love sweet?

Glass Slipper Gourmet

Glass Slipper Gourmet


The cake is probably a wedding's most important icon. And whether you want a traditional multitiered confection, a miniature Statue of Liberty (hey, that's the site of our proposal!) or a rainbow macaron tower, your wedding dessert should reflect your personality.

Short and sweet: Be sure to use the following questions as a guide when evaluating a potential wedding cake designer!


FREE WEDDING PRINTABLE | Questions to Ask a Cake Designer

There's nothing quite as satisfying as putting together a drop-dead *gorgeous* wedding binder to help you plan your big day in style. Which is why we've painstakingly written and designed these equal-parts-effective-and-attractive wedding planning PDFs.



Business Matters

  1. Do you have my wedding date open?
  2. How many wedding cakes do you schedule on the same day? NOTE: You want to feel comfortable that your designer is sufficiently staffed to handle the number of cakes they've scheduled to deliver and set up on your date.
  3. How do you price your cakes? By the slice? Does the cost vary depending on the design and flavors I choose?
  4. What is your minimum per-person cake cost?
  5. What recommendations can you give me to maximize my budget?
  6. Do you have a "menu" of cakes and prices that I can take with me?
  7. What are the fees for delivery and setup of the cake? Do you decorate the cake table, too?
  8. What do you do if the cake gets damaged in transit to or at my reception site?
  9. Do you provide or rent cake toppers, a cake-cutting knife, cake stands, etc.? What are the fees?
  10. How far in advance should I order my cake?
  11. How much is the deposit and when is it due?
  12. When is the final payment due?
  13. Are there any additional fees that I should be aware of?
  14. What is your refund policy if for some reason I need to cancel my order? What if I'm not happy with the cake?
  15. When can I expect to receive my contract from you?

Background Check

  1. How long have you been in business? Are you licensed and insured?
  2. How many weddings have you done?
  3. Where did you receive your training?
  4. Can you provide me with 3–4 recent brides that I can contact for references?

Mimi's Mocha Treats

Mimi's Mocha Treats


The Cake

→ If you're not familiar with cake terms, please look at the cake glossary.

  1. Do you have a portfolio of your work I can view, and did you make all the cakes in it?
  2. What are your specialties?
  3. Can you design a custom cake to match my theme, attire, or color scheme, or do I select from set designs?
  4. If I provide you with a picture of what I'd like, can you recreate it? Does it cost extra for a custom design?
  5. I have an old family cake recipe. Can you adapt it for my wedding cake design?
  6. If I don't have a clear vision of what I would like, can you offer some design ideas based on my theme and budget?
  7. What flavors and fillings do you offer?
  8. What are the different ingredients you typically use? Do you offer all organic or vegan options? TIP: Quality ingredients cost more, but the investment is worth it—the cake will taste better.
  9. Do you have cake tastings? Is there a charge?
  10. Do you do both fondant and buttercream icing? TIP: For the skinny on these two icing options, see this article.
  11. Are there any other icing options I should consider? Which do you recommend for my cake design?
  12. Can you create sugar paste, gum paste, or chocolate flowers? If I decide to have fresh flowers on my cake will you work with my florist or will you obtain and arrange the flowers yourself?
  13. Will you preserve the top tier of my cake for my first wedding anniversary or do you provide a special cake for the occasion?
  14. Can you make a groom's cake? Is this priced the same as a wedding cake?
  15. How much in advance of the wedding is the cake actually made? Do you freeze your cakes? NOTE: Wedding cakes usually take at least a couple of days to make.

Vanilla Bake Shop

Vanilla Bake Shop


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