56 WORTH ITS WEIGHT How much of our budget should we set aside for our big-day bake? Debbie says: “Costs in the industry have risen over the past few years by as much as 40 per cent, particularly ingredients vital for making a cake (sugar, chocolate and butter). This has made it a little tricky for cake designers to provide a price years in advance. There are also many other factors to take into account. For example, the product you’re buying is made from scratch and no two are the same, so this too can make it difficult to provide a price so far in advance. Having said that, we do realise that budgeting is a crucial part of the wedding planning process. “Therefore, our advice is to contact your cake designer with some very basic information such as approximate guest numbers and location of the wedding reception, and follow up with any ideas or images that may have caught your eye. They should then be able to estimate a price to give you an idea for budgeting purposes.” MADE WITH LOVE Our guests have all sorts of dietary requirements including gluten and dairy intolerances. Is there any way they can still enjoy a sweet treat on the day? Anita says: “Absolutely! I can make gluten-, dairy-free and vegan cakes, with each tier created for a specific dietary requirement if needed. Alternatively, I can create a small amount of cupcakes ensuring no one misses out.” Elizabeth says: “I often get asked about gluten-free, vegan, or dairy-free options but typically, there are only around 10 or fewer guests with these requirements. In which case, I recommend having the top tier as glutenfree or vegan. For just a few guests, a small separate cake can be served alongside the main wedding bake to accommodate their needs.” Marina says: “Certainly they can. Depending on the number of guests with special requirements, you can either have the whole cake created to suit everyone, or perhaps just the top tier. Why not order a separate sheet cake or individual cupcakes especially for those who need them? “Health and safety should always come first, so you need to make sure all the safety procedures are taken care of by your baker, venue staff and your wedding organiser. All members of staff serving your cake need to be fully aware of any dietary issues. “What’s more, it may be useful to add a dietary comments section to your invitations asking guests to reconfirm their requirements, as well as having ingredients and allergen advice available on the day. “Remember, a dietary cake doesn’t always mean it’ll be less delicious than the regular one. Our vegan chocolate and raspberry cake will blow your mind with a moist chocolate sponge, light chocolate buttercream and a kick of raspberry confit filling to balance the sweetness. Yum!” Grace says: “It can be very stressful to make sure all your friends and family are catered for on your big day, but we’re here to make sure you don’t have to worry when it comes to your wedding cake and other sweet treats. All of our cakes are dairy, soya, nut and gluten-free with the option of being egg-free as well, making them suitable for vegans. We take food allergies, intolerances and other dietary requirements very seriously.” Lois’ Little Cake & Chocolate Co. Elizabeth Harris Wedding Cakes We All Love Cake Sweet Palette © https://www.instagram.com/wojciechowskastudio
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