The Start of My Business #2: And Breathe - Wedding Season is over !

My company is really very new off the ground – started promoting in February 2015 – getting registered in May 2015 did my very first wedding fayre in June 2015 and took on my first wedding cake in July 2015 which was a recommendation from a friend…. I can see a pattern forming here another friend suggested me really kick starting my baking company and starting this blog and then another puts my name forward for a wedding ! Either I am easily led or I value the confidence my friends have in me … either way I’m in it and making it work for me .

So how do you stop the nerves getting to you when making the center of attention for a brides biggest day of her life, that is going to be stared at and fawned over in the photos for years to come – that is going to be under scrutiny by the bride her groom and above all the parents or whoever paid out for this “minor detail” that is going to be cut and shared out to each and every one of their guests ! When I write it like that its no wonder most bakers are petrified at the thought of taking on such a huge responsibility.

Many moons ago I worked in the wedding industry under a very different guise – I was a bridal makeup artist and hair stylist. The most important part of a little girls dream is to look like a princess on her wedding day and I was given that honour 100’s of times over in my 10 years of that career. So I know and understand how a brides mind ticks, even though bakers may deal with brides every weekend , month in month out, that one bride only cares about the fact it her “her” big day, as far as she is concerned no one else has ever been married before , she is only interested in her day no one elses. And so you have to make her feel like that . Its the same as when I was pregnant with our first baby – I didn’t want the consultant telling me mine was going to be 1 in 1000 babies to be delivered that year – I didn’t care about anyone elses bump I was special I had never had a baby before I was the only one in the world to be carrying a baby and giving birth in my mind – and do you know what? My midwife made me feel like that – so special and understanding as if she was in my head, holding my hand every step of the way until our beautiful girl was born .

So when it comes to their big day no wonder I silently stress – because it has to be perfect. This is a once in a lifetime ( fingers crossed ) for many couples so every detail has to be spot on. Any baker who says that its “just another cake” is fibbing ! Unless its just me but I can’t see that . I know I am a perfectionist and a self confessed control freak but it’s not just another cake is it really !

So how do I handle the stress of a wedding cake … Organisation . Have everything prepared well in advance none of this last minute dot com panic. Here’s a little check list that I use

• Pin the order form in front of you whilst baking
• Check what cake you are meant to be baking before you put it in the oven
• Check the tiers and the amount you are due to be be feeding
• Make sure you have all your ingredients purchased well in advance
• Ensure all your decorations are done prior to you baking
• Ice the boards well in advance so they can set ready to take a cake
• Ensure you have boards and dowels before you start
• Recheck all the above !
• Check your final cake if you are not happy with a part of it – it will only drive you mad and you won’t settle if you leave it – so fix it – don’t just make do – this is a wedding cake this is important.
• Call the venue a good two weeks in advance and arrange delivery times and get contact numbers in case of emergencies
• Print out a map of the venue or save the postcode in your sat nav – and plan your route before you get in the car – avoid roads with speed bumps ( if at all possible) !!!!
• Give yourself plenty of time to get to the venue and time enough to set up
• Don’t let the bride see the cake halfway through setting up – the sight of dowels poking in the fondant and piping bags of royal icing on the table next to a bottom of a 4 tier cake completely spoils the illusion of the fairytale wedding cake !
• Keep the bride informed of your movements – a simple text to say its all set up and ready for her will keep her mind at rest – she will have lots to worry about on the morning of the wedding so I like them to know its all in hand.
• Think outside of the box … I like to make sure my cakes look the best they can look so I take it upon myself to dress the cake table . Look at it like you would if you were a photographer step back and look at it – re-position if necessary – don’t just pop it down and away you go – the couple deserve more than that .

I suppose I look at the wedding cake as if it were for my own wedding … being the picky person I am – I would want it to be perfect so attention to detail is key. My first four wedding cakes have been a pleasure to do – just seeing the final cake in its glory knowing that I have made it and the couple are thrilled makes all the anxiety attacks and stresses all worth it as I was recently nominated by one of my brides for The Wedding Industry Awards 2016

Thank you to my newly weds for allowing me to share your wedding cakes .