Before you begin searching for the baker that would be absolutely perfect for your wedding cake, you need to find out whether your reception site has an restrictions regarding wedding cakes. Some venues require you to use a particular baker (in house or otherwise) and others will charge you a fee for using your own baker. After you inquire whether these restrictions apply to you and you have your cake designer, you need to find out if he/she meets the requirements of the local health department because most venues will not allow a baker to serve on their premises without a license. You should find your cake designer at least four to six months before the wedding, but if you have your heart set on one of the country’s best cake designers, get on their calendar as soon as possible because they can be booked up to a year in advance.

After you’ve researched the bakers you have an interest in and found whether they are a possibility for your wedding (as in availability and cost), meet with the top three bakers in person so you can take a look at your portfolios. If their styles appeal to you, then sample a few of the cake varieties that they have available. Although many will bake you a specific flavor, don’t demand this until you’ve selected your baker or they offer it to you.

After you find the baker that is right for you, you are ready to begin the inspiration process. Your wedding cake will be the centerpiece of your reception so it is important that it represents your wedding with its inside (the filling) and its outside (the icing and the topper). To get ideas, browse pictures in magazines or online so you can see what kinds of items are important to you. You will begin to form a picture about what kinds of items you absolutely have to have and what you really hate and eventually you will have a complete picture about what your dream cake includes, such as what it looks like and tastes like.