What desserts you’re using for your wedding is the sweetest decision you get to make for your wedding day. You want a wedding baker that is both creative and reliable. This week we sat down with Rada Sam with Sugar Shaker Bakery to talk about wedding trends, their services and great planning advice.

What services do you provide?

Based in Cedar Park, Texas, Sugar Shaker Bakery creates custom wedding cakes and sweets for engaged couples. The culinary team brings creative passion and artistry in each dessert they create, using only fresh, high-quality ingredients in each delicious treat they create. From traditional cakes to 3D creations, the team will go above and beyond to turn your dessert table into a show-stopping display. Services Offered Sugar Shaker Bakery can cater an array of event sizes from intimate affairs to 5,000-guest galas. Before your big day, you can schedule a private tasting with the team, to choose from their array of cake, filling, and icing options. Along with the classics, some of the mouth-watering flavors that they offer include chai tea, pink champagne, and white chocolate raspberry. Each of the desserts that Sugar Shaker Bakery makes is made to order, to match a couple’s wedding theme and aesthetic. In addition to their selection of cakes, Sugar Shaker Bakery can also provide a selection of pies, cheesecakes, brigadieros, and other desserts to satisfy each guest’s sweet tooth.

What is your favorite wedding trend right now and why?

Back-Garden Weddings Romantic, back-garden weddings and weddings at venues with enchanted gardens have become super popular over the last two years, as couples took advantage of the magic of gorgeous, greenery-filled outdoor spaces. While back-garden weddings involve a higher planning workload and limit you to the warmer seasons, they also provide an opportunity to host your wedding day in a very special place that serves as a completely unique venue for your guests, have greater control over the look and feel of the day, and – neighbors pending! – go on partying as long as you like!

What made you get into the wedding & events industry? How many years have you been in it?

Love is in the Air! The Wedding Industry is all about Love, it’s what makes it so fantastic and rewording place to work. You get to surround your self with happy people and be part of the most special day of their life. There is always so much love at the wedding that you can’t help but feel good after being part of one, even if is just in a small way such as baking and decorating the wedding cake of desserts.

What is your best planning advice or tip for couples?

1. Start early.

Your venue choice can really influence the aesthetic and design details of your cake: Delicate buttercream icing won’t withstand the heat as well as sturdier fondant at an outdoor summer wedding, for example, so once you’ve secured your location, start shopping around for your baker.

2. Find your baker.

Word of mouth is the tried-and-true way to find a baker, but attending wedding fairs is another route. Couples have the opportunity to meet local bakers and see and sample cake without having to commit to a private consultation.

3. Get social.

Like many creatives, I post my cakes in real time across social media, so brides can get a clear sense of my work output and the types of cakes I specialize in. But don’t be swayed by the swoon-worthy images alone. Seek out online testimonials and reviews to complete the picture before you schedule a meeting.

4. Align your style.

Some bakers are highly specialized and others offer a much wider variety of styles. I specialize in fondant cakes with a modern aesthetic. I don’t do buttercream or rustic cakes, but there are other bakers who work exclusively with buttercream. There are even bakers who only create naked cakes. As you explore and gather cake images, note the styles that speak to you. Whimsical? Geometric? Romantic? Rustic? Glamorous? Do you see a pattern emerging?

5. Take a meeting.

Once you’ve narrowed your search to two or three bakers (or even The One), the cake journey begins! Before even thinking about red velvet vs. vanilla bean, your baker will need the nitty-gritty details such as wedding date, venue and estimated head count.

6. Bottom line basics.

A big part of my job is helping a couple prioritize where the cake purchase fits within their wedding budget. A good cake designer will make helpful suggestions to keep your budget on point, while still meeting your aesthetic needs.

7. Consider the cost.

The cost of a cake is determined by the number of servings needed and the complexity of the design. Sugar flowers can dramatically spike the costs because they are handcrafted, time-consuming — and thus expensive. I had a couple who wanted a spiraling floral cascade similar to one they’d seen online, but couldn’t afford the extra cost. I came up with several workarounds, among them using real flowers or going with one or two bold sugar flower accents.

8. Get inspired.

Your overall wedding style can kick-start the design process with your baker, but don’t stop there. Mood boards, images of cakes you love, your wedding color palette, your dress — any and all of these elements will get the cake design wheels in motion.

9. Be fearless with flavors.

Some bakers charge extra for so-called premium flavors and fillings, others (like me) do not, so be sure to establish any cost upgrades at your tasting so you don’t get hit with surprise surcharges. I encourage clients to push the flavor envelope. Your cake should be both beautiful and delicious: Don’t choose flavors you think everyone will like, choose the flavors you like. Remember, it’s your wedding and this is your cake.

10. Tasty vibes — consultation 101.

We like to meet with a couple over a 45-minute tasting and design consultation. (The fee is $40 per couple) We send a menu ahead of time and have the couple choose 4 flavors, which are served at the tasting. Couples also get to choose four filling flavors to try, plus we always provide samples of our fillings. The tasting is set up so that couples can mix and match the various elements. We always start the design process with the tasting because it’s such a great ice breaker — who doesn’t love eating cake? Clients are asked to bring along any relevant design inspiration (including images of cakes they love), and please bring examples of things that are meaningful to them or their relationship. After an initial discussion and budget evaluation, we sketch out several ideas, and we work from there to conceptualize a final design together.

What is one favorite client story and why?

From the tasting to the actual wedding cake, everything was so easy and so delicious. Kim and Angie were a delight to work with, our wedding cake was amazing and we received so many compliments on it. We will definitely use them again in the future. -―Kristina P.

Learn more about Sugar Shaker Bakery here!