Find your perfect wedding cake

Tips from wedding professionals

Find your perfect wedding cake

In this series, I am talking to local wedding suppliers that I work alongside and discovering their advice and tips about their specific discipline.

Today I speak to Sally Beedles from The Crumb Factory, an award-winning baker from Dorset. I have had the pleasure of sampling her delectable cakes and I promise you they are simply not your standard cake. Let’s hear what she has to say.

Cakes photographed by Anne Aveyard

If you could make a 30-second speech to the world about your company what would you say?

I pride myself on creating high quality cakes with a high quality service. With over 10 years’ experience, a wealth of 5 star reviews and a number of awards under my belt, you can feel confident that your cake will be the perfect centrepiece for your day. I love to meet my couples in person at my home office in Poole, where we can get to know each other and together design your perfect cake, and of course eat cake!

Describe what experience is relevant to your job.

Experience is imperative when choosing your cake designer, make sure you choose one that’s either been recommended, or you can see has years of experience. No-one wants to be left with a lopsided cake! Most good cake makers will have attended courses to perfect their trade and keep up with the latest wedding trends.

Who is your ideal client?

Someone who believes that their wedding cake is more than just a cake to be hidden in a corner of a room. If you’re going to spend money on an extravagant cake. Let your guests see it!!

Describe a big wedding problem and how you helped deal with it.

I did have a couple that had to cancel their wedding due to ill health. I felt so awful for them, I can’t imagine the upset this would cause a couple and their family. Fortunately, the couple were able to rearrange their wedding for the following year and of course I let them transfer their order to the new date with no charge.

If your company was a film what would it be?

Well it has to be Charlie and The Chocolate Factory (or Sally and The Crumb Factory) because its all about the sweet stuff ?

Describe what makes your company different to others in the field

I’ve been asked this question before and I always find it a difficult one to answer as I don’t actively try to be different to anyone else. I may not be the right cake designer for every couple and that’s fine. Some cake designers have a unique style but for me, every couple is different, and I like to design an array of different styles to suit. I want couples to choose me because they like what they see and once they’ve met me, trust that I will put 100% into their wedding cake.

What is the most extravagant wedding you’ve ever been involved in?

It’s probably a wedding from back in September at the Italian Villa. My couple chose a HUGE 5 tier cake adorned with delicate sugar flowers to match their theme.

Sally’s Top 5 Tips for your perfect wedding

1. Always choose suppliers on recommendation from a trusted source
2. Book suppliers early – the good ones get booked up a year or more in advance. A small deposit can usually secure your date.
3. Choose the things you want, not what great Aunt Mildred might like
4. Budget for a highly professional photographer and videographer, capturing your day will give you memories forever!
5. Don’t stress about the small stuff and enjoy your day.