If this is you--don't apologize! For many, many people, their wedding cake is the first and perhaps only time in their lives they will order a cake so large and, in many cases, so specialized. It's much different than ordering a birthday or other everyday celebration cake, and it's completely normal no to know how one goes about it. There are some general things that are good to know and, as someone who works in this industry, I'd like to share a series of some things that books probably don't tell you!
Consultants
vs. cake decorators
 |
| Your consultant may look a bit like this-- poised and put-together |
What some people don't realize is that the person you meet with for your cake tasting/ordering is often not a decorator, and may not even have a decorating background. This is not to say that they're not capable--many consultants have been at their jobs for years, and have a great knowledge of what works and what doesn't. Nonetheless, it's a good thing to know how the process works at your bakery of choice, and here's why:
 |
| Your cake decorator likely looks a bit like this... but much messier. And maybe with a hairnet. |
In the past, I've worn both hats for the bakery I was working for (consultant and decorator), and I loved how connected it let me be to my clients. Since I was decorating the cakes, I could ask the questions I needed to ask right there at the consultation as they occurred to me. Likewise, I could raise concerns I might have with the client, and help guide them to a design that was ideal for both their vision and my capabilities. Many clients told me it gave them peace of mind to meet directly with the person who'd be making their cake--not only knowing I was the best person on hand to answer their questions, but also just to put a face to "the cake decorator." And, from my end of things, having met personally with the clients helped me form a relationship with them. I often found myself really liking my clients, and that gave me even more incentive to do my very best not to let them down (not that I would want to in any case!).
On the other hand, at my current bakery, we have the dual system--we have a team of consultants, and a team of decorators. For the high volume we have, it's really the only system that makes sense--during our high season, we can be making up to 60 cakes a week, and that certainly wouldn't leave time for us to sit down with clients for an hour each at a time. But, in my opinion, it really de-personalizes the process, and also often allows a little too much room for questions or mistaken interpretation. Often, I find myself reading an order form (as I go to decorate the cake, usually the day before the wedding), and it's vague or not clear in its instructions. For example, a consultant might note that the client would like the piping on the cake to be like the one in the consultation room...except we have multiple cakes in that room, and that room is at an entirely separate location than we are. Often, we make the decision based off the info we have, or we just make a judgement call, and hope it's the right one. Other times, the consultant has taken an order for a design that we, as decorators, personally wouldn't have--in our experience, there are things we'd steer wedding couples away from, or at least warn them against. Our consultants tend not to do that, whether it's because they don't know better, or perhaps don't want to alienate a client and potential sale.
What this system also means is that you, as a client, don't really know who will be decorating your cake. We have a team of decorators, and each of us have strengths and weaknesses. For example, some are very good at delicate, intricate piping--others, not as much. If you're ordering from a bakery with multiple decorators, there's not really a guarantee that the person who does your cake will be the person who could have done your particular cake to its best advantage.
This isn't to say that the dual system can't work. And a system where your consultant IS your decorator also isn't foolproof! It very much depends on the people--their knowledge, their experience (some things you just have to learn by living through), and even their personality.
As a client, what should you do? Well, my advice: when you find a bakery, don't be afraid to ask questions about their internal process in addition to all your design, pricing, and ordering questions. You need to feel 100% comfortable, and any bakery that gets shifty about how things are handled many not be the one at which you want to spend your money.
Ask your consultant about their background--if they're not particularly experienced, they're not necessarily incapable of handling your order! But then you may know to be even more specific with your design (you should always be specific--but more on that next time), and make sure the details are taken down on the order form. If you're still not comfortable, ask about the possibility of e-mailing or speaking to a more experienced consultant or even a decorator.
Ask about the decorators. If your design is one that requires a special touch or delicate hand, be sure to bring example photos, and emphasize the importance of your cake matching those examples. Don't be afraid to insist that the consultant indicate on your order form the level of importance to you--if our contract indicates the couple is very concerned about the piping (or color, design, etc.) matching the picture, the contract will then often be specially given to the person most capable. If not, it can sometimes be more up in the air. If it's on your contract, the bakery has that much more reason to make sure it happens to avoid problems.
Next up in the series: The Importance of Details.
Please feel free to leave questions in the comments, and I'll do my best to answer them!
No comments:
Post a Comment