Pasticceria Gelateria Italiana Ltd. "Established 1979" Perfecting The Fine Art of Confections 200 Preston St. Ottawa, Ontario K1R 6W4 Joe Calabro (613) 233-2104

How to Choose a Wedding Cake

By Joe Calabro - Pasticceria Gelateria Italiana Ltd.

Every bride deserves that special symbol of good luck on her Wedding Day. That symbol is her Wedding Cake. The Wedding Cake brings the whole reception together as well as becoming part of your memories for that special day. It forms part of the decor and gets captured in photographs as well as becoming part of the meal when it gets eaten by your honoured guests. Not to exclude the groom on this special day, he too can have his very own cake known as "the groom’s cake" which can be specially designed for him.

Today with the wide variety of choice, from vanilla, chocolate, carrot , fruit, spice, pound, tropical, real or fake cakes to choose from, anything is possible. Your Wedding Cake can be in any shape you choose as well as in any colour you choose. It can be decorated with pastiage flowers having the look of porcelain or with silk flowers or you can use the real thing, fresh flowers. You can also have your cake decorated with blown and pulled sugar work. It is your special day, so whatever you want is what we will try to make reality. If you have something unique in mind, let us know and we will try to make it happen.

Where to begin? The first thing you need to figure out is how much do I want to spend, how

many people do I need to feed, what kind of cake do I want and how do I want it decorated. All these questions can be answered by one very important person, your pastry chef. He has the capability of making your dream come true. Your next thought is, where do I find a reputable chef. You may have heard about someone by word-of-mouth, he may be recommended by your friend, co-workers, caterer or wedding planner. It would be wise to start shopping early so that you can compare prices and quality and get the best value for your money. Visit a few places, look at pictures in your favourite bridal magazine, sample different flavours and ask many questions. Also look for shops that have a showroom displaying wedding cake models so that you may be able to see the real thing.

Once your task of choosing a chef is completed, the next step is to arrange an appointment to meet with him or her. You can prepare for this meeting by bringing pictures of wedding cakes you have seen and liked or a sketch of your one-of-a-kind dream cake. Also have in mind the style and flavour of cake you would like. The baker will then take your ideas, along with his suggestions, to create a masterpiece that suits the decor of your wedding reception, as well as the personalities of the bride and groom.

You must now decide whether you want a traditional wedding cake or something unique. Choices range from the basic white, chocolate or marble pound cake which can be accented with flavours such as vanilla, lemon or almond, to richer tasting cakes such as mousses, cheesecakes, carrot cake or fruit cakes to name a few. Some shops offer their specialty house cakes or may ask you if you have a special combination in mind. Next, you should think about what kind of filling you would like. These range from basic buttercream, italian cream, fruit, liqueur or mousse fillings. The frosting and decoration are the next consideration. More decisions to be made! They range from the basic buttercream frosting, to the elegant look of rolled fondant which can be decorated with ruffles, lace and other designs, royal icing, marzipan or chocolate. There are also numerous piping designs to choose from. The top of your cake can be adorned with fresh, silk, pulled sugar, pastiage or blown sugar flowers, or bride and groom ornaments that range in style as well as price. The cake can also be embellished with ribbons, bows and lace. It is in the decoration of a wedding cake where the imagination plays an important role. Once all the above components come together, the makings of a wedding cake fantasy are at work.

Now we come to the scariest thought of all, the price. You know what you want and like but can you afford it. Most chefs can help you budget for your dream cake. What does the price of a wedding cake include? Wedding cake prices usually depend on size, that is; how many people it serves, how many tiers or layers, the design, which includes either a simple or elaborate one and the type of cake chosen including flavours and fillings. Other charges you can expect to pay are delivery and set-up charges, price of the ornament chosen to adorn the top of the cake, and items such as flowers, ribbons and other embellishments used to decorate the cake. You also have the choice of renting an artificial wedding cake to your liking. Now you are all set to put in your order. This will be confirmed in writing. All wedding cakes should be ordered six to eight weeks in advance.

We also prepare, for your enjoyment, as well as for that o your honoured guest, what is known as a "sweet table". This sweet table is a beautifully decorated display of a multitude of fruits, pastries, cakes, ice sculptures and chocolate sculptures. The size of the sweet table is determined by the number of guests at your reception.

Yet another service we can provide is dessert on plate. This consists of a specially selected dessert which is elegantly presented on individual plates.

Once your order is finalized, if you have a reputable chef, he will take charge of everything so that you won’t have to worry about your special dessert until you and your husband get photographed beside it and share a piece of it for the very first time. This is what memories are made of, so let us help you make your dreams come true.

Pasticceria Gelateria Italiana Ltd.
"Established 1979"
Perfecting The Fine Art of Confections
200 Preston St. Ottawa, Ontario K1R 6W4
(613) 233-2104