INTERVIEW AND RESERVE YOUR DATE
Call the decorator in your area to check for their availability for your wedding date.  If your date is available, make an appointment to go in and check out the designs, taste and skill level of the decorator.  Depending on the decorator, you may need to call a year ahead to reserve your date.  Many specialty cake decorators limit the number of wedding cakes they do each week, while bakeries have a larger quantity of cakes.  Please consider that Thursday through Saturday are very hectic for baking, decorating and delivering weekend wedding cakes, so please call ahead.

DEPOSITS
Be prepared to leave a substantial deposit to insure that the baker reserves the date for you.  Also be aware that you will often be requre3d to leave a deposit on any equipment that belongs to the cake artist.  If you don't return plates, fountains, etc. they'll have to be replaced at the decorator's cost and time.  Some decorators include inexpensive items in the cost of your cakes so you won't need to worry about returning them.  Be sure you're clear about the policies before you proceed.

CAKE DESIGNS
Bridal magazines now show some wonderful, stylish, unique, creative wedding cakes.  Take the pictures of the cakes that you like to show the decorator the styles you are contemplating.  If you get your heart set on one particular beautiful cake, you may find it difficult to find a decorator in your area who can duplicate that specific cake, particularly if you have a limited budget.  Please take the time to look at each cake artist's photo albums or designs to see what they can do and how well they do it.

TASTE OF THE CAKE
The exterior beauty of your wedding cake will be important for your pictures and your personal statement, but the inside of the cake is what you will be serving your guests.  You want a cake that is flavorful, moist, and yummy to eat.  It is a real shame to spend lots of money on a cake when the guests take one bite and the rest gets thrown away.  Ask friends or people who have attended recent weddings about how the wedding cake tasted.  Be considerate of your guests.  Things like seeds and coconut in fruit fillings can be difficult for some people to eat.

COST
Be prepared to pay for the cake decorator's time.  The cake ingredients themselves are usually not super-expensive unless you want gourmet ingredients, filling and frostings.  Simple cake designs are the least expensive.  The more involved and more complicated the cake design, the more you should be prepared to pay.  Know your budget ahead of time.  That will enable the decorator to help you choose wisely from his or her designs.  Please give the decorator as much advance notice as possible for the planning of your cake so that he or she can reserve the time necessary to execute your particular design.

ICINGS
Choices for the covering on your cake are numerous.  There is the typical bakery buttercream icing, which is basically a very sweet mixture of shortening, powdered sugar, water and flavorings.  Rolled fondant icing has a somewhat firm texture and is generally used over a light coating of buttercream icing.  Fondant has more of a fudge-like consistency and is rolled out and laid over the cake rather than spread.  It is not light and fluffy, but also not hard - just a firmer texture.  Depending on the look and the taste you prefer, your decorator will be able to advise you of which icing will be appropriate for your cake design.  Keep an open mind - some designs are simply incompatible with certain icings and/or conditions.  The cake artist has typically done this many times, but you just have one shot at the perfect cake.

FRESH FLOWERS
If you are planning on using fresh flowers on your wedding cake, consider that they have possibly been treated with insecticides and/or preservative chemicals.  Also, some flowers and greenery are naturally harmful if ingested, so select carefully.  Don't assume that you can just have the florist leave the flowers for the cake decorator.  Many cake decorators have a very tight delivery schedule and simply do not have the extra time to do those flowers for you.  You must ask for this service.  You should also be prepared to pay the cake decorator an extra fee if you do want him to arrange the fresh flowers for you.  Please inform both parties of your wishes.

SUGAR FLOWERS
If you choose to use gumpaste flowers on a cake, be prepared to pay for the time it takes to make these exquisite work of art flowers.  Gumpaste is a sugar clay from which the flowers are hand formed, rolled, shaped, ruffled, veined, etc., for a realistic, porcelain-like results.  This is a time consuming process.  Ulitmately, the cake design is your decision.  If you choose a design that uses royal icing or buttercream flowers the cast can often be kept lower.  Those icings can be piped to allow the decorator to make the flowers fairly quickly.

CAKE SERVINGS
The cake designer can guide you as to the number of servings of cake you will need.  But in the end, you must decide on the numbers.  Only you know the potential guest list.  Cakes come in standard sizes and serve a predetermined number of guests, depending on the size of the serving and shape/number of tiers in your cake design.  You will probably end up paying for some extra servings, but don't despair - that just means bigger servings of leftovers!

CAKE PLACEMENT
Where will your cake be placed in the reception area?  Consult the reception site manager and your cake person.  Think about the background of your cake and how the picture will turn out.  Consider the foot traffic.  A cake placed near the dance floor can be hazardous to traffic flow.  Is the table sturdy enough?  Does the reception site provide the cake skirting?

OUTDOOR PITFALLS
If you are planning an outdoor wedding in the summer heat, remember that flies love sweets, heat melts most icings, and high humidity will wilt many sugar flowers.  Rain and wind can cause havoc by collapsing tents and blowing tablecloths right off the tables.  The weather is unpredictable.  Plan accordingly.

Cakes By Lisa Refund Policy
I understand that I am to pay a 50% NON-REFUNDABLE deposit at the time of booking an event with Cakes By Lisa Inc.  The reason for this non-refundable deposit is, once you have booked with me for the date of your special event, other orders are turned down for the date your reserved.  Also, in most cases, supplies have been ordered for your event and are paid for and I will lose my money for the product ordered.  Also, flull payment for your event is due 20 days prior to your event date.  As stated on your contract, NO cakes will be delivered to the event site until full payment is received.  If payment is not received within 2 weeks prior to event date, only cash will be accepted.  NO exceptions.  Again, thank you for your business and I look forward to serving you.

Sincerely,
Cakes By Lisa