Wedding Cake FAQ

The following relates to our custom wedding cakes.

 

 

What can I expect at my consultation?

A consultation is a chance for you to get to know your baker and what they can offer. This is also the time to discuss any ideas, flavors, colors, designs, etc. that you have in regards to your cake. Like with other wedding vendors, this is your opportunity to find someone that you are comfortable working with. Someone you trust to bring your vision to life and deliver on that very special day.

If you reserve a tasting, this will be done first. After, we will discuss your cake and you will receive a price estimate that is valid for 2 weeks. Finally, we will go over the wedding cake contract so you will know what to expect from us and what your responsibilities will be if you choose to book with us. The consultation will typically last about 1 hour.

 

How far ahead of time should I book my wedding cake?

As soon as you have decided the date of your wedding, you can reserve a spot on our calendar with your $100 Retainer Fee. Most couples book their cakes with us about 4-6 months prior to the event date. If your wedding is during a summer or popular wedding month, the sooner the better. Though, it's better to have a few details figured out before booking your cake (see next question).

Since we are a small, licensed home bakery, we only take 3 wedding cake orders each week and during peak months our calendars can fill quickly--sometimes over 6 months in advance--especially after a bridal show. So if you have the above information on hand, don't hesitate to contact us about date availability. Once a date is full, we cannot accept additional orders and we hate to disappoint.

 

What do I need to bring to my wedding cake consultation? Who should come?

We highly recommend knowing the following information: reception venue name and address, wedding and reception date and time, and number of invited guests. Also any ideas you have, pictures, fabric swatches (especially if cake is to match wedding colors), wedding invitations, and anything else that would relate to your design.

As far as who to bring, that's up to you. We recommend at least the bride(s) and/or groom(s) attend, plus one family member or friend you trust to help you make a decision about your cake. If you have a wedding planner, that will most likely be your third person. If a bride or groom isn't interested in attending, it's perfectly acceptable to bring someone else who is. Just remember we only have room for 3 people, maximum, including yourself. And samples are only available for those 3 people, if applicable.

 

How much do your wedding cakes cost? How are payments handled?

All wedding cakes are priced per serving (per slice), and start at $4.00/slice for buttercream and $5.00/slice for fondant covered cakes. This means that a cake to feed 100 people would start at $400 for buttercream and $500 for fondant, plus tax. Complicated, intricate, time-consuming, and fondant-heavy designs will add to the price per serving. Gumpaste flowers, figures, etc. are priced separately. See our Wedding Cake page for a few examples of cake prices.

A $50.00 supplies deposit is required on all stacked/tiered cakes, those that involve construction, and/or use support materials (cake boards, etc.). It is fully refundable upon return of all supplies within 5 days.

A $100 non-refundable retainer fee and signed contract are required to reserve your order in our calendar. Remainder of payment is due 30 days before wedding. We accept cash, checks and major credit cards. Payments can be made in person, online via your Invoice, and through the mail. A copy of your invoice will be emailed to you and an updated invoice will be sent after making a payment. Please keep all receipts you receive from Storybook Bakery, whether from in person, through the mail, or email. 

We offer a 10% Military Discount to all active duty branches & dependents.

 

How much do you charge for delivery?

Wedding cake delivery is FREE to Chesapeake, Portsmouth, Norfolk, & Virginia Beach. If your venue is outside of this area, the charge is $1.50 per mile. Contact us for delivery quote if your event will be in a different area.

We do deliver to all areas of Hampton Roads, including military bases, NC, peninsula cities, & Outer Banks.

 

When are you available for consultations? Are tastings required?

A sit-down consultation is required for all wedding cake orders over 100 servings. Exception can be made for out of town guests (for destination weddings). Consultation availability depends largely on our weekly schedule, which is limited. Therefore, we are usually only available for weekday appointments and occasionally over a weekend. For this reason, we offer Wedding Weekends each quarter to accommodate more couples (see next question for more information).

Tastings are not required to place a wedding cake order. But if you haven't previously had our cake, we recommend it. A maximum of 3 people, including bride and groom may attend the consultation. During the tasting you will get to try a variety of cake flavors, our delicious buttercream frosting and a taste of fondant (optional). Your tasting is done at the beginning of your consultation. The price is $25.00, nonrefundable, and is paid in advance.

 

What is a Wedding Weekend?

Wedding Weekends are an entire weekend of back-to-back consultations with FREE tastings. Consultation times are first-come first-reserved and 3 person maximum (including bride and/or groom) still apply. This is a chance to try our cakes and meet the owner/cake designer to discuss options for your cake. They are held several times throughout the year, especially in early spring and late fall/winter. Tasting Fee is waived for Wedding Weekends ONLY. Wedding Weekends have been extremely popular and are often filled quickly, especially on Saturday dates. A wait list is available once dates are filled.

If you are unavailable to attend the Wedding Weekend dates, wish to hold your consultation sooner, or prefer an appointment on a different date, separate consultations are still available during the week and some weekends. $25 Tasting Fee will apply to individual consultations.

Don't forget to check our Facebook page for upcoming bridal shows we are attending in the area, which are another great way to meet us and try our cakes!

 

Why do you charge a Tasting Fee when some others bakers offer it for free? 

Quality is of utmost importance to us at Storybook Bakery. This is why we bake from scratch and do not cut corners. For this reason, we absolutely will not freeze samples in order to provide free tastings. Your tasting samples will be baked fresh for your consultation, just the same way that your wedding cake will be baked fresh for your wedding. Why would we bake a new and delicious cake for your wedding, but serve you older, frozen cake for your tasting? We don't think it makes sense either, which is why we have chosen to bake fresh, which does require time and ingredient cost. If you are able, we recommend attending one of our Wedding Weekends, in which the Tasting Fee is waived.