Sun, Sand and... Wedding Cakes!

A beach wedding, just like any other wedding, should include the traditional cake cutting, and the sharing between the bride and the groom. The cake and the ceremonial cutting symbolize that the newlyweds will feed and nourish each other throughout their union.

Many resorts in and wedding planners in the Caribbean will include a traditional pound cake with frosting as your wedding cake. However, if you are left to deliberate the issue of the cake on your own, consider the following tips:

Choosing a Baker in a foreign country
Selecting a Baker for your wedding cake can seem like an impossible task, considering the distance between you, but there are ways to do it and get it right! Websites have listings for bakers in most tropical island companies, giving you a good place to start.

Contact several, ask for them to send photos of their work and, if possible, testimonials from previous brides. A few emails will give you a good idea of whether you feel comfortable with them or not. Remember, its your wedding, not theirs, so if you have the slightest doubt, don't take the risk! You can also ask the hotel you will be staying at if they have a recommended bakery to add to your contact list.

Once you've narrowed it down, ask them all to send you a contract which would include price, size, flavour, topping, presentation, and wether they will deliver and set the cake up at your venue. Once you have arrived on island, its wise to meet with your chosen baker and finalize details.

Consider the weather
If your cake is to stay on display for any length of time and your wedding is outdoors, then the hotter temperatures of a tropical island will have an obvious effect on your choices. Try to stay away from whipped cream, buttercream and meringue and opt for more heat durable frostings like fondant or butter-based buttercream that will protect your cake from the sun.

For those of you with British heritage wanting the traditional "royal" icing on your cake, check with local bakers to see if they even do this. It may not be a local custom and the humidity in some islands makes it difficult to get royal icing to set to its crisp, hard texture like back home.

Cutting Costs
If you insist on bringing your own cake to your reception, despite the offer of a free cake included in your package, beware of cake cutting fees that could hike the price of your do’. Typically priced at $1 per slice, this fee should be negotiated at the time of booking.

Local traditions
If you have fallen in love with the beach or tropical destination you've chosen for your wedding, why not try incorporating local customs into your wedding cake? In Bermuda brides use a small cedar sapling as a cake topper to symbolise the growth of the love between bride and groom. In the West Indies a rich fruit cake laced with heavy rum is covered with fondant icing. On a more simplistic note you flavour your cake in rum or pina colada for an extra hint of the tropical.

Taking your cake home?
Etiquette of past tells us that the top tier of the wedding cake is to be served upon the couples first anniversary or at the christening of the first child. If you’re hell bent on sticking to tradition, have your baker wrap your cake in an airtight baggie and wrap it to protect it from sunlight.

Ask your resort if they will freeze your cake for you and hold it in their freezers until its time to go home. Have a mini sized cooler on hand to transport your cake home packed with ice bags. You will need to check on the importation restrictions of your home town before you plan on doing this though.

More Savings
Save money by making sure the size cake you choose will serve the amount of folks you have at your wedding. You could also reduce this by a quarter and serve mini portions alongside another desert option. Incorporate fresh fruit instead of a cake topper or fresh flowers and you could save on money and hassle.

Alternatively you could take a tip from brides in China who present an impostor cake to their guests often made of Styrofoam or rubber, and then serve sheets of flavoured cake from the kitchen as a desert.

About the Author
This article is one of many from the Beach Wedding Guide at islandbrides.com. Islandbrides.com provides the only complete guide to planning your beach wedding or destination wedding in over 30 Caribbean locations.