Barbie Bakes Cakes

Clean, Elegant, Artistic, Bespoke, Unique

This would have to be attention to detail and time on each cake. I limit the orders that I take on each week so I am never rushing one order to get another one started. This is very important to me and lets the couple know I take their wedding as seriously as they do. I've started teaching classes too which is a real compliment in itself that many want to learn from me :)

One of the most important pieces of information would be to book the suppliers first that you will need to be there on your wedding day too! Some suppliers are wedding date dependent too and you will find that the best suppliers are normally booked out first in advance. So think venue (obviously), your celebrant, venue stylists, dj, band, cake artist, florist etc… all of these folks will need to have your date available too as they physically need to be at your venue on that specific date also. Items like your wedding dress, suits, stationery can all be picked up in advance of your date which frees up time to prioritise bookings. One thing I hear a lot is ‘My wedding is ages away so I don’t need to book my cake yet’, unfortunately those same folks leave it to 6 months or 3 months before and then find that their date is no longer available. Most suppliers have small deposits in place so you can secure the booking many months or years before and then worry about the finer design details closer to the date.

This would have to be the Stairway to Heaven - a little wooden step ladder decked out with bunting and flowers, and framed photos of loved ones that have passed placed on the steps. Very moving to see, and greatly missed by the couples. It is a such a wonderful way of incorporating these special people in a day of celebration.

Once your wedding date is book we can then meet up for a cake tasting and consultation where we will discuss designs, flowers or any features of their wedding that they want to incorporate as well as look through images of my own work in the past. A small deposit will then secure their wedding date with me. Couples then have the option to change their wedding cake design at any point up to one month before their wedding. Many couples like this freedom because styles and designs for many aspect of their wedding can change right up to a few weeks before their wedding. During the week of the wedding I’ll keep in touch with the couple about the cakes progress, then arrange delivery and setup with the venue myself. Couples have enough to worry about with one of them being the cake! I take this worry away! 

I have many styles and areas of expertise - from clean and elegant cakes, to full on quirky and arty cakes with airbrushing and hand-painting - all incorporating the fabulous flavours on offer. The one cake though that stands out is probably my Alice in Wonderland wedding cake. This was a real hit and returned fabulous feedback when folks saw it in person!

This would have to be an afternoon tea inspired wedding cake from last year. A tiered cake that had many personal design elements added to it, like piping, hand painting and flowers, topped off with a sugar tea pot that was flowing flowers out of the spout into a sugar teacup on the bottom tier!

A passion for baking and redundancy from my IT job found me at home with my two young boys. A hobby that developed over years and seemed a very natural route. It felt very odd to be making money from something I loved so very much. It doesn't feel like a job still to this day.