Master the Seven Key Criteria for Choosing Wedding Cakes and Impress Your Elders and Friends
The wedding cake is a traditional custom used to announce joyous occasions and share the happiness of marrying off a daughter with family and friends. The origin of the wedding cake tradition dates back to the Three Kingdoms period. During that time, Sun Quan devised a plan to marry off his sister to regain control of Jingzhou. However, Zhuge Liang saw through the scheme, advised Liu Bei, and enlisted a renowned pastry chef to create dragon and phoenix wedding cakes distributed to households. This publicized the marriage and compelled Sun Quan to marry his sister to Liu Bei. Since then, the tradition of announcing joyous occasions with dragon and phoenix wedding cakes has become a common wedding custom.
According to tradition, the selection of wedding cakes is primarily based on the preferences of the bride's family. The groom contributes financially to express gratitude to the bride's parents or elders for their care of the bride. The bride then distributes the wedding cakes to family and friends. Wedding cakes can be categorized into major and minor betrothal gifts. Major betrothal gifts include the traditional dragon and phoenix wedding cakes, while minor betrothal gifts encompass traditional Chinese Dragon-and-phoenix bride cakes, Western-style cakes, and other treats used to convey the joyous news of the marriage ceremony. So, how should one choose the perfect wedding cake?
1. Number of Cake Boxes:：The quantity of cake boxes directly impacts the unit price and budget considerations. Determining the number of cakes in advance is crucial, influencing the choice of cake price range. After estimating the guest count, inquire about the number of relatives and friends from both parents, including your friends and colleagues. If there are too many colleagues, you can give a box of promotional cakes as a representative, and don't forget to reserve 12 to 16 boxes as gifts for the groom's side.
2. Timing for Choosing Wedding Cakes：Generally, about three months before the wedding, you can start planning for the wedding cakes after finalizing the list of recipients. However, for handmade cakes or weddings during peak seasons, it's advisable to place orders even earlier. After ordering, remember to confirm the quantity and delivery date with the supplier three weeks before to ensure the cakes arrive on time.
3. Timing for Cake Delivery：In the past, cakes were usually delivered after the formal engagement ceremony of the bride. However, nowadays, some couples opt for same-day engagement and wedding. For convenience, many choose to deliver the cakes during the reception when receiving gift money, saving the troubles.
2. Discounts on Cake Quantity：Major brands often offer discounts based on the quantity ordered, ranging from 8% to 9% off. Bulk orders might even qualify for a 50% discount. To save money, consider initiating group purchases online. Also, inquire whether adding more gift boxes later will still qualify for discounted prices.
