FAQS

Once you have a wedding date set, please do get in touch to check if I am free for your date. The "Save the date" approach is a great way to confirm your wedding suppliers, especially in advance as most wedding suppliers take bookings 12-24 months ahead of the big day.

My diary is open for bookings for both 2024, 2025 and 2026.  However, I can sometimes accommodate requests at short notice, please don't hesitate to ask.

When do you need to know our final numbers and details? We like to have your wedding cake design and final details agreed 10 weeks prior to your wedding date. This allows you to relax in the knowledge that your wedding cake design is all arranged and paid for around 8 weeks.

It's important to note that key spring and summer dates are in high demand and tend to fill up quickly, as I only book one wedding cake per week, sometimes two depending on factors such as the design complexity, date, and venue location. I also reserve a free week each month to catch up on administrative work, make sugar flowers, meet with couples or take a weekend off.

Booking fee & Payment; "In terms of payments, a £100 booking fee is required to reserve your date, and this sum will be subtracted from your overall balance. You have the flexibility to make payments for your cake at your convenience. However, please note that your entire balance must be settled eight weeks before your wedding date. All payments via bank transfer.

This allows me to order all the necessary supplies for your cake promptly. To ensure that everything runs smoothly, I like to be organised as certain cake supplies may be out of stock, particularly during the busy wedding season.

Pricing Your Wedding Cake: Determining the cost of a wedding cake isn’t straightforward, it’s more than simply quoting, for example, £550 for a three-tier cake serving 95 guests. 

Every bespoke cake is unique, created to meet your specific requirements and budget, so I don’t offer set prices. Factors like the number of servings, tiers, flavour combinations, and design complexity all influence the final cost.

To help with your planning, I’ll provide an estimate based on your guest count, number of tiers, at different levels of decoration. However, prices can vary significantly depending on design details, and a final price will be confirmed once we finalise your cake details during the design process.

Should you have a predefined budget, kindly inform me. I will work with you to stay as close to within your budget.

Please note: There is a minimum spend of £550 for 2025. (Not including delivery.)

When you choose Fay’s Cakes, you’re not just getting a cake, you’re receiving a fully personalised service. From your initial inquiry to the delivery on your wedding day, I’ll be there to guide you through each step of your cake planning journey.

Can we meet with you in person? Yes, we can arrange a Design Consultation with tea and cake in person. If you live abroad or further afield, I also offer virtual consultations. Appointments are held at my home or via Zoom or FaceTime. You will also find me at various wedding fayres throughout the year.

The time required to create a wedding cake can vary significantly based on both it's size and the complexity of the design. Generally, wedding cakes take around 5 days to bake and decorate. However, more intricate designs could demand even longer working days, depending on the level of detail and the number of sugar flowers required.

Sugar flowers are created weeks in advance and may take anywhere from 2 days to 2 weeks or more to complete.

In addition to the actual cake creation, other factors contribute to the time invested. This includes meetings with couples, working on your design proposal, engaging in emails, phone/video calls, practicing elements of the chosen design, and sourcing items for your bespoke design. Matching colours for various components is also a part of this intricate process.

Running a business involves numerous behind-the-scenes activities that I won't bore you with.

The delivery process can also be time consuming, taking up to half a day or even longer, depending on the distance. This includes carefully boxing up the cakes, ensuring their safe transport in the car, packing a kit for on site setup at the venue to present the cake in its best condition, and capturing photographs of the final setup.

Yes; I personally handle all the deliveries for my wedding cakes, but due to the delicate nature of wedding cakes and sugar flowers, I don't employ a dedicated delivery driver. Instead, my husband kindly takes on the responsibility of both driving and assisting with the heavier lifting.

The majority of the cakes I create require a certain level of setup and decoration at the venue. Depending on the specific design and location, I often deliver wedding cakes tier by tier and assemble them on-site. For local venues, I typically deliver fully stacked cakes up to 3 tiers.

My delivery services primarily cover the central belt of Scotland, but I am open to delivering anywhere, please supply your full wedding venue address for a delivery quote. You will receive a delivery quote when you initially enquire about my services. 

Yes; You're not limited to just one flavour, however, keep in mind that as the tiers get smaller, there will be fewer servings of that particular flavour.

Consider your guests' preferences, but don't compromise on your own. You can always set aside the top tier for yourselves in your favorite flavor! 

If you intend to serve your cake as a dessert, it's advisable to provide one slice for each guest. However, if the cake is being served alongside the evening buffet we recommend catering for approx. 75-80% of your guests. Discussing this matter with your caterer is recommended, as your decision may also be influenced by the other foods you plan to offer to your guests.

It's worth noting that in Scotland, it's a common practice for most couples to postpone cutting the cake until all the evening guests have arrived and for the cake to be served along side the evening food. 

You will be emailed a copy of my detailed portion chart. I will guide you on the best sizes for your design and budget.

We do NOT offer eggless or dairy-free cakes.

We do NOT cater for any kind of allergies as all our cakes are made in a kitchen that handles other allergens such as gluten, nuts, milk, soya, fruits, alcohol, dairy, eggs and more.

*Gluten-free cakes can be made for those with a gluten intolerance. but not a gluten allergy as Fay's cakes cannot guarantee 100% gluten-free. We can supply a kitchen-cutting cake for your guests, you could devote the top tier or have some cupcakes for those guests.

We hold a certificate in Level 2 Food and Safety Hygiene and comprehensive public liability insurance. We are registered with the local Environmental Health Authority.

Sugar flowers, while created from icing, are not intended for consumption since they typically incorporate polystyrene buds and wires that do not come into contact with your cake. (You can keep your flowers as they should last a lifetime if stored correctly.)

The edible components of most tiers will be safe for consumption, but if you opt for any non-edible design elements, they will be placed on a decorative, fake/dummy tier.

Fresh flowers; I am often asked if I incorporate them into my designs. The answer is no, and there are several reasons for this decision. Firstly, fresh flowers are not classified as food products and may contain pesticides, insects, dirt, or other contaminants. Additionally, certain flowers can be toxic if ingested.

Another important factor is that Fay's Cakes' public liability insurance does not cover the use of fresh flowers since they are not considered a food product.

I will only ever use fresh flowers that are organic/edible.

Should you wish to have fresh flowers incorporated into your design, I do have a floral crown/stand available for use with your cake design. (No flowers will touch the cake) Please ask for a copy of my hire brochure.

Yes; I provide a range of cake stands and separators that you can hire for a small fee, along with a security deposit. The deposit amount depends on the specific stand you choose. You will receive a refund of your deposit when you return the stand on the agreed date and time, provided it's returned in its original box, and undamaged.

Many venues typically offer a standard silver cake stand, but the quality and condition of these stands can vary. I recommend requesting to see the cake stand and table provided by your venue to determine if it aligns with your desired aesthetic and overall vision.

Chat with your venue about where you want your cake to be on display. Sadly most venues stick the cake in a dark corner of the room sitting on a wobbly table with a wrinkly tablecloth. Think about the background, especially for photos, clashing colours on walls or curtains, fire extinguishers, fire signs, plug sockets and radiators. (Yes all mentioned here can be found in the background of so many of my wedding cake photo's at the venue.) 

Selecting the appropriate cake stand can significantly enhance the overall design of your cake presentation along with some table decorations such as a table runner, candles, some small bud vases, cake menu on display. Please ask for a copy of my hire brochure. 

NO! My cake design process includes exactly that, designing.

All the bespoke cakes I make are designed by me. I meticulously create each sketch and moodboard to capture every detail, refining them as necessary until my clients are entirely satisfied with their vision.

Feel free to share any images with me as they serve as a source of inspiration. These pictures provide valuable insight into your style preferences and help me understand what appeals to you and what doesn't and together we will design your dream cake.