Most brides have ideas about what kind of cake they want and how they want it to look. They should keep all these ideas in mind when choosing a wedding cake baker. They also need to look at quality, reliability and price. Many people or establishments claim to be wedding cake specialists, but this is not necessarily the case.

Many brides find that the search for a wedding cake baker is made easier by talking to friends and asking for recommendations. Most people are willing to share good and bad experiences with their friends, so a bride may be able to glean good information from people she knows. She should start thinking about a wedding cake baker as soon as she has the date set for the wedding -- or at least six to eight months in advance.

Budget is often the primary consideration when choosing a wedding cake baker, but this can also be detrimental. Some grocery stores, for instance, may have wedding cakes on display, but their cakes do not taste very good, nor can they be relied on to produce exactly what the bride wants. Some stores, however, have excellent bakeries and are known for producing good cakes at a reasonable price. Again, the bride needs to do some research in this area.

Budget will also come into play if the bride decides to have a groom's cake, as well. Can she afford two cakes? One popular solution for the bride's cake is to have a smaller, decorated cake to cut for the pictures, but serve the guests from sheet cakes of the same variety. This works well with larger weddings.

Quality is another watchword for cakes. It is a sober truth that people remember three things most from a wedding: how the bride looks, how the music sounds and whether the cake is good. One mark of a quality wedding cake baker is that he or she is willing to offer samples and recommendations based on the couple's tastes and ideas. Anyone claiming to be a wedding cake baker should at least offer samples of their cakes. If the couple is thinking about a store bakery, they should pick up a small cake from the bakery and try it.

Reliability is obviously a big issue, as well. Can the wedding cake baker be trusted to deliver the cakes as ordered, on time and in good condition? Friends' recommendations are vital in this case, as well.

Also, whether the wedding cake baker is an individual or a company, the bride should insist on a contract with the baker, specifying what is being ordered; how much it will cost; amount of deposit put down for the cake; and the date, time and place of delivery. The contract should also specify what the baker will do if unable to follow through on any part of the contract. This is a crucial part of the process. If something goes wrong, the contract protects both the bride and the wedding cake baker.

Budget, quality, reliability -- keeping these words in mind will help a bride choose a wedding cake baker who can make her dreams a reality.

Choose a cake flavor that offers guests an alternative to the bride's cake. The groom's cake is traditionally chocolate with chocolate icing while the bride's cake is usually white.

Determine the shape and theme of the groom's cake. Groom's cakes range in style from simple, elegant round cakes topped with chocolate shavings and chocolate-dipped strawberries to complex, outrageous designs shaped like golf greens complete with colored icing and three dimensional embellishments.

Remember that the groom's cake is a dessert and not just a showpiece. Some elaborate cakes have so many decorations that they look unappetizing or are difficult to cut and serve. Keep this in mind for the sake of your guests who may expect to enjoy a slice of chocolate cake at your reception.