How to find a vegan wedding cake in your area

I had a big dilemma when I was planning my wedding. I'm a vegan (no meat/dairy) and I wanted a vegan wedding cake, but had no idea where to find one. I learned there are several avenues one can explore to find the vegan cake of their dreams.

First check any local restaurants that offer vegan options, especially vegan desserts. This is how we found our baker. The restaurant hired her to make just their vegan desserts and we were able to get her contact number. The best part was we could taste her creations before even contacting her. It just so happened I was already a big fan.

Another place to check is local health food stores or co-ops. Some will have a bakery section. If they make vegan cakes they might be able to make one to your specifications. Even if they can't, these types of places are great sources for references. Check with the manager and see if they know any local vegan caterers or bakers and might be able to refer you.

If you've got a big budget you can check on-line for vegan cakes. Some bakeries will ship their goods across the country for a fee. With a little creativity and cash you can either attempt to assemble a masterpiece upon arrival or do small cakes for each table. Of course you run the risk of shipping damage or the cakes not arriving on time so keep that in mind before ordering.

If that plan falls short look at your friends and family who are skilled at baking. There might be someone willing to experiment with different recipes or adjusting non-vegan recipes to meet your needs. Try a few kinds until you find the perfect one. You might have to lower your twelve tier expectations, but at least you've got a cake. To keep things simple it's a good idea to have a small tiered decorated cake and several sheet cakes to feed everyone.

If all else fails you can bake your own cake. Try to keep it is as simple as possible. You'll be stressed enough as it is! Do as much advance preparation work as you can and get your friends and family to help. Maybe a local baker would be willing to decorate if you don't feel up to the challenge. Just keep in mind some frostings like fondant contain dairy and or gelatin so ask for an ingredient list. Also remember that a beautiful cake doesn't have to be decorated with fancy icing. A simple base icing can be glammed up with flowers or other inedible baubles.

Whatever route you take be firm about your values and open-minded about your expectations. In the end your bound to be happy with your delicious vegan wedding cake.

The Honeymoon

Ah, the romantic honeymoon. It's relaxing and blissful until you realize you spent nearly half of your wedding budget on transportation and lodging. Here's some tips that should help you save a buck or two and really enjoy that vacation.

When I booked my hotel for our honeymoon night, I really wanted to splurge. I wanted the spa robes, the jacuzzi tub, and the free champagne. I found a local hotel that offered a special romance package that seemed like a good deal. It included a room with a fireplace, jacuzzi tub, champagne, chocolates, rose petals, robes and slippers. I paid extra for it too. When we got there we were both so tired we could barely take it all in.

We decided to go more low key for our honeymoon destination hotel with a basic room. When they learned we were newlyweds, they bumped us up to the VIP floor to a nice room and we got perks like free champagne and chocolate covered strawberries at no cost. So two things I learned here, I may have gotten all the perks on my honeymoon night without the extra cost if I had just asked, and maybe that cost would have been better spent later in the honeymoon when we could really appreciate the luxury.

This tip is important. Bring some food and drinks with you or stop on your way to the hotel and get something. After the hustle and bustle of the reception, we were hungry and as fate would have it, most fast food joints were closed by the time we realized it. I would have paid a small fortune for a soda (another tip, bring some cash with you!) and some french fries. My sweet husband went out in the cold and found us some food. But wouldn't it have been nicer to snuggle and have a little picnic dinner already in the room?

Here's another good tip for the bride if you're a little shy about broadcasting your marriage to the world. Carry your bouquet with you to the reception desk. I paid nearly a hundred dollars for my bouquet and I was going to enjoy every minute I had with it. When I carried it into the hotel it was a non-verbal beacon that we were newlyweds. I didn't have to tell them, they just knew. If you're not shy about telling strangers, you might get even more perks. I've heard of people getting free dessert, drinks, etc when they let others know.

Your honeymoon night should be special and not something you have to get stressed about. With these tips you can get the most out of your honeymoon vacation and maybe discover a few perks along the way.