Wedding Cake FAQs
Is a Bethel Bakery Wedding Cake included in any Pittsburgh Wedding Packages?
We are proudly a preferred vendor or a part of some area wedding packages. Below is a list of these reception sites. The Catering Sales Manager/Event Planner from each of these venues will be able to guide you on how they handle the cake details.
| Doubletree Pittsburgh City Center |
Salvatores |
| Hyatt Regency - Pgh International Airport |
Sheraton Station Square |
| Omni William Penn |
The Willow Room |
| Phipps Conservatory |
Westwood Golf Club |
| Clarion Hotel-Greentree | Wyndham Grand Pittsburgh |
| Banquets Unlimited |
How far in advance should I contact Bethel Bakery to order my wedding cake?
Once you have confirmed your wedding date, where your reception is being held, and it is within one year, you can certainly make an appointment to see and sample what we have to offer. Sometimes it takes two appointments; one to see your choices and the second to finalize all the details. Most orders are finalized 4-6 months in advance, but it can be done prior to that if you prefer. All orders much be finalized one month before with the remaining balance due two weeks prior to your wedding.
When do you offer appointments?
We offer appointments Monday - Thursday evenings and through the day on Saturdays. By calling the bakery at 412-835-6658 and dialing the Wedding Department at extension "4", we can compare our schedules to figure out what day and time works best.
What can I expect during an appointment at the bakery?
We begin the appointment with a cake tasting or our most popular combinations. We then help you determine the flavor, cake size and design that will compliment your wedding. We provide you with a personalized pricing worksheet based on your choices. By the end of the appointment, you can choose to place a $100 non-refundable deposit to secure your wedding date, make a finalized order or confirm your decision later.
Looking at the different sizes of wedding cakes and their servings, I could have a guest count between sizes. What do you suggest?
Naturally you will have extra servings if you go with the larger size cake. However, you can always be more cost effective and go with a smaller cake on display and order our "backup cakes" to make up the extra servings. Our "backup cakes" are our 10-inch undecorated round cake, serves 24, same cake batter/filling as your main cake and will be cut and served as needed.
Can I have different cake batters/fillings in my wedding cake?
Certainly! Each tier can have a different batter and filling combination. We find, however, that the majority of couples do choose one flavor for the entire cake, only because it eliminates guests not getting their flavor preference.
Do you offer fondant covered cakes?
Because our trademark is our French Buttercream Icing, we do ice all of our cakes with our buttercream icing. We can also fondant cover your wedding cake if this is your preference. We also can buttercream ice your cake and add fondant ribbons, drapings or bows. Because of the labor intensity of dealing with fondant, it would incur an additional charge.
May I bring in a picture of a wedding cake I saw a magazine that I like?
Absolutely! Some of our best designs were adapted from pictures couples gave us. We will be glad to let you know to what extent we could replicate your request and an estimate for the additional cost for that particular design.
What color is the buttercream icing used on your wedding cakes?
Because butter is used in our French Buttercream Icing, it is not a stark white. Many have referred to the word "candlelight."
What time do you deliver the cake?
The reception site often dictates this. We call your reception site the week of the wedding and ask for a time frame for delivery. Some sites are accessible for delivery almost all day - while others have more restricted time slots that we try to accommodate. Normally wedding cakes will be delivered no later than one hour before your reception starts, but could be their several hours earlier depending on the reception site's availability and our schedule for that day.
How far do you deliver?
We offer delivery to over 100 different reception sites primarily within approximately a 10-25 mile radius of the bakery. View our extensive list of wedding venues we have delivered to in the past.
Delivery charges range in price depending on time and distance from the bakery. Please call us at 412.835.6658 to confirm delivery service to your wedding reception site. The delivery charge is a great insurance policy to have piece of mind that delivery and set up of your showpiece wedding cake is in professional hands.
What is your wedding cake serving size?
We suggest using your wedding cake as a dessert and have found our serving an adequate size after a wedding meal. The dimension of this serving, whether coming from round or square wedding cake, is 4"h x 2"d x 3/4-1-inch wide.
I have seen wedding cakes displayed on round or square stands. Do you have them available?
We do have round and square silver stands that are available for rent at the bakery. These stands are a great way to add extra height and presence to your wedding cake. We have a limited quantity and are on a first come first serve basis with regards to reserving them.
Will you work with my florist?
Sure! Our delivery schedule is finalized by the Thursday afternoon prior to your wedding. If it is noted on your order that your florist needs cake information prior to delivery, please have them contace our wedding department. We do suggest that if you are having fresh flowers accenting your cake, your florist is best suited to do this once the cake has arrived at the reception site.
Can anything be used for an ornament or do you have sizing requirements?
We suggest you bring the ornament with you to the bakery when you come in to finalize your cake order. The specific guidelines we have found to work best for the top of your cake are a maximum base width 4 1/2", maximum height of 6" and a maximum weight of 12oz. Have your figurine/cake topper on the cake table at the reception site and we will be glad to place it on the cake.
We have a showpiece wedding cake waiting for you! Our wedding cake gallery displays many of our popular designs. Visit our appointments & deposits page to secure your date online or use our online information request form and one of our wedding specialists will contact you regarding your special day. If you prefer to have your questions answered by a live person, just give us a call at 412.835.6658 to talk with a wedding specialist.