Virginia Vendor Spotlight: Soul Cakes by Tanya

We love getting to build lasting relationships! Virginia vendor Tanya, owner of Soul Cakes by Tanya, is one of those we love to see. She has done several cakes for us and knows a thing or two about wedding cakes.

She began her business in 2017, by selling her family’s pound cake recipe. Trust us, it’s delicious. Read below to find out more about Tanya, our featured vendor.

1. Who is your ideal client?

Our ideal client is someone who wants their cake to taste as good as it looks! We love a simple and elegant are always wanting to flex our creative ability and we appreciate clients who bring that to us.

2. When should customers reach out to you to design and create their wedding cakes?

As soon as possible. It’s a misconception to think you can add the cake on “later.” We are booked sometimes a year in advance and we prefer not to do several weddings at the same time.

3. Describe a tasting and when should couples reach out to schedule one?

Once you’ve contacted us with your details and are interested after receiving the estimated cost, it’s a good time to do the tasting. Our tasting is a selection of 3-6 flavors from our menu. If there’s a specific flavor that’s not on our menu, just ask! After you’ve tasted your selection we schedule a virtual consultation to go over everything.

4. What makes your cakes unique?

I think our ability to create something beautiful and delicious makes us unique. We bake from scratch and pride ourselves on using quality ingredients. We also stay abreast of current trends and techniques so we can provide you with the best options for your design.

5. What do you wish clients knew before choosing their wedding cake?

Cakes are not cheap; our pricing reflects our baking from scratch, our talented labor force and the cost of supplies.

6. To feed 100-130 guests, what would be the price of a cake?

Pricing depends on the number of servings, the design and the medium used. A buttercream cake with texture and some flowers can cost approximately $600 to $850; the same cake covered in fondant can cost $750 to $1000. Adding on different design elements will increase the pricing based on time and materials.

7. We’ve seen buttercream cakes melt in warm weather, what is the ideal location to keep them at the venue to ensure they don’t melt before the cake cutting?

For buttercream cakes keep them away from the windows and refrigerate as long as possible. If you have a cocktail hour before the reception and it’s feasible, wait to bring the cake out until the end of that hour leading into the reception.

8. Anything else you would like to share? (Do’s or Don’ts, etc)

Do: Ask questions! If the quote is over your budget and you want to work with the vendor, see what other options are available to create your desired design.

Don’t: I said this before but it’s really important not to wait until the last minute. You will have better vendor options and amazing cake and desserts.

If you’re looking for a Virginia vendor team to capture your wedding, fill out our contact form. You can also learn more about us or check out our wedding experience page.

Stay tuned for our next blog!