Commissions
What a commission involves
Every cake begins the same way: a conversation about your day, your guests and the feeling you want on the table. What follows is a design process built around your specific event.
Servings
Sized to your guest list
From an intimate single tier to a full four-tier centerpiece. The first figure in each range is the guaranteed count; a generous cut reaches the second.
| Tiers | Servings | |
|---|---|---|
| One tier | An intimate single statement piece. | 10–16guests |
| Two tiers | The classic celebration silhouette. | 25–35guests |
| Three tiers | A grand centerpiece for a larger gathering. | 45–65guests |
| Four tiers | The full atelier commission. | 80–110guests |
Flavors
A considered repertoire
Sponge and filling are chosen independently and pair however you like. The lists below are a starting point, not a fixed menu.
Sponge
Vanilla bean
Fragrant vanilla, slow-creamed batter.
Vanilla chiffon
Light, airy and tender.
Pistachio & rose
Toasted pistachio with a whisper of rose.
Dark chocolate
Deep, dark and barely sweet.
Lemon & elderflower
Bright citrus, floral finish.
Red velvet
Cocoa-kissed, tender crumb.
Salted caramel
Burnt sugar batter, sea salt.
Earl Grey
Bergamot-steeped sponge.
Almond & cherry
Almond crumb with dark cherry.
Coconut chiffon
Airy chiffon, scented with coconut.
Filling
Swiss meringue buttercream
Silken, lightly sweet.
Raspberry preserve
Whole-fruit, gently tart.
Salted caramel
Slow-cooked, flecked with salt.
Vanilla crème pâtissière
Rich custard, vanilla pod.
Chocolate ganache
Dark chocolate, silky set.
Lemon curd
Made by hand, sharp and glossy.
Pistachio cream
Roasted pistachio paste, light cream.
Hazelnut praline cream
Silky, with roasted hazelnut.
Strawberries & cream
Fresh strawberries, lightly whipped cream.
The repertoire shifts with the season. Gluten-free and egg-free adaptations are possible for many flavors; tell us at the enquiry stage so the structure and tasting can be planned around them. Every cake is made in a kitchen that handles wheat, eggs, milk, soy and tree nuts, and the menu includes almond, pistachio, hazelnut and coconut. Any cake may contain these, or traces of other allergens.
Timeline
Built around your date
01
Lead time
Weddings are booked eight to twelve weeks ahead. Celebration cakes need as little as three weeks, but earlier is always easier.
02
Tasting
Included with every wedding commission, scheduled once the design is underway and before the final flavors are set.
03
Payments
$50 sends your request and counts toward the deposit. Once the design is approved, the deposit holds the date; the balance falls due 14 days before the event.
04
Delivery & setup
Included across the DMV, set in place and timed to your event. Further afield by arrangement, with travel quoted alongside your design.
Investment
Priced by the piece
A commission is priced on servings, finish and the handwork it asks for — never a flat menu.
The studio prices a design as you build it- Celebration cakes
- from$180The floor for the smallest single-tier commission.
- Weddings, buttercream
- from$12per servingA smooth or semi-naked finish.
- Weddings, fondant
- from$16per servingA hand-draped fondant shell.
- To hold your date
- 35%Of the total, due once the design is approved: at least $150, or half the total for smaller commissions. The $50 request deposit counts toward it.
Questions
Frequently asked
How far in advance should I enquire?
Wedding cakes are typically booked eight to twelve weeks ahead. Celebration cakes need as little as three weeks, but earlier is always easier.
Do you deliver and set up the cake?
Yes. Every commission includes delivery and on-site assembly across the DMV, timed to your event so the cake is set in its final place shortly before guests arrive.
Can you accommodate allergies and dietary needs?
Gluten-free and egg-free adaptations are possible for many flavors; tell us at the enquiry stage so the structure and tasting can be planned around them. Every cake is made in a kitchen that handles wheat, eggs, milk, soy and tree nuts, and the menu includes almond, pistachio, hazelnut and coconut. Any cake may contain these, or traces of other allergens.
How many guests will a tier serve?
As a guide, a single tier serves 10 to 16 guests, and each added tier extends that considerably — a full four-tier commission reaches 80 to 110. Exact servings are confirmed once your guest count and design are set.
What do you take to hold a date?
A request deposit of $50 sends your design to the atelier; it counts toward your deposit, and is refunded in full if we cannot take the commission. Once we approve the design, a deposit of 35% of the total (at least $150, or half the total for smaller commissions) holds your date and begins the design work and ingredient sourcing. It is non-refundable, but it can move once to a new date within 12 months. The balance falls due 14 days before the event, once the final design and guest count are confirmed.
Is a tasting included?
Yes, for wedding commissions: a private tasting is scheduled once the design is underway, so the final flavors are chosen together before work begins.
Can we start from one of your designs?
Yes. Choose “Enquire about this piece” on any piece in the portfolio and it travels with your enquiry; the design is then adapted to your guest count, palette and flavors. To start from a blank page, open the studio and compose a cake in three dimensions.
Do you deliver further afield?
By arrangement, with travel quoted alongside your design. Write in with your location and date and we will confirm.
How should the cake be kept before serving?
Somewhere cool and out of direct sun until about an hour before serving; buttercream softens in a warm room. Fresh flowers, toppers and supports are removed before cutting.
Begin the Conversation
Tell us about the day you are planning
A date, a guest count and a feeling are enough to begin. Every enquiry is answered personally, within two business days.