Bridal Wedding Cakes…How To Avoid The Picasso Syndrome
What exactly is the Picasso Syndrome? During our interviews with recent brides, some told us that the “originality” of their wedding cake design led to nothing but disappointment for them. This consistent theme soon became apparant.
As a result, we coined this phenomenon as the “Picasso Syndrome.” In order for you to avoid any potential disappointment, here’s what you should know before ordering your wedding cake.
A wedding cake baker possesses certain talents that vary…just like a musician, attorney, or doctor. Because of this some baker/designers have more experience, talent, and skills than others.
You will have to interview several baker/designers before you find one that has the skill-sets required to create what’s in your thoughts and heart…your dream wedding cake.
Normally, when you request “an original wedding cake design,” the procedure commences with a discussion about the pattern of your wedding gown…the setting of your reception…a central theme for the wedding…a whimsical idea, or a number of other possibilities.
Subsequently, baker/designers take your ideas and after that create some rough sketches for your approval.
Although the sketches give you a pretty good idea of the way your cake will appear, you continue to wonder if they will result in an ideal wedding cake you’re expecting.
As one bride said, “When I saw my cake for the first time I couldn’t believe it. It was like my favorite TV show had been cancelled. I was shocked and disappointed at what I saw…my wedding cake just didn’t look like anything I ever imagined.”
This reaction supports the fact that when we surveyed brides who ordered “original” bridal wedding cakes, an astonishing 18% of them were not satisfied with the finished look of their “original design.”
Why the high disappointment rate? Competent, experienced, and talented baker/designers view themselves as “artists” who are using frosting and cake as their medium, rather than oil and canvas.
The wedding cakes they create are viewed as a genuine piece of art. To them, your cake is no different than a work created by Van Gough, Monet, or Picasso.
Everyone (including you) demonstrates a perspective of beauty. Take Picasso as an example. Some believe his masterpieces are genius…while others believe his work is that of a 5 year old child.
Some baker/designers fall into this same pattern. They feel their bridal wedding cakes look like a “Picasso masterpiece,” while you see them as cakes that are decorated by a 5 year old child.
Here’s where you need to ask yourself, “Do I think my baker/designer can create a masterpiece that matches my personal taste, based on his or her previous work?”
If you’re not completely convinced, lower your anxiety level by selecting a “pre-designed” photo or display. Here’s why.
You can always make it “original” by making a few modifications of your own. This way you’ll know what to expect, and you’ll steer clear of the disappointment of encountering the “Picasso Syndrome.”
Addendum:
Here’s a WARNING! If you consider yourself a “particular” bride, and expect everything in your wedding to be “perfect,” do not ask a wedding cake baker/designer for a cake that’s original or unique.
Remember, our studies show a whopping 18% of the brides polled (516 brides) were unhappy with their original or unique designs. This compares to only 6-7% of brides who were not satisfied with a wedding cake they chose from a display or photo.
Here’s a supporting analogy:
Compare constructing a house from your own ideas that are then translated into blueprints…and purchasing a house that is ready to move into.
One is a “concept,” while the alternative choice is one you are able to see, feel, and touch. When purchasing a house that is ready to moving into, you realize exactly what you’re buying.
Further research demonstrates you’re 5 to 1 more likely to select a prefinished home instead of building one from the ground-up.
So take these findings to heart before you ask your baker/designer to sketch something totally new and extremely different for your wedding cake masterpiece.
Whatever you do, avoid any encounter with disappointment by keeping away from the “Picasso Syndrome.”
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