Before any cake is made,
there is a conversation.
4+ months
Peak dates fill earlier.
3+ weeks
Subject to availability.
Anytime
Extra lead time
Our process is designed for clients who want more than a beautiful result, and who value the conversation that makes the result possible.
Your wedding cake journey, from first word to wedding day.
Your wedding cake journey,
from first word to wedding day.
Wedding Steps
Submit your inquiry
Submit your inquiry
Common Questions
Yes, every inquiry receives a response. If your vision and budget need aligning, we will share an honest estimate of what your order will require. You decide how to move forward. We will never leave you without a reply.
We recommend 4-6 months or more, especially for peak dates. If your wedding is sooner, reach out anyway and we will let you know what is possible.
A rough estimate is fine at this stage. We use guest count alongside your vision to provide a realistic estimate. You can refine the details later in the process.
Receive your initial estimate and next steps
We will share what your vision realistically requires based on your guest count and design details. If that number is beyond your range, we let you know directly and respect your decision. The decision is entirely yours and we do not follow up with clients whose budget is out of range.
Plan your tasting: select flavors and book your timeslot
Plan your tasting: select flavors and book your timeslot
A beautifully packaged box of 8 individually assembled samples (2 per flavor combination), wooden spoons, and an in-person session with Nadiya lasting typically 1 hour.
Yes. You can choose from our pre-selected combinations or build your own from the full flavor list. Each combination is a cake base, a frosting, and a filling.
Absolutely! We try our best to arrange a session during your upcoming Chicago visit. However, if you are totally committed we can skip the tasting and begin with the $250 lock-in and coordinate design over video or phone.
Your tasting & design consultation with Nadiya
8 flavors
Everything
Approximately 1 hour
The Vision
Yes, while the tasting is designed as a 1-on-1 with the couple, additional family members sometimes join. In any case, the conversation stays focused on the couple’s vision.
Absolutely. Dessert table options, item selection, and setup coordination are all part of what Nadiya covers during the session.
Two things: how much information they leave with, and that the fillings taste like real fruit and not sugar. Most say they didn’t expect to taste the actual raspberry or the actual lemon. That’s the point.
Secure your date with a lock-in payment
Lock-in: flat fee, regardless of order size
We will continue to stay in touch over the following weeks. There is no pressure. When you are ready, the path forward is waiting.
No. The lock-in secures your date. Design details, flavors, and final elements continue to be refined after this point.
Every wedding cake is custom-priced based on the artistry, materials, and labor required to bring your vision to life. Instead of offering direct discounts, we reward couples through Cake & Kindred, where celebrations earn Credits, including a one-time wedding bonus, that can be redeemed for rewards to apply toward future milestones.
Order confirmation and design refinement
One month before your wedding: final review & remaining balance
Cake cutting at the reception is typically handled by your catering team or venue staff. Nadiya covers the couple’s photo moment cutting during your tasting such as how to position yourselves, where to cut, and how to feed each other for the photograph.
Buttercream cakes are best kept at a cool room temperature, not in a refrigerator and can withstand 2-4hr unrefrigerated depending on room temperature. Nadiya will cover all logistics with your venue coordinator as part of delivery setup.
Every milestone deserves a design made for it.
Every milestone deserves
a design made for it.
Celebration Steps
Build your order and submit your inquiry
Build your order and submit your inquiry
The configurator generates a rough estimate to help you plan. Your final order summary with confirmed pricing comes after your design call with Nadiya, once all details are aligned.
We review and respond with next steps
We’ll share what the order requires honestly and ask what you’d like to do. There’s always a way to find an approach that honors both your vision and your budget, and we’ll work through it together.
Design call with Nadiya
No. Bring whatever you have, inspiration images, colors, a theme, or just a feeling. Nadiya asks the right questions to shape a direction from wherever you are.
Order breakdown & payment
It depends. Major design details cannot be changed, but small adjustments to positioning, color, or accents can still be made. If the changes are large enough, then we will consider additional costs and we’ll confirm any updates in writing.
We ask for full payment upfront because our process starts immediately after confirmation. Every order is custom and the work begins the moment you book.
Each custom order is priced according to the design, materials, and labor required to create it. Instead of offering direct discounts, we reward returning clients through Cake & Kindred, where celebrations earn Credits that can be redeemed for rewards to apply toward future milestones.
Delivery & your celebration
Delivery & Setup
What we handle
What your team handles
Common Delivery & Setup Questions
We coordinate delivery and placement timing with your venue. Buttercream cakes are best kept at a cool room temperature, not in a refrigerator and can withstand 2-4hr unrefrigerated depending on room temperature.
Yes, we serve Chicago and the greater Chicagoland area including Naperville, Oak Brook, Schaumburg, Elmhurst, and surrounding suburbs. For events beyond a 2-hour radius, reach out and we will assess on a case-by-case basis.
The details that make your cake unmistakably yours.
Fresh Flowers
We can source fresh flowers directly, or coordinate with your florist to incorporate their arrangements. Both are available.
Discuss at consultation
Cake Toppers & Charms
Custom toppers and decorative charms are available, with some items sourced from specialty vendors.
Lead time required
Sugar Flowers & Handmade Elements
Handcrafted decorative details are created by Nadiya and available for select designs. Discuss during consultation.
Availability varies
Common Custom Details Questions
We can source similar elements or create something in that spirit, but every element is interpreted, not copied. Bring the reference to your consultation and Nadiya will work with you on what’s possible within your design and timeline.
It depends on the item. Some specialty elements we source from vendors in Europe or across the US, and those require more time than domestic sourcing. Confirm custom add-on needs as early in the process as possible. We will flag lead time requirements at the order confirmation stage.
Share your wedding vision.
Tell us about your celebration.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far in advance should I book a wedding cake in Chicago?
We recommend reaching out four to six months before your wedding date, or earlier for peak spring and summer weekends. If your date is sooner, reach out regardless and we will always tell you honestly what is possible.
How much does a custom wedding cake cost in Chicago?
Custom wedding cakes at Nadiya’s Cupcakes typically begin at $750 and scale based on design complexity, number of tiers, guest count, and specialty elements such as fresh flowers or handmade decorations sourced from vendors across the US and Europe. Every cake is priced individually after your consultation so we can give you a number rooted in your specific vision, not a catalog estimate.
Do you make buttercream or non-fondant wedding cakes?
Yes. Buttercream is our primary medium and we do not use fondant in our designs. Every cake is finished with intentional buttercream textures, fresh flowers, or handmade decorative elements. If you are looking for a non-fondant, design-forward wedding cake in the Chicagoland area, this is what we do.
What happens at a wedding cake tasting?
The tasting is a one-hour in-person session with Nadiya. You receive a beautifully packaged box of eight individually assembled cake samples along with wooden spoons. Beyond tasting, the session covers your full design vision, flavor selections, and dessert table options. It is where the creative partnership begins, and couples consistently leave with more clarity than they expected.
What if my budget does not align with my wedding cake vision?
We will tell you honestly what your vision requires based on your design details and guest count. If that number is beyond your range, we say so directly and respect your decision. We do not follow up with clients whose budget and vision are not aligned, the next step is always yours.
How is ordering a celebration cake different from ordering a wedding cake?
The celebration process is faster and more direct. Our celebrations inquiry form includes a real-time configurator where you can build your order and see a planning estimate before we ever connect. From there, a brief design call with Nadiya confirms the details. Wedding orders follow a more extended process including a consultation, an in-person tasting, and a lock-in payment to secure your date because the scope and stakes are different.
Is the online configurator estimate the final price of my order?
The configurator generates a planning estimate to help you understand the scope of your order before we speak. Confirmed pricing comes after your design call with Nadiya once all details are finalized.
Do you deliver wedding and celebration cakes throughout Chicagoland?
Yes. We deliver across Chicago and the greater Chicagoland area including Naperville, Oak Brook, Schaumburg, Elmhurst, Hinsdale, the North Shore, and surrounding suburbs. For events beyond a two-hour radius, reach out and we will assess on a case-by-case basis.
How long can a buttercream cake be displayed before the reception?
Buttercream cakes hold well at a cool room temperature and can remain unrefrigerated for two to four hours depending on the environment. Refrigeration is not recommended. We coordinate timing and placement directly with your venue coordinator as part of the delivery and setup process so nothing is left to chance.
Can you replicate a design I found on Instagram or Pinterest?
We try not replicate existing designs. Every cake we create begins as an original interpretation of your vision that includes your story, your aesthetic, and your celebration. If you bring us a reference image, we use it as a creative starting point and build something from it that is uniquely yours. That distinction is the foundation of how we work.