We met up with the kick-ass, and incredibly adorable, Lindsay Kinder: Chef and Owner of Food-La-La. Food-La-La is a San Francisco based bakery that specializes in French-style macaroons served in fun and unique ways at weddings, social and corporate events. A business mogul and rising star in our community, Lindsay Kinder drops truth bombs about hiring vendors for your wedding, especially when it comes to cakes and desserts. Read on for incredible honesty and insights from Lindsay.

EH: What are the most important things a couple should be thinking about when looking for the right dessert maker?

Lindsay: For your wedding, you have to ask yourself: “do I like cake?” If the answer is “no” or “meh”, then it’s important to not immediately assume that you have to have a wedding cake. I know so many brides who are now steering away from wedding cakes. Most of the time, it’s because they just don't like them.

But hey, that’s okay! There are a lot of different things that you can do instead of having a wedding cake. From a donut wall to a macaroon station or one of those cool crockenbush towers — there’s a bunch of ways to really personalized your wedding dessert.

The most important thing is to know you don't have to have a wedding cake especially if there's something else that might be more your style. So if you don’t like cake, you’re not alone and there are other options.

EH: What are the dos and don'ts when choosing a dessert maker?

Lindsay: You want to feel like the dessert maker you choose has a brand and an aesthetic that speaks to you because your wedding is a representation of who you are. Ideally, everything you choose to have at your wedding should be closely aligned with who you and your partner are as people. That comes through in how you and your guests will end up experiencing this well thought-out, personalized event.

Also, once you've chosen a vendor, trust them. Share with them your vision. Don’t hold back. Because any inkling of inspiration is helpful. Sometimes people might say: “Oh I don’t care; make whatever you want.” But what they don't realize is that they still have an expectation but they’re just not articulating it.

So it’s important to do everything you can to communicate what you want. You can share inspiration through Pinterest, Instagram or any images or ideas with your dessert maker so that we have a clear idea about what you’re after. That's going to help us to create something that successfully matches your special vision.

Don't be afraid to ask for something special or something custom. But trust your dessert maker with your vision and also trust them if they tell you when they can't do something.

EH: How far in advance do couples need to choose a dessert maker?

Lindsay: I would say four to six months before your wedding. For a dessert that is going to get dropped off, four months should be enough.

If you’re talking about a dessert maker that’s providing an experience on site like macaron bedazzling where guests get to decorate their own party-favor box of macarons, that type of vendor is going to get booked out further in advance.

So if you’re going to have an interactive dessert experience onsite, something that’s staffed and hosted by the dessert vendor, I’d suggest booking six months out.

EH: What is the most common mistake couples make when starting the search for a dessert maker?

Lindsay: It's really important to read reviews of the service providers you choose. I've spoken to people who have been really disappointed in the quality of service of a dessert maker because they didn't show up on time or the dessert ended up as a melted mess. But, had they read the reviews online, it would have been pretty easy to tell in advance that the vendor probably wasn't the right choice.

EH: What are the most important questions couples should be asking dessert makers during their search?

Lindsay: If you're thinking about a cake you want to know how many people it’s going to serve and you want to find out if it's possible to have multiple flavors within one cake. It’s also important to check with your venue to find out about the cake cutting fee. That can sneak up on you.

That’s also a perk for going with finger-food desserts like chocolate covered strawberries, macarons, or cupcakes because there's no cake cutting fee.

It’s good to get a sense of options for dietary restrictions. Also, there’s a whole bunch of logistical questions to be aware of. For example, ask your venue about their policies about how, when, and where things should be stored as well as timing for serving your dessert.

You should ask if it’s ok for desserts to be sitting outside. Will it be hot? Will there be bugs? Is there a refrigerator or a freezer for things to be kept in before they are brought out? Who's going to bring the desserts out? Who’s providing platters? Do the dessert makers bring their own platters and serveware and if so, do they charge for them? Can you provide your own if you want to save some money? Does the venue provide any of that?

Also there are important questions regarding collaboration between vendors. For example, who is going to pass out the cake or the desserts? Is it the venue? Is it the caterer? Or, is it the dessert maker? It’s good to get a sense of who’s going to do this in advance. This is an important logistic to iron out because you risk your dessert sitting there and not getting eaten if it’s not taken to people.

EH: How do brides and grooms plan a dessert that’s going to pop?

Lindsay: For me, the first thing is to add an experiential DIY element. People love to personalize things even if it's just choosing different flavors of ice cream and toppings. Being able to customize something gets people really excited.

Second, presentation is everything. So if you've got special serving pieces in mind use those! I've seen a lot of people put out macarons on family heirlooms. I think that's very cool. It’s great to rethink your serving pieces; it’s much more fun to eat your ice cream Sundae out of a wine glass with a long thin spoon than out of a bowl. It doesn’t have to make sense. It can be a little out of the box. It doesn’t have to be crazy but even little things will make for a memorable experience.

Third, is unique flavors. Using unique flavors and flavor combinations is a really fun way of making something memorable — think passion fruit and pink peppercorn. Using ingredients that are unexpected is something that will have people talking about and remembering your event for years to come.

The idea is that you're serving something at your wedding that your guests are not going to make or find on their own. The presentation, the flavors, the garnishing, the experiential component, and the personalization — those attributes are what make for a great wedding dessert.

EH: What words of wisdom would you give new brides trying to put together their ideal wedding day?

Lindsay: Think about what is most ‘you’. This is a really special day and you're making all these choices that will really reflect who you are. Are you someone that's classic and just loves apple pie? Or, are you someone that loves fancy stuff and wants gold-flecked, French macarons in different colors? Or, do you love ice cream and want to do a Sunday bar or a burn-it-yourself crème brûlée bar? I think tapping into what feels most like ‘you’, is what weddings are all about. This day is entirely about you and you don't need to follow any rules. Go with your gut. If you love it, it's a perfect choice.

San Francisco based pastry chef serves up serious insights on selecting the right baker for your wedding

EH: What are the dos and don'ts when choosing a dessert maker?

EH: How far in advance do couples need to choose a dessert maker?

EH: What are the most important questions couples should be asking dessert makers during their search?

EH: How do brides and grooms plan a dessert that’s going to pop?

EH: What words of wisdom would you give new brides trying to put together their ideal wedding day?