Frequently Asked Questions
At Charissine Creations, every celebration is approached with care, creativity and attention to detail. Below you'll find answers to some of our most frequently asked questions about custom cakes, couture cupcakes, couture cookies, stationery and our Signature Experience.
If you don't see your question here, please contact us through our inquiry form.
ORDERING & BOOKING
HOW DO I PLACE AN ORDER?
Begin by submitting an inquiry with as much information as possible about your celebration, including your event date, number of guests, desired products, colour palette, style, flavours and any inspiration you would like us to consider.
Once we review your request, we'll contact you regarding availability, design details and next steps.
Submitting an inquiry does not automatically reserve your date. Your booking is confirmed only once the required booking and payment requirements outlined in your quote have been completed.
HOW FAR IN ADVANCE SHOULD I INQUIRE?
We recommend reaching out as early as possible, particularly for weddings, milestone celebrations, larger orders and the Charissine Signature Experience.
Availability varies throughout the year, and some designs require additional time for artwork, custom stationery, handcrafted details and other coordinated elements.
If your celebration is approaching soon, you're still welcome to inquire. We will let you know what may be possible based on current availability.
DO YOU ACCEPT LAST-MINUTE ORDERS?
When our schedule and the requested design allow, we may be able to accommodate shorter-notice orders. Availability is not guaranteed.
Complex cakes, large quantities, custom artwork, stationery and coordinated celebration collections generally require more planning time.
WHEN IS MY DATE RESERVED?
An inquiry or quote alone does not reserve your date.
Your date is considered booked only after you have completed the booking requirements stated in your quote or confirmation.
BESPOKE CAKES
DO YOU MAKE WEDDING AND CELEBRATION CAKES?
Yes. Charissine Creations designs couture cakes for weddings, milestone birthdays, anniversaries, showers, graduations and other special celebrations.
Each cake is designed around the occasion, aesthetic and creative direction of the client rather than produced from a fixed catalogue of designs.
CAN YOU COPY A CAKE FROM A PHOTO EXACTLY?
Inspiration photographs are welcome and are very helpful for communicating your preferences.
However, we do not aim to reproduce another artist's work exactly. We use your inspiration to understand elements such as colour, composition, texture, floral style and overall mood, then develop a Charissine interpretation for your celebration.
CAN MY CAKE HAVE MORE THAN ONE FLAVOUR?
Depending on the size and structure of your cake, multiple flavours may be possible. We can discuss flavour options during the consultation and quotation process.
DO YOU MAKE TIERED WEDDING CAKES?
Yes. Tiered wedding and celebration cakes are available, including designs featuring hand-painted details, sculptural elements, florals, wafer-paper work, fondant finishes and other couture-inspired techniques.
COUTURE CUPCAKES
WHAT ARE COUTURE CUPCAKES?
Our Couture Cupcakes are designed as small edible works of art.
Depending on the collection, they may feature hand-piped buttercream flowers, painted details, fondant elements, textures and other artistic finishes.
They can be commissioned independently or designed to coordinate with your cake, cookies, stationery or Signature Experience.
DO YOU OFFER CUPCAKE BOUQUETS?
Yes. Floral cupcake bouquets may be available as part of our Couture Cupcake offering.
Availability, size, floral style and presentation will depend on the design and occasion.
CAN MY CUPCAKES MATCH MY CAKE?
Absolutely. Coordinating the details across different elements is an important part of the Charissine aesthetic.
We can carry colours, florals, patterns, textures and other design details from your cake into your cupcakes.
COUTURE COOKIES
WHAT ARE COUTURE COOKIES?
Couture Cookies are Charissine's artistic approach to custom cookies.
Designs may incorporate hand-painted artwork, embossed or dimensional details, botanical elements, personalized designs and elegant decorative finishes.
CAN I ORDER COUTURE COOKIES WITHOUT ORDERING A CAKE?
Yes. Couture Cookies are a complete Charissine category of their own and may be commissioned independently.
They can also be coordinated with your cake, cupcakes, stationery or Signature Experience.
CAN COOKIES BE PERSONALIZED?
Depending on the design, cookies may incorporate names, initials, monograms, dates, celebration details, artwork or other personalized elements.
We'll discuss the possibilities when developing your design.
CUSTOM STATIONERY
WHAT TYPES OF STATIONERY DO YOU CREATE?
Depending on your celebration, Charissine stationery may include invitations, RSVP cards, menus, place cards, welcome signs, seating details, thank-you cards, favour tags, inserts and other coordinated paper pieces.
CAN I ORDER STATIONERY WITHOUT ORDERING A CAKE?
Yes. Custom Stationery can be commissioned independently.
It can also be coordinated with your Couture cake, Couture Cupcakes, Couture Cookies or Signature Experience.
WILL I SEE MY STATIONERY BEFORE IT IS PRODUCED?
Where a proof is part of the commissioned stationery service, you will have an opportunity to review the applicable design details before final production.
It is important to carefully check names, dates, spelling, addresses and other information when approving a proof.
THE CHARISSINE SIGNATURE EXPERIENCE
WHAT IS THE SIGNATURE EXPERIENCE?
The Signature Experience is our most complete approach to celebration design.
Rather than beginning with individual products, we begin with your story and an original artistic concept.
That creative direction can then be translated across your celebration—from cakes, cupcakes and cookies to stationery, textiles, fashion-inspired elements, décor, packaging, keepsakes and other coordinated details.
The result is a celebration that feels like one cohesive visual world rather than a collection of unrelated pieces.
DO I HAVE TO PURCHASE THE SIGNATURE EXPERIENCE?
No.
You can commission a Couture Cake, Couture Cupcakes, Couture Cookies or Custom Stationery individually.
The Signature Experience is intended for clients who want a more extensively coordinated celebration.
CAN YOU DESIGN A COLLECTION AROUND MY COLOURS OR STORY?
Yes. Your story, occasion, aesthetic preferences and colour direction can help inspire the creative concept.
For Signature Experience commissions, original artwork may become the visual foundation from which the other celebration elements are developed.
DESIGN & CUSTOMIZATION
CAN YOU MATCH MY EVENT COLOURS?
We can design toward your selected colour palette and coordinate elements throughout your collection.
Please keep in mind that colours may appear slightly different across buttercream, fondant, edible paints, icing, printed paper, fabric and digital screens because each material reproduces colour differently.
CAN I SEND INSPIRATION PHOTOS?
Yes, please do.
Inspiration photographs, invitations, colour palettes, fabric samples, floral references, fashion imagery and other visual references can help us understand the direction you're drawn to.
They are used as inspiration rather than instructions to reproduce another creator's work exactly.
CAN YOU CREATE SOMETHING COMPLETELY ORIGINAL?
Yes. Original design is central to the Charissine approach.
If you're unsure exactly what you want, you can share your story, occasion, preferred colours and overall feeling, and we can use that information to develop the creative direction.
PRICING, QUOTES & PAYMENT
HOW MUCH DOES A CUSTOM ORDER COST?
Pricing varies because custom work is based on factors such as size, servings, quantity, design complexity, materials, handcrafted details, customization and the services included.
Once we understand your requirements, we can provide an appropriate quote.
WHY DON'T ALL CUSTOM ITEMS HAVE A FIXED PRICE?
Two cakes or collections of the same size can require very different amounts of design and production work.
Custom pricing allows us to account for the actual scope of your commission rather than treating every design as though it requires the same amount of work.
WHAT PAYMENT METHODS DO YOU ACCEPT?
Available payment methods will be shown during the applicable checkout, invoice or payment process.
Please follow the payment instructions provided with your order or booking documents.
CHANGES, CANCELLATIONS & REFUNDS
CAN I CHANGE MY ORDER AFTER BOOKING?
Contact us as soon as possible if you need to request a change.
Whether a change can be accommodated depends on factors such as timing, the nature of the change, materials already purchased, design work already completed and our production schedule.
Additional charges may apply where a requested change increases the scope of the original order.
CAN I CANCEL MY ORDER?
Cancellation terms depend on the type of order and its stage of production.
Please review our Refund & Cancellation Policy for the terms that apply to your order.
PICKUP, DELIVERY & SETUP
DO YOU OFFER PICKUP?
Where pickup is available, it is arranged at a designated public meeting location.
Pickup is not available from our production address.
The specific location, date and time will be confirmed privately as part of your order arrangements.
DO YOU DELIVER?
Delivery may be available depending on the order, location and event requirements.
Delivery fees, where applicable, are based on the requirements of the order and will be communicated as part of your quote or booking arrangements.
DO YOU DELIVER AND SET UP WEDDING CAKES?
Delivery and setup may be available for wedding cakes, tiered cakes and other designs requiring professional handling.
For some particularly large, tiered or delicate designs, delivery and setup may be recommended or required to help ensure safe installation at the venue.
DO YOU SHIP CAKES OR CUPCAKES?
Our custom cakes and cupcakes are not intended for ordinary parcel shipping.
Certain non-perishable or appropriately packaged products may have different delivery or shipping options. Please refer to our Delivery & Pickup information or contact us regarding the specific product you're interested in.
FOOD & ALLERGIES
DO YOU ACCOMMODATE FOOD ALLERGIES OR SPECIAL DIETARY REQUIREMENTS?
Please disclose any allergies or dietary requirements when you inquire so we can tell you whether the requested order can be accommodated.
Our products are prepared in an environment where common allergens may be present, so clients with serious allergies should discuss their requirements with us before ordering.
DO YOU OFFER GLUTEN-FREE OR DAIRY-FREE CAKES AND CUPCAKES?
At this time, these options are not part of our standard offering.
Please ask before booking if you have a specific dietary requirement.
AFTER YOUR ORDER
WHAT SHOULD I DO IF THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH MY ORDER?
Please contact Charissine Creations as soon as reasonably possible and provide your order or booking information, a description of the concern and clear photographs where relevant.
This allows us to review the situation properly.
HOW SHOULD I TRANSPORT AND STORE MY CAKE OR CUPCAKES?
Care instructions may vary depending on the product, filling, weather and design.
Follow the care and transportation instructions provided with your order. Cakes should be transported on a stable, flat surface and protected from heat, direct sunlight and unnecessary movement.
STILL HAVE A QUESTION?
We would be happy to help.
For questions about availability, custom cakes, Couture Cupcakes, Couture Cookies, Custom Stationery or the Charissine Signature Experience, please use our Contact / Inquiry form.
Charissine Creations
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada