Help! I am having centerpiece cakes for my wedding and need to come up with some sort of affordable stand to put them on. They are 8 inch, double layer cakes. I had some glass vases with a wide mouth that I thought would work, but when I tested it this weekend it looked awful!
Any ideas on a way to give the cakes some height that won't break the bank? They should be nice a sturdy too so people can cut and serve the cake right off of the stand.
How many tables do you have? If you're willing to spend $10-$15 per table, I have seen some decent looking cake stands that you could maybe sell afterwards or keep for home decor. I think Target has some decent white ones, as well as Macy's (the new Martha Stewart line).
Be careful if you use styrofoam cylinders -- some people might accidentally cut into the styrofoam if they think what's under the cake is sturdier You could always use styro cylinders and find something sturdier to place on top of them as a buffer between the cake and styro..... plastic? Wood? But then are you getting into more cost?
Okay I totally lied, I don't know where I *thought* I saw one for $10.... but Target does have a medium size that would fit your cakes snugly, right here.
Here is one that is $15, but it says it is just 8 inches so that might be too snug. Martha's is also 8 inches and $15, but maybe you could scrounge up some coupons or go on a sale day if the size was right? (Bonus if you prefer ivory over white -- her's is a cream color.)
I also found this stainless steel one, but by reading the reviews I wouldn't be so sure it's a great buy....
Or you could go ahead with the styrofoam idea but top the cylinders with these to keep people from cutting through the styro.
you could use amysue's idea by wrapping the styrofoam cylinders with the pretty fabric, then put a plate on top with the cake. you can definitely find cheap plates at ikea or fishs eddy or something like that. you could find a color that coordinates between the plates and the fabric, and then you could keep the plates after the wedding!
For my dessert buffet, I took some clear glass serving plates and used glass glue to attach candle holders (taper holders) on the bottom for added lift. The glue dried clear and as it was all clear glass, no one could tell! Thrift stores and antique stores will have all sorts of these things if you decide to go that route...though I don't know if the mismatched vintage look would be right with your wedding or not.
Oh, or you could also just look at antique stores or thrift stores for raised cake stands there...I've picked up a few in the past for my own use ;-)
Not sure of the style of your wedding.. but you could always try finding some sort of sturdy vase- glass (maybe fill it with something representative of your wedding) or Stainless steel, and then glue some sort of plate, platter, or even maybe those candle plates (Isn't it called something other than a plate? ) I found some candle plates that ranged from .85 to..well, much more expensive. Can't wait to hear how you made out! Good Luck!
Do you live near a Gardenridge?? They have adorable glass cake pedestals for about $6 each. It may be too expensive if you have a ton of tables - but another option would be to mix and match different pedestals (cake stands) in different colors if you can find a few at different retailers. I know the styrofoam suggestor got booed earlier, but anyone with a brain will place the cake on a cardboard/parchment or foil covered cake board - so unless your guests are sawing these things with chain saws, that actually would be a feasible and cheap alternative. HTH!
Just a clarification -- I wasn't booing the styrofoam idea, or saying anyone didn't have a brain, I was just pointing out what wasn't mentioned about putting something between the styro and the cake :-) Â
Have you looked at stores like Big Lots/Odd Lots? Sometimes you can find really good bargains there.
We had centerpiece cakes, and, instead of using cake stands, we just put the cakes on plates, then on a 12x12 mirrored tile with few daisies sprinkled around.
Thanks for all the great ideas, ladies! My FI and I thought about building some platforms (lightweight wood, styrofoam or even paper mache type boxes) but nixed it as too much effort! Instead, we've been going around to local stores and snapping up any cake stands that are $10 or less. So far we have 4 of the 10 we need. Fred Meyer actually had some nice, simple glass ones for $7. Thank goodness we don't have alot of tables!!
Chrissie, I've never come across anyone else who used centerpiece cakes. Did you do any other decoration? Did you have alot of cake leftover? We are leaving a box at every placesetting for people to take some cake home with them! I might use your idea too if we can't find enough stands. I like the idea of the mirrored tile and the flowers.
You all are so creative. Thanks for taking the time to give suggestions! :-)
christine, we did it since we wanted lots of flavors! We did have quite a bit of cake left over. We had "one potters" from a local coffee place and tea as our favors, so we put cake boxes on the favor table with a cute sign about enjoying some coffee and cake later that evening. It worked out perfectly since the hotel rooms had mini fridges. Even with that, we and my MOH had freezers full of cake :)
One issue that came up with the centerpiece cakes - we just put all of the cake servers on the tables. Some ppl (our friends) decided this meant it was open season on cake, so people had cake before we cut ours.
We didn't have too many decorations since our venue was a historic ballroom. Other than the centerpieces, we had flowers on the food tables, and a few candles in the windows.
ladybugchristine -- if you are looking to sell your cake stands after your wedding, I may be interested Let me/us know! My wedding is September 2008 and I was thinking of using cake stands as an interesting way to display pillar candles.
Help! I am having centerpiece cakes for my wedding and need to come up with some sort of affordable stand to put them on. They are 8 inch, double layer cakes. I had some glass vases with a wide mouth that I thought would work, but when I tested it this weekend it looked awful!
Any ideas on a way to give the cakes some height that won't break the bank? They should be nice a sturdy too so people can cut and serve the cake right off of the stand.
Thanks in advance ladies!
posted by ladybugchristine 7 posts 1 year agohm... could you wrap styrofoam cylinders in some sort of pretty decorative fabric? you could put a layer of foil on top for the cake to sit on.
posted by amysue 637 posts 1 year agoHow many tables do you have? If you're willing to spend $10-$15 per table, I have seen some decent looking cake stands that you could maybe sell afterwards or keep for home decor. I think Target has some decent white ones, as well as Macy's (the new Martha Stewart line).
Be careful if you use styrofoam cylinders -- some people might accidentally cut into the styrofoam if they think what's under the cake is sturdier
You could always use styro cylinders and find something sturdier to place on top of them as a buffer between the cake and styro..... plastic? Wood? But then are you getting into more cost?
posted by MissBlushing 130 posts 1 year agooh my gosh, missblushing is totally correct. you definitely don't want to serve your guests styrofoam-laced cake. go for the cheaper cake stand.
posted by amysue 637 posts 1 year agoOkay I totally lied, I don't know where I *thought* I saw one for $10.... but Target does have a medium size that would fit your cakes snugly, right here.
Here is one that is $15, but it says it is just 8 inches so that might be too snug. Martha's is also 8 inches and $15, but maybe you could scrounge up some coupons or go on a sale day if the size was right? (Bonus if you prefer ivory over white -- her's is a cream color.)
I also found this stainless steel one, but by reading the reviews I wouldn't be so sure it's a great buy....
Or you could go ahead with the styrofoam idea but top the cylinders with these to keep people from cutting through the styro.
posted by MissBlushing 130 posts 1 year agohow about ikea?
here's a $9.99 cake stand. http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/70041926
posted by aoedorothee 118 posts 1 year agoyou could use amysue's idea by wrapping the styrofoam cylinders with the pretty fabric, then put a plate on top with the cake. you can definitely find cheap plates at ikea or fishs eddy or something like that. you could find a color that coordinates between the plates and the fabric, and then you could keep the plates after the wedding!
posted by salley 13 posts 1 year agoFor my dessert buffet, I took some clear glass serving plates and used glass glue to attach candle holders (taper holders) on the bottom for added lift. The glue dried clear and as it was all clear glass, no one could tell! Thrift stores and antique stores will have all sorts of these things if you decide to go that route...though I don't know if the mismatched vintage look would be right with your wedding or not.
Oh, or you could also just look at antique stores or thrift stores for raised cake stands there...I've picked up a few in the past for my own use ;-)
posted by blueberry 42 posts 1 year agohiya!
Not sure of the style of your wedding.. but you could always try finding some sort of sturdy vase- glass (maybe fill it with something representative of your wedding) or Stainless steel, and then glue some sort of plate, platter, or even maybe those candle plates (Isn't it called something other than a plate? ) I found some candle plates that ranged from .85 to..well, much more expensive. Can't wait to hear how you made out! Good Luck!
posted by Aulisin08 12 posts 1 year agoDo you live near a Gardenridge?? They have adorable glass cake pedestals for about $6 each. It may be too expensive if you have a ton of tables - but another option would be to mix and match different pedestals (cake stands) in different colors if you can find a few at different retailers. I know the styrofoam suggestor got booed earlier, but anyone with a brain will place the cake on a cardboard/parchment or foil covered cake board - so unless your guests are sawing these things with chain saws, that actually would be a feasible and cheap alternative. HTH!
posted by Melanie 87 posts 1 year agoJust a clarification -- I wasn't booing the styrofoam idea, or saying anyone didn't have a brain, I was just pointing out what wasn't mentioned about putting something between the styro and the cake :-) Â
posted by MissBlushing 130 posts 1 year agoHave you looked at stores like Big Lots/Odd Lots? Sometimes you can find really good bargains there.
We had centerpiece cakes, and, instead of using cake stands, we just put the cakes on plates, then on a 12x12 mirrored tile with few daisies sprinkled around.
posted by chrissie 76 posts 1 year agoThanks for all the great ideas, ladies! My FI and I thought about building some platforms (lightweight wood, styrofoam or even paper mache type boxes) but nixed it as too much effort! Instead, we've been going around to local stores and snapping up any cake stands that are $10 or less. So far we have 4 of the 10 we need. Fred Meyer actually had some nice, simple glass ones for $7. Thank goodness we don't have alot of tables!!
Chrissie, I've never come across anyone else who used centerpiece cakes. Did you do any other decoration? Did you have alot of cake leftover? We are leaving a box at every placesetting for people to take some cake home with them! I might use your idea too if we can't find enough stands. I like the idea of the mirrored tile and the flowers.
You all are so creative. Thanks for taking the time to give suggestions! :-)
posted by ladybugchristine 7 posts 1 year agochristine, we did it since we wanted lots of flavors! We did have quite a bit of cake left over. We had "one potters" from a local coffee place and tea as our favors, so we put cake boxes on the favor table with a cute sign about enjoying some coffee and cake later that evening. It worked out perfectly since the hotel rooms had mini fridges. Even with that, we and my MOH had freezers full of cake :)
One issue that came up with the centerpiece cakes - we just put all of the cake servers on the tables. Some ppl (our friends) decided this meant it was open season on cake, so people had cake before we cut ours.
We didn't have too many decorations since our venue was a historic ballroom. Other than the centerpieces, we had flowers on the food tables, and a few candles in the windows.
PM me if you would like to see photos.
posted by chrissie 76 posts 1 year agoladybugchristine -- if you are looking to sell your cake stands after your wedding, I may be interested
Let me/us know! My wedding is September 2008 and I was thinking of using cake stands as an interesting way to display pillar candles.
posted by MissBlushing 130 posts 1 year agoYay! I found the last of the cake stands today at Safeway of all places. They are white porcelain stands with a scalloped edge. Price: FIVE BUCKS!
posted by ladybugchristine 7 posts 1 year ago