Post # 1
Member
910 posts
Busy bee
Yeah you get my insane plan: I’m thinking of making my own cake. I make wedding cakes on the side (a little extra cash or for family and friends) and honestly do not want to spend $300 or more for something that really doesn’t even come close to costing that (because lets be honest the ingredients really aren’t THAT expensive). Have any of your brides attempted this insanity or know someone who has. My wedding will be a evening one so I have the morning to get it done and can always bake the layers in advance. I also want at least 3 flavors (I like carrot cake and no one else does so I need more than one) and just feel like the added cost of having multiple flavors just isn’t worth it. Any thoughts?
Post # 3
Member
1496 posts
Bumble bee
I am making both our cake and his groom’s cake. I make cakes for a living, so it just seems natural for me to instead of paying someone else to do it. You can freeze your layers ahead of time if you’re in a time crunch. I’d recommend double wrapping, once in saran wrap and then again in quality foil. You can start looking at cake forums, there’s lots of tips for beginners. The Wlton forum is excellent for people getting into cakes at home. I wish you luck!
Just a note on cost of ingredients, bakers typically charge a lot for labor as the mixing, baking, storing, assembly and decoration is very time consuming. I’ve made cakes that have spanned three days.
Post # 4
Member
6414 posts
Bee Keeper
I’m doing red velvet cupcakes but the costs I’m coming across are way too high for cupcakes so I’m thinking of making my own too. Maybe 2 days before the wedding because the day before will be too busy for me…
Post # 5
Member
727 posts
Busy bee
I think you should totally do it. It seems you have not only the confidence but the experience to pull it off. It’s not like you’ve only made an ocassional cake here and there but have done actual wedding cakes.
I understand the reasoning behind wanting to do it yourself because I had the same feeling when it came to the flowers. I couldn’t see spending $165 on my bouquet, $9 on a boutonniere, $120 on a centerpiece and so forth when I know how to do all that. I’ve worked in a flower shop and have had a small home floral business and really couldn’t see spending hard earned $$$ on what I could do myself. I’ll have helpers so I’m pretty sure I’ll be ok.
Again I say go for it, you know what you’re capable of doing. Good luck and be sure to post some pics.
Post # 6
Member
910 posts
Busy bee
@Mrs.ChubbyBunny:
. Oh I know this. I make cakes for tons of people it’s just my area doesn’t dealt have any baker opportunities if you aren’t already in the business so I have state certification for my kitchen (so I wouldn’t be quite a beginner anymore :P). So you are making your own too? You don’t think it will be too much to deal with for one day, because I don’t want to frost it too early and have it get gross. I was more hoping for advice on how to deal with wedding+cake stress all at once. Thank you for letting me know I’m not alone 🙂
Post # 7
Member
910 posts
Busy bee
@Ill Be Mrs B:
Haha I’m doing my own flowers too! My mom worked as a florist and it was one of my first jobs so I grew up doing arrangements. The cost of flowers is outrageous. The average florist charges 4x what it costs them to do your arrangements. It’s a little much. I’m probably gonna do a lot of DIY for this (I get bored easily so I do a lot of random projects).
Post # 8
Member
1496 posts
Bumble bee
@Corilee13: Oh sorry, ignore everything I just said hahaha. I didn’t know you do cakes as well, my apologies!!! I come from a family of bakers so when my mom and grandma get here, it will sort of like be an assembly line. I am the only decorator in the family so they can bake, wrap, frost and stack and then I can do the decorating the day before. My whole wedding should be fairly laid back so I think it will be fun to sit around and bake cakes with my relatives haha. Are you doing buttercream only or fondant? I’m sure you know this but a denser cake such as a pound cake doesn’t soak up as much icing.
It’s so funny that you like carrot cake and mentioned no one else liking it. We are having a grooms cake only because Fiance loves carrot cake and I think it is replusive haha. Gotta give the hubs something yummy!
Also, just out of curiosity, what designs are you thinking of?
Post # 9
Member
1735 posts
Bumble bee
I’d do it. Try a few practice rounds of what you wannt it to look like, and then go from there. If you already have the expertise I can;t see why in the world you wouldn’t want to.
Post # 10
Member
910 posts
Busy bee
@Mrs.ChubbyBunny:
I am one of two bakers in my family (my step-grandma does too) so I won’t have the assembly line but man it would be nice. I honestly just got really bored one day and started baking. I am the “mad scientist” of the kitchen. And yeah me and Fiance are the only two that love carrot cake so I was going to do one of those, one chocolate with a mocha buttercream, and either a white or a lemon with raspberry filling (one of my faves). I HATE fondant with a passion: the taste, the texture, working with it, everything. So I will be happily doing a buttercream :). I found a very nice all over rose design that I love or I will do a flat buttercream with ganache flourishes piped on.
Post # 11
Member
727 posts
Busy bee
@Corilee13: You’re right, the cost of bunching flowers and tying it with a ribbon is absured. I know I’m tackling a lot of projects but if I know I can do it myself for less then that’s $$$ spent for things I can’t do (catering, DJ, etc).
Post # 12
Member
910 posts
Busy bee
@Ill Be Mrs B:
But florists go through so much hassle! That ribbon can be unruly :P. And you forgot the wire…kidding. But seriously though I totally get it. The money I’m saving = my photobooth. 🙂
Post # 13
Member
1496 posts
Bumble bee
@Corilee13: I love the all over rose designs. I too hate the taste of fondant but love working with it. Ours will be fondant and i will just pull it off my piece. I’m excited to see!!
Post # 14
Member
910 posts
Busy bee
@Mrs.ChubbyBunny:
I can’t wait to see yours either. I think fondant looks pretty but I can get my butter cream pretty smooth so I’m going to avoid it at all costs. I’ve done it for other people and it just never was something I liked doing. I do love how you can shape it into amazing designs though. It does make cakes beautiful, but isn’t really needed for the look I’m going for. What kind of design are you doing?
Post # 15
Member
1496 posts
Bumble bee
I stole this from the Knot. I like this cake but the blue will be brown, the birds will be baby blue and the flowers will stay the same I think. Not 100% on this design but I keep coming back to it for some reason or another.
Post # 16
Member
910 posts
Busy bee
@Mrs.ChubbyBunny:
That is absolutely adorable! I love the birds.