Wedding Cake help

[Courtneylub]

I budgeted $1000 for both the bridal and groom''s cakes.

I decided ( I say "I" because FI can''t fathom the cost of wedding cakes and left it all the decisions to me) to go with a 4 tiered buttercream cake with a little fondant detail. It feeds 160 at 4.50 per slice. I hear the average cost is 5 to 6 per slice.

I really really wanted a Shell Gas Station cake for the groom''s cake because he proposed to me there. I want to frame the proposal story (as told by FI) and put it next to the cake. This contains 65 servings.

The total came out to about $1300 and FI almost had a heart attack. Now...I''m trying to save up a certain amount towards the wedding. I''m paying for the following:
Cakes
Flowers
Dress, shoes, accessories, etc
Photographer
Videographer

He''s paying for everything else.

I did get them to knock off about $150, but his disappointment at the cost is still making me reconsider all of this. A friend of mine said she made her bottom tier styrofoam and the 3 other tiers were plenty of cake. Should I do this?

We are estimating 200 guests. Not everyone eats cake....I know this. Let''s say I took off 60 servings, that still leaves 165 total servings.

Thoughts??

 

[doodle]

you could also get a much smaller bride''s cake for cheaper and purchase a sheetcake in the same flavors. the sheetcake would be much cheaper but would save you a lot on the big cake, and if sliced and plated in the kitchen then brought out, nobody would be the wiser. i think you could scale down the amount of servings, too, though. a LOT of people wind up not getting cake! the styrofoam idea is another good option--it''d work better if you''re set on the cake being a certain size for appearance reasons.

 

[MustangGal]

Have you looked at a few different places for price comparison? We used a family friend that did cakes out of her home and only had to pay for the supplies, $100, for a 4 tier cake. My friend just had a really tasty cake from a smaller caterer for 4 tiera it was only $325, and all the cakes were covered in strawberries.

The grooms cake is probably a bigger expense becasue of the theme, but to me $1,300 sounds really high. I also only paid 6k for my entire wedding, so I''m a bit of a tight-wad

 

[sunnyd]

Ditto doodle on the sheet cake idea! It''s sooo much less expensive and since they take the cake to the back to cut anyway, no one will be the wiser!

 

[Courtneylub]

Ok, I just spoke with them and if they do a stryofoam bottom tier and make a sheet cake for 100 servings, that saves me $200. That puts my total at $978.22 for both cakes. The bridal costing $542 (reasonable) and the groom''s cake $300 something, plus tax and delivery. That''s much better.

I think I''m going to stick with that. It''s $400 less than the original quote.

Thanks, gals!

Gosh, I love PS!!

 

[Courtneylub]

Date: 4/15/2008 5:04:08 PM
Author: sunnyd
Ditto doodle on the sheet cake idea! It''s sooo much less expensive and since they take the cake to the back to cut anyway, no one will be the wiser!

Sounds like a Nickelodeon show or something!

 

[sunnyd]

Yeah that's why I wrote it. It was funny to say out loud. Like in Airplane when they're like, "roger, Roger. Over."

...but I'm a dork so.

Yay for saving $400! I can't wait to see this Shell cake.

 

[doodle]

Date: 4/15/2008 5:24:21 PM
Author: Courtneylub

Date: 4/15/2008 5:04:08 PM

Author: sunnyd

Ditto doodle on the sheet cake idea! It''s sooo much less expensive and since they take the cake to the back to cut anyway, no one will be the wiser!

Sounds like a Nickelodeon show or something!

i guess that''s what happens when your best friend pegs you with a nickname like "doodle" (hey, if ya can''t beat it, use it as a PS moniker!). i''m so happy for you that you were able to save so much money by switching--interrupting myself because now i sound like a geiko commercial; i''d backspace over it, but i just amuse myself so much that i''m leaving that.

 

[FrekeChild]

Dang...I didn''t even get to write anything useful...

 

[Courtneylub]

Date: 4/15/2008 8:29:38 PM
Author: FrekeChild
Dang...I didn''t even get to write anything useful...

Aww, Freke...it''s the thought that counts. If I wanted shoes as a cake topper, I know you would''ve been a lot of help!

Doodle...hilarious! Next time FI complains, I''m going to say "Look at the bright side....we just saved money by switching to sheet cake."

 

[doodle]

Doodle...hilarious! Next time FI complains, I''m going to say ''Look at the bright side....we just saved money by switching to sheet cake.''

if he replies with something along the lines of, "no, but i did stay at a holiday inn last night" you know you''ve met your match, haha. wait...do y''all get those commercials? i''ve found they don''t air everywhere!

 

[FrekeChild]

Awwww....Courtney, you know my passion.

As for speaking from my former and future career (pastry chef/baker) I think that you''ve gotten some good advice and that the sheet cake is a perfect idea. No one will be able to tell the difference. The biggest tier is the biggest pain to deal with anyway. I''d rather deal with a 8-12 inch tier over a 14-20 inch one any day.

And I''m not even going to have shoes as a cake topper-I think FF would throw a fit at that idea. He''s ok with me loving shoes, and even adds to the shoe mayhem, but if I have a shoe topper...

So I''ll have about 10 pairs to change in and out of, instead.

 

[appletini]

Courtney...I''ve got a random suggestion for you. My venue included the cake in the food bill, so I didn''t have this issue, but last month I saw something that made me think, if I''d had the choice I would have done this.

Have you ever thought about having your wedding cake made at the grocery store? I love grocery store cakes (and I''m a scratch baker). Anyway the Randall''s on W. Belfort has some beautiful ones displayed in their bakery section...just something to think about, b/c I''m sure it would be a lot more reasonable on the budget.

 

[Courtneylub]

Date: 4/16/2008 8:33:17 AM
Author: appletini
Courtney...I've got a random suggestion for you. My venue included the cake in the food bill, so I didn't have this issue, but last month I saw something that made me think, if I'd had the choice I would have done this.

Have you ever thought about having your wedding cake made at the grocery store? I love grocery store cakes (and I'm a scratch baker). Anyway the Randall's on W. Belfort has some beautiful ones displayed in their bakery section...just something to think about, b/c I'm sure it would be a lot more reasonable on the budget.

I will have to run by that Randall's and have a look see. Just think if I cancelled my order at this other place for Randall's! FI would be thrilled! lol

 

[appletini]

LOL! Maybe we should meet at Randall''s for a cake tasting!