Ok CC members... I have my first wedding cake coming up Feb 25th. She wants a simple square stacked cake done in buttercream. No problem (at least I don't think so). Problem I am having is finding a stand. The rental places here only have round cake stands. I have called every rental, party, and cake supplier in town. So my question is, Do I buy one and charge the bride a rental fee (which she planned on paying anyway) and hope to rent the thing out again to cover its cost? What do I do without the stand? Where is the best place to find one? And if no one rents out square stands they must not be that popular in this area, so I would either start a new trend and be making square wedding cakes like crazy or be stuck with something I can't use again to store. Please give me input.
Kimberly

a quick google search will return lots of sources of "square cake stands" or plateaus (as seems to be the new vogue word for them).

or a carpenter friend could easily make them from some plywood and molding to fancy up the sides. These can even be painted to match the colors of the wedding.

as for cost...yes, pass a goodly share on to the bride.

but, considering that square cakes are becoming more popular for all sorts of occaisons (think, the ones that look like presents are squares), I don't this investment will be wasted.

Williams Sonoma has a clear glass square cake stand. It was pretty reasonable. I would charge the cost to the bride as a rental or you can include it in the price of the cake.

If she didn't specifically request a fancy silver stand I don't think I would kill myself looking for one. To purchase one can be quite pricey but like you said it may start a trend and you would be ahead of the curve and benefit from that. Otherwise you can go with Doug's idea. You can make a box (even a plain one) and put a nice fabric over it draped around the table, maybe put some votive candles around and greenery or some the brides same flowers. that way the box is generic and everything else can be changed to suit the theme.

I think my cake stands from Williams Sonoma cost $21.95. They really are quite nice.

Oh, I'm going to check out the stand you talked about gilson6! you can't beat that price. I had checked into the silver looking ones and had a heart attack!

Thanks for the ideas! I will be checking out the one from Williams Sonoma too!

I've been watching them on eBay, and there are a few. Try searching for Square Cake stands or Cake Plateaus. There is a rectangular one that I particularly like, but haven't ordered it as yet. Take a look, you might find just what you want and need. Janice

You could also use those glass 'bricks', I don't know the proper name for them, the kind they used for actual buildings. Use them as a base, get as many as you need and put them together.

Edit to add:

Here is a link to what I am referring to:

http://www.partyreflections.com/user/Glass%20Blocks.jpg

You could put some lights underneath it as well to make them glow.

That would be really pretty. I've seen them at Lowe's.

tripletmom- I LOVE IT!! I hope the bride goes for that because it is a Feb. wedding. Her cake topper is a silver snowflake floating in a diamond shape with Swarovski crystals. I think the ice would be much better than the silver stand I was looking for!

I'd either require a refundable deposit on a cake stand that I provided or that the customer provide a cake stand to use. It can sometimes be very difficult getting materials back from customers, especially ones that are leaving to go on a honeymoon. If you have to go out and purchase one specifically for her cake, then yes, add a portion to her cost, but I'd still get a deposit on it. You can refund it to her when you get the stand back, with the stipulation that you have to get it back by a certain date, say within 6 weeks or so (or earlier if you have another commitment for that same stand). At least this gives you a better chance of getting it back or having some $ to replace it if it's not returned to you.

She is also paying me to attend the reception and cut the cake. I will bring home all my supplies with me and be in charge of returning any rented cake supplies.

I just wanted to throw this out there again this pm to see if anyone else had any ideas or if anyone has used the glass blocks.

I had to search hard, but I knew there were some on CC
http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-photos_display_84_-14423.html
try this link in case the first one does not work: http://www.cakecentral.com/modules/coppermine/albums/userpics/21731/normal_Tiffanys_Wedding_Cake_1.jpg

http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-photos_display_84_-7357.html
backup link: http://www.cakecentral.com/modules/coppermine/albums/userpics/16617/normal_P1010036.JPG

http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-photos_display_84_-1432.html
backup link: http://www.cakecentral.com/modules/coppermine/albums/userpics/12319/normal_06_26_4.JPEG

Here's one more
http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-photos_display_83_-21292.html
backup link: http://www.cakecentral.com/modules/coppermine/albums/userpics/22628/normal_100_0051.jpg

Wow. those sure gave me some ideas! I'm sure newtodecorating got some as well.

Thank you Thank you Thank you Mouse!! I am soooo excited about this now! It has turned a problem into a wonderful solution.

newtodecorating,

I to am doing my first wedding cake in April. Bride also wants a square cake. Luckily I found a square pewter stand at to rent at a local party rental place. They want $35.00 to rent for the weekend. I am going to go by this weekend and take a look and make sure it will be ok, but I really like the glass block idea. That looks really classy. I to am thinking about investing in some stands and will take a look at William Sanoma as well. Good luck on your cake and make sure to post some pictures.

Hey just a quick note to anyone else looking into the glass block idea. I called Michael's and AC Moore they run $9.99 each there. Then I called Lowes a 8x8x3 inch glass block is $3.10 each

I have had some cut by an acrylic distributor. They can cut any shape and any thickness as well as the legs. Square is the cheapest cut and round ones are a little more. You can attach the legs yourself with the apoxy you buy from them for under $5.00. I love doing it this way because you can place flowers, tule with battery operated lights or just about anything to go with the theme under the stand. If the cake is large and heavy I suggest a thick acrylic with more than 4 legs or one in the middle. The legs come in different thickness also.

Hope this helps.

AlamoSweets, do you have any pictures of how this looks? Sounds interesting!

I wanted to share a picture of the acrylic stand in use for a wedding cake. If you go to my website www.alamosweets.com and look under wedding cakes one was use two different times. I think you will like the effect it has with roses under it. It also adds a lot of height to the cake.

Sorry to have to direct you to my website. I am at my OTHER job and don't have access to my images. Look at the grooms cake and there is a rose cake (my first wedding cake) with the pink roses.

The website doesn't have them, but the catalog has quite a few square cake stands to choose from.

http://www.sweetc.com/

If you decide to go with a silver one, check out www.cakesbysam.com - I ordered one for my wedding there, and they are very pretty. They also get shipped very fast.

I would suggest you try www.cakesbysam.com. I just purchased an 18" square from a local supplier and I spent 130.00. She has it about 30-40 less. Hope this helps.......