I am doing my first wedding cake and first cake that I am charging for as well. The wedding will have approx 300 guests. I plan on using 16, 14, 12, 10, and 8" 2-layer cakes. Will this be enough? Some sites tell me it will be enough and other sites say I will still need more cake.

The cakes will be satellite cakes (each cake on its own cake stand), so do you still put the cake topper on the smallest cake?

The wedding is on a Saturday and so far I think they need to pick the cakes up on Thursday before the wedding because they live 2.5 hrs away from me. How long do cakes last in the refridgerator and still be good on the wedding day and maybe 1 or 2 days after the wedding? I have never frozen a decorated cake beofre either, is this a bad idea? I will be using buttercream icing so far, although I plan on trying the rolled marshmallow buttercream icing and see how that turns out. I haven't used fondant or any rolled icing yet.

I have alot of questions but I have signed myself up for the task and I hope some people can help me out.
Thanks alot!! Serena

From my experience with wedding cakes, there is always a lot left over. It sounds to me like you should have enough. But remember not to count the top layer in your guest count as many brides save that for their first year anniversary.

I wouldn't freeze a decorated cake. It could sweat and ruin a lot of the decoration.

I made my own wedding cake on Thursday night, decorated it Friday and then my wedding was on Sat and it still tasted moist.

About the cake topper, I think that would be the bride's decision.

you need to pic your serving chart. its worth bearing in mind that caterers often use wilton, so you might as well too. you can also give away a cutting guide, just a4 sheet showing how to cut a cake to the right size to meet your serving number.
id leave the topper issue up to the bride, do ask her, since if it is a heavy topper it may need some support in the cake.
cakes will be fine out of the fridge even, as long as your recipe doesnt need refridgerated. id be nervous of condensation issues, especially since presumably the client is booking it all up themselves, they wouldnt know how to deal with it.
xx

If I go by Wilton I will have enough and the bride doesn't want to save the top layer either. I will make sure I give a seving guide to when the cakes are picked up. Since I don't have experience with fondant, are they only good if they are not refrigerated? I think I will probably stick with buttercream icing so it can be refrigerated. And yes the bride will be setting up the cakes byherself. I want something that will last and not cause her stress if something were to happen. (I Sure hope not!!!) I am thinking I will have to decorate the cakes all on Wednesday, so hopefully if they will still taste fresh for Saturday. Thks for your help.

I know Satin Ice brand fondant can be refrigerated (and frozen but I haven't tried it) with no problem. I just wouldn't decorate it and then fridge it incase of any condensation you don't want running decorations and/or colors.

Good Luck & Remember to post pics - I'm sure it will be great

Who decided the cakes need to be picked up on Thursday for a Saturday wedding?

In order for the cakes to be picked up fully decorated on Thursday, you'll need to start baking & making frosting at least by Tuesday.

If you're making scratch cakes that's pretty much the limit on freshness. A mix or doctored mix will seem fresher.

There shouldn't be any "guessing" if there will be enough cake.

Wilton's wedding size serving is 1x2x4. In order to charge appropriately for the cake you need to establish a standard serving. (Also the cake won't provide enough servings if there's no "set" serving size.)

If the bride wishes to serve larger slices, she needs to order more cake - at additional cost.

16" - 100 servings
14" - 75 servings
12" - 56 servings
10" - 38 servings
8" - 24 servings

For a grand total of 293 wedding size servings (1x2x4)

If you haven't discussed serving size with the bride you need to do that! She might be expecting something totally different - and needs to order (pay for) MORE cake. In any case, you'll both be on the same page as to what is being bought and paid for.

Here's an Everything you need to know to make, decorate and assemble tiered/stacked/layer cakes:

http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-605188-.html

Included in the above are popular CC recipes for American buttercream, fondant and doctored cake mixes (WASC and other flavor variations).

Additionally, indydebi has provided a cutting guide that is much simpler to use than Wilton's (which, if included with the cake order will insure the proper number of servings). And so much more!

Unless cakes have perishable frostings and/or fillings, refrigeration isn't required. Just box them up so they don't get dusty or dinged.

HTH

if you use fondant or bc as the decoration is up to the bride, after all, its a differnt taste, and means a change in price too. if she wants fondant, get plenty of practice first. refridgerating fondant sometimes works sometimes doesnt.
make life easy, and pick a bc that doesnt need to go in the fridge. a *major* point is, does the average home have space for that many cakes in their own fridge? probably not.
and if the bride doesnt want stress on the day, she should be paying you to come and do the set up. make sure you have something for her to sign on collention stating the cakes are accepted as perfect, no damage. anything that happens once they leave is nothing to do with you. make sure they know in advance how to transport them (ie: flat).
xx

It was the brides decision to pick the cake up on thurs, they have to drive into the city where I live that day to get last minute wedding things so she thought instead of driving another 2.5 hrs the next day (Fri) she would pick them up on thurs. I might try convince her to pick them up Friday night then they will be fresher. The wedding isn't until July so we can still discuss this issue.

I won't be making my cakes from scratch so that is to my benefit as well. I did tell the bride the serving size and told her I would give her a copy of the cutting guide. I showed her the Wilton guide.

So far then I think I have decided to make the actual cakes and freeze them with a crumbcoat on and decorate according to the pick up date. They aren't going to have a filling, just buttercream inbetween the layers so they will stick together.

I am glad to hear they don't have to be refrigerated. I thought they should be to stay freasher. I would have to borrow my neighbors fridge to store them in lol...
I will pobably keep them in my basement then unitl pick up. I asked her to come with a larger vehicle so the cakes can be transported inside the vehicle not in the trunk, since it will be in July.
Thanks for the input already...it has helped me out!

Beaners, sounds like you're covering all bases.

I would, however, provide a copy of indydebi's cutting instructions - SO much easier than the Wilton circular method:

http://cateritsimple.com/_wsn/page10.html

HTH

Thanks everyone for all your comments!!!

When you are transporting cakes in boxes, do they have to be wrapped as well or do the boxes keep them fresh? I have never used the boxes before.

Also can you freeze cakes with the final buttercream layer on. (without decorations).

Here is the final cake picture

congrats!! looks like your first weeding cake came out great and you were worried!!! great job cant wait to see more of your wedding cakes im sure youll be making more soon

@beaners - where did you get that cake stand?

I also would love to know where you got the stand, it's very unique!

The bride rented the cake stand from a party/wedding decor store.

The cake turned out great! You should be really proud of yourself!

congratulations i cant wait to make my first wedding cake too