Ok, I've NEVER done a wedding cake. Because a friend of my mother is inviting 350 guests to her daughter's wedding, she is looking for all the 'inexpensive' help she can get. She 'hinted' to my mother about me doing the cake & my mom picked up on it pretty quick & gave me a call. She wants 4 tiers done in a victorian theme w/a mauve color somehow incorporated into the cake. I'm assuming (and hoping) by way of RIBBON.
I've only just recently started 'saying' and 'talking' about being ready to TRY and PRACTICE wedding cakes. I said I was only going to start out with 3 tiers since I believe I could transport those easier. I figured if she would prefer 4 tiers on separator plates w/roses or something in between tiers, I could MAYBE manage this....but still, that too, is something I've NEVER done, but have been wanting to learn.

I'm self taught, have never taken a class. I like things to be PERFECT & can see every flaw in EVERY one of my cakes so far. I've done a little over 50 in the past 8 yrs. I've only been paid for one, $75 dollars for one of my groom's cakes. I didn't ask she just gave it freely.

The going rate in my area is pretty normal, about $3.25/3.50/slice. Since I'm a beginner and KNOW it will not be perfect, I would HATE to charge that much. I also do not have an official business or anything, so would still hate to charge that much. I'm terrified she's going to say, "Oh, I sooooo totally want square cakes!" My DH just bought me the 3 tier set of Wilton 2" square pans to practice with about a month ago....I planned on trying them out this wkd, but have put it off til next wkd, since I need to find a cake board somewhere.

I have the links saved for pan srvgs & only one for tiered/stacked cakes here on CC.

I do, however, need help in finding some victorian themed wdg cakes for ideas. I put in Victorian Wedding Cake in the search & did not find much. Anywhere else in particular I should look?

I still have not given a definite "Yes!" for an answer, as I would like to think it through first. The wedding is in October.

Encouragement welcomed, too, LOL!

Thanks!

Crystal
SAHMommy to Madison (9, HLHS), Natalie (5, Healthy), Neveah (1, renal dysplasia) & 1 angel (m/c on 11/15/0

have you google and yahoo searched for images using "victorian wedding cake" -- lots of ideas that way (some WAY WAY over the top -- so much piping!)

google: http://images.google.com/images?q=victorian+wedding+cake&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-USfficial&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=M4N0SsfjFdSQtgfuvuCWCQ&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=1

yahoo: http://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images?fr=yfp-t-701-s&toggle=1&cop=mss&ei=UTF8&rd=r2&p=victorian%20wedding%20cakes

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cc gallery search on just "victorian" returns 4 pages of mixed cakes and cookies and stuff

http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&meta=search&type=full&search=victorian&album=-&search_user=

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a very particular style of victorian cake: the lambeth method
http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial&um=1&newwindow=1&sa=1&q=lambeth+wedding+cake&aq=f&oq=&aqi=&start=0

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as for construction

see these two threads:

http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-603925-sps.html (highly recommended support system)

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

HTH

I would get some old victorian images of cherubs and flowers then put them on rice paper or edible images and make them into plaques that could adorn the sides of an octagonal cake. You can then use the other muted tones on the images as insperation for the other colors to use on flowers and swags etc... I just think this would be prettier than a bunch of swags and ruffles with tons of roses. Try fancyflours.com for the images.

Doug, CakeBuddy Supreme, told me to post this here--just following orders, sir!

http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=68445

(it was still on my clipboard from an earlier posting - ha!)

Anyone is welcome to post that link for any threads that you think might need it. It's easiest to find in the Library of The House of Acme at www.acmecakes.com

THANK YOU K8MEMPHIS for that link!!! Into my faves!


BeeBoos, I like the idea of the images on a hex cake..

Doug, thanks a bunch for the other helpful links.

Thank you, Thank you!

Crystal
SAHMommy to Madison (9, HLHS), Natalie (5, Healthy), Neveah (1, renal dysplasia) & 1 angel (m/c on 11/15/0

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

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

Above superthread has popular CC recipes for American buttercreams, several types of fondant and doctored cake mix (WASC and flavor variations) - and so much more.

HTH