To begin with, I always get stressed out when asked to do a wedding cake. I mainly do sheet cakes for birthdays and such and have just started to get comfortable with 2 tier stacked cakes.

My cousin's daughter wanted me to do her wedding cake and deliver it about an hour away from where I live. Well, I have never delivered a cake out of town and I knew that I couldn't use my own car, had to borrow dauhter in law's car. More stress because I don't like to drive someone else's vehicle.

Okay so I am stressing about this for about 10 months, and trying to figure out everything that could make the experience go smoothly. I bought one of those foam things that are used on top of mattresses, to put in her car so the cakes would have some cushion. I was just so worried about the cakes not traveling well.

I figured out my game plan on when to bake and when to start the decorating, asked my sister to ride with me and help with the setting up. I don't have a big freezer so I always bake my cakes close to delivery date. Figured I would be up late a couple of nights to get the baking done and do the decorating on Friday.

Ended up going to a wake on Thursday night and a Funeral on Friday. Worked on the cake well into the morning of the wedding. Headed out with the cake and the whole time I was driving, I kept worrying about how the cakes were holding up.

We arrive in the town the wedding was taking place, and my sister and I were looking at some Christmas decorations that were out on someone's lawn and I looked up and I was headed for a curb, swerved and missed it. Cakes looked like they didn't move, so far so good.

Get to the destination and start carrying cakes in. A guy that was working there offered to help carry cakes in. I handed him one and he was waiting for another, and I said "no, just carry one at a time".

I started to unbox the cakes that had already been carried in, my sister went out to get another, the guy went out and when he came back he had 3 cakes stacked on top of each other and tilted towards him. I never said anything to him because I was just kind of numb feeling from the stress of the drive.

There really wasn't much damage from that other than the border was a little smashed on the side that was tilted towards him. So here, I worried about my cakes getting ruined in the traveling part and I didn't have to worry about that. Never thought about my cake getting ruined at the destination just because someone didn't do what I asked him to do.

Just wanted to share my first cake delivery story. The brides cousin asked me to do her wedding cake this coming July. This time I will not let anyone help carry cakes in. They can hold the door open if they want to help!

I am sorry it was so stressful

but just think, now you're experienced!!!! and next time it won't be so stressful

Whew!! I was stressed out just reading about it! I'm glad it turned out okay. How about a photo?

I know what you mean about letting other people carry or handle the cake in any way. I don't even let my hubby carry or move my cakes from one counter to another, and he even knows I will kill him if one thing happens to the cake. Moving cakes is probably the most stressful part of the entire experience, whether it's moving it across the room to another work surface or walking up stairs to take out to your car, and yes, of course, driving them always makes me a nervous wreck. Glad you got yours safely to the venue without any major incidents!

Sorry it was so stressful. I am glad everthing went well!
Can I share?
I had similar experience this weekend. I made my first 3 tiered cake for a christmas party on the 6th. The whole time I was stressed and worried that it would collapse (my first time doweling). It turned out ok.
DH and I go to deliver. I had to let him carry the cake to the car because I was way too shaky and I needed to hold it on my lap. I cringed the entire time he had it! During the car ride I kept shushing my son and telling DH he was speeding and needed to slow down!
We get there and no one is home!! Well 45min and 3 phone calls to the lady later, We realize it's the 5th!! They weren't expecting us til the 6th! So we had to take another terrifying car ride! This time it wasn't as bad.

I am sure you're next time won't be as stressful!

I did a wedding cake for a big swanky hotel in Cleveland (about an hr drive for me) and was so stressed driving and when I got there they had no luggage carts or anything available to help me bring in all 4 tiers of the cake I was to set up and I had the same thing happen!!

The wedding was on the 4th floor and some little bell hop dude offers to help bring in cakes, I say great and go out to the car.......he grabs the 3 biggest tiers and stacks them and the same thing, leans them towards him ( I was freakin out!!!!!) I could even see the sides of the boxes kinda buckling and pooching outwards as we went up in the elevator, the whole time with me praying insessantly!!!

Everything turned out fine though and the cakes were unharmed!

Glad it worked out for you too!!

It stresses me to read the stories! I may never make a wedding cake!!

Ooooh... I hate stupid people. Noooooo... gravity doesn't apply to cakes once they are boxed... didn't you know that?!?!? <insert strangling noises here>

Glad that there wasn't too much damage. No one... and I mean NO ONE touches my cakes. I will make 4 trips if needed (though I travel with them stacked).

I so would have lost it on that guy! I don't ever let anyone else carry my cakes except my husband or my daughter both know how to handle cakes. Some joe blow at an event hall, NO WAY. Good lesson to learn. You and maybe a few close people who understand about cakes are the only ones who will handle the cakes with the care they need to make it safely to the cake table :0)

It's actually a bad idea to let anyone not affiliated with you and/or your company to touch a cake, even just to carry it in. Damage to the cake, caused by someone who tripped and fell on top of the tier they were carrying, and YOU'RE liable for the damage. The bride is crying how YOU ruined her wedding, YOU are the one who gets sued and bad-mouthed all over town.

I was helping a friend with her wedding and the bakery delivery arrived. I told her, "I make wedding cakes ... can I help you carry that in?" She told me, "Thanks, but I'm not allowed to let anyone else carry the cakes." I told her I totally understood and just held the doors for her.

It's a liability issue. Please, people, unless the person is on your payroll, don't let them carry your cakes. If it takes 10 trips for you to get it all carried in, then it takes 10 trips.

I have ONE rule for carrying the cakes.....

there are only 2 people on earth allowed to carry mine, ME and the person who PAID FOR IT. Period.

I'm glad that it worked out ok! Hopefully, you won't be as stressed out next time!

Funny my SO and I have just had one of our biggest fights ever. I made cupcakes for my dad's BD party and we put them in car and I stressed over and over and over "drive gingerly, take corners easily and go sloooow over any bumps". When I opened the box 50% had tipped over but were only messed up a little. I boxed up what was left to bring home and share with the family the next day. We left the cupcakes in his trunk overnite (because it was cold cold that nite) and when I went to get them sunday and opened EVERY SINGLE BOX the cupcakes looked like someone had taken and shaken the box. NOT ONE SINGLE cupcake was in it's holder. I was upset and he started yelling and I started yelling right back. It was bad. Then I had to take the cupcakes to my dad's to share with the rest of the family so I fixed each box and put them in my car. He rode with me and when we got there I opened the boxes and not one that I saw was turned over, he said one box had 2 toppled over but I didn't see it and I think he was just saying that because he knew then that if he had done what I said it woulnd't have happened. Lesson learned I WILL never have anyone else carry or drive any cake or cupcakes I make. Actually we were still arguing today (he brought it up).

yeah....big fights happen in the car when the Dh is driving and i am in the car babysitting the cake. it gets down right hostile.

Last year I had to deliver a tiered birthday cake. When I got to the UAW there were some men setting up for the BBQ and they had to set up one of those giant grills right where I needed to unload. Well one of the guys offered to carry the cake in so that I could park some where else. I handed this complete stranger the keys to my car and said, "No thank you, I dont let anyone to touch my cakes but you can move the car if you need to." His mouth fell open. I told him I have insrance on the car I dont have another cake in the trunk.

Cake delivery is certainly one of the more stressful moments of cake decorating, so I empathize with you on this. My poor husband takes a lot of abuse from me as he's the one that helps with deliveries. He's not allowed to carry the cakes though!

I don't have as many frayed nerves transporting as I do when I'm setting up and holding one cake over another to stack or place on columns. Last Saturday I was so relieved when I got a wedding cake assembled. For one brief moment I thought "man, what if I dropped this!" Afterward I wanted to slap myself! LOL Of course I always pack a finishing/first aid kit, but it's not enough to resurrect a cake. E Gads!!

I used to be all nervous when delivering cakes. Now, we travel with them stacked. DH carries them. We drive normally, sometimes a wee bit fast if we're running late, take corners normally, etc. I even let customers pick up a three tier stack.

When customers arrive they get freaked out. So I put my hand under the bottom board of the cake and tilt it about 20-30 degrees and hold it there for a few seconds. "See, nothing is going to happen. You'll be fine."

They're amazed. I'm not. I use SPS.

For all you pros, do you have to buy specific carts to help you unload and transport your cakes into the venue? I've seen those metallic looking carts on Cake Boss ... are those some special pastry carts?

edit: i apologize for jacking the thread, it was just something i was thinking of when tracycakes mentioned not being able to carry heavier than 3 tiers. i have bad wrists and it's hard enough for me to carry 2 tiers any good distance.

I use these folding carts to carry the cakes into the venue, then I just take them off the carts and onto the table. I also use the deco pac wedding delivery cartons as boxes, so the boxes actually sit on the cart and then are wheeled into the venue.

I have definitely learned in my years of doing cakes...not to let anyone that does not have as much invested into your work help in anyway I always say "Thanks, I appreciate the offer...I'm actually in my "zone" right now and have it all handled." ~or~ I give them a non cake task like holding the door for me.

Thank you for all the responses. I wasn't able to get back on my computer last night so I didn't realize I had so many. It does help to know that I am not the only one who stresses out about deliveries. And yes, I do feel a little more confident about that part of it. Yes, in the future, I will not allow anyone else to help carry my cakes in. I guess I should have been smarter than that. All I could think about at that time was to get the cakes in and see if there was any damage done from the ride over. After reading some of your comments, I realize that it didn't make any sense to hand over a cake that I spent so much time on to a perfect stranger. Lesson learned. Thanks for all the responses. Oh, someone mentioned that they wanted to see a picture of the cake. I have a confession to make. I don't know how to download, or post or whatever it is you do to get pictures on here.

I did it! My picture is in "my photos". I am so excited, I figured out how to do it. This is huge for me! I didn't think I could do it. Now, I am going to try to add to "my photos".