I remember in one of my posts about a damaged cake that many have back up cakes just in case.

I am assuming that this means that the prices of the cakes are doubled just in case, so that you recoup the cost of the second cake, even if not used. Does anyone say to the client if you want to risk it you may have the price for X instead of XX for no back up cake? Just wanting to see what others do.

And if you don't need the back up cake, what do you do with it?

Cheers Tina

A back-up cake? You mean like make two exact cakes in case one falls? I have never heard of anyone REAL doing this.

I'll be glad to do it, but the couple pays for two cakes.

Have they ordered a back-up dress and tux? A back-up ring? Back-up rabbi? Back-up guests?

I've not heard of it myself until recently. I personally think that it is a great stress reducer, but the price is going to have to be met. The thing is that if some disaster befalls the cake, this would be a good insurance policy.

I can see that perhaps some businesses do this as their prices for the cakes seem to be double what you would expect a bride to pay or any reasonable person to pay.

But I am just susing it out at the mo. As I have never done it and I am wondering, if it is in order to do? It came as a surprise to me, but I felt it was a very responsible thing to do. Cheers Tina

I have never ever heard of doing this and honestly I can't picture any bakery having time to do this, either.

Wait are you thinking of kitchen cakes or sheet cakes for extra servings and not actually a duplicate wedding cake?

Hmm, I distinctly remember when I posted some where on CC that a few said matter of factly that they have a back up cake ready. Now with all these questions perhaps I was dreaming. Wouldn't surprise me, I was so totally shocked by my cake falling that it has taken some time to get over.

But I had thought that some had indicated that they have back up cakes ready just in case a wedding cake is ruined. So if this happens what do you do say "tough luck" and let the Bride cry herself to sleep?

Whether she doesn't pay for it or not, is beside the point, there has to be a cake ready for the wedding yes?

So what do people do to prevent this type of scenario from occurring, if no one does back up cakes? As far as back up tux etc. these are easily fixed, except for the back up groom, not so a ruined cake. Or do most people have a dummy cake ready for the just in case tchtf where "c" = cake and have a sheet cake ready to eat afterwards? Now I am confused I really thought most had backups!

Maybe some layers frozen that can be pulled out in an emergency? I have read a post where someone had a disaster and managed to pull off a completely new cake at the last minute but I think they had several decorators and some spare cake on hand.

I have never heard of do 2 cakes. The wedding venue i got married at kept a couple of spare wedding dummy cakes, the owner told me it was because a number of cakes had turn up damaged. they were still edible but didnt look its there best, so then they would bring the dummy cake out for show and serve the damaged one, none of the guests would be any wiser and the bride wouldnt be in floods of tears.
Also, I have heard of people ringing round trying to get wedding cakes like 3 days before the wedding because someone has let them down. So i do have dummy wedding cakes just incase for reasons like that.

Ok thats settles it, I was so traumatized by my cake disaster that I totally imagined the back up cake posting.

So I shall do some dummies and put them aside and let the rest work itself out. Hmmm, I really need to chill out......


Cheers Tina

I'm still chuckling at the idea of a back up wedding cake. I actually had a MOB ask me that, "You know just in case you drop the real one." I actually did LOL at her. I told her if she wanted to *pay* for two cakes, I'd be happy to make them both for her.

My first answer is use SPS and you cakes won't fall.
My second answer is to have an "escape clause" in your contract. Mine says if something happens to your cake outside my control, then I refund your money and provide you some cake - if I reasonably can. And I tell all the brides, it's gonna be a sheet cake from the local grocery, 'cause we're on a tight time line. I always have dummy cakes in the consultation area which I'll bring for show, assuming I'm not in a ditch on the side of the road. ::knocks wood::

I cover this in my blog article: http://cateritsimple.blogspot.com/search/label/cake%20insurance

But seriously, how many of us have actually seen a full cake topple over? I'm sure it happens, but lets add up all the CC'ers and add up all the toppled cakes we've witnessed ..... I'll bet the percent is so small it's not even computable.

back up mother-in-laws, can we pay for those? PLEASE?