OK folks I need opinons please.
Last weekend I booked a wedding cake for this upcoming weekend the 3rd of June. I got paid in full and the bride allowed a slight short-notice upcharge so I refuse to compromise what I promised her. But this left me with a pan problem and I'm hoping I can get you all in on this.
She has ordered a 3-tier with the bottom 2 stacked square layers, a 14" and a 10". Also a 6" round top tier on pillars. (Coincidentally this is my sunset theme cake from another post). I don't have any of the square pans because so far I've never been asked to make a square cake. SO - I set out to try to purchase said pans. I have a Michaels and an AC Moore. I also have 2 cake decorating supply shops within a 30-mile radius. I know from Wilton's site that 10 and 14 are made, yes, in either the basic Performance series and also in the luxurious - and very pricey - Decorator Preferred series. Wilton's site wants in excess of $8.00 for basic shipping which gives no delivery guarantees and I refuse to pay for express. So I figure hey - I can get these locally, right?
Well our Michaels and our AC Moore only carry 8" and 10" square pans in the Performance series. Nothing in the Decorator Preferred. Which is OK I guess because with so few (albeit none before now) requests for square, I don't want to spend the extra money on fancy pans that I may never really get my money's worth. So I go to my heretofore reliable supply shops. Both of them carry JUST the very expensive (and more than Wilton's site expensive) Decorator Preferred pans, in every size. In fact, both of the shops will sell me the individual pans which they buy as a set but will break up the set for me. How nice, I thought. But then I saw the price tags. Yipe! 
So what would you do? I can't get them from Wilton any more - there just isn't time. And at the price Wilton is charging for shipping, I'd be spending the same amount of money on the 14" pan as I would be spending on the Decorator Preferred. Should I take the plunge and buy the 10 and the 14 in the Decorator Preferred, or should I buy the 10" less expensive (and with the 50% off Michaels coupon I might add) Performance pan and then the more expensive Decorator Preferred 14" from my supply shop? Will that make any visual difference in the layers?
Furthermore - am I leaving any stone unturned when it comes to trying to find the 14" Performance pan? (I've already looked on eBay too)
Have I rambled enough? (Insomnia can do that to a person)
What would you all do?
HEY THANKS!!!!!!!!! 
Does the Michaels have the square pan set in their store? Might be worth using you coupon for that - who knows, once someone sees your cake more orders might be in your future! I believe the 12" square in in that set. Would that be big enough or do you really need the 14"?
I hadn't thought of asking about the set, I will do so today. I really need the 14" - for serving count and also she wants the layers rotated.
Incidentally - if anyone lives in Maryland, south-central PA or northern WV - and would be willing to lend me a 14" pan for the weekend, I'd be more than happy to drive to you and back to pick up and return! 
Use the coupon for the most expensive pan. You know what-make two trips to Michaels. Use the coupon for the 14 inch. Go back to your car, get on another line wearing your sunglasses and a sweatshirt disguise with the 10 inch and ask the cashier for a coupon. They will usually scan a coupon for you. Ask for the manager if she won't do it. The money is well spent in my opinion. They are good pans and you will have more versatility.
Thanks VickiC - but you see that's the problem. Michaels doesn't carry any square larger than 10". And my supply shops won't accept Michaels coupons!
Well no, I admit I hadn't thought of that. But with the wedding in 5 days, baking in 4 - doubt they could get it here in time. 
You get what you pay for with cake pans. The better the cake pan the better the performance. Myself I only use Magic Line and have never needed baking strips or heat cores for the largest of cakes. They cook even and great every time. To me there is no comparison even to wilton's best pan. The Magic Line is way heavier and a better grade of metal. If all you have is wilton you should go with the best pan they make because it does make a huge difference.
I too have had success with MagicLine, but nobody around here carries them anymore. This is when I heave a big heavy sigh, because up till last summer I had a wonderful supplier here who retired and went out of business, she too was a MagicLine gal and I have always been very happy with the ML pans I bought from her. And I KNOW that if she were still in the biz, I wouldn't be having this problem now....she would have it or be able to get it in 2 days, no problem.
call the retired lady...she just may have one at home
did you check out any of the mail order houses....all kinds that carry Magic Line and could ship (tho' yes, may need to pay express charge...is one near you in WA?)
heresy: could you build up the bottom layer out of FOUR 7x7 parts?
I might not do 4 7x7s but you can bet I'm considering making 2 of my 11x15 sheets and whacking them down to size!
I'm starting to get really frustrated!!! Can y'all tell??
anybody mind if I *bump* this up? I'm desperate!
Anyone within a 50 mile radius of Hagerstown MD who has a 14" square pan I could borrow for this weekend, I'm begging!! 
Doug I knew I could count on you!
Sadly though, it's not enough...it just has to be 14 square. But I am eternally grateful to you for finding a way to use the word "pythagorean" in a cake decorating discussion!
Doug 
tee hee!!!!
I think I'm just gonna do cupcakes!!! WOO HOO!!!!!!!!
Seriously though - we're cutting it close already with serving count, and if I go smaller there won't be enough. And this bride is one of THOSE brides, she's probably sewn a pocket to carry a tape measure inside the hem of her gown!
hmmm..
just checked my square tier set...8", 12", 16"...so would bake 16 and whack it down! (hmmm-- a new technique...cake whacking!)
now, I got my tier set at Michaels w/ the requisite 40% off coupon and yesterday my paper had a 50% off one good until close of store today. ($40 list price at Wilton.com so that'd be only $20!)
So, does your michaels have this set... CALL NOW! and if you've got that coupon...BYE BYE..just time enough to get there!!!
(and if have AC Moore instead, they often (tho' not always) will honor michaels coupons)
Well, I live in NOVA so for a fellow cake baker in need I went to see if I have a 14" square...no luck. However, I am sure the Michaels near me sells a square set, although I don't remember the size, so I think as Doug says, your best bet is to buy the set and "whack" down a size if need be!
GOOD LUCK!!
IMO, honesty is **always** the best policy. If you don't have the square pans, tell her. She's cutting it awful close, asking for a wedding cake IN A WEEK!!! Gimme a break! If you can't find the square pans, so be it. In the end, it's just cake! Round cake will taste just as good. Who ever has a "perfect" wedding anyways? Something always goes wrong -- ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU WAIT UNTIL ONE WEEK BEFORE YOUR WEDDING TO ORDER THE CAKE!!!
I would just use what 'ya got and, No, you did not charge too much. I would keep the "late order" fee or whatever it was you charged anyway. But just be courteous and explain it. Most brides order cakes *months* in advance not *weeks* before the wedding. Don't let her do this to you.
Just my 2 cents worth!
just my trick, put your to rectangle pans side by side and just "whack" it into the right size square - breathe - in my opinion, i think this might be your easiest way - if you have lots of cake scraps, so be it, i bet someone would love to have a small thinking of you cake, or make cakeballs - freeze it for the next asap cake... there is always something to be done with extra cake - goodluck, the bride wont know the diff as to how you made it as long as its what she wanted and it looks good.
UPDATE!!!!!!!!!!
The bride called this AM and said she needed 22 more servings (not sure how that happened - the wedding is on Saturday but whatever!)
SO -
I called my local AC Moore, found the 8"/12"/16" square pan set, clipped my coupon, and am now happily NOT going to need to do any cake whacking.
YIPPEE!!!!!!!!!! 
Of course, now comes the challenge of torting a 16" square layer...but I'm up for it!
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