Saw an article today about people renting fake wedding cakes and then serving sheet cakes to their guests...to save money. This is not a new concept to most folks on this site (serving sheet cakes or kitchen cakes), but the story was just about the fact that there aren't many businesses that actually rent fake cakes.
I don't know how others feel but I think it's sad that it's come to that. 
Presenting one cake as the wedding cake and then serving your guests something different. It's like putting the buffet table out but then serving your guests different food from the kitchen. 
I mean, if you want or need to save money, so be it, but why do you have to hide behind a fake or different cake? If you're serving sheet cake then just serve the darned thing. I just don't get it. Is it just for pictures? "Little Joey here's the fake cake that mommy and daddy didn't eat at their wedding." Why would you even want pictures of a fake cake? 
I guess I must be getting old. 
In my world everyone is always looking forward to the wedding reception so they can eat, drink and have some of the beautiful wedding cake. We eat with our eyes first, afterall. To me it's disappointing to see the cake and then get served a piece of sheet cake which, for all I know, could have come from the grocery store. (Went to a wedding two weeks ago, where they did exactly that.) 
Just wondered how others felt.
Mickig
I agree I think the bride is known for her wedding cake, It reflects her personality
I did an event this month with a fake cake and it's about the only logical reasoning I can come up with for using one.
It was a 50th anniversary party with a 2-tiered cake (in my pics). The dilemna was the couple wanted the cake to be on display for the guests, but understood it couldn't be on display for the whole 4 hours because it needed cut. So I suggested the fake cake for display and using sheet cakes to cut. They LUV'D this idea!
In this case, the fake cake was "just" a display and was never intended to be the cake served to guests. I charged them my wedding cake price for the fake cake & sheet cakes, based on number of servings provided in the sheet cakes.
It may be a fine line difference, but I just thought I'd share how we handled this.
Get outta here! They paid the wedding cake price for a fake cake?? You GO!!! I suppose I can understand doing it for that reason, though I still don't get the concept of a cake for display only unless it's a show or a shop. Cake is meant for eating, doggonit!! 
Mickig
Sometimes it's the best thing. Read this link about the one I did for my SIL's wedding. It tells the story, and has pics. She didn't rent the dummy though... I made it for free.... http://forum.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-253221-sil.html
Get outta here! They paid the wedding cake price for a fake cake??
You GO!!! I suppose I can understand doing it for that reason, though I still don't get the concept of a cake for display only unless it's a show or a shop. Cake is meant for eating, doggonit!! Mickig
Well it was more like they paid wedding cake rate for sheet cakes and ".... I'll throw in the fake cake at no charge."
It's all in how you word it! 
I plan on doing a fake cake for my wedding and then serving rectangle cakes that are double layer with filling so when cut they look like the wedding cake.
But my reasoning is b/c I want to decorate it the way I want and I can do it before the wedding without any problems and have it ready to go and someone I trust can then set it up!
That's what I did for SIL's wedding. No one had a clue! I did cut a triangle out of the back and put real cake in it so that they could cut it.
Maybe (MAYBE) the problem we all have is the "trickery" that's involved. Somehow it seems dishonest to display this pretty ornate cake and then "sneak" it into the kitchen, only to fool the guests with cake from another source (i.e. sheets).
Maybe if brides, hostesses, etal, were honest and up front about it .... yes, it's fake and yes, it's for display only ..... we all wouldn't be so "hmphf!" about it.
I know at the 50th anniv I mentioned, everyone thought the display was a unique idea. No one thought they were "being slipped the cheap cake" from the back.
What do you think? Is it the fact that it's a fake cake? Or is it the sneaky-ness of bait-n-switch that bugs us?
It was so funny at the wedding. Some people were so worried about all the extra cake. It made me laugh. I guess the cutting of the dummy was pretty convincing. SIL didn't care if people knew it was a dummy. She was glad it was because she wanted it to be there to look pretty throught the whole reception. Now it gets to look pretty on my shelf! I would have had a hard time letting someone cut this one up. It took forever!
Sorry... the pics didn't post. 
I'm not usually a fan of cake-in-the-face... but they were so cute about it.
I made a fake cake for my sister's wedding last month. Only one tier was real cake that they cut into for the traditional photos.
Why did I do it? Because everyone was dying to see what I would come up with for my own sister, but with 2 kids in her wedding party and basically being her coordinator, I knew I wouldn't have time that week to decorate an entire cake for 280 people.
Did I deceive the crowd? Nope. The cake they ate was the same recipe & frosting I would have used had it been decorated. I just entertained them with a visual. Sheet cakes at an elegant wedding just don't mix, I think.
What is the reason for garnish on a plate? Or an expensive gown for that matter? Makeup? Limousine? It's ALL show.
What do you think? Is it the fact that it's a fake cake? Or is it the sneaky-ness of bait-n-switch that bugs us?
I think what bothers me about it is when they aren't up front about it or they serve a single layer sheet cake. I personally find it a great opportunity to keep the display up longer (and get a head start on a cake! you get the chance to make sure the display is perfect, or at least close)
What bother's me the most is the places out there that say order a fake cake to save money. It isn't the ingredients that are so expensive, it is the skill that we have all acheived that is worth the money!
I'd never do that. Any kitchen cakes that come from me are torted and filled just like the stacked real deal. When it's cut no one can tell if it came from the main cake or the kitchen.
I made a fake cake for my sister's wedding last month. Only one tier was real cake that they cut into for the traditional photos.
Why did I do it? Because everyone was dying to see what I would come up with for my own sister, but with 2 kids in her wedding party and basically being her coordinator, I knew I wouldn't have time that week to decorate an entire cake for 280 people.
Did I deceive the crowd? Nope. The cake they ate was the same recipe & frosting I would have used had it been decorated. I just entertained them with a visual. Sheet cakes at an elegant wedding just don't mix, I think.
What is the reason for garnish on a plate? Or an expensive gown for that matter? Makeup? Limousine? It's ALL show.
I was in the same situation. Two of my boys were in the wedding and the wedding and reception were two hours away from each other. In addition to the cake, I did the programs, helped plan the floral arrangements, and did any other errands that had to be run. SIL is the baby of the family and the only girl. She definately needed some "girlier" help than she could get from her brothers. Also, she saw a cake similar to this in a magazine and fell in love. If I hadn't done the dummy, I couldn't have made it to her wedding.
Edited for typing faster than my brain is currently working 
The peacock feather wedding cake in my album was a dummy. ( I actually only posted the fake tiers in my album.) A bottom 4th tier was real and they severd it. The reason we did a dummy is because they wanted me to do their cake but I work full time in healthcare. In order for me to do it I had to make it ahead of time. The morning of the wedding I made and decorated the bottom tier. I had cakes in the kitchen that they cut once the bottom tier was served. Since the cake was fondant, and most people don't like the taste, cutting BC cakes in the kitchen was very successful. Sometimes it's the only way you can get it done and I think the guests really enjoyed the cake.
Not meaning to take this thread in a new direction, but I have to make a reception cake this weekend, and two of the three tiers will be fake (the top two). How in the world do ya'll ice those boogers and keep them from scooting around all over the place!
what a great point fairytale. Most people i know hate the fondant.
i completely get the idea of having a centerpiece cake for display, and serving sheets. i think that is a great idea, everyone gets to see your beautiful artwork longer that way what i don't get is renting a dummy cake. that to me is tacky, and takes away from your special day. whats the point if its not unique and original and made just for you on your big day?
what i don't get is renting a dummy cake. that to me is tacky, and takes away from your special day. whats the point if its not unique and original and made just for you on your big day?
I agree...the great thing about my sister's cake is that she took the whole top tier off in tact and has a gorgeous momento from her wedding. An original, one-of-a-kind sugar sculpture made by her sister.
I'd never do that. Any kitchen cakes that come from me are torted and filled just like the stacked real deal. When it's cut no one can tell if it came from the main cake or the kitchen.
me too....nobody knew unless I told them. It was actually fun because a select few knew the truth and it was like our little secret.
Peacockplace...that cake was gorgeous!!!
[quote="adven68
me too....nobody knew unless I told them. It was actually fun because a select few knew the truth and it was like our little secret.
Peacockplace...that cake was gorgeous!!![/quote]
Same here! At first some people thought it couldn't be real... then they cut it and everyone thought it was real.
Thanks so much for the compliment! It means a lot coming from you!
The bottom layer of this cake is a dummy I made to use again and again to make my cakes look taller. The idea was that just as I rent silver bases I could rent a bottom layer.
It wasn't a good idea, the real cake was cut on top of it and all the crumbles ruined the coverture.
oh well live and learn...
http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=119233
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