One year ago, my oldest daughter became engaged to a wonderful young man. We have spent the past year planning their wedding and that included me learning how to make and decorate a wedding cake. Well, yesterday was the big day! Guess what...........stuff just doesn't happen like you plan! The cake got baked and "built" and decorated. All I had to do was some smoothing and a little shell border. I ran out of time before the rehearsal dinner, but I thought " no big deal, I'll just get up early and finish".
Well...............we had everything set up at my Dad's house. Decorations, tables (borrowed), chairs (rented), plates, napkins, etc. We blithely trouped off to the rehearsal and the dinner that followed. I had to leave early due to a nasty migraine. I went to bed and woke up at about 10:00 p.m. My husband was gone and my children were suspisciously quiet. Turns out, my Dad's house caught on fire! Everyone was at the rehearsal dinner, so no one was injured, but my poor father came home to emergency vehicles, smoke, water, ruined wedding decorations, burnt-up tables and chairs that had been set up outside, and an even more burnt -up home. The firefighters were so sympathetic. They told my Dad we couldn't salvage the cake (not that I wanted to- it had ashes all over it), because it was TOXIC!
Here's the good part: Literally everyone who heard about the fire offered their help. The neighbors on either side of him both offered their homes for the reception, as did the firefighters, My daughters physical therapist, various friends and relatives, and the church where the wedding was to be performed. The firefighters broke into the home to fight the fire, since no one was home, and tried to locate my Dad by calling the last numbers that showed up on his caller ID. They reached my best friend who jumped in her car, drove over and immediately began to re-plan the reception. My (now) son-in-law brought over his friends and his father to begin clean up. Everyone pitched in and worked until 2:30 a.m.!
At 4 a.m. I got up and began to re-bake and shop to replace items my daughter would need for her honeymoon. My friend gathered up all the food items stored in outside freezers and refrigerators from my Dad's house and then went to Costco and power shopped to complete the necessary food items. My husband went to the party store and picked up decor items. My brothers filled in with odds and ends. My Dad had no clothes that were not smoke damaged, but somehow he managed to show up looking great. By 1 p.m. we were ready for a wedding!
I'll post pictures of the cake that almost was and the cake that we ended up with as soon as we get stuff sorted out. I wish we were allowed to post pictures of people. My daughter was radiant. She was twice blessed: Wonderful husband, fabulous, caring friends.
Sandi
WOW... talk about help from your friends! Glad no one was hurt and the wedding still went on!
Oh Sandi!! I'm so sorry to hear about all the disaster you, your family and your daughter had to go through ... as the saying goes, God may close a door; however he opens windows.. what a wonderful story about caring, loving familly and friends... you are so blessed.. more importantly, no one was injured in the fire! God is good!
Wow. I am so glad that no one got hurt and it was wonderful to hear how everyone helped out.
What a story! You and your family are truly blessed that everything worked out for the best. Glad no one was hurt!
My goodness!!!! This is definately going to be one wedding to talk about for a very long time! I'm so glad to know that no one was injured in the fire. How horrible but then again what a miracle too.
I'm so glad the wedding went as planned. Your son-in-law sounds like a great guy to help out! You apparently have a wonderful caring family and network of friends and you are truely blessed!
Amy
Simply amazing-no one got hurt and everyone was blessed! How about that for a fairytale ending?!
Wow, what a terrible thing to happen, but I'm so glad that everyone was ok and your daughter had a beautiful wedding in spite of things. I can't wait to see pictures of the cake(s).
Melissa
Thanks for all your positive comments. Truly we are blessed.
Here's the pictures. The first is the cake that was hurriedly made for the reception at 0 dark thirty the day of the wedding (1:00 p.m. start time). The second is the unfinished, smoke damaged, "toxic" cake.
Sandi
Your cakes are beautiful. So glad that she was still able to have her special day.
What an awesome story! Your cakes are beautiful!
I'm sooooooo glad no one was hurt! This is a story you'll be able to tell the grandkids about the kindness of others. Having been through 2 fires in the last few years - one from our truck exploding in the driveway and one from the landlord at my husband's business - I can sympathize with you. Soot gets in Everything!! You certainly would'nt have wanted to eat that charred cake! They both were beautiful by the way! 
Quote by @%username% on %date%
%body%