I Goofed On Wedding Figuring! Now What? Loong!!
Decorating By MicheleH Updated 18 Jul 2007 , 2:24pm by cakebaker1957
I have a wedding next weekend. First, a little background: I was asked to do this wedding 6 weeks ago by the bride. The origional cake decorator sent her a letter in the mail that she would be unable to do her cake for health reasons. So, the bride is in a panic. She didn't have anything in mind, but was very easy going and seemed to want to go with the flow. Didn't really care about particulars. So fast-forward to today:
Cake picked out is "Delicate Trellis" from Wilton. I do not have the garden cake stand that it calls for (stand is $170! so I didn't want to purchase it just for this wedding). Bride says that is fine, what else can I do? So I told her we can either use pillars to separate the layers, or I have the floating tiers cake stand, we could use that. Ok fine, now this morning I got the floating stand out of the box to look at it and notice that it is for 8, 12, & 16" tiers! The tiers I have figured for the wedding need to be on 10, 14 & 18" plates!!! 
Now what do I do? I feel like I should call the bride to discuss, but I know that she is very stressed out, and I don't want to send her over the edge! I want her to have exactly what she wants, but I don't know if she knows what that is! This is only my 3rd wedding, and I was very confident, now I'm starting to freak out!
What would you do? 
Maybe you can make the cakes with an extra layer each to make up for the downsizing of the stand. Just cut the cake a little smaller. Can you take the cake plates and put others on the stand or are they kind of built in?
Do a satalite tier, i know it won't be exactly like how she wants, but you have to go with what will work. If you want to balance everything then do two satablites to make up the difference in the servings.
Or you can do the smaller cake and make up the servings with kitchen cakes.
Firstly, you need to call her and let her know that the cakes are going to e a different size from what you agreed on, because otherwise you're going to give yourself an ulcer worrying about it. 
Secondly, offer to make another kitchen cake to make up the difference in servings and you'll be fine. 
Don't use cake plates, use cake boards instead, then you will be able to get them on the stand because you won't have those annoying peg bits on the bottom of the plates stopping you! You can always cut them from hardboard or similar if you need something heavy duty. Hope that helps!
Thank you everyone!!! It seems I start to freak out, so I make a post, then I feel a little better!!
I will try to use boards and see if this works today!! If not, I'll make satelite cakes to go along sides.
I also have 500 mints to make! And 5 sheets! At least the design of the cake itself is fairly simple! I get anxious for weddings, because the cake & dress are the main event!!
Do a satalite tier, i know it won't be exactly like how she wants, but you have to go with what will work. If you want to balance everything then do two satablites to make up the difference in the servings.
Or you can do the smaller cake and make up the servings with kitchen cakes.
Ok im thinking whats a satalite cake?? New to the cake world
thanks
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