What do you all bring in your "bag-o-tricks" to the delivery site for wedding cakes? I'm winging it so far (for friends)... What is your standard survival kit that you bring to repair, finish, etc.?

thanks so much!

1 decorating bag of icing, the color of the borders, with the appropriate tip. If there are multiple colors, I bring one decorating bag of each color icing (usually just white, though). If I'm putting ribbon the cakes, I bring scissors. My spatula, for placing cakes on the bottom tiers. A towel for wiping hands and/or protecting the table. Food safety gloves for handling the cake. And my camera. Most of what I need will fit in a gallon size zip lock bag.

Along with what indydebi said, I usually include toothpicks, a wet and dry towel for hands, any extra flowers (RI or BC) and extra business cards.

Thanks! I'm a bit OCD, so this will help get me out the door faster. I tend to stand around (literally) obsessing over what I "might" be forgetting... very stressful.


(there's Debi again, bailing me out!) Thanks to both of you.

There have been a few threads over the years about this, so in the course of reading them I have compiled a list which I use to jog my memory. It has a ton of things on it and I know I would never need all of it, but it might help me remember the very thing I need most, but have forgotten. Here it is:

Cake Decorator Emergency Kit List
1.Map to reception/party site
2.Telephone # of site
3.Telephone # of contact person
4.Calculator
5.Contract / invoice / delivery form
6.Bride's top ornament
7.Cutting knife & server set (in case one is not provided)
8.Cutting Chart
9.Filled bags of extra icing in colors used on cake, incl. tips & couplers
10.Extra Fondant, rolling pin, smoothers & modelling tools
11.Fondant mat and powdered sugar
12.Royal Icing, bags & tips
13.Gumpaste
14.Spatulas
15.Frosting Flowers
16.Luster Dust & Vodka
17.Paintbrushes
18.Fresh, gumpaste or silk flowers/greenery
19.Pearls or Dragees
20.Flower spikes
21.Oasis & a container
22.Picture of the cake
23.Columns/pillars, plus extras (in case of necessary last-minute design changes)
24.Dowels, including sharpened long dowel for center
25.Dowel cutting tool
26.Rubber Mallet for hammering center dowel
27.Chocolate Shavings for between separator plates and cake
28.Stairways & bridges necessary for design
29.Ribbon (a bow can cover a multitude of sins)
30.Tulle (adds 'pouf' & volume if necessary)
31.White plastic tablecloths (available at the dollar store) to cover ugly tables
32.White cloth tablecloth (if you are sure you can get it back)
33.Wire
34.Florist's clay
35.Bases
36.Extra ornament / cake topper
37.Styrofoam meat tray
38.Scissors that can also cut wire
39.Rose nail & scissors
40.Tweezers
41.Toothpicks
42.Meat or kabob skewers
43.Paper towels - regular
44.Paper towels - VIVA (for smoothing)
45.Wax or parchment paper and plastic wrap
46.Wet washcloth in plastic bag or moist wipes
47.A level
48.Shims to correct uneven tables
49.Measuring tape
50.Camera, film, and extra battery
51.Business cards and a holder
52.Congratulations card for the Couple
53.An ink pen & notepad
54.Clear tape & double-sided tape & masking tape
55.Small hot-glue gun
56.Dressmakers pins (for securing fabric when necessary)
57.First Aid Kit incl. Band-aids, Antibiotic ointment & Tylenol
58.Apron
59.Kleenex
60.Garbage bags
61.Latex gloves
62.Doorstops (4)
63.Wear COMFORTABLE shoes
64.Small work table or card table
65.Fountain Items-
a. Fountain- check for proper operation before event
b. Extension cords
c. Duct tape
d. Distilled water
e. Color for water
f. Flower Holder Ring
g. Cascade set
66.For the Bride-
a. Cutting/serving instructions
b. Latex gloves for the server(s)
c. Box for Anniversary cake
d. List of pieces to be returned
e. Box or bag for plates & columns
67.For Non-Wedding Cakes-
Birthday Candles that coordinate with cake
Matches or lighter

You probably have already thought of more things I don't have on my list...everyone will have something unique.

wow..what a list!

Thanks everyone, because I just got a call that my mother is getting married (for the 4th time) a week from Saturday. And I'm making the cake... (insert "feigned excitment" here.....)

Wow....that is a long list! I think the vodka will definitely come in handy! lol!
On a more serious note though....what do you use the chocolate shavings between the separator plates for?

Any list with Duct Tape AND Vodka has to be useful...

just kidding...a great list. Thanks for sharing!

Hi SugarFrosted,

I love that chocolate shavings idea....I'm doing a 3 tier stacked shower cake for this weekend and I think I'll give your tip a try.

Thanks for your help!
Deb

dkelly27, I saw a pastry chef at Disney World do it on a Dream Weddings special on the Food Network. Seemed to me to be an ideal solution to a "sticky" problem

One other thing, you can get candy melts in lots of colors. You can probably get a pretty good match for whatever your cake color is. Just chop them up and sprinkle them on, or maybe squeeze a clump together and grate them.

I decided to post this wedding cake because I was asked to do it right after I posted this thread... it was for my mother's wedding.
Your answers helped quite a bit ~

(I only had 10 days notice and ended up making the whole thing the night before, so it's far from perfect... had problems AGAIN with pits in the surface of icing - humidity??? )

thanks for all your help.

I'm reviving this because I have a question ~

I'm going to assemble a stacked cake "on site", very simple design with bead border I'll do on site. HOW do you lift up decorated tiers (to assemble) without messing up the Buttercream (sides)? I've always wondered/struggled with this.

Is there a trick to "popping" the tiers on there and NOT smudging the icing?

Thanks

K2 .... use your icing spatula to lift the cakes. Slide it under the cake to lift it enough to put your hand under it. Lift with hand and position over bottom tier. Start to set it down and use the spatula for the final set-down, after you've pulled your hand out.

If you're adding a bead border anyway, you'll cover up an smudges.

Hint: Position the spatula so that you are pulling it out from under the cake (after assembly) from the back side. That way, if there are any 'major' smudges, they are in the back. Ask me how I figured this out. Go head. Ask.

Ok, Debi. I'll bite... how did you find this out?

Do I need to "push the cake down" a bit to settle it on the tier? or is this a MAJOR no, no? This is where I am also wondering about smudging, etc. Will the cake just "sit fine" on it's own if everything is level, or do you need to "help it along?"

Here is the way I do it..Hope you find what works for you!

Edna, that's a great visual on how to do it!

FeGe, I will share that my cakes are not chilled and I do it pretty much exactly like you see in Edna's video. The spatula IS strong enough to suppport that cake.

Thanks indydebi,

I swear..if I would try to move it..I would have some major damage. Maybe the key is the smaller spatula.

I am like indy...I dont freeze them, and you just need not to be scared of doing it!.
Just make sure your hand holds the cake and the spatula actually helps you lift the cake so you can take your hand off..Then after you drop it, the spatula is the last thing you take out..
Edna

Thanks for the visual Edna!

Anytime!
Edna