I have a 2 tiered cake to deliver on the 13th (possibly, these people have been going back and forth for over a week and still havent given me a answer. I told them last night i need to know by tomorrow as I have another cake for my cousin's graduation that day and I need at least a week in advance to plan the cake). Anyway, it is 2 tiers with fondant flowers and a pearl border. I am scared to travel with it lol. So I was gonna take the tiers separately. So when I get there, I will have to add the pearl border (and I have to do individual pearls bc I cant find one of those molds to make a string of them) and the flowers (except for the ones on the top of the top tier).

So...do you guys normally do that much assembly work on site? I wouldnt be so paranoid about taking it all put together, but this is the first cake I will actually be getting paid for and I am already stressing about it a little lol. In fact, I am kind of hoping they decide not to go with me, but I bet they will bc my husband, not knowing any better gave them a pretty low price. We'll call it a first customer discount LOL and I will chaulk it p to experience.

I personally don't want to assemble on site. I know there are people who do it, but depending on how much you have to put on, it will take a bit of time. The pearls won't, but the flowers will. If you feel like you can be there that early and it will make you more comfortable then go for it, but otherwise pre-assemble it. Since it's only 2 tier it will be pretty stable, especially if you dowel the 1st layer properly and use a center dowel through the whole thing - it won't go anywhere! Then you can put the flowers on early enough that the icing you use? to hold them on has plenty of time to dry and be stable. This is all up to what you prefer, though, as I said there are people who have done it both ways. Good luck!

You shouldn't have any problem traveling with a 2 tier assembled. I've done 3 tier and had an hour drive with no problems (and no center dowel through all tiers). Just to make yourself feel better, do the center dowel and you should be fine.

Good Luck!

I would get stressed out with assembly on site, specially if people were there hovering & watching.

I do as much as I could at home then bring tools for what would I would need to finish and extra icing incase of any booboos or bumps along the way.

hth

Ditto on what PP's said! The only time that I don't bring the cake already assembled to the site is when it is too heavy to lift. If you have that much work to do at the site, I think that you are asking for trouble. Either a family member is going to be there hovering (and telling the bride later that the cake lady was so disorganized, she had to finish the cake at the venue!), or else you will have time issues.

Good luck!!

Thanks for the replies!! Another question..since there will be dowel rods in the cake, do I just leave instructions to take them out when cutting? I have to let the lady know there are dowel rods in it right? So there is no surprise when cutting? Do I put that in writing, or just tell her? I am not a professional...yet , but I dont want to start out with a bad reputation ya know.

If the 2 tier is stacked I assemble at the shop, if it is seperated tiers you assemble on site, Also, if the cake is really big I usually assemble in increments of 2 tiers, then assemble on site. But I live in the Hillcountry of Texas...and get a lot of dirt roads to go down to deliver. The lower the height the easier it is to deliver in good shape. 2 tiers if supported correctly and with a center dowel or support through the center should suffice to deliver it and not have the on site decorating issue.

I travel with cakes fully assembled all the time.. the last picture in my photos is a 4 tiered cake and I traveled 4 hours by car and 2 by ferry with it fully assembled. Your 2 tiered cake will be more than fine.

I always leave a sheet stating what is in the cake... just for good measure.

Wow Jeanne, you're my hero! You had the strength to carry a 4-tier cake AFTER being on a ferry for two hours? I'm a person who gets massively sea-sick, so the cake would have had to carry me off the ferry - LOL! Beautiful cake BTW!

LOL... I had my hubby with me so he helped lift it... that sucker was heavy... but I could have managed myself. It was all wrapped up in a box so it was awkward to handle.

I get sea sick too, but I was so damned tired after the all nighter(s) I had pulled the week leading up to delivering that thing that I fell asleep about 2 minutes after sitting down. If I lie down it's not as bad.

Thanks for the compliments too. I am recreating that cake with dummies for the bridal show I have on Sunday since it was so well recieved.

I am pretty sure it is a family member cutting the cake. So I will be sure to leave instructions or her so that even if SHE isnt the one plating, but another family member, no wires get crossed lol. She probably knows the drill, but just to be safe.

Yeah, there should be no problem transporting a two tier cake. Easy. I let customers pick up three tier cakes. With SPS they aren't any worries.

Yep, a two tier should be just fine. And you can even put your pearls on in advance as well. They won't go anywhere if you glue them down well. I put a little dot of vanilla on the side of the cake and then where the pearl is going to sit. Those suckers don't move. =o)

You could take an extra dowel just to show them what you are talking about. One caker in here said a customer wasn't listening at delivery time and thought she said there were barbie dolls in the cake. LOL