I really suck at drawing so I thought I would buy some wedding cake design software, such as Wedding Cake Design Pro . If anyone has this program, could you please share your experience with this software.

I have a few questions:

1. Is it better to download it or buy the CD? If you download it, can you move it to another machine or laptop?

2. With all the different cake designs, does it work well for you in terms of incorporating all your design ideas?

3. I looked on their website but I couldn't find if they offer a free trial. Before I buy it, I'd like to give it a try to see exactly what the program offers. Anyone know if they offer a free trial?

4. Are there any other wedding cake design programs out there in the market?

Any information or experience you can share will be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

Hi. I don't have an answer for you, but I have been debating the same thing. So here is a...

I hate buying something if I don't have a clue whether it will be useful or not! For example, I have a bride who is looking for a square cake with the back of the cake totally flush, not centered. She wants a ribbon around each tier, and calla lilies on each ledge. Then she wants writing on the front of each cake - Today I Married My Best Friend .

It's a fairly straightforward design but can this cake design software show me how it will look in 3D? Does it offer features like showing the ribbon and different types of flowers? I would really like to know exactly how useful this software is BEFORE I invest the money.

Hopefully some of our fellow CC'ers will have some experience with this program that they can share.

While others seem to have had great success with it, I didn't. I bought the downloaded version. Down loaded it onto my new desktop. Unfortunately it would only allow me to add 3 elements and the most tiers it would let me create was 3 (guess that was the magic number), after the 3rd decor element was place the whole computer would freeze. The darn thing eventually caused my entire hard drive to crash. Within a week of purchasing the product. I did daily scans to make sure I didn't have a virus and I didn't. The only program that wouldn't work on the computer properly was Wedding Cake Design Pro. And the last time it made my computer freeze, when I shut the comp off and tried to reboot I kept getting a fatal error and the darn thing never would boot up again.

There had to be something incompatible between the comp and the program but I did all the tests that they recommend to do before installing and everything checked out. So really not sure what was up with it. And I was out the money for the program because they do not allow refunds of any kind.

Now that is not reassuring.

Only three tier cakes and your computer crashing. This is exactly the type of stuff I'm wary about. I really hope someone posts some good reviews about this product because I'm not getting a warm and fuzzy feeling.

Thanks so much for sharing.

Just a thought... The Cake Design Program is a great tool, but for those who are on a tight budget, there are other options. I do all my cake designs in Photoshop. But before I got that program, I used Microsoft Office. The designs don't turn out 3D, but you sure can get a good idea as to how the cake will look by "building" boxes in the dimensions you have in mind.

Most computers already have MO or Word installed. Here's an example I made:
HTH - Cheley

I purchased the DVD and since I'm not computer savy, I had my son install it. It never worked and that was with additional instructions that the company sent me!!!!

Uh oh!!! I'm getting a "Run, Forest, Run" feeling!!!

I have the program - downloaded with the help of computer savvy guy from work. It does work but pretty limited in my opinion. I have had no problems on the number of tiers or elements. Anyway all tiers will be centered on top of each other. One thing I don't like is that you have no idea what size of tiers you are doing - you just eye ball the size. It would be great if you could say 8" circle 10" square, etc. It's an okay program just wish it had more options - for those of us that do complicated cake designs it really doesn't do the job. I think it is really more marketed to the Bride - for her to play around with designing her own cake.

Bert - thanks so much! It's nice to get some feedback on the functional aspect of the program.

I have it and use it quite often and like it! I think you need to just mess around with it and familarize yourself with it!!

Here are some cakes I've done on WCDpro and then the real cake made later on.....I think the program was pretty true to real life IMO>

Awesome cakes! And sketches are very close to the real thing!

Did you just download the program or did you buy the CD? Was it hard to install?

Thanks so much! It's nice to have another viewpoint.

I just bought it a couple of weeks ago and LOVE it. The consults I've done since go alot smoother. The only con I can see right now is I wish there were a few more options with the decorations and flowers. That being said, I know there is no way to have all the decorations we can think of. The last bride I had wants the stencils so I was able to use an option similar to the stencil so she could see what black decorations would look like on white icing. Plus her flowers are stargazers but I had to use orchids to get the idea. Just have to play around alot.

HTH!

I bought the cd, because I wanted to be able to put it on my home pc as well as my laptop for consults!

same thing with me and that one cake up there, the cake was stargazers...but I was able to use the other flowers in similar shades to get the look.

Also, I have had 3 brides so far that after seeing the 3-D mock up changed their ENTIRE cake design because they hated it!! Imagine if I had just made the cakes the way they instructed?? I would have had some disappointed brides! even after doing a sketch, they wanted it....then when they saw the 3-d they were like UH UH!!! lol

And that's exactly why I wanted this software in the first place! Sometimes brides will come to me with a specific design in mind that I know is not going to look right. I would like to show them a sketch so they know exactly what the cake will look like.

I purchased the CD and my problem is just sitting myself down and really learn the program. I've played around with it a few times and used it on a few consults and the brides thought it was helpful. I even printed some blank "standard" shapes and combinations and pull out my colored pencils. I need to check their website to see if they have any updates and shapes. The last thing I recall, you could purchase additonal shapes.

Thanks for posting this! I had no idea there was such an option. I'm worried though as my computer is a bit tempermental already! Currently I use google sketchup to see what cakes are going to look like in 3D. Its free but not at all like the cake program. You can draw three dimensional shapes and stack them up to see what they would look like. I do that and then print it out and draw on designs but it does help me see what the cakes will look like stacked together if I'm doing a tiered cake. It also allows me to draw on both the sides and top surface of the cake which, when I was drawing my own 2D cakes I couldn't really do. I don't think you could draw odd shapes though (like paisleys, hearts, etc). I've only done round and square but haven't really tried anything else. Have no clue if that was helpful or not.

My computer is temperamental too so I think it would be better for me to buy the CD. That way the program can be re-installed if there's a problem.

Thanks to everyone who responded and especially KHalstead who posted the pictures so everyone can see some finished sketches.

You guys are the best!!!

my kids even like to play on it...........check out this cake my then 6 yr. old son designed!

I have it and have downloaded (purchased) the upgrades. There are pros and cons. It would be nice to have more color choices and designs. For instance...there is no option for the large swags. They have tapered tiers but not topsy turvy.

Sometimes I import my design into photo shop to add other design elements to it. It does help me out for the most part but there could be some improvements.

sounds like we should get with the creators and tell them what we would like to see in a program and ask for it.

I bought this software and am quite happy with it though it does have limitations. Your computer needs to have enough memory or it won't run smoothly at all! I bought a couple of extra add-ons which I think is a must, one is for exact tier measurements and the other enables you to add pictures to the library. I also contacted the company and asked if they're doing a cupcake module and they said they were working on it.
Here's a couple of designs as well as the finished cake that I've done.

Thanks Kathy - your cakes are just lovely! I didn't realize you could buy upgrades or add-ons so that's a nice surprise!

The more information, the better for us all!

Cheley - How did you insert the damask design with Word? I have that program and use it for cake design a little bit too.

Thanks,
Susan

I have the software also, but haven't used it that much. Thanks for sharing information about the add-ons. I'm taking some "me" time next week and I will add this to my play list!

great info thanx!

While I do not have this program I did visit the website and products offered. It sounds like a great software to buy.

Here's the low down of price cost and what you would be looking at.

Software (download or CD ROM) $69.95
Hex, Oval, Rec. Tier Expansion Pack $25.95
Embellishment Colors Expansion Pack $12.00
Measurements and Notes Pack $19.95
Bouquet Export $14.95
Tapered Tiers $19.95
Safari Patterns $10.95

$173.70

I am going to go to their website and check it out too. I am crappy at drawing and this could really benefit me if it really works!!

I know this is a really old thread, but I'm looking at the software on their website and I just wondered if anyone has any additional feedback. Thanks!!!