So my little brother just got engaged 2 weeks ago.....I'm sure you can already see where this is going... Today the fiance calls me and says they were sitting down talking about their budget and "Well....we were wondering if you would do our cake"!!!!!!!! "Uh....um.....I've never done a wedding cake" "Well your brother says you can't say no and this is his one little brother favor" So I said yes. She wasn't rude about it or anything...I love my brother to death, he's my only brother and the sibling I'm closest to. I don't mind doing it, I want to help them out but OMG!! I've NEVER done a wedding cake, I don't even know where to start.
The date is May 14, 2011 so I've got a year to learn and practice. I told her to look online and get some ideas about what she wants (shape, theme, color, flavors) and we can do a tasting in a few months.
Truth is....I'd actually taken a break from cakes. I haven't made one since probably November and even then I found myself doing more and more cupcakes. Cakes were just stressing me out. We recently bought our first house so I told myself I'd start back up once we got settled, well it's been 2 months and all my stuff is still packed. So....maybe this is what I needed to get my butt back in gear.
Sorry this ended up being so long.
Cupcakes are the new thing for weddings these days. You could look up some pics from CC, email her the links, and talk her into cuppies! I'm doing a cuppie wedding in August. I'm going to order a $40 stand that looks nice (PM me if you want a link to the site), decorate the stand with some fresh flowers, and swirl all the cuppies. The bride simply has to decide the flavors. I'm doing a small cake for the top of the cuppie tower, but it should be easy. I'm thinking cuppies are going to be way less stress. Is this an option for her?
Relax. You've got a year to practice. No problem. 
cupcakes are NOT the new thing for a wedding. theyve just been pushed and promoted so much by magazines that people think they have to have them. lol, just like they think a sheet cake is what they are sposed to do too.
cupcakes are NOT the new thing for a wedding. theyve just been pushed and promoted so much by magazines that people think they have to have them. lol, just like they think a sheet cake is what they are sposed to do too.
Cupcakes are also very popular because venues can't charge high prices for cutting and plating the cake when it's cupcakes.
I just met a couple last night who have chosen cupcakes mainly for this reason. The per person cutting fee was the same as my per serving charge, therefore doubling what they were paying for the cake.
Cupcakes are the new thing for weddings these days. You could look up some pics from CC, email her the links, and talk her into cuppies! I'm doing a cuppie wedding in August. I'm going to order a $40 stand that looks nice (PM me if you want a link to the site), decorate the stand with some fresh flowers, and swirl all the cuppies. The bride simply has to decide the flavors. I'm doing a small cake for the top of the cuppie tower, but it should be easy. I'm thinking cuppies are going to be way less stress. Is this an option for her?
I would love to have the site link!
WhooHoo for you! You were thinking "yippee, I'm gonna do my brother's wedding cake!" I've only done 2 wedding cakes and I'm dying to do another, even though they stressed me out! LOL! You just need to have faith in yourself, your brother seems to. Like you said, you have a year to practice. Have at it! Maybe she will come up with some ideas that you can practice on. And CC is certainly the right place for you to come when you have more specific questions. Just breathe, relax and have fun!
what's her style? does she know what kind of wedding she wants....like a classy one, whimsical, vintage.......?
i've been in your boat, and i'm thankful a lot of my friends are and vintage-y because flaws=character to them 
. one trend i've noticed, and LOVE because it erases my worry of having a giant stacked cake....is having several cute small ones, on cute little pedestals. i think it's so cute, that i'm doing it when i get married, so i can save the cost of a giant cake...
http://veiltales.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/cake-inspiration3.jpg
this site (ruffledblog) is my new favorite wedding site...because i'm awful at this link thing....scroll down and on the right side there's a picture of several colorful cute cakes on stands, and all it says is "Wedding Cakes". just an idea!!!..... http://ruffledblog.com/
April...I don't think she's gotten very far yet in figuring out what she wants. I have referred her to a few websites to get some ideas. I told her to email me anything she's interested in.
I like the idea of several smaller cakes on different stands. I collect cake stands so she wouldn't even have to worry about the cost of those. I might suggest that to her. Thanks for the link to that blog.
I agree on the several different cakes on the pedestals. I did this for a fellow food blogger and she absolutely loved it. I did 5 cakes and they bought another one, lemon cake with blueberries and lemon curd, carrot cake with cream cheese frosting, red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting, vanilla cake with chocolate and chocolate with chocolate. The guests had a fantastic time taking a little bit of each and it was a big hit.
you collect cake stands? oh gosh....i found this page awhile back, and fell in love with this DIY project. i've made a couple myself, the second one i made is a lot like the blue one she did with the beetle stencils, except i used a rose stencil...i have a bunch more plates and candle sticks and vases upstairs just waiting to be glued together and painted!!
http://www.designspongeonline.com/2008/05/diy-project-kates-recycled-cakestands.html.....
also, if she decides on one big cake...then tinygoose is right!!! SPS.
that link didn't work....
try
http://www.designspongeonline.com/2008/05/diy-project-kates-recycled-cakestands.html
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