An acquaintance of mine was getting married. She is a photographer, did my daughters senior pic and does weddings. We discussed bartering photo services for her wedding cake. She is really laid back and down to earth, and a bit wacky, but I love that about her. For her wedding she decided on a 3 tier all plain white wedding cake with no design, as she was going to use some candies she love to put them on the cake. She also ordered a donut grooms cake.

First, i realize that the tiers were the wrong size. Instead of 8,10, and 12 round that she wanted we made 6,8 & 10. This was night before wedding when I realized it. I called her because she had mentioned having a lot of sweets and other treats there. She said dont worrry about it, they will have so much stuff that it was probably better to have the smaller cake.

Next morning I go to deliver and when I get out of the truck and go to the back I see the top 2 tiers laying on their side. The top 2 tiers fell off, even with support and a center dowel rod. The rod ripped through the bottom cake and the edge of the bottom cake was somewhat crushed. I wanted to die.

She showed up and I explained that the cake crashed. I called the bakery and told them to get another cake going. She grabbed the top tiers and put it back on the bottom tier and said no dont worry its fine, it has character, just fix up the frosting and she wants this cake. I explained that I would have another cake here before the wedding and she insisted that she didnt want another cake.

We took the cake apart, fixed what we could, and had to add piping and borders to get it to look at least decent. Unless you knew what you were looking for most guests probably wouldnt even know there was ever an issue. (excpt for all of the family that happened to be there and kept coming in to check on our progress on the cake). She ended up with a pretty cake but it was not the cake she ordered.

Luckily the grooms cake was fine and in the end she has a cake to cut and to take pictures with. But I cant get rid of this horror feeling. She said that she as a photographer has had issues with pictures of a wedding and she knows how I feel. She told me dont worry about it and that it was really ok and she is glad that if it had to happen that it happened with her nstead of some bride that would have been a bridezilla.

She is right and if it has to happen I am glad it was a bride with a sense of humor. Now I will try to put it all behind me and move on but for now I am still sick about it.

OMG!! I feel for you but I am also so amazed that she was so cool about it! That is sooo great!! I mean, yes, it sucks that all this happened to you and I would have been sick too, but could you be any luckier to have had it happen with such an easy going bride. God bless her!! and you too!

Don't beat yourself up, *hit happens! At least she wasn't a bridezilla about it, as she pointed out to you things don't always go right for her either.

Wow, so sorry to hear that. I'm glad she took it so well though - sounds like a nice and understanding friend. Do you know why it happened? Did you have each cake layer on cardboard or foamboard, doweled and then a long dowel through the middle?

I'm so sorry this happened to you I absolutely HATE that pit in the stomach feeling. Your friend is right though . . . Be glad it was laid back her, and not some bridezilla. Why don't you wait a bit, then do something nice for her in appreciation of her being so understanding. (((HUGS)))

I think it was the turn into her driveway. My hubby was driving ( and he has helped me deliver tons of cakes) and was going slow as usual but the driveway appeard suddenly. So he slowed and made the turn. It wasnt a slam on your brakes or sharp turn but I think it was just enough. I heard something but i didnt think anything fell, it sounded as if the box that the grooms cake was in had slid just a little bit. All tiers were on boards, they were all supported and there was a center dowel through all boards. I cant confirm that that was what caused it and it could have happened in the drive, which was about 30 minutes.

Wow, That's to bad. This really makes me nervous. It sounds like you had everything secured properly. Did you ever think of investing in one of those cake safes?

Good save! Happens to the best of us.
Great that the bride was your cheerleader--what a sweetie!!!

This bride is wonderful! I'm so sorry this happened to you, but how awesome that she took it all in stride

That bride was amazingly understanding! And it sounds like a great save.

I've been preaching for years on here that the cetner dowel is false security. If the cake is moving sideways (as yours was) the center dowel will tear thru the cake (as your did.) Really, folks, center dowels are not the security you're looking for.

I think the bride was a good sport and you had a good save. If you have that "sinking feeling" why don't you bang out a cute little 6" cake and give it to the bride and groom as a little gift?

Stories like this is why I assemble wedding cakes at the reception site. I'm glad she was so understanding.

I never bother with a center dowel, but I'm curious how the dowel ripepd through the tiers. Did the dowel itself move sideways? It's good that the bride was mellow about it!

So glad that the bride was understanding and everything worked out.

I totally agree with the center dowel thing. Not the saving grace everyone assumes it to be.

Costumeczar, it is probably the cake that did the sliding. Not the center dowel.

Glad that she took everything in stride.

That totally sucks! I'm glad it worked out though. Now if only everyone is as understanding as this bride.

that sucks, but what a sweet and understanding bride! imagine what a disaster it would've been if it had happened with a bridezilla. I agree with the other people here saying you should make a small cute cake to thank them for their understanding.

I don't think I would ever be secure enough to try and deliver a wedding cake already stacked. I've only ever done two, but I stacked both on site. I would be afraid something like this would happen.

Wow, how nice of the bride, she sounds like a really chill person. I can't think of anyone I know who would be that cool!

Wow, how nice of the bride, she sounds like a really chill person. I can't think of anyone I know who would be that cool!

Great save ! I would offer her a cake in the future at no cost. She sounds like a nice friend

You are very lucky. She could have done many things. Even legally.
What I would still do since this bothers you, is find out what she likes and give her that as an additional sorry. Make it up to her.
Like if she is into flowers send her a bouquet. If she is a tree hugger buy her a tree somewhere or buy a goat for a family in the third world in her name etc...
She is a friend and you will probably use her services again too so make sure she knows this was an exception to your normal service and that it still affects you to this day.
Nothing works 100% of the time. Chalk it up to experience

I think you were blessed to have this bride. She simply understands that stuff happens, no matter how professional you are. The cake turned out good enough to be photographed and she was happy. Now you have something to learn from and that's always a good thing.

Your aquaintance is laid-back and a bit wacky....that's what you love about her.....

Take this to heart, your friend knows what's important! She wasn't too upset, don't you be. I know your sick about what happened... But honestly, SHE wasn't! She and her groom was getting married....! Getting married! yay for her!!! yay for him!!! Now, THAT'S what's important1



(And take Leah's advice regarding the SPS)

wow! You are soo lucky hun" to have such an awesome bride with so much understanding. My cake disaster happened at a bridal shower and she was being so outrageously about it with so much horrifying screaming!!! She was pacing back and forth in the kitchen, screaming at me, and crying her head off at me , when all I could do was fix it at the scene!! It was a tiny crack from the drive,,but it was fixable and covered up with flowers!! Looked beautiful at the end, yet I wanted to crawl under the table at that point b/c of her going crazy on me in front of guests!!

Later, I bumped into one of the ladies that was at that party, in a store, and she said that the cake was fabolously good in all ways, and that, that lady just went way overboard on it and that is her personality originally. THANK GOSH,,,but at that moment of time..I was sooo sad, yet kept my head together as best possible.

I can't imagine this happening to her on her wedding day..lol.she would be a bridezilla for sure!

I'm sooooooo happy that she was that sweet! Sending you big hugs! I really agree with the SPS system. It has really worked for me and I don't use anything else on my tiered cakes. I've traveled with 3 tier cakes and they never moved amazingly! I was leary at first but it totally works and is worth the investment! Many more successful cakes will be in your future, don't sweat it, just learn from it. Hmmmm.....wish I could take my own advice sometimes! lol! Take care!