Ok you seasoned pros out there.... Does anyone else have severe anxiety a few days before wedding cake is due? I make myself crazy with the what ifs ! I worry about getting the cake set up, then the table falling, or hitting a huge pothole on the road and all my icing falls off...or you cut the cake and for some reason it's dry or tastes bad.....or God forbid, you don't have enough, or you have way too much, or the Bride doesn't like it, and on and on it goes in my mind. I was in photography business 30 yrs and would still have nightmares the night before a wedding...I think from now on I'm going to keep on hand a "fake cake" just in case...I know disasters happen, but being worried all the time doesn't help.
I got nervous yes, but not frantic. Of course all those situations could happen, but highly unlikely. You just have to reign in those thoughts. If you have done your best, the cake has turned as planned, be proud, be happy and enjoy the experience.
Oh my goodness! I have fought that not only w/decorating cakes but throughtout my whole life :( Just going for a job interview; meeting someone new; and many other factors/events. When I had my bakery having an appointment w/someone about a wedding cake resulted w/me nervous sometimes for a week before then retching - yes actually upchucking - minutes before they arrived:( I could go on and on telling about situations where anxiety caused similar results (like my wedding day and so much more! Only recently have I been able to slightly reduce the problem w/lots of prayer.
Wow.... YOU Kakeladi?? Thanks for being honest....wonder how you managed all those years putting yourself out there? Anything to do with weddings is all about new people ALL the time...which I don't like. I keep asking myself why do I put myself through this? Yes, I pray A LOT and it helps.... I love doing this because I'm such a solitary person and want to do things my way. I don't think I would be happy working in a bakery and following someone else's orders. do you miss having your bakery? Also do you still do cakes? Thanks for helping me not feel like I'm the only anxious person!
I don't docakes anymore - mostly because don't know many people where I'm living now. I'd love to but had to give up most of my equipment when I moved into an apt less than 500 sq ft:( Yes, in a way I do miss the bakery but by now if I was still going not sure if I'd still love, love, love it as I did back then. It's been something like 15 yrs agp now.
I thought I was the only one who got anxious over making cakes!! Well, I don't feel so bad now hearing that I am not alone. Hang in there and remember that most of the time once all is said and done normally the people love the cakes in the end!! We all worry for nothing it seems!!
I think most of us stress over weddings, some more, some less. It is scary to think what a large part you are playing in one of the most important events of someone's life and, of course, we want it to exceed all their expectations. It does help me to stress less if I transport the cake unstacked or only partially stacked and finish it on site. I, by the way, am not a professional. Just a hobby baker mostly for friends and family.
I don't get too stressed about wedding cakes but I do a few things to minimise stress. I take a test run out to the delivery destination with my Mom. She is my delivery helper :-) We take a drive out to see what the roads are like, the traffic, we time it, plan the best route. This way we can see if there is construction or crappy roads. Then on delivery day we know exactly what we are in for. I even call in advance so we can go inside the the room where the event will take place, chat with the people who are taking care of the event. This way we can see where the cake is going to be set up, the closest door to park at. We plan out the whole delivery in advance. Then on delivery day everything goes smoothly. We know where we're going and exactly what to expect when we get there. And I've never had any problems.
As for the decorating part I plan everything out, stick with my best practices for stacking, never take short cuts. I plan out each day a week before so getting everything done isn't stressful or last minute. I also only take 1 wedding cake per week. This also eliminates a lot of stress. I am only one person so 1 per week is plenty.
Plan well and don't overbook yourself and that will eliminate most issues. Also ALWAYS follow your best practices for decorating, stacking and delivery. No short cuts, that's when things go wrong.
Good planning and preparation are super important and helpful.
Hope that helps a bit :-)
I've never made a wedding cake but I get anxiety about any cake! I don't sell them I only make them now and again for family/friends. The amount I worry makes me think I could never be cut out for this to be my business!
"The amount I worry makes me think I could never be cut out for this to be my business!" @Coffeelover77 , I couldn't agree more!! There are a million easier ways to make a living! Cake decorating and sugar art are wonderful hobbies, but I would rather mow yards than to do either as a primary job!
@MsGF , thank you for the brilliant idea of actually driving the route and viewing the venue prior to delivery!
Yes Teri (MsGF) I always scoped out the venue. The drive, where the room was located. We're there stairs, an elevator. Was there a trolley available. I found out who was in charge so I could talk to them about set up...etc. Did as much pre-information as possible. That really helped ease the stress. And my hubby as my wingman always helped.
Quote by @SandraSmiley on 23 minutes ago
My hubby as m wingman is one of my sources of stress, @jchuck ! He is wonderful to help, but when it comes to driving, he forgets to drive like a granny! Scares the crap out of me, but he won't let me drive.
mine is too relaxed really. "it's fine.. it will be fine.. don't worry.." as I keep gasping every time we go over a bump. lol!
And he carries the cake box out to the car while I gnaw my fingernails thinking .. if he drops that box what will I DO THEN ?!!!! lol I think I'm too anxious a person for the cake business :D
Sandra
Steve has been a great help in wedding set up. There was one venue where there was a large flight of stairs. Don't know what I would have done without my husband Steve's help. I haven't done a wedding since my Christopher got married. Don't see any wedding cakes in the future. But one never knows. Steve would be the first to tell you what a pain in the !!##!!! I was during driving for delivery and set up. I always breathed a sigh of relief after cake was set up and pictures taken.
I am a little stressed now my daughter asked me 6 months ago to bake her wedding cake I baked a lot but never a cake I said I would do my best being retired it is something I have actually worked on every day making gumpaste flowers, baking cakes all was going great her bridal shower cake everyone loved I was so surprised never doing something this big then over the weekend I baked another cake to practice fondant and I sliced a piece and told my wife what went wrong it was dry and tasted bad I was stressed the wedding is in a week I told my wife I think I left in oven to long so I made another 10" cake I was happy again all is good nice and moist but I have noticed I get nervous but once I get started whether practice piping or baking my nerves relax I just really get into it and a big thanks to kakeladi & k8memphis for all there help
Sometimes yrs ago when I would make a nice cake, cut into it and it would be so dry....UNTIL I found out on CC not to refridgerate butter cake. I haven't had a dry cake since I followed that advice. Once you get your recipe down pat and remove all variables it is easier. The best advice is using a digital kitchen scale and learn how to use it, especially with scratch cakes. It is a miracle for consistency. My anxiety isn't about the cake itself, just all the other stuff, getting stuck in traffic, hitting a huge pothole, dropping the cake box while carrying it in, etc. good luck on your cake.
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