I finally got engaged this past New Year's (after 11 years of being together!) and I am planning my wedding for march 2007. I know most people don't even like to discuss doing their own wedding cake but I was thinking I could do it. I live a long way away from where we're getting married and was going to bake, ice and freeze the cake and when I fly home finish the night before and set up early in the morning.... not getting married till 4 in the afternoon so I don't think there is going to be much stress. What are your thoughts?

I have NEVER been married I am also engaged. but I have been to a whole lot of weddings and the bride is always stressed the day of. With everthing else going on and making sure everything is going smoothly. I feel its a BIG thing to take on on that day but if you feel you can do it go for it. GOOD LOCK & Congrats.

Oh jeeze, the memories are coming back.

I did mine and let me tell you, I prepared but it still gave me a headache. There's just so much going on for you at that time, if you can at least have someone help you, it's a lot easier.

I got married away from my hometown and went to Key West. I baked the layers and brought my small mixer with me to make the BC. I was staying at a place that had a kitchen so that was great. I brought all my tools and tried not to forget a thing. I went to the grocery store down in the Keys to get my supplies for the BC and had fresh flowers and a Nautalis seashell as the topper. Planning is the key. I insisted on using all butter for my BC knowing it was going to be hot. I had to make the BC three times because I had a hard time getting it to set up. The day of the wedding we took the cake to the restuarant we were getting married at. They put it in their cooler. Once we got married my sister went to the restaurant first and told them to put it on the cake table. They did but it took forever for the photographer to do our pix so by the time I got the restuarant, the cake was leaning because of the butter and the heat. I had the photographer take pictures quick and then rushed it off to the waitstaff to put back in the cooler and then to cut and plate it up. It was definetely a learning experience. I'm glad I did it because I would not have settled for a store bought cake but it was very stressful.

Glad it's over. Best wishes to you, this is a very exciting time for you.

Congrats!!! I did my own wedding cake and the catering too. It was only for 40 people though. A bit exhausting and my older sister was a royal....whoa, sorry, got off the subject. I've never flown with cakes before. If that is what you're going to do, I'd suggest to at least cover them in fondant. I think they would at least hold up better that way when traveling. Good luck with it all. Sorry I wasn't too helpful!!!

I thought about that (after the fact). I would have loved to try to make my own wedding cake. You can't get EXACTLY what you want unless you do it, right? But the day of the wedding, there was just not enough hours to do anything! It was extremely stressful. I know my nerves were shot! I was anxious, nervous, scared, excited, you name it, I had that emotion that day! I am not sure I would actually be capable of putting forth the concentration and time it took to do my cake. You may be different and cool as a cucumber.

Maybe, weigh the pros and cons... do a test run, time yourself... go with whatever you feel you can handle! Good luck!

I wouldnt suggest it... I tried doing mine and thank goodness my friend... CAME TO THE RESCUE!! I was so nervous because everything that could happen did.. I did my own flowers as well... I had all my bouquets done and the day before my wedding my Matron of honors dress finally came in and OMG it was so not my color! had to change all my flowers night before wedding... Then the cake trying to get it smooth and all I was such a wreck .. tried doing some scroll work and didnt do what I wanted so my friends stepped in that morning .. give me the icing and the flowers and go get your hair done... let us worry about it... Thank Goodness they did... I then found out just after this my bestman wrinkled my wedding license.. I was LIVID!!! they finally got it ironed and got me calmed down again... Then when my wedding was to start the preacher came back and said , "Is it ok if we hold off on starting ceremony for about 15 min.. " I about FAINTED!!! I was like why????????? Thinking my DH wasnt ready... lol but his boss ad family called and said they were on their way and were late because they couldnt get their son off the xbox... SO they get there and finally got started and I hadnt even thought anymore about the cake... but when we walked into the reception hall and I saw the cake, I was and just started crying at the beuatiful job Ellie my friend had done... So to make the long story short... I wouldnt suggest doing your own cake since you have so many other things to worry about.. like being BEAUTIFUL~~ Which Im sure comes naturally for you but still... Good luck with your wedding!!

I can't believe you went through all that Helendelk!

Can you post a pic of your wedding cake? I'd love to see it after hearing that story!

It's a real busy day but I am also the type of person who believes that if you want something done right you have to do it yourself.

It depends how many guest you are having and what else you are doing yourself. Think timeline! You have bachlorette parties, rehearsal dinners, decorating, getting ready, and most importantly getting married!

I got married at 2pm and it seemed like there wasn't enough time in the day. My mom make the cake which we took to the caterer the day before, and we the church and had the rehearsal dinner the night before. The next day I had hair, nails, etc., had to meet the florist at the church, had to get ready, the photographer arrive 1 1/2 hours before the wedding to take my picture with my family at our house.

All I have to say is expect the unexpected!

Congratulation on your engagement and Good Luck!

I've been giving it alot of thought. But havn't made a decision yet. I am far from calm and collected on the best days! We'll see. I might just give the cake person home a call and see what she charges for wedding cakes. I know that if I put my trust in her, It'll be great. Part about it is that I know that I can give her a run for her money! I'm defienlty on two minds about this. Wish this was a simple decision.

I DID MY OWN WEDDING CAKE. WE HAD TWO HUNDRED GUEST. I ALSO CATERED IT. YOU CAN DO IT...JUST MANAGE YOU TIME. IT IS ALSO A GOOD IDEA TO RECRIUT FRIENDS AND FAMILY MEMBERS TO HELP YOU GET THINGS SET UP ON THE BIG DAY. IT CAN BE DONE!!!

CONGRATULATIONS AND GOOD LUCK!

LES

How about you desgin it and have someone else make it? That way you have the best of both worlds. It'll be special but not a pain! Just get someone you trust and like their work. It is enough stress to just get yourself ready, get the pictures taken, make sure eveyone is in their place, etc. Plus, flying with it!!! I know I wouldn't be able to handle it! But you may be a stronger person than I! Good luck whatever you decide!

I totally believe you can do it. It will take a lot of planning, but there is a lot you can do in advanced. How about gum paste or fondant flowers instead of BC? They can be done weeks in advance, packed carefully and placed on the cake on your big day.

h@don't think I would be willing to let someone else do my wedding cake, even if it was my design. Well unless of course it was my dear auntie, who taught me a lot of my cake decorating skills, even then I might end up doing most of the work. I just can't picture it being the same if someone else did it. I've done my own birthday cakes for the past few years, and I don't think that I could go back to bakery cakes. It just doesnt seem as special.

Oh well. I wish you all the luck and blessing of the wedding and cake gods. Congratulations on your engagement.

I wish I did mine, but it came with the facilities package and I said well, maybe it'll be ok because I'll have so much to do anyway....cake was definitely previously frozen which I can always tell and it looked like a piece of.....if you're a calm person I'd say go for it!!!

I've been hearing more and more brides doing their own cakes now a days... If you can handle the stress and everything else that goes with the last minutes...then go for it...

I did my own. Wasn't a big wedding, but 3 tiers. I knew I would only be happy if I did my own, since I did the flowers, and wanted them all to match. It was hard, but I finished the cake early the day before. Best wishes in what ever you decide. I Hope you have a long and happy life together. Keep us updated!

Well I have decided to make my own cake. I always look for things that I could have done better or made different when I get a cake from a bakery or someone else. I can see myself on my wedding day cutting my cake and looking at my new husband saying....see if I did this cake it wouldn't be leaning, the color would be brighter.... you get the idea!! Best bet is to do it myself so I will be happy with it. Thanks guys for all the support.

Krista

**edited to add** By the way my guest list has grown to about 250 - but more than half live out of town....don't expect more than 150. I think it's do-able. I figure if I can pump out 4 half sheet cakes in 24 hours (that's baking, cooling and iced) I can do this.