Alright, well I got my first wedding cake order for August 13th. I know it's last minute, but I am doing it anyway. It is for a small wedding cake 10-inch,8-inch,6-inch. 3 tiers covered in fondant with fondant drpe between tiers and raspberry colored calla lillies with purple lisanthius flowers (flowers will be made of gumpaste). I will also be making 2 full sheet cakes to serve at the wedding as well.

My question is in regard to the delivery and set up of the cake. The wedding is at a country club. I have a phone number for the lady at the country club that is coordinating the event. do I call her before the wedding? And if so what info do I need to ask her? How does delivery and setup work usually? How far ahead do I take the cakes to the site? I know it is silly that the thing I am most worried about is getting the cake to the wedding and not the actual decorating! But I have never done this so it makes me really nervous! Any advice would be appreciated!

anyone?

If the site is close by, I'd dropped in and check out the reception site, parking, stairs, etc. Can you carry the cakes, or will you have to request a bus cart on wheels? Find out the timeframe for delivery; if it's a late wedding, they may be using the room for another event earlier in the day. Make sure they'll have a cake table; find out who is responsilbe for decorating it, or are you doing it? Make sure the cake table does not sit directly in front of a window with the sun beating on it. Hope this helps!

I would contact the lady at the country club to find out where it is being held ( which room) if there is a certain entrance that you may need to use to enter with the cake. I always deliver at least 2 hours if not more prior to the ceremony start time, that way you have plenty of time for set up and for anything that may occur to set you back on time. You may want to have the lady from the country club sign off on the delivery for the cake after you are done setting it up, just so you have record that everything was alright with the cake when you left. The main thing is to relax, take your time and take pictures of the completed cake. Good Luck!!

Yes..you should definetly call the lady at the venueas to when you will be able to get in there to setup.most places have a certain time.Make you you ask if a cake table will be set up and ready..actually I would tell her to have that ready in advance.I would deliver about 2-3 hours before the reception.If the cakes are tiered you can assemble at home...dowel really good.and then just take to the site on skid proof matting in your back hatch of vehicle.The size of these cake are not huge so stacking them and taking all in one piece should be fairly easy.Take an emergency kit with you like icing in a bag with tip,extra trim,beads,pearls,ribbon etc..whatever you have used on the cake in case you need to fix borders etc.When you arrive ,find someone to direct you to where the cake should be setup.Make sure the table is sturdy FIRST!!! It should go really smooth!!You'll be fine!!!

Edited to add....take a picture of everything complete in case there is a accident from someone at the club,guest etc..Then you have proof the cake was left in perfect condition when you left! My mom delivered a cake one time and a server or staff member knocked the table and the cake fell..then tried to blame it on my mom saying the cake wasn't set up properly and unstable beforehand..Yah right!!

Thank you guys so much for the great info!! I feel much better now. Now I just have to get through the phone call! The site is not close by. It is about 2 hours away. However I will be decorating the cake at my MIL's house which is about 10 minutes from the site. the wedding is for my husbands cousin, so I will be attending the wedding anyway, which is why I agreed to to do it so far from home. I might be able to get my MIL to go over and take a look at the site for me. Maybe even snap some pics.

I think that the florist will be decorating the table, but that is something I definitely need to find out!

thanks again!

Thanks for the tip Sarah! I would hate to mis the wedding! My daughter is the flower girl,so I definitely want to be there. Her daddy will be talking care of her pre wedding so I can take care of the cake, but I do want to see her walk down the aisle!

Definetly get a time when you can get into the room for set-up...the wedding cake that I did on July 1st of this year, I was not allowed into the restaurant until 11AM and the ceremony was at 2 and I was in it. My saving grace was having as much stuff done cake wise as possible BEFORE the wedding.
I baked my cakes and froze them in the beginning of the week.
I made my frosting and fillings a couple of days before.
I put together the cakes and decorated fully two of the tiers on Friday, started the third tier on Friday and finished on Saturday.
It definetly takes planning and the help of your spouse...just ask mine..he helped alot!