I have taken all of the Wilton cake decorating courses (and I realize there is much more to know than what is taught in those courses). I have done sheet cakes and layer cakes for friends, I even did a tiered cake for my in-laws' anniversary party. I think I am ready to start doing wedding cakes, but I am not sure where to go from here.
I have a unique situation because my family actually owns 1/2 of an up-scale catering and banquet facility, that holds at least 35 weddings a year. My mom is the chef, and her business partner does most of the office work and meeting with clients, etc. She (her business partner) told me that once I was done with classes that she would start promoting me as a cake decorator for wedding cakes. Well I am finished now, but she has started telling everyone that I am going to start doing wedding cakes in 2009! It makes me feel like she doesn't think I am ready and doesn't think I can handle it.
I am working with another cake decorator to learn some new techniques, but my thought was that I would buy the supplies I needed for the cakes that were ordered and that I would learn what I needed to along the way (and practice a lot before hand).
So I am wondering what you did to get started? Did you practice actually making wedding cakes at home, just to make them? To me, it seems like an awful waste of cake! I feel like making a wedding cake and taking it in to her, so that she can see what I can do. She has seen some of my smaller cakes, and I understand that they don't compare to a wedding cake, but she has seemed to be impressed with them. Any advice on where I should go from here!
I have a unique situation because my family actually owns 1/2 of an up-scale catering and banquet facility, that holds at least 35 weddings a year. My mom is the chef, and her business partner does most of the office work and meeting with clients, etc. She (her business partner) told me that once I was done with classes that she would start promoting me as a cake decorator for wedding cakes. Well I am finished now, but she has started telling everyone that I am going to start doing wedding cakes in 2009! It makes me feel like she doesn't think I am ready and doesn't think I can handle it.
I am working with another cake decorator to learn some new techniques, but my thought was that I would buy the supplies I needed for the cakes that were ordered and that I would learn what I needed to along the way (and practice a lot before hand).
So I am wondering what you did to get started? Did you practice actually making wedding cakes at home, just to make them? To me, it seems like an awful waste of cake! I feel like making a wedding cake and taking it in to her, so that she can see what I can do. She has seen some of my smaller cakes, and I understand that they don't compare to a wedding cake, but she has seemed to be impressed with them. Any advice on where I should go from here!
~Brooke~
"Life isn't about how many breaths you take, its about the moments that take your breath away"
"Life isn't about how many breaths you take, its about the moments that take your breath away"
~Brooke~
"Life isn't about how many breaths you take, its about the moments that take your breath away"
"Life isn't about how many breaths you take, its about the moments that take your breath away"
when you complete a design, take a picture, clean the dummies, then create a new design. Wash, rinse, repeat 
Cake dummies are great, but they wouldn't fall over (necessarilty) the way her wedding cake might when you hit a bump. It will also allow you to get more photographs for your portfolios. I offer to donate stacked cakes for various events to build my portfolio. Brides will trust me more when they see what they're looking for in my portfolio.
