I delivered a wedding today that came sooo close to disaster...
Bride said it was at her Aunt's house, outdoors, with a tent. OK. It was a 3 tier cake with 2 kitchen cakes and a honeymoon cake. For no particular reason, I decided to stack on site. Thank the Lord! Also, decided to take the SUV. My husband offered to come along, he usually doesn't.
God was looking out for me!
Got to the address, it's a palace. Built into a hillside, so the front door is on the top level, and there's 2 levels BELOW it on the back. That's a pretty steep hill. And there's not a soul there, and no tent! Panic! Am I at the right place? Check the contract, yes, it's correct. My husband went down behind the house, and spotted a tent through the trees. Waaaay over there....across a big field....about a MILE AND A HALF from the house.
Down another hill like stair steps...
with no road.
My heart sank! But we can hear a little music, this must be it.
So, we drove to the top of the first hill. Took out the cake tiers and walked them down, as there was no way we could do it in the car without damaging them. Then, hearts in our throats, drove the SUV down. Reloaded the cakes, drove a half mile. Unloaded the cakes, walked them down the really steep hill, drove down the hill of death, reloaded, could get the car to about 1/2 mile of the tent.
We CARRIED the cakes the rest of the way. Again, there was not a soul there. The reception was supposed to start in 45 minutes, no one on the site at all. Gorgeous site, a clearing in the tall trees beside a huge and beautiful brook, decorated tent with tables and flowers...No food in evidence, no drinks, nothing. Well, there was one thing...a smell of marijuana so strong we got dizzy! But still, not a soul!
I assembled the cake, decorated the table, took pics...no one there yet. Waited until the reception was supposed to start...Finally left when it looked like it was going to rain, which would make it impossible to get back up the hills.
I HATED to leave the cake unattended. What if a raccoon came? Or some deer? My DH saw a lot of deer tracks by the brook. But, I wasn't going to take the chance of getting stuck.
As we drove away, we speculated. How were they going to get hot food there? Were all the guests going to hike from the house? There were no Porta-potties there, which meant that anyone needing a bathroom would have a 3 mile hike roundtrip! And that last hill would be impossible in rain, which is predicted all afternoon.
Yikes! If I had stacked at home, if I had taken the sedan, if my husband had not come with me, if it had started raining 30 minutes sooner...Thank You Lord!
You can bet I will get a lot more specific details of outdoor wedding from now on!
@ Ruth0209: LOL That's funny!!!
@ Nchanted1: I think you must be an Enchanted One, for to have pulled that off!! Good on you!!!
Well, there was one thing...a smell of marijuana so strong we got dizzy! But still, not a soul!
Wait...How do you know what that smells like? 
Seriously, that sounds like a freaky nightmare. Where was everyone? Someone was obviously in the bushes toking away, or had been there recently, unless it was the raccoons. If they call and complain about anything I'd hang up on them!
Don't panic--I'm just asking...like who never panics when they're told don't panic but...
Are you sure you had the right date????
Maybe for tomorrow???
Maybe they're so high they wouldn't notice anyways. 
Just a thought--what a killer delivery!!!
I'm so nervous for you... I hope the cake survived... keep us updated.
The wedding was definately today, as I spoke to the florist yesterday about co-ordinating delivery. She wanted me to deliver at 9:30 AM, but I declined as I won't leave a cake outdoors in summer temps that long. All the flowers were there, so I know it was today. Also, they left the music on.
As to how we knew it was marijuana smoke we were smelling.....well, we went to college in the 60's...now, of course we are upstanding citizens! Please don't tell our kids!
I bet their lady guests in heels will not be too happy! Heaven help the elderly too!
The wedding was definately today, as I spoke to the florist yesterday about co-ordinating delivery. She wanted me to deliver at 9:30 AM, but I declined as I won't leave a cake outdoors in summer temps that long. All the flowers were there, so I know it was today. Also, they left the music on.
As to how we knew it was marijuana smoke we were smelling.....well, we went to college in the 60's...now, of course we are upstanding citizens! Please don't tell our kids!
I bet their lady guests in heels will not be too happy! Heaven help the elderly too!
geeze...peein in the woods with yer fancy duds on doesn't sound too groovy to me!
ugh....pantyhose problems!
All I can say is I hope you were paid very well for this one 
I am SO anxious to hear what happened with that reception and your cake! It sounds like a beautiful setting, maybe they were going to have some kind of transportation from the house to the site - like maybe 4x4 trucks! 
Who would ever think to question how far the tent is from the house how steep the hills are or what to do if no one is there to receive the cake!?! I guess all of us will from now on!
Keep us posted on what you hear!
Melissa
YOur guardian angel was working overtime for you! Wow, I realized I was holding my breath while reading this story!
This type of thing is why I have a fee for holding a reception at "non-vendor friendly" facilities. No elevator (if you can even convince me to go there!), can't park close, lots of stairs, gramma's back-40, etc.
If a bride is going to pick a stupid place to hold her reception, then she's going to pay for it! 
Sounds like a little girl fantasy of "oh won't it be so CU-U-U-U-UTE to have our reception in the WOODS????!!!!" with no regard to getting stuff and guests back there!
I feel sorry for those guests! Can't imagine someone being so inconsiderate. (well, maybe I can!)
Keep us posted if you hear any good gossip about it! 
Maybe the potties were on the way? You'd hope so anyway. Please let us know if you hear anything... what a trip.
LOL... Maybe the porta potty guy couldn't find the tent nor a way to transport there and said "FORGET about THIS!"...
LOL... this is hysterical.. well for us reading.. not for you delivering... Hope your delivery fee was lots... lol...
Maybe the potties were on the way? You'd hope so anyway. Please let us know if you hear anything... what a trip.
"Tree to the left is the men's room. Tree to the right, the one with the prickle bushes, that's the ladies' room. Paper's hanging on a branch! Careful of the bears."
Yikes - I was biting my nails just reading your story. What a flippin nightmare. I honestly don't know what I would have done in a situation like that. Can't wait to hear what happened and if the cake survived.
LOL - I had a delivery yesterday that I am just getting getting over now! We had MAJOR thunderstorms all day, and on my first delivery I was outside in the rain taking boxes out of my car when the pole next to me was struck by lightening...! I ran inside and waited until the storm was over until I ventured back out, but I still had to set up with shaking hands. Unfortunately, it was my first of three deliveries...I am still shaky this morning. I called my husband at home and told him that I would probably be late coming home because I had to take my time (my nerves were fried!), and to have a bottle of wine ready for when I arrived!
I've only had one wedding delivery in the woods, luckily there were people on site when I got there setting up for the reception. Set up went fine and as I was leaving the porta potty was being delivered, yes just 1 potty. I had to laugh because they were expecting 175 people! LOL Keep us posted, can't wait to find out how it went!
Maybe the potties were on the way? You'd hope so anyway. Please let us know if you hear anything... what a trip.
LOL! Too funny! Could you imagine really have a porta potty at a wedding?
I have. It was the same wedding that had my now-famous "sat outside in 90 degrees for 5 hours and didn't melt" icing story.
This family did outdoor events a lot, according to the caterer (who was filling me in on everything). For this wedding, they rented TWO porta-potties ..... at a cost of $1500 EACH. They had one door to enter and another door to exit. 3 stalls, 3 sinks, a skylight, air conditioning, and lots of roses in them to make them smell really nice!
Here's a pic I took. Yes, I laughed at myself because I was taking a picture of the inside of a toilet at an outdoor wedding!
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