So let me start off by saying that I'm not at all complaining about this lol, I just wanted to share my cake disaster story because it's what fuled my cake making hobby

Last year I got married, I had gone through a private home baker for my wedding cake since I really love purchasing stuff from local sources and I like to help support most things homemade.

About 4 months before the big day I had finally found a baker that I thought would be perfect for me lol... oh lol.... so anyways, my first mistake was taking everything at face value, I didnt meet her in person, we communicated only via email. Although I really did try to be as specific as possible. I sent her pictures of cake styles I liked, my colours, my fabrics and we talked back and forth about various aspects of the cake.

I wanted 3 tiers, covered in white fondant, with a red ribbon around the base of each tier, black demask-style designs and topped with red roses (real or not, I'm not picky lol) my wedding colours were vivid blacks, reds and whites.

That was the basics and I paid 50% of the total cost right away, and then the rest about 1.5 months before the actual wedding. Please keep in mind that although I'm sure most of you are thinking "omg she didnt meet the baker or even go to a tasting" I was doing everything for the wedding on my own and 90% of it I made from scratch plus working 50hour weeks, so I was busy busy busy, anyways...

She agreed to bring the cake to the venue at 9am, which was good cuz I had lots to do and not a lot of time to do it lol so 9 am rolls around... no cake... I wait for about 45mins, no biggy, I'm really not a jerk, things happen, people are late. So I had my brother stand guard as I went to go do my hair and everything.

She drops the cake off at like 11, an hour before the wedding, by which time I dont have a chance to see it or her so then when I finally do get to see it I'm... whats the word... confused?

i'll have to attach a picture to make it clear but it was soooo far off from what we'd agreed on. The fondant had huge cracks in it, the roses on top where a yellowish white and all wilted and small, the ribbon was thin and falling off and the demask designs were thick cutout chunks of fondat painted grey-purple(???), we tried to make it look as nice as possible for the pictures so you cant see the cracks, and we tried to fluff the roses, but I'm sure you'll be able to see the massive lean bahahaha.

Although, all that aside, it tasted fantastic!

Afterwards, I did email her to thank her for the great tasting cake and to ask why it was so far from the plan, she told me that it was because the cake table had not been ready so she had to put it on one of the plain tables at the venue, which I still dont fully understand... but... whatever, like I said, it tasted great!

Wow... lol you are really kind. I would be kinda pissed if I ordered something for a special event and someone took it upon themselves to basically do what they wanted smh. In the end at least it was yummy lol. Welcome btw

You are Too nice!! At least you liked the taste because sorry to be the one to say this, but that cake doesn't look good! I would have requested some sort of compensation, and if your wedding was recent I would go back still and ask for it!

That is definately not what you described on here!

Oh My,
I often conduct business by email and have had cases where I have never met the bride, ( a lot of couples elope to here or just come with a small wedding party )

I have always had the feedback that they don't know how I did it buy it was exactly what they imagined.

I would have been ashamed to drop something like that off , no wonder she didn't come early.

You are a VERY forgiving person. I could excuse (kinda) the designs but not the off-kilter cake and crumpled ribbons.

People order stuff online all the time. Things that can be checked out before the written agreement that you made: No details written out before the deposit was paid? No pictures of her own previous work? HIRE SOMEBODY ELSE. Because a business agreement (one with $$$ involved) binds both parties.

Your brother could have been sitting there with the email that stated that there would be black decorations and red roses on the cake. What would that sleazeball have done if he told her on your behalf that she had delivered the wrong cake???

This person really deserved to hear from you that she in no way decorated the cake to your specifications. It has nothing to do with the cake table...There isn't any black pattern. The roses were not RED. And that cake was not assembled by anybody who has any skill.

So yes you learned to decorate after this disgusting mess for your own wedding cake. That doesn't let the liar off the hook. People who take $$$ for cakes should have the skills BEFORE they accept the order.

wow...for some reason I don't believe the decorated cake table versus regular table had anything to do with that I would have started decorating after looking at that as well!

First, let me say Welcome Aboard!
Second, you're are an extremely nice and forgiving person.
Third, I looked at your photos and you could have done better than this monstrosity.

Since you've already contacted the baker about the cake she delivered, I don't think you should go back to her at this late date. But now you have the perfect example of a Cake Wreck and you should use it as a learning experience. I would never have left something like that for a wedding as a matter of pride, if nothing else.

And just so you know, the table had nothing to do with the appearance of that cake. I'm glad it tasted really good, because that's all it has going for it.

Wow... lol you are really kind. I would be kinda pissed if I ordered something for a special event and someone took it upon themselves to basically do what they wanted smh. In the end at least it was yummy lol. Welcome btw

I am so sorry this happened to you. This poor cake needs help and like the others said you are very nice.

Somebody had a Criiiiii--cut. I bet she tried to cut out the designs from black but screwed the cricut cutting up so bad she ran out and had to use white. Although that doesn't explain the off-center and tilting tiers. Oh wait, the table was PLAIN, that explains it! She probably put a completely straight and stable cake on the plain table, and the cake sensed that it was plain and shifted itself all around.

Like other people have said, you're very kind...In the grand scheme of life this isn't something to get worked up over, but I would have been PISSED!

I bet you had a beautiful wedding and are married to a wonderful man, because you are one very kind person! That being said, glad the cake was delicious. People remember taste not just design.

lol at the time I was more confused than anything ( i may have had a few drinks before I'd seen the cake as well...) but the wedding itself was great and everyone had a lovely time, we all got a good laugh out of the cake, especially with the crazy lean.

I take a lot of the blame myself because although I had seen (online) some of her other work, I should have made time to see the cake or at least meet the baker.

Oh! and it came wrapped in a garbage bag, I forgot to mention that classy detail.... but it was a lesson learned lol

I'm actually in the process of making a wedding cake myself for a friend, I'll post it to compare!

Is that called 'artistic licence' ?
Sorry, your cake and subsequent comments made me giggle...I needed that today. Thanks for posting your cake wreck.

I'm so sorry that you had a disaster as your wedding cake, but at least you have an amusing anecdote out of it!!! I think my hubby and I would have laughed about it too....but I would have definitely got a refund lol!!! I can't believe it cme in a bin bag that is definitely the icing on the cake to your story (rofl excuse the pun!!!)

Well that really missed the mark.
Come on, Flourpower...you have to make your wedding cake yourself for your next anniversary.


mommachris

Cake Wrecks, Cake Wrecks, CAKE WRECKS! Definitely a contender for "WYSINWYG"! You deserve a place in Heaven for being so sweet about this unfortunate situation.

As promised, here's the wedding cake I made for my friend over the weekend. Not perfect but it's pretty ok for a 1st attempt and for a free cake lol, so it's settled - the next time I get married, I'm definitely doing the cake!

Wow! That's so much prettier than what you paid for. It must not have realized it was sitting on a stove. Yep - definitely need to make your own cake.

REALLY lovely cake!

Your cake is gorgeous! Good thing you had no idea your own wedding cake would be a wreck, and you would be so good at making cakes or else you would've spent 2 days before your own wedding in the kitchen! I made my own wedding cake, because we were poor, and it was tough! But now you have a cute story, and a new talent!

Sorry your cake wasn't what you wanted. Someone should have gone outside and got some greenery to put around the cake layers and bottom, maybe some flowers to fill in. Also. turned the cake so the leaning part didn't show as much. Would it have been possible to use a few from the wedding flowers if necessary? Always put plastic wrap under the greenery and flowers so they don't touch the cake itself. Very glad for you it tasted good and thanks for posting for a learning experience for us.