Posts by Walter Martinez2

redfox37 said:Walter Martinez2, I am curious to hear your final assessment. Just how much did you actually save on those desserts, considering you were sourcing all your ingredients from big-box retailers? Let’s be honest—for the average American household, baking at home has become an absolute luxury these days, hasn't it?
Furthermore, wouldn't it be more cost-effective to purchase spirits directly from a restaurant at their wholesale rates—which is standard practice, after all—rather than paying the inflated prices found at retail centers? Or are you suggesting that you are making your own liquor at home? 🤷

I don't have an exact breakdown because I didn't track every cent, but I know my mom picked a huge batch of peaches, and they ended up being way cheaper than anything we could have bought at the store.
As for the spirits, everything was homemade, including the wine. Nothing was purchased from a retailer.

quietcrane75 said:I’ve always had a soft spot for baking, but honestly, I can't even fathom the thought of whipping up a single dessert for my own wedding. And frankly, I have no desire to terrorize my friends and family into doing the heavy lifting for me—which, let's be real, is exactly what some people in our circle tend to do. It might seem like ordering custom sweets is an expensive luxury at first glance, but once you actually sit down and factor in the hours spent prepping, the cost of ingredients, the electricity bill, the decorating, and the delivery... I would gladly hand over that cash just to avoid standing over a hot oven trying to stabilize buttercream when it's a blistering 95 degrees outside.
O.T. I’m heading over to Sweetwater today to finalize the dessert spread for the guests and the welcome treats at my place; the catering for the reception hall was settled ages ago 🙂 I'll report back with my thoughts...

My aunt and mom baked some cookies for me since they offered to. They chose recipes that weren't expensive, but they taste great.🙂

Jason Jackson4 said:Unfortunately, that’s just not how things work!
It’s simple, really. You just need that confirmation from the small business office and you're all set! That’s it. Done.

We bake our own cakes and pastries—it’s actually what we do for a living—and I can tell you, we have never had a single instance of food poisoning or anything even remotely close to that. It’s a completely different story compared to those small local businesses around here that have been making headlines for all the wrong reasons. Still, we’re going to end up buying a few kilos from them just so we can attach their certification to our products. Apparently, that's just how things work now; there's no other way to get by. 🤷
That’s just how it’s gotta be. Period.

I told them I had a receipt for 3 lbs of pastries to justify the full 12 lbs.

Daniel Smith8 said:Because poisoned guests will just go around claiming they got sick at that specific restaurant, rather than from some cookies Walter Martinez2 baked.

And then everything goes to hell for the restaurant. It’s nearly impossible to recover, even if everyone eventually realizes it was Walter Martinez2's cookies and not their kitchen staff that caused the issue. Once the damage is done, it's done. They can sue and issue denials all they want, but their reputation is already trashed.

Following your logic, people could also claim they ate terrible desserts at the Mayan wedding at a certain restaurant. They might not even mention the specific treats or realize where they were ordered from—just like with my situation. Those guests were family and friends, and I doubt anyone would start talking trash about me or the hotel if that actually happened.

Daniel Smith8 said:IBM doesn't allow you to bring your own wine, from what I hear. Just hard liquor.

And what's the point of them lecturing me about bringing cookies with labels? It’s not like they forced me to take them from them in the first place.

What kind of harm is done if I bring homemade cookies without a label, where I personally act as James that they can sue—instead of some small business—if someone gets sick, when in reality the lawsuit would be against me anyway rather than the restaurant?
I don't think this should be an issue. If I have my own wine and can bake my own treats, and I'm willing to take responsibility for it, why won't they work with me? Especially nowadays, I don't want to waste money on overpriced catering when I can make it myself for half the price. It's common knowledge that anything labeled "for a wedding" ends up costing twice as much.☕

Daniel Smith8 said:I don't see how any of this has to do with money. When we got married, we used IBM, and they were extremely clear that all the desserts needed official certification. We just hired professionals who were properly registered for that, and the problem was solved.
What does chasing money have to do with this? Who's even chasing money? 😕

If they allow guests to bring their own wine, I don't see why they wouldn't allow cakes too... ☕

Daniel Smith8 said:That doesn't really fly in every single eatery... pretty sure those types are in the minority.

Most people with any self-respect—well, most of them anyway—demand to see the label. They aren't about to gamble on getting sick in some diner. Once word gets out, people don't care about the specific bacteria; they just remember the name of the restaurant.

People tend to overcomplicate things and make life difficult for one another by focusing solely on the money. I attended a wedding at a well-known hotel near Washington, D.C., and a friend had a similar experience at a restaurant in Philadelphia.
It’s not that they lack integrity. In fact, it’s precisely because they go the extra mile for their clients rather than just chasing a profit that they stay in business. 🤣

Unfortunately, there are plenty of vendors here who only care about their reputation being "big name" rather than actually being good.

steelangler16 said:Are you absolutely certain that’s even possible?

Wuhu! I feel like there might be some extra room for savings here 😁 by the end of this, I’ll be hosting a total budget wedding 😂

That’s exactly how I handled mine. I just bought 3 kg of creamy pastries, and then used that single receipt and my signature to account for all 12 kg of desserts!😍

steelangler16 said:Now listen, it might not be worth much in actual value, but you’re definitely paying for the prestige of the name, wouldn't you agree ☕ 😬
?
Besides, isn't it standard practice to have a formal ingredient declaration for baked goods? 😕

James, you're basically signing off to guarantee nobody gets sick! 😍 And that's part of the fun. 🙂

I'm really curious to know which pastries are actually worth the price $33/lb. I don't believe that a higher price tag always guarantees better quality. My cake for a 70-person event cost $217 and everyone loved it. Plus, my aunt—who is basically like a second mother to me—made some desserts, and I just ordered 4 lbs of creamy ones... they were a huge hit too. So... ☕

Hi,

I was wondering where I could pick up some 3D puzzles here in Chicago.

Thanks!