Does anyone know the going rate for those little cookie tins? You know, the 0.25kg ones... I just stumbled upon an offer for $1.00 per tin, but I'm having a hard time telling if that's actually a good deal or if I'm being overcharged...
Jesse Hughes2 said:Well, I could have guessed that might be the case... It isn't about being cheap, it's just that I don't see the point in paying $30/lb for dessert if I can find a better deal elsewhere. In my experience with weddings, people only eat a tiny amount of sweets, and there's always leftovers regardless of how gourmet they are. So, does anyone have recommendations for delicious desserts that won't break the bank?
I completely understand that perspective... I actually went through the exact same thought process! I was fully convinced I would hire them... until I remembered my friend has her wedding coming up in three months and she booked them... so I decided to wait and see. To be perfectly honest, I struggle to see any real difference between one type of Canadian pastry and another... but at that specific event, I didn't enjoy their treats at all... not even a little bit. Then, later on, I heard a story from my brother who once ordered from them, and he mentioned the pastries had this strange, almost chemical scent—like petroleum. Perhaps he was being hyperbolic... I can't say for sure... but he had no idea I was considering them at the time. And after my own firsthand experience... well, I'm convinced. What is the current pricing for them??? Even if they are $3.25 higher-end desserts... we are talking about a negligible difference when you look at $133 50lbs of sweets. It just doesn't make sense to opt for something budget-friendly $133 if it ends up being noticeably poor quality.
No... 😁 We are still exactly three months out from the wedding, and I am stuck in total indecision regarding the dessert menu! 🙄 Apparently, there is this one little bakery over in Seattle... they specialize in homemade treats... I’m actually planning to head over there tomorrow to pick up a couple of pounds just to sample the goods... I know a woman who makes absolutely incredible desserts... truly top-tier stuff—I would hire her in a heartbeat—but she doesn't run an official business. Since my restaurant requires all vendors to be fully certified, it's a bit of a dilemma. I'm not sure how things work on your end... if you don't need the info, I can send you the details via private message instead!
The cure... my biggest, most sincere recommendation is just to stay away from them... and I don't mean that in a "homemade cookies" kind of way... I don't know... no offense intended to anyone, truly, but I tried the desserts at a wedding recently and absolutely nobody liked them... not even me, and I’m no pastry expert, nor were the older ladies who certainly know their stuff... Besides, they even bake for Bill... those are just dry little cookies you could pick up at any corner store, nothing more... I'd much rather pay $333 more for actual desserts because at least then you know you're eating something real... don't be stingy over a few bucks when it comes to quality 😉
steelfox15 said:You can grab those containers at the Metropolitan or Walmart (if you’re talking about those clear plastic ones). Check their aisles first to see where they're hiding. I’m not one to split the cookies, but my baker told me they usually pack eight per box—though that really depends on what kind of treats you're working with. I’ll be doing standard-sized cookies, properly sliced, not those tiny little crumbs like some toddler would eat. Honestly, I think it all comes down to the type and size of the cookie; 15 ounces could mean ten rolls or just three decadent chocolate bars—it's hard to say for sure.
Hey... does anyone know the name of that bakery in Columbus??? I have a friend living there, and she mentioned stopping by to check it out before her wedding... please, please let me know!
Thanks so much... please... Even if there isn't anything happening... just let me know how it went... I’d actually consider going in for an interview myself... sounds like a solid opportunity 🤣
steelfox15 said:Thanks🙂 I just remembered—the desserts at my godmother’s wedding a few years back were absolutely killer. Those guys have actually gone out and started their own catering business since then, and they’ve got all the official certifications and paperwork squared away to satisfy any health inspector you throw at them. I’m heading out this weekend to sit down and hammer out the details with them. According to what the guy told me over the phone, a pound of pastries is going to be $21. The breakdown is basically 70% cream-based, 25% semi-moist, and 5% dry stuff. I also asked about cakes, and he mentioned the priciest one they’ve ever done was $433, which can feed anywhere from 200 to 250 people—which is perfect for me because that's exactly the guest count I'm looking at. Plus, they offer free delivery from Des Moines straight to this small town in rural Midwest where my venue is located. Honestly, I'm stoked because they're easily the most affordable option I've found, and I know firsthand how insane those desserts were. I'll head over there this weekend to finalize everything and let you guys know how it goes🙂
Are you kidding me right now???? Seriously, could you grab two pounds for me to try? I am dying to know if they're as good as they sound... please, please, please!
Drew Foster11 said:I don't know, personally I wouldn't go over $20 kilos for that...
Down $23 below, you should ask what kind of pastries they actually serve... if you're looking for a bargain, just go to Ben Pro... they are $18... but honestly, the treats were terrible, just awful!
steelfox15... it really isn't worth ordering from the restaurants... we asked the owner if there would be any leftovers to share, and he said sure, but he didn't mean actual dessert boxes—he basically meant you can have whatever scraps are left on the trays, which just isn't enough for me... have you heard what the prices are going to be for next year??? 😲
Drew Foster11 said:Yeah... I see Jack & Jill's van driving by all the time, so you'll have to tell me—how much does all that cake actually weigh? If I were doing a cake and dessert spread for 120 people, I’d probably be looking at closer to 150 pounds of sugar. When I was checking out the place in downtown Chicago, some woman there asked what kind of style I wanted and said it would cost $667, which honestly seemed like a steal. P.S. Has anyone ever heard of those bakers from Columbus who are always setting up shop at the local wedding expos?
Wait, you're recommending the pros from Columbus??? Personally, I wasn't a fan of their work...
I know, I know... I've seen them at the Mall of America... but I haven't actually given them a shot yet. I have this nagging feeling it might just be a bit too much for me, you know? We'll see! Yesterday, we ended up buying almost everything in shades of lavender. Honestly, looking at our shopping cart was pure comedy... 🤣
Sandra Lopez2 said:I agree, they're wonderful—every single variety...
The lavender cake was particularly impressive 🙏
though, in my opinion, all their cakes are brilliant...
Since I'm getting married in San Diego, I really need to start a tasting tour of the local cakes there. 😉
A lavender cake??? Are you kidding me??? Now THAT is what I call perfection! 🤣 Our whole theme is centered around shades of lavender, and we're even doing lavender-scented cushions for the thank-you gifts... so having a lavender cake would just be the icing on the cake! 🤣
So... we’ve gone from one extreme right to the other... On one hand, you have this Bond professional who is budget-friendly but honestly doesn't produce any refined cakes (at least in my experience), and on the other, you have Vincennes, which is all hype, overpriced, and carries a big reputation—yet you claim both of them just use pre-made mixes! If that's the case, why don't you actually recommend someone who produces high-quality work? I'm not asking for an advertisement; I'm asking because this kind of intel is vital for us younger women out here. I still haven't stumbled upon any truly exceptional cakes, and I'm still searching for the right person to bake them for me! But seriously... if I want to avoid those who rely on instant creams, who should I be looking at??? Maybe a small local bakery????
Forgive me... but grandmas just make much more delicate pastries than any professional bakery! 😉 Even if my restaurant didn't have to worry about all those strict FDA regulations, I’d still choose to source from a local lady running a small home business... not because of the price point, but because you can actually taste the difference in her treats. Commercial bakeries traditionally just use one single type of frosting for everything, so every single dessert ends up tasting exactly the same! 😛
I believe we already ran the numbers, and honestly, it doesn't seem worth the expense to take him up on it! Though, if I recall correctly... he had actually included the cake and pastries in the total price! 🤷
Oh, I wasn't doing anything special... though this is starting to feel like a full-on chat session... they're going to delete us! 😁 I actually tried these desserts at a wedding about a month and a half ago... easily the best ones I've ever had in my life... they were absolutely incredible. They're made by a woman who runs her own catering business rather than a traditional bakery; she works exclusively for weddings and high-end private events.
It’s all the same... just... 🙄 my favorite restaurant is actually in a small town in the Midwest!!! 😁 Over by Sablic... even he won't serve homemade pastries... so clearly that strictness isn't just limited to Washington, D.C.! In any case... whenever you head into a meeting, you absolutely have to ask... whether you're in a local diner, Washington, D.C., Miami, or a small town in the Midwest! 😉 That's my take on it, anyway! 😁
Are you just looking for an argument? Honestly... I know plenty of ladies who bake at home, and I even know women working over at Vince, who wouldn't dream of dealing with all those official food labeling regulations. It’s clear we’re moving in completely different circles here... but my takeaway has been that I really need to be careful about where I source my treats and what a restaurant expects from its suppliers. And that’s the truth—it isn't nearly as simple as people make it out to be! For me, personally, it’s much easier to find baked goods that already have a label than it is to try and bring homemade goods into a health department inspection. There are two sides to this coin... you need people who understand both perspectives! 😉
stormywalker69 said:Look, not every single baker has all the official paperwork ready to go, but you can totally sort out those certifications yourself—it shouldn't cost more than maybe $67. To be exact, I'll know for sure in two weeks once I head down to our local office to ask around, then I'll let you guys know. Basically, restaurants will still take your treats without the certification, but it's on you if some health inspector shows up—so, just to be safe, do it for yourself and for the restaurant's sake... most of the ladies who bake for weddings already know exactly where to get this stuff done, so just ask them. Most of my friends actually took a tray of sweets over there for testing about three days before the big day (and these were treats they'd been handing out to guests the day before the wedding!) and it only cost $50. They gave the certification to the restaurant and kept a copy for themselves, just in case the original got lost and someone tried to claim they didn't know what was going on. And that was pretty much it.
That simply isn't true...not every restaurant accepts items without documentation. For instance, my restaurant won't touch them! 😉 And that's precisely because the risk doesn't just land on your shoulders; it lands on theirs. If there's ever a foodborne illness outbreak, they're the ones facing the massive fines! You could easily get proper documentation from a local farmer's market vendor so that you can safely deliver those treats to the health department!
I was honestly convinced that wedding cakes were way more expensive than they actually are, so when I found out what mine cost, $600 I thought I had scored such an incredible bargain... but looking back, it turns out it was just a standard price. For context, $600 ordered one for 220 guests... which means a single slice ended up costing less than $3.00... that really isn't much at all! 😉