Brian Reed74 actually, our cake weighed in at about 18 pounds, and we had actual professional pastry chefs handling the whole thing. They told us straight up that it had to be that massive because once you get into that kind of density, you just can't go small if you want it to hold up. 👍
Zeljka mentioned that they went with a tiered cake too—just two levels—and honestly, slicing it and plating it was a total breeze. We started with the top tier first, and everything came out on the plates perfectly without a single crumb sliding off the side. That much frosting and sponge really acts like a structural anchor for the whole thing!
velvetjackal752 said:Velper has shifted entirely to wholesale operations now. You'll likely need to track down someone who owns their own business and buys directly from them just to get access to a membership card. If you happen to know anyone like that, it’s definitely worth checking out Metro as well.
As for Metro, I know for a fact they don't have anything because we went looking ourselves. I really can't say if things have changed since a couple of months ago, but back then, there was absolutely nothing to be found! 👎
Madame you should really take a look at that massive Velper outlet just outside of town, the one right where Alastor used to be! I heard from a friend that they carry all sorts of different varieties there! 👍
Look, my husband and I also wanted a small wedding, and honestly, we were lucky enough that nobody tried to step in and dictate our plans. Neither his family nor mine pushed us around, though my side ended up footing more than half the bill.
We had about 45 people there in total, including us. I went with a courthouse ceremony because that’s what I wanted, and honestly, if you don't feel like doing the big church thing, who are all those other people to tell you how or when you should get married?
I just want to say this right off the bat: you and your partner need to sit down and agree on everything yourselves first, then present a united front to everyone else. Because if you haven't reached an agreement and you aren't on the same page, you're just inviting drama—problems might happen regardless, but at least if you're aligned, you have each other. Take it from me, I learned that the hard way.
We just did dinner, and for music, we put together a custom playlist on a CD with a mix of light pop hits and some classic American country tracks to keep his side happy! We didn't play any loud, tacky country songs. I didn't even bother with the bouquet toss; instead, I just handed my bouquet directly to my maid of honor in front of everyone. I wore a garter, too, but my husband waited until we were behind closed doors to take it off, rather than doing it in front of the crowd. I had a few other little surprises planned throughout the night, along with a guest book, and everyone was genuinely surprised—in a good way, of course. Both the older folks and the younger crowd loved it. And yeah, the whole thing lasted until about 2:00 AM. Once the guests headed home, we stayed back at the suite for a bit with our wedding party to soak it all in before finally heading to 😍 and getting some sleep! 👍 👍 👍
Gary Harris12 said:Help me out here, if you don't mind... I really don't want a traditional wedding, but I'm honestly terrified of how my family and friends might react... I'd love to completely skip that whole thing where they come to pick up the bride; I'd much rather guests just arrive at the church where the parents are already waiting, and then I finally make my entrance. I also have zero interest in tossing a bouquet or a garter, and I definitely don't want some wedding band blasting folk music all night. Instead, I’d probably put together a playlist of romantic ballads for a DJ, or maybe if I can find a jazz ensemble, I'll just let them do their thing. As for those local folk musicians, I'd probably have them play during the second dinner service or something... and I think I could find a graceful way to wrap everything up around 2 AM, maybe with everyone outdoors. To be honest, I've never actually been to a wedding like this back in the Midwest... around here, it seems like the goal is just to cram as many people as possible into a hall until it smells like sweat, everyone's getting hammered, and loud, tacky music is blaring. It feels tragic because it looks like everyone is having a blast, which makes me worry that my wedding will feel like a funeral by comparison... Please... let me know what you think... or better yet, if anyone has actually done something like this before...
Well, I actually had a wedding just like that, and I'm originally from Belleville. The only difference was we didn't do it outdoors, we held it at the Indianapolis Marriott, but people still came to the house to pick me up since that part didn't bother us. Everything else was exactly the way you described it!
If I had just known about that ahead of time, I really could have done something about it. I mean, specifically regarding those balloon pants! But now, well, the damage is already done and there’s no going back.😍
Hey there, my lovely ladies from around Indianapolis or the surrounding areas. If you’re looking to get photos that look just as polished as the girls over in Washington, D.C., then you really ought to hire Ann to be your photographer. Honestly, this person just gets it—they know exactly what needs to happen and when it needs to happen, which is such a relief because I can't stand those stuffy, overly staged shots that feel totally fake. There are endless creative ideas to pull from, and the best part is that you can just say whatever comes to mind and they'll run with it!🙏 🙏 🙏 Besides, why don't you just take a look at my own photos first and decide for yourself based on what you see!
If anyone is interested in grabbing their number, just shoot me a private message!👍
Mark Miller13 said:So, about that buttercream stuff—a close friend of mine just got married recently, and everyone was handed these little mini cakes made with it (well, they weren't purely buttercream, there was some sponge cake inside, the frosting was mostly just on top 🤣). Everything looked absolutely stunning because she was so incredibly grateful for the decorations, but man, it was just so sweet it was basically inedible. People were literally digging through it and just eating the middle, leaving the frosting behind like some kind of sugary shell. I don't know if it was just that specific baker or what, but for me, it was 👎
I honestly think that happened because those were tiny little cupcakes where the fondant ended up being the main event, so it totally overwhelmed the palate, whereas on a standard large wedding cake, it doesn't dominate the flavor profile nearly as much, and even if someone isn't a huge fan of it, they don't have to dig through a mountain of sugar to get to the good stuff.🤣
Jacob Jackson7 said:Go ahead and ask them one more time. If it happens, it happens—it’s really not worth losing sleep over. Trust me, just get that sorted as soon as you can. I’m up next this coming Saturday, and honestly? I’d give anything to have dealt with these little headaches a long time ago.😲
So, who among you is actually going to end up with those little figurines on top of the cake?
It kind of ruins the whole vibe of the cake for me, you know? I don't know about this.🙄
There is absolutely no way I'm doing that, because I feel the exact same way—it just messes with the vibe. The only exception would be if they were those non-traditional figures I saw a few people post on here once, but even then, those girls had to source them from some boutique shop online. If I could find ones that actually looked classy, maybe, but with the standard stuff? Absolutely NOT!
Ashley Adams4 said:Honestly, the price tag seems way too low to me—it's suspicious. Usually, when I talk to the more experienced guys, they’re quoting me somewhere in the $2,500 range.$1000 If that's actually true for a group of 300 people—I'd sign the contract right this second.😁
Ah, well, I guess I just totally misread what you were getting at back then, didn't I? 😵 I have to say, I was thinking the exact same thing—it felt like they really went a bit too hard on Vince.
Ashley Adams4 said:Alright... I have a MASSIVE problem here.I just called three different bakeries, and besides the fact that none of them do ice cream cakes, they all insist on making a cake for 300 people using those—honestly disgusting—metal tiered stands. I’m losing my mind... does anyone actually know a bakery that’s reasonably priced and can make a massive cake for 300 guests where the layers are actually stacked? Like, a normal cake. 😕
EDIT: I am literally passing out and coming to over and over again because my wife told me back in Vincennes that a cake for 300 would cost her $500 😲 😲 😲. Honestly, I think she’s lost it—or maybe just high—because that sounds physically impossible for them to pull off. I called the shop downtown, but unless they're selling junk, I doubt it. I know for a fact the one on Broadway is still family-owned by the Vincennes crew... but what do you guys think about this price? Is she tripping, or should I just put down a deposit right now and stop stressing?
Well, listen, I ended up paying for a cake for just 43 people, $267 so if you ask me, this deal is actually pretty decent. My own cake was expensive too, and honestly, my husband nearly had a heart attack when he heard what we were going to have to shell out for it.😱
fadedfalcon8 said:Oh man, ladies, I’m reading this and losing my mind! 🤣 🤣 Ashley, looks like you finally found one that fits. She's cute. Those are my colors too, so I'm gonna grab something similar, just way bigger and obviously without any of that extra fluff.
I definitely did. Honestly, even this one feels a little oversized for me, but I had my heart set on this specific look and I wasn't going to let that stop me, so here we are. Now I'm just crossing my fingers that the quality turns out to be as good as it looks.
Joshua Clark said:They could be lying to you, but I won't. Honestly, I think you'd pay that much for a cake like that anywhere. If we're being totally real—it doesn't actually cost *that* much—but I doubt anyone will make it for you cheaper. Anyone even attempting something like this has to factor in ingredients and labor. And when you calculate things like having to bake two separate cakes—especially a Black Forest which needs those specific sponge layers—well, a few dozen dollars is just covering the labor at any bakery... that's just my take. So, realistically it isn't that pricey, but I highly doubt you'll find it cheaper.
Also, it cracks me up how some people estimate these cakes... I mean, sometimes they quote by the pound, other times by the person... who knows? I'm a realist, so I just look at the materials and the decor. A parfait cake could serve over 100 people while being 10 pounds lighter than something else—like a dense flourless chocolate cake, for example.
The math just doesn't make sense to me, but whatever.
Look, Black Forest is a budget-friendly cake. Not because it's bad, but economically speaking. For two tiers of a cake like that, you're looking at maybe $33 because the ingredients are super simple—you know that. So, say the ingredients are $100 max (that's if you're making it at home; professionals get everything wholesale, so it's way cheaper), plus maybe another $100 or $200 for decorations, bringing the total to $133 once it's made and styled. Then you pay for the work—if it's $800 and the stuff costs $400, then $133 is the labor. But in this case, I think the labor is probably $167 since the supplies aren't that expensive—actually, maybe I exaggerated.
Thanks so much, sweetie! I had a feeling that was the case, but I figured I'd ask just to be absolutely sure! 😘 😘 😘
Hey Joshua Clark, I actually have a little question for you too.
So, check out this cake I'm making. They’re asking me for $267 per $33 pound. Does that sound like a lot to you, or am I overthinking it? It’s going to be a rich buttercream frosting with a frozen mint cream filling inside.
The thing is, they told me a cake this size couldn't possibly weigh less than 7 or 8 pounds—though honestly, I don't even need that much since I've only got 43 guests coming, but I really wanted this specific style. Do you think they're just trying to rip me off, or is that actually how much these things weigh??😕
So, I finally got everything squared away for the cake this Friday! It’s going to be a total classic—iced down with white fondant, finished off with a deep burgundy ribbon, and topped with a gorgeous burgundy rose. And get this, it’s actually a two-tier cake! 🙂
Joshua Clark said:It's actually super easy. I've done a photo cake before. You just bake a standard cake and order (most local bakeries offer this now) for them to print a photo onto edible frosting sheets. You pick the size yourself, and then—boom—you just lay the photos onto the cake. It sounds complicated, but it's honestly easier than most things. Just way more expensive.
I'd recommend checking out that bakery over on Main Street, right across from the Chase Bank, they do this kind of thing👍
ajme Adonia, man, you’ll figure it all out soon enough! Seriously, props to you! 🙏 🙏 🙏
So, the Marriott is out, it's just way too small!👎
I honestly don't get why it’s such a massive struggle to find a banquet hall for 200 people out in the Midwest, especially since those big, traditional American weddings used to be even more crowded than this!😎
It's not out of the question if you really want it! There is plenty of space!!!
If anyone happens to be looking into the hotels over in Indianapolis, I’ve actually got all the lowdown on them—I have the full scoop on their pricing and everything else you could possibly need to know! We're actually hosting a wedding there soon, and honestly, from what I can tell, the place looks absolutely fantastic. Plus, everyone I talk to keeps raving about how incredible their food is, and they aren't nearly as overpriced as you might expect if you were just walking in off the street without doing your homework!👍
