Wedding cakes and desserts

Susan Smith11 said:If you're into that style of dessert, maybe check out Culinary Arts (if you happen to be in NYC); they seem way too pricey for my taste, but I guess if you're into that whole fancy vibe...

Yeah, I'm from New York.
Thanks 😉, and yeah—I sketched some ideas out too, and honestly? It all feels a bit too Fancy... just sterile.

I'm looking for something simpler... more homemade, vintage, rustic 🙂 (whatever stupid names people use these days 😁)
And when I say "that type of cake," I mean anything goes—plus, I think a huge part of it depends on how you present it and decorate the table... I actually already have a few ideas for that part 🙂

As for the price, we definitely don't want to overspend either.
We're being really creative with everything wedding-related, which basically means spending less—so we aren't going to be boring about the dessert table and cave in by paying a premium instead of actually using our brains to design something ourselves.

There are so many ideas online...

Some couples absolutely love donuts, so they'll have an entire dessert spread made of different flavored donuts 🙂
Others just go with muffins... cookies... or maybe five smaller cakes in different flavors, which is also great because at least one will hit the spot for someone.

There's a little bit of everything out there... you just have to dig deeper and really think through it all.

They selected the pastries 🙂 Amelia 😁 crumbly (as they ought to be), packed with flavor, aesthetically pleasing, and even offered a bulk discount 😁 so honestly, how could you find a better deal than that? 😁

Olivia Castillo562 said:They selected the pastries 🙂 Amelia 😁 crumbly (as they ought to be), packed with flavor, aesthetically pleasing, and even offered a bulk discount 😁 so honestly, how could you find a better deal than that? 😁

That sounds awesome 😍
But seriously, what did you guys end up grabbing and what was the damage to your wallets?

We require at least 45 pounds of pastries, though we will likely order even more to accommodate an outdoor table featuring cocktails and strawberries. We also need a wedding cake sufficient for approximately 150 guests.

The owner offers a volume discount; she mentioned that, under these circumstances, the price per pound would be $30 😁. Each slice of cake follows standard sizing of $6.75. Based on my understanding, there are no additional requests for custom decorations. The total cost for both the pastries and the cake should hover around $1667. 😁

We intend to serve classic American wedding sweets: varieties like chocolate fudge, lemon bars, shortbread, brownies, and similar treats—roughly 8 to 10 different types. Additionally, the cake should be a four-tier design featuring two distinct flavors.

Olivia Castillo562 said:They selected the pastries 🙂 Amelia 😁 crumbly (as they ought to be), packed with flavor, aesthetically pleasing, and even offered a bulk discount 😁 so honestly, how could you find a better deal than that? 😁

I guess it depends on when you went and what you actually tried. I stopped by yesterday and grabbed a 10oz pack... and well, it’s just sitting there because nobody wants them. They aren't terrible, per se, but they feel kind of hollow, like the flavor isn't really hitting. The pack had chocolate sponge cakes (decent, but a bit bland), some chocolate ones (same thing), shortbread cookies (those were actually good), crescent cookies (fine, crumbly enough), and those jam-filled stars (probably the worst of the bunch)...
So, for my birthday next weekend, I might grab a sampler from Absum or a Fancy cake, and if they're all more or less mediocre, I'll probably just go with Absum since they're the cheapest (which lets me mix and match with those mini donuts, tartlets, and pralines).
The sugar cookies are the best so far; the sponge cake isn't anything special either, though a few other varieties are quite tasty, even if they didn't quite win me over..
Ironically, I picked up some hemp-infused treats at a vendor stall yesterday and they were actually delicious... Plus, my neighbor is baking amazing cookies to sell locally at $23/lb, but she doesn't have a permit. It's not like any of these options are completely bad, really....

Taylor Jackson59 said:Honestly, $200 is a pretty decent amount to save. In my experience, guests mostly care about the vibe, the live band, and the food. Cakes are just a side note—everyone's got their own priorities when it comes to spending.🙂

Even if my own treats cost only $20/lb, they won't be any less delicious than those overpriced ones.☕

Is this being handled by a legitimate catering company or just some side gig?
If it’s a commercial outfit, then you already know the drill—they’re stuffing it with cheap stuff like generic supermarket chocolate (which has never even seen a cocoa bean) and swapping out real butter for bottom-of-the-barrel margarine, etc. 😳

Olivia Castillo562, which cakes are you planning to grab?
The Culinary Institute of America makes some absolutely killer cakes, but if I had to pick, my absolute favorites have to be the Amelia Quote and the Valerie cake. 🙂

Susan Smith11 said:I guess it depends on when you went and what you actually tried. I stopped by yesterday and grabbed a 10oz pack... and well, it’s just sitting there because nobody wants them. They aren't terrible, per se, but they feel kind of hollow, like the flavor isn't really hitting. The pack had chocolate sponge cakes (decent, but a bit bland), some chocolate ones (same thing), shortbread cookies (those were actually good), crescent cookies (fine, crumbly enough), and those jam-filled stars (probably the worst of the bunch)...
So, for my birthday next weekend, I might grab a sampler from Absum or a Fancy cake, and if they're all more or less mediocre, I'll probably just go with Absum since they're the cheapest (which lets me mix and match with those mini donuts, tartlets, and pralines).
The sugar cookies are the best so far; the sponge cake isn't anything special either, though a few other varieties are quite tasty, even if they didn't quite win me over..
Ironically, I picked up some hemp-infused treats at a vendor stall yesterday and they were actually delicious... Plus, my neighbor is baking amazing cookies to sell locally at $23/lb, but she doesn't have a permit. It's not like any of these options are completely bad, really....

The fiancé also picked up a pack yesterday, so it’s probably the same batch. His opinion is that their sponge cake is far superior to what you get at Fancy cake (that's his favorite, so he eats it constantly; to me, they're similar). I ignored the honey cookies and those biscuits because we aren't serving them at the wedding. The star shapes are good, the shortbread is good too, the crescent cookies are excellent, and the stars are okay.

At Fancy cake, the cookies are harder, which I dislike; I have no idea how long they've been sitting out. Their sponge cake is solid, the white cream pie is premium quality with visible cream chunks, and the chocolate orange bars reminded me of a Hershey's bar (a subjective assessment 😂 since I don't usually eat Hershey's). The stars are alright, but the crescent cookies are much tougher and have a "thinner" flavor profile.

Cookies are entirely subjective 😁 personally, I am extremely satisfied with the Culinary Institute of America

rowdyviper13 said:Olivia Castillo562, which cakes are you planning to grab?
The Culinary Institute of America makes some absolutely killer cakes, but if I had to pick, my absolute favorites have to be the Amelia Quote and the Valerie cake. 🙂

We haven't decided yet, but we know there will be two fruit flavors and two chocolate flavors. Valerie is out of stock right now because there are no raspberries, so we'll try them again in the spring and see what works for fondant.

Sam Kim12 said:Is this being handled by a legitimate catering company or just some side gig?
If it’s a commercial outfit, then you already know the drill—they’re stuffing it with cheap stuff like generic supermarket chocolate (which has never even seen a cocoa bean) and swapping out real butter for bottom-of-the-barrel margarine, etc. 😳

Honestly, let them serve whatever. As long as it doesn't taste like cardboard, I'm good.😁

I don't really care about the dessert spread. For me, it's all about the main course and the overall vibe. Everything else is just extra.☕

I don't really care about the dessert situation either. I'm not much of a sweets person, even though I actually enjoy baking.
But, I get why it matters to some people 🙂

We decided to make things way easier for ourselves by going with an all-inclusive package at the Hotel Patria. That way, we get all the desserts, cakes, and the wedding cake included.

We'll definitely try them beforehand, of course 😉 I was at a wedding this past weekend, and honestly, I was more impressed by how the desserts looked than how they actually tasted, haha

Alexander Rodriguez2 said:I don't really care about the dessert situation either. I'm not much of a sweets person, even though I actually enjoy baking.
But, I get why it matters to some people 🙂

We decided to make things way easier for ourselves by going with an all-inclusive package at the Hotel Patria. That way, we get all the desserts, cakes, and the wedding cake included.

We'll definitely try them beforehand, of course 😉 I was at a wedding this past weekend, and honestly, I was more impressed by how the desserts looked than how they actually tasted, haha

Which venue did you guys end up picking? I can't remember ever being at a wedding where the desserts were actually bad. Sure, some are better than others, but who cares? Nobody remembers the sweets once the night is over. 😁

Olivia Castillo562 said:We require at least 45 pounds of pastries, though we will likely order even more to accommodate an outdoor table featuring cocktails and strawberries. We also need a wedding cake sufficient for approximately 150 guests.

The owner offers a volume discount; she mentioned that, under these circumstances, the price per pound would be $30 😁. Each slice of cake follows standard sizing of $6.75. Based on my understanding, there are no additional requests for custom decorations. The total cost for both the pastries and the cake should hover around $1667. 😁

We intend to serve classic American wedding sweets: varieties like chocolate fudge, lemon bars, shortbread, brownies, and similar treats—roughly 8 to 10 different types. Additionally, the cake should be a four-tier design featuring two distinct flavors.

Trolick, what do you think they'd charge us if we did a two-tier cake instead (something like this: http://lilyandiris.com/wp-content/up...-cake-utah.jpg), a few types of pastries, and maybe... three side cakes? (just regular, single-layer ones 🙂)

Would that basically count as a dessert table... or do they already offer specific packages for that?
Specific pastries, setting everything up... do you happen to know anything about how they handle that?

Keep in mind, we actually have fewer guests than you... only about 90.

Joseph Jones11 said:Trolick, what do you think they'd charge us if we did a two-tier cake instead (something like this: http://lilyandiris.com/wp-content/up...-cake-utah.jpg), a few types of pastries, and maybe... three side cakes? (just regular, single-layer ones 🙂)

Would that basically count as a dessert table... or do they already offer specific packages for that?
Specific pastries, setting everything up... do you happen to know anything about how they handle that?

Keep in mind, we actually have fewer guests than you... only about 90.

Cakes are sold by the slice; expect to pay roughly $6.75 per slice as a standard rate. Since your guest count is lower, they might stick to full pricing for the pastries, though they may offer a slight discount since you're ordering multiple cakes. It really comes down to goodwill, and I say that specifically regarding Amelia, because no one else has mentioned volume discounts.

I haven't inquired about dessert tables myself, but I assume you can customize them however you like with any pastry selection. They will likely recommend a specific quantity; typically, the catering standard is about 150g per person, but for a dessert table, you take less. If you follow the standard ratio, you would need about 14 kg of pastries, which at full price would cost you $560.

Awesome, thanks so much! 😉

I’m asking because, honestly, I just don't have the patience to bounce from one bakery to another—wasting both my time and my hard-earned cash—when basically everything I wanted to know has already been mentioned in this thread anyway.

Plus, Amelia is actually really sweet, and her prices? They aren't bad at all... she's pretty much right in line with the other local spots.

So, yeah, I'm going to set up a time to head over there with my future husband for a little tasting session. 🙂

Joseph Jones11 said:Awesome, thanks so much! 😉

I’m asking because, honestly, I just don't have the patience to bounce from one bakery to another—wasting both my time and my hard-earned cash—when basically everything I wanted to know has already been mentioned in this thread anyway.

Plus, Amelia is actually really sweet, and her prices? They aren't bad at all... she's pretty much right in line with the other local spots.

So, yeah, I'm going to set up a time to head over there with my future husband for a little tasting session. 🙂

We wanted to take a stroll
which was such a blast, and then we sat down with my godmother and her kids and just dove into the pastries—kids will always tell you the truth. 😁 😁

To be honest, Amelia surprised me with those discounts. They're well-established and highly praised for their gourmet treats; the place is packed, so they don't really need to offer deals to stay busy.

I hope everything turns out perfectly for you. 😁

Taylor Jackson59 said:Which venue did you guys end up picking? I can't remember ever being at a wedding where the desserts were actually bad. Sure, some are better than others, but who cares? Nobody remembers the sweets once the night is over. 😁

The ballroom at Hotel Patria in White City.
We’re originally from the Midwest, but we live pretty close to Baranja. 🙂
I don't really remember either, but honestly, I can't recall any cake being served. Usually, the groom just grabs a piece of Ice Wind if there's anything at all, and that's about it. 😉

Hey everyone,
Not totally sure if this is the right spot for this—but hey, maybe someone here knows! 🙂
I saw this thing online where a girl actually served pies instead of traditional wedding cake at her reception.
Think of those really delicious, classic fruit and cream pies you see on those big cooking shows—you know, all kinds of fillings, just super yummy. 🙂)
I know there’s this one specific girl who makes them, but I just can't find her name anywhere.
If anyone knows who I'm talking about, please help me out!!
:-D

Is it a bad move to have all the desserts made by Amelia and then just coordinate with them to handle our own transport down to Savannah?
I can't seem to find a single bakery in Savannah that fits what I'm looking for, so I'm weighing this option...
It's a small wedding, though—maybe 50 people tops.
If anyone has any recommendations for the Savannah area, please let me know. 🙂

Olivia Castillo562 said:They selected the pastries 🙂 Amelia 😁 crumbly (as they ought to be), packed with flavor, aesthetically pleasing, and even offered a bulk discount 😁 so honestly, how could you find a better deal than that? 😁

Mmm, delicious... those sweets are truly wonderful, and we ended up choosing them as well. 🙂

Maria Perez46 said:Is it a bad move to have all the desserts made by Amelia and then just coordinate with them to handle our own transport down to Savannah?
I can't seem to find a single bakery in Savannah that fits what I'm looking for, so I'm weighing this option...
It's a small wedding, though—maybe 50 people tops.
If anyone has any recommendations for the Savannah area, please let me know. 🙂

They’ll handle the transport, they'll just charge a fee for the trip to Savannah. Unless you're dealing with a massive, delicate cake that you wouldn't dare move yourself, why not just take the deal? 🙂

I once had to haul a large cake up two flights of stairs in my car, and it took 9.3 miles—I was terrified the whole time that something would go wrong. 🙂