Wedding cakes and desserts

Quick question for everyone!
Do you think $667 might be overkill for a wedding cake? I don't have a photo handy, but let me try to paint a picture for you—so, the centerpiece is this massive castle-shaped display, featuring eight smaller tiered cakes, confetti cannons, and an actual working fountain that even lights up? It’s for a guest list of 200 people, and honestly, everyone looks at us like we’ve lost our minds whenever we mention it... I’m starting to get a little nervous that we might have bitten off more than we can chew! That said, the cake itself is incredibly decadent (and delicious, I’ve already had a taste! 😉)—there is so much to see, and I think my fiancé is going to fall in love with it at first sight... anyway, please tell me I'm just overthinking things and that we didn't make a huge mistake!?😕

Carl Myers7 said:Quick question for everyone!
Do you think $667 might be overkill for a wedding cake? I don't have a photo handy, but let me try to paint a picture for you—so, the centerpiece is this massive castle-shaped display, featuring eight smaller tiered cakes, confetti cannons, and an actual working fountain that even lights up? It’s for a guest list of 200 people, and honestly, everyone looks at us like we’ve lost our minds whenever we mention it... I’m starting to get a little nervous that we might have bitten off more than we can chew! That said, the cake itself is incredibly decadent (and delicious, I’ve already had a taste! 😉)—there is so much to see, and I think my fiancé is going to fall in love with it at first sight... anyway, please tell me I'm just overthinking things and that we didn't make a huge mistake!?😕

That sounds like a great deal to me... 👍

crimsoncyclist2 said:That sounds like a great deal to me... 👍

I’m on the same page. Carl Myers7—my cousin, actually—had a wedding cake for about 80 guests just a few days ago, and she shelled out roughly $567... It was massive, three tiers high, and I suspect they were actually pricing it for over 100 people... which makes your quote look incredibly reasonable by comparison.

Carl Myers7 said:Quick question for everyone!
Do you think $667 might be overkill for a wedding cake? I don't have a photo handy, but let me try to paint a picture for you—so, the centerpiece is this massive castle-shaped display, featuring eight smaller tiered cakes, confetti cannons, and an actual working fountain that even lights up? It’s for a guest list of 200 people, and honestly, everyone looks at us like we’ve lost our minds whenever we mention it... I’m starting to get a little nervous that we might have bitten off more than we can chew! That said, the cake itself is incredibly decadent (and delicious, I’ve already had a taste! 😉)—there is so much to see, and I think my fiancé is going to fall in love with it at first sight... anyway, please tell me I'm just overthinking things and that we didn't make a huge mistake!?😕

I think that's a fair price. Mine was $2,800 for 300 people, and it also had a glowing fountain 😁

Some people actually quoted me over $4,000 for that many guests, so I'd say you really got a great deal.

Your price is fine... since we're paying for 250 people $833 using concrete mix, so yeah... it's about right...

.. we had pastries and cake from that little bakery with the smile in Beverly Hills!! Everything was absolutely perfect, both the sweets and the cake itself. People were asking about the costs, but since we had around 350 guests, our cake ended up being roughly $667!

Peter Vaughn3 said:I find myself wondering if anyone might be able to point me toward some truly exceptional bakeries that specialize in decadent cakes and pastries.
If you happen to have any wonderful experiences to share...

I suggest checking out Magnolia Bakery in New York City... All the best!

If I may offer a personal recommendation—you simply must visit Emma (Malešnica). Their pastries are truly exquisite; every single guest I’ve hosted has raved about them. 🙂

Joshua Clark said:Some people might actually like fondant (Lord help them), but saying it's better than Marzipan? Not happening.

Besides, Marzipan isn't even a second choice when you're doing specific cake decorations—so if that's your thing, go for it.

Regardless, I don't get why a cake can't be both delicious and beautiful—why do people insist on using that damn fondant when you can make a stunning cake out of either meringue or Marzipan? Everyone will actually eat it if it tastes good.

Plus, you can always use frosting as a final layer (my little secret)—it ends up firm, sweet, and gives you this gorgeous, shiny finish.

But hey, that’s probably only for pastry chefs with nerves of steel.

Which of you ladies who have posted photos of your cakes here actually used marzipan for the "glaze"? We specifically coordinated with the bakery to have the cake covered in fondant, but now they're calling to say that since the July heatwaves are hitting so hard, they just can't work with fondant anymore. They told us if we want, we can go with marzipan instead. I've never actually eaten a cake covered entirely in marzipan; I only remember it as that incredibly hard substance used for tiny cake decorations. Won't the whole cake be rock hard if it's completely encased in it? Visually, marzipan looks similar to fondant, but I honestly have no idea how it's actually going to turn out🤷 and I don't have a chance to go down there right now to see it or taste it. God, I hate dealing with unreliable service; it's always something—they either don't have what you need, they can't do it, or they simply won't. grrrrrrrrrr
Thanks, ladies.

fadedmaker84 said:Which of you ladies who have posted photos of your cakes here actually used marzipan for the "glaze"? We specifically coordinated with the bakery to have the cake covered in fondant, but now they're calling to say that since the July heatwaves are hitting so hard, they just can't work with fondant anymore. They told us if we want, we can go with marzipan instead. I've never actually eaten a cake covered entirely in marzipan; I only remember it as that incredibly hard substance used for tiny cake decorations. Won't the whole cake be rock hard if it's completely encased in it? Visually, marzipan looks similar to fondant, but I honestly have no idea how it's actually going to turn out🤷 and I don't have a chance to go down there right now to see it or taste it. God, I hate dealing with unreliable service; it's always something—they either don't have what you need, they can't do it, or they simply won't. grrrrrrrrrr
Thanks, ladies.

I recently had a slice of wedding cake at a reception that was covered in marzipan... but I mean the soft, high-quality kind. Personally, I think it's fantastic; it’s incredibly smooth. I suspect you might be thinking of that rock-hard stuff they use for modeling, which isn't how you glaze a cake. There is a much softer variety that works beautifully. It’s sweet—perhaps too sweet for some, but just right for others—but if you ask me, it's delicious.

Linda Williams97 said:I recently had a slice of wedding cake at a reception that was covered in marzipan... but I mean the soft, high-quality kind. Personally, I think it's fantastic; it’s incredibly smooth. I suspect you might be thinking of that rock-hard stuff they use for modeling, which isn't how you glaze a cake. There is a much softer variety that works beautifully. It’s sweet—perhaps too sweet for some, but just right for others—but if you ask me, it's delicious.

That’s exactly right! We actually had a cake with that soft marzipan, and it wasn't even overly sweet! To be honest, I usually can't stand marzipan and didn't want it on our cake at all, but once I saw the photo and the pastry chef at the bakery explained it wasn't the heavy stuff I was imagining, I was sold! Besides, if anyone doesn't like it, they can just peel it off and enjoy the cake underneath, right?!!🤷

Here is a shot of our actual cake! So yummy! There were five different flavors hidden under that marzipan layer!

Thanks so much, ladies, you all have such big hearts! I’m feeling a lot better now🙂 The marzipan looks beautiful, and if it tastes half as good as it looks... well, I can finally breathe easy again🙂 Thanks, truly, thanks

fadedmaker84 said:Thanks so much, ladies, you all have such big hearts! I’m feeling a lot better now🙂 The marzipan looks beautiful, and if it tastes half as good as it looks... well, I can finally breathe easy again🙂 Thanks, truly, thanks

My cousin had a cake just like this one at her wedding two weeks ago (specifically that bottom right one with the strawberries...). Every single tier was coated in that marzipan... and I have to say, it was incredibly delicious. It wasn't even overly sweet, which was a pleasant surprise.

http://charlotte.com/wedding_cakes.cfm

Help, I need some serious advice! I’m starting to panic a little about the cake... My guests are coming over on July 26th, 2008, and I still haven't made up my mind about what kind of cake to serve. I was leaning towards something light, maybe a mousse-based one, but then I see those cakes covered in marzipan or fondant and they just look so stunning... I honestly can't decide which flavor would actually work best with that kind of decoration. Does anyone have any suggestions or ideas for me?

Ours was a walnut chocolate one, loaded with frosting.
I gave up on using Betty Crocker because I can get the exact same thing from a local bakery for $667😲
plus, honestly, that store-bought stuff tastes terrible!
Ugh, this one was amazing—so light, just perfect for summer. 👍

I recently treated myself to a chocolate mousse cake topped with fresh strawberries... it was absolutely divine. There’s something about that light, chilled texture that just hits the spot perfectly. Truly heavenly. I highly recommend seeking one out. It also featured a layer of marzipan on top, which was a brilliant touch. I’ve actually gone ahead and bookmarked a few posts right above this one that feature the recipe. They're excellent.

So, my auntie over at the local bakery was telling me the other day that she could whip up a cake using standard whipped topping instead of that fancy Ticino fondant stuff, since, you know, the professional grade stuff costs an absolute fortune! She actually showed me this little dessert she made where she swapped out the expensive fondant for regular frosting, and honestly? It looked freaking amazing. Now I’m just sitting here twiddling my thumbs, waiting to see if mine turns out looking just as good or if I totally botched it!

Has anyone here ever opted for a cupcake tower—you know, those individual little treats instead of a traditional wedding cake?
I’m trying to wrap my head around the cost of something like that, especially if you’re hosting around 180 guests; I imagine if you were to order, say, 200 pieces just to be safe, it might actually end up being more expensive than a massive three-tier cake.🤷
Personally, though, I really love the idea of doing cupcakes, perhaps offering three different flavors so everyone has a choice.

At the local bakery, those little cookies go for about 10 to $6.75, depending on how fancy the icing is... so just do the math...
Personally, I thought the price sounded a bit steep 🤣