We just recently decided to go to with cupcakes instead of cake for our wedding. We’ve talked about it before but kept going back and forth. After getting a quote from our preferred cake baker and listing the pros and cons in this most recent conversation, we’ve decided cupcakes are probably best.

Cupcake Pros:

• Cheaper than cake, at about $2 each
• No cake cutting fee
• Allows for a variety of flavors
• Opportunity to do a DIY stand (!)

Cupcake Cons

• I don’t get to use any of the cake inspiration pictures that I found

So as you can see, cupcakes are the way to go. I posted one inspiration picture that I really liked before, but on second thought the frosting kind of reminds me of piles of poop on the cupcakes. So, needless to say, I need more inspiration. Here’s what I got so far:

Source: The Forever Wedding Blog

Source: Prima Donna Bride

Source: WeddinGo

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Technorati Tags: Cake, Cake Cutting Fee, Cake Stand, Cheap, cupcake stand, cupcakes, DIY, Inspiration

The last big thing (I think) we have to do is chose a baker for our cake or cupcakes. If we do end up going with a cake, I know I definitely want buttercream icing and no fondant. It should be simple but elegant with some bit of visual interest. Hopefully this will work out in our favor, since I’m finding that the more elaborate the design, the more expensive the cake is per slice. Some of the cakes I chose as examples are done in fondant, so I would just want a buttercream version of them.

So feast your eyes on my inspiration and try not to drool on your keyboard.

Wedding Cakes by cbledsoe on Polyvore.com

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Technorati Tags: Baker, Bakery, Buttercream, Cake, fondant

The last big thing we have to do is find a cake or cupcakes. A friend of mine (we’ll call her Kim) recommended the bakery that she used for her wedding and several other events. So I talked to the owner (we’ll just call her Sandy) and scheduled a drive-by tasting. Basically I stopped by on a Saturday morning and picked up a box complete with 6 slices of unfrosted cake, 2 containers of frosting and 2 chocolate truffles. Note that Sandy wasn’t there at the time.

Well Kim, who recommended me happened to be picking up a cake for a baby shower that very same day. So I went back to the bakery later on in the day with her to pick up her cake. Mass disappointment ensued.

At an earlier meeting Kim and Sandy had decided on the design for the cake. Sandy had lots of pictures available of cakes she’d done in the past, but was very convinced that the cake would really be stellar if she modeled off of the baby shower invitation. Kim wasn’t so sure, but because she’d worked with Sandy several times in the past she trusted her judgement, went out on a limb and paid extra for the custom design.

Fast forward to cake pick up day. Kim and I went to pick up the cake around 12:30. The cake looked awful. Instead of being a soft baby pink, it was bright flourescent. The lines and borders that were supposed to be straight were extra jagged. Really it was just bad all around. The ladies who were there said that there wasn’t much they could do but that they would have Sandy call Kim to come to a resolution.

Sandy called and admitted that the decorator who’d worked on the cake didn’t do a good job and that the cake wasn’t up to par. She agreed to do what she could to fix the cake and that we could come back and pick it up that afternoon.

Keep in mind that my friend Kim was nothing but nice this entire time. She made it clear that she wasn’t mad but that she came to expect a certain quality from the bakery and that this cake fell short of that threshold.

When Sandy called and told us that the cake was ready and that we could come pick it up, we had to go in through the back door and we found ourselves in their kitchen. Sandy revealed the newly fixed cake and while it did look neater, it was still very disappointing. Kim said it best: “It looks like something my little brother could’ve done at home.”

Sandy made excuse upon excuse, never once apologizing for the inconvenience of Kim having to return or for the fact that she fell short of her expectations for the custom cake. There was no, “sorry”, no “let me give you a few dollars off”, and no “I’ll redo it for you”

Because the bakery was closed and it was a Saturday, Sandy had to do a delivery for a wedding. So I understand that she had to leave right then, but as the owner of a small business, she should have made it her business to make sure this customer was happy, especially since she’d already given her so much business.

Here’s the straw that broke the camels back for me. When we walked in the back door, we found ourselves surrounded by Duncan Hines boxed cake mix! Now I don’t know if this is normal, but I feel like a bakery should not be using box caked mix. I feel like I’ve been hoodwinked!

At the time, Sandy didn’t realize that I was the bride who did the drive by tasting earlier in the day. But I hope she did eventually realize that, no matter how good the cake taste, she lost my business and anyone else I might refer based on her treatment of my friend and her customer.

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Technorati Tags: Baker, Bakery, Cake, customer service, wedding cake

If you’re gonna do cupcakes, this is definitely the way to go.

Source: Pink Cake Box

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Technorati Tags: Cake, cupcakes

I have so many ideas running through my head about what to use for the decor. I keep thinking about the wheat grass that come up early on. What if, instead of using it on each table, we use it just on the cake table. If we did, it might look a little something like this, minus the butterflies.

If we did end up deciding to put it on the tables, it might look like this:

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Technorati Tags: Cake, Cake Table, Centerpieces, Decor, decorations, Reception, Wheat Grass

Let me just say upfront that I can  not take credit for this list. I found it at About.com and thought that it would be worth sharing. Not everyone will agree with every item, but you can probably take away at least one thing. So without further ado:

Top 5 Wedding Money Wasters

1. Meaningless and expensive wedding favors

   Wedding favors can be a thoughtful way of saying thank you to your guests. But far too often they’re a meaningless knickknack. Your guests don’t need a candy dish, or a little silver bell. Don’t think their cute place card holder doubles as a favor; what are they going to do with one place card? And do you really want a plastic Frisbee with your friends’ wedding date on it?

   You’re going to spend a lot of money on things that will just collect dust, or end up in the trash. I think it’s far better to not give favors, or to make a donation to a charity. But cute favors include ones that are personal to the bride and groom. You might give food favors from the city you live in, or a box of your very favorite chocolates.

   One of my favorite ideas is a breakfast bag. Send guests home with some beautiful muffins, a couple of good quality tea bags, and perhaps a little pot of jam or honey. The next morning they’ll be sure to enjoy your treat as they reminisce about everything that happened.

   Money Saving Tip: Some of the most thoughtful wedding favors can be handmade. Put together a booklet of family recipes, or create a CD with an insert explaining why you chose each song.

2. Endless bride and groom swag

   It may be fun to have a pair of track pants that say “Bride” across your butt, but how long are you really going to wear them? You certainly don’t need to own multiple pieces of clothing that say “bride” or “groom” because they’ve got a limited shelf-life. And, you do have an identity beyond that of a bride. You don’t own a sweatshirt that trumpets your profession, do you? So why would you want people out in public to see you first and foremost as a bride?

   Perhaps the biggest money waster of all is giving your bridal party “bridesmaid” and “groomsman” gear. Do you really think that groomsman is ever going to wear that tacky hat ever again? Do you think he’ll even enjoy wearing it the first time?

   Money Saving Tip Buy a pair of pajama pants or underwear that says “bride” or “groom.” Rather than feeling embarrassed about wearing a bride sweatshirt out in public, clothing meant for the home will remind the two of you of your wedding day. Leave the other bridal swag at the store.

3. Huge wedding cakes

   Some couples only invite 50 guests, but they still order a cake that serves 300. With cakes going for $2-$15 a slice, that extra size adds up quickly. While a large cake looks impressive, a small cake can be charming. If height is a priority, consider asking your baker to use a separator set, and adding fresh flowers between the layers. Or, use a large cake topper, such as this tiered floral centerpiece.

   Money Saving Tip If you are having more than 100 guests, ask for a display cake that only feeds 100 people. Use inexpensive sheet cakes in the back to feed the extra guests. No one will know the difference!

   Read More: Questions to Ask Your Wedding Cake Designer

4. Too many mementos

   The wedding industry loves to sell you goods by promising they will be keepsakes you can pass down to your children. Having mementos of your special day is a good thing, but you don’t need very many. Put together a wedding album, and perhaps preserve your wedding dress. But deeply consider every other item. Do you really need a personalized pen to sign the guest book? Is preserving your bouquet worth the money and the space in your home? You don’t need to have a wedding video, unless you will really watch it and enjoy it regularly. And not every toasting glass, picture frame, and photo album needs to be monogrammed with your wedding date.

   Rather than filling up your house with tons of wedding mementos, leave room for creating new memories.

   Money Saving Tip If an album is not included in your wedding photography package, consider doing it for yourself! That way, you can include the shots that are most important to you, as well as any mementos like your wedding program.

   Read More: Capture those memories on film with a Wedding Photography Shot Checklist

5. Too many bridesmaids and groomsmen

   Have you ever seen a wedding with more than a dozen attendants? It starts to look like a wedding army. Of course, if you are inviting lots of guests, it makes sense to have a large wedding party. But before you start adding your friend who you haven’t seen since high school, and all of your cousins, consider what the role of the wedding party should be.

   Even if you’re not paying for the wedding party’s attire, each of those attendants requires a bouquet or boutonniere, a thank you gift, and an invitation to the rehearsal dinner and other parties. Tack on just a few unnecessary bridesmaids or groomsmen and you’re potentially talking about hundreds of dollars.

   Money Saving Tip Give some of your friends and loved ones different roles in the wedding. Consider asking them to read during the ceremony or give them a special role at the reception. You might even just thank them in the program for helping to support you during the wedding planning process.

   Read More: How Many Bridesmaids and Groomsmen Should You Have?

What’s missing from the list? What, in your opinion is a waste of money and could just be eliminated?

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Technorati Tags: Bridesmaids, Budget, Cake, Favors, Groomsmen, Wedding, wedding budget

Looks good, doesn’t it?

For most of the of the weddings I’ve been to, the cake usually isn’t that good and is often an afterthought to the guests who are far more interested in dancing or leaving by the time the cake is served.

But what if there were cupcakes instead of cake?

• No cake-cutting fees
• A variety of flavors
• Portable
• No forks or plates
• Less expensive

First, I was against the idea I think mostly because it’s just traditional to have a cake and cut it together. But now that I’m seeing the benefits, they might beat tradition on this one.

I found a place in Birmingham, The Cupcake Station. They specialize in cupcakes and for the amount that we’d need, they charge $0.50 less per serving than the most affordable wedding cake rates I’ve seen.

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I just found this CNN story about a Westchester,NY bride on a budget.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/personal/06/20/wedding.budget/index.html

Some of the tips are things you typically hear, like having the wedding in the afternoon rather than the evening.

But there were a few good tips, like considering renting a cake instead of buying one. I’d never heard of this before, but it doesn’t sound like a horrible idea.

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