I’ll be honest with you… the wedding cake has become a bit of a stresser for me in this wedding process. Here’s why: when you decide to have a destination wedding, a lot of the planning is done on trust, without trying or seeing anything until the day of your actual wedding. And for the cake, traditionally one of the highlights of a wedding, it’s difficult to give up all control.
As you know, Tom and I are getting married in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Although we were able to hop down there in March to solidify a few very important details such as the location of the ceremony and all of the food and alcohol, etc, we didn’t really focus on the cake during that trip. Looking back, I wish we would have made an attempt to choose the cake but at the time seven months felt so far away. We did try some of the food that will be served and we are having a “dessert bar” with tons of fun things (including flan) which we got to sample as well, but cakes were not included in the sampling.
For those of you that don’t know this, destination weddings typically include a cake in the package. You get to choose the flavor of the cakes and the icing and are charged by the number of heads at the event – in our case, I believe it is about 2-3 dollars per person. If you would like something bigger and better, or of a different color, etc., you have to pay for it. Even though we were given a few options with their cakes, I wasn’t really happy with them and would like to have tasted it first (there is that control seeping in).
Tom is not a cake person. He never eats the cake at weddings or birthdays or for any other occasion for that matter. Actually, I know of a lot of people who don’t really care for cakes at all. I am NOT one of those people. I love cakes! I especially love wedding cakes; but only GOOD wedding cakes. So I’m all alone in this decision and he has totally given me free reign.
Here are my three biggest musts for our wedding cake, in order of preference:
1. It must taste amazing
2. It must look like it tastes amazing
3. My guests must think it tastes amazing
If I can manage it, I will also prefer that it looks like it’s a part of our wedding (colors, theme, etc).
I don’t need a $2,000.00 wedding cake like you see on those cake shows or anything…. I just want one that meets my criteria above. If I could have my way, I would have my favorite cake in this whole wide confectionery world. It’s a totally simple, round, six-layer lemon cake with no bells or whistles from my favorite NYC steakhouse, Del Friscos.
Seriously, it is the best cake you will ever eat – in your life. And it only runs about $80.00 for a whole cake, which it totally cheap, right? I would do almost anything to have it as my wedding cake. So, I called FED EX and inquired about having one shipped from NYC to Mexico. Here’s what I found out: I could have the cake shipped overnight for about $275.00 but “overnight” really means 2-3 days. Not so bad, right? They then told me that they have special boxes for food which will help it to arrive in tact and completely fresh. There was hope! Then, they burst my bubble -big time. They warned that it could get stuck in customs for 30 days. I can’t think of anything worse than 30 day old, moldy wedding cake, can you? So I threw that idea completely out the window; the shipment that is, not the cake. I want that cake! So much in fact that I may have propositioned someone on the inside to try and get me the recipe…. ;)
In the meantime, I am trying to find something I will be happy with in the off chance that I can’t get the cake I really want, which I have to admit might happen. Come to think of it, I did have this pretty amazing piece of 4-layer chocolate cake at this tiny café in Mexico in March. Worst-case scenario, I have my wedding planner in PV call the shop and find out where they purchased that cake and request she pick one up for the wedding. It beats spending a fortune on a cake I haven’t tried at all…
You are so adorable in that picture. That chocolate cake looks yummy…I say go with it!
I feel the same way about cupcakes as you do about cake. Since we are having a friend (a pastry chef, but still I have never had her baked goods) make the cake/cupcakes, I also have had no taste test. I haven’t allowed myself to be stressed about it because we are getting the cake for cost, way cheaper than anywhere else possible, and at that point everyone will have had a bunch to drink and will think it tastes wonderful no matter what. However, that chocolate cake looks amazing.
Any chance you can get a guest to fly with the cake you want?! I’d bring it over for you, but I guess I’m flying in too early…
I do agree, though, the chocolate cake looks delicious!
Doesn’t it Tami? It might be THE cake…
You are right, Ms. Sparrow!! The guests will have had a lot to drink by that time… that point really helps lower the stress. :) Thanks!
Kristina, do you think the airport will let us board with a cake? I know you can’t bring liquids onto a plane… I’m not sure about food?! I’ll have to look into that. :)