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How to say no?!?
ok... I am in a bit of a dilema here! DH's cousin who is in her mid 30's is getting married October 10th in Gatlinburg. I don't know many details other than they are having a SUPER small, immediately family only, type of wedding. As many of you know DH's mom passed away in July and since then his aunt has tried to step in to her shoes and be there for DH, which is definately appreciated, she's not overstepping any boundaries or anything of the sort.
Anyhow...long story short... We were invited to attend this wedding as the only guests other than her mom/dad and sisters and their sig others. So, of course we will go! BUT... here's the issue.... I took the Wilton course 1 cake decorating class, which I posted pictures of and many of you saw them....but she has asked me to make the cake! HOLY CRAP BATMAN! I took course 1!!! I can make a rose and a clown, possibly a clown holding a rose if I really spend some time on it! haha I know it's not like she's asking me to make a cake for 300 guests or anything and she's NOT a particular person and I know they don't have any money so I feel obligated to do this since she asked, but I don't know if I have the skills!!
What do you ladies think? Should I just suck it up and make the cake? It's only for like 15 people!! The other thing is I don't know how to transport it all the way to Gatlinburg! What are your thoughts? HELP!!
Re: How to say no?!?
Order one in Gatlinburg, pick it up the day of and take all the credit. lol just kidding.
I would maybe just talk to them and use the distance as your way out. Even a proffesional I think would have a hard time getting a cake down there. That's what a 6 hour drive?? I would have a heart attack by the time I got there from all the anxiety of being careful while driving. You never know what kind of traffic, construction, pot holes, anything you could come across. Plus with it being summer you would be able to stop anywhere you'd have to keep the car on with the a/c possibly on high to prevent melting. GL and keep us posted.
It's probably a combo $$ thing / wanting to include you tihng, right? Maybe you could offer to do something else? Or offer to take care of the cake in Gatlinburg?
GL!
I would ask her what she expects and tell her what you can do. You might even make a cake and take it to her to see if she is okay with your skills. Since it is only for 15 people I think I would do it assuming she isn't expecting something professional.
If you aren't going to be staying somewhere that you could make it (chalet, cabin, etc), then I would definitely decline.
I guess I'm the oddball, but I'd probably do it as long as they understand your skill level. I agree with the pp that they're probably not expecting something professional. They sound like people who might be perfectly happy with a plain white cake with a simple border and just want it to be made by someone they love. I've traveled 6+ hours with cakes. It's really not that hard. You just make sure the car isn't too hot. Buy one of those cardboard cake boxes and a piece of square cardboard for the cake. Use a little glob of icing to stick the cake to the cardboard so it won't move around. Then decorate the cake after it's on the cardboard. As long as the cardboard is the same size as the box, it shouldn't move at all inside the box. As long as the box is flat on the floor of the car (not on the seat), it shouldn't move around much at all.
As long as you're traveling on that Friday, you could make the cake on Thursday and it should still be fresh on Saturday. Most cake decorators bake all the cakes for Saturday weddings by Thursday, anyway, so they can decorate them on Friday.
I'd just make a simple round or square one-layer cake with white icing, a shell border or another simple border, and some white roses.
I think you have a couple of options to be the hero here that won't inconvenience you too much. If you're staying in a chalet - take a couple boxes of cake mix, some white frosting, and a pan or two as appropriate (really, how much space will it take up - less than a grocery bag) - stop at a grocery store really quickly and pick up whatever else you need then make the cake. When you stop at the grocery store, you could pick up a cheap bunch of flowers and use the petals to decorate the cake. Or you could find out what her colors are and get enough ribbon to go around the bottom of the cake and a flower to go on top. You don't necessarily have to draw anything on the cake - although a rose would be nice.
Seriously- she knows you'd be doing it on the fly, away from your own kitchen. How much perfection do you think she expects? And it wouldn't even be all that expensive to do a practice one for you to share with H or some friends before you go.
If you're not staying in a chalet - call the concierge at your hotel and have them recommend a good bakery there, or a supermarket where you can order a plain white-iced cake. Pick up the cake when you get there and do the same with ribbon or flowers. You could even ask the concierge if there's a Cheesecake Factory you could order from - they have pretty cakes.
PS - unless you really just don't want to do it. Then just say that transporting a cake that far isn't a good idea.
But I have faith in your skills.
OK.... update!
I wasn't clear earlier in the original email and it's her sister who is helping her plan the wedding who asked me if I would do the cake for her since she wasn't even going to have a cake!
So.. since my earlier email, I have talked with the sister and she definately put my mind at ease... she said maybe just 2 round cakes, one white and one chocolate with white icing and a few flowers, more for the tradition of having a cake than anything else. So... I told her I would do it! Push over.. I know!
I do enjoy doing cakes, so it will be a good experience! We are staying in a cabin so I will just make the cake on Thursday and put the icing on it, won't stack them until I get there and then take some ribbon and my little rubbermaid tote of cake supplies and just decorate it there. IT shouldn't be too bad! I will definately be making some practice cakes between now and then, but as long as I make the icing and the cakes before we leave, decorating it in the cabin shouldn't be too bad....right?!!? I will let you all know how it goes!
If you can, I might wait to ice them until you get there. If you're using a mix, I'd make the cakes in the cabin but bring your icing.
Wilton does sell a cake carrier. Maybe you could get one cheap on ebay. It might give you some peace of mind getting them down there. Of course, this is just my little opinion, but I'd be freaking out until I got there about them bumping something. If you're talking just a crumb coat, no biggie, but icing then stacking would get me sweating.
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