Dang I was lucky...

Okay, so a little off topic, well, maybe.

I've been reading CakeCentral.com forums the last few days. Just for fun. I am reading in the cake business section, and the prices people charge for cakes for their weddings. Now I KNEW I had received a very good deal on my cakes. A friend of my mom and myself did my cakes, and they were PERFECT. She is a professional and did my cakes either AT COST or just over. By at cost I do mean ingredients and an hourly cost for her time (after all, time is money). But she really made no profit off my cakes. She did it as a favor for me, she knew my budget was small. Honestly though, I never even priced anywhere else, because I was set from years before I ever got married that WHEN it happened I wanted HER to do my cakes!

I asked for something that I thought was SUPER impressive and HAD to be difficult to do, but she told me, and I know now from my research, is actually quite easy. I had a 4 separated cakes, plain with basket weave sides. No decoration other than that as my florist did arrangements for the cakes. I realize now, I was probably one of her favorite customers! LOL I asked for something SUPER EASY, buttercream frosting, no decorations... I knew I wanted at least one level to be chocolate cake with raspberry filling, and the smallest one to be lemon with raspberry. I don't remember the other 2, I didn't eat them! LOL I paid $250 for my entire set up. She did NOT charge for delivery 60 miles away, only because she was also a guest at the wedding.

Pearl, I doubt you are reading this, but in case you stumble on it. THANK YOU. I never realized what a cake really cost.

I also had the MOST awesome florist. He also didn't make a penny off me. While he wasn't a close friend per se, I knew him before I ever asked him to do my wedding. He also was a professional with a store front. When I first approached him it was for a 12 person wedding, including bride and groom. 6 weeks before the wedding it changed to a 150 person affair and I suddenly needed WAY more flowers. In the end, for all the boutonnieres, coursages, bouquets, throw bouquet, ceremony decorations, reception decorations, and cake decorations, I only paid $400. I had a combination of white roses and purple tulips. It was BEAUTIFUL.

I really appreciate these people helping to keep my costs down. I will have to pay it forward to someone else one day.