My Cake Issues

When we first talked of getting married, I already made it clear that I will be very OC and particular about the wedding cake. Basically because I love cake... and it's something am sure to eat.

My Baby and I were ok with my initial concept... have someone make this steel multi-level tray where we'd place different-flavored cakes on. Later, we thought the steel tray would be nice to use for flower pots in our garden... or a place to put picture frames on for our living room.

We thought we'd either buy the usual cakes we love from Goldilock's, Red Ribbon, Hizon's and Becky's Kitchen and just put them there (around 7 different-flavored cakes)... or order particular cake flavors from one baker and have them decorated according to our color theme.

That was the original idea.

But as the preps progressed... we realized that the cake stand might be too pricey.

So we thought we'd have the usual cake na lang, 3-tiers which will end up divided among 3 families: his (biggest portion/base), mine (2nd biggest portion, middle) and ours (the top one w/ the cake topper).

Then I validated a suspicion that fondant icing is seldom eaten. It's edible, yes, because it's rolled sugar. But it's usually hard and extended by using baking powder/soda (?). So it's not exactly palatable. It's just really meant to be enjoyed using one's sight.

And... most wedding cakes aren't all cakes. Usually, it's only the base that is cake... and not even all of it.

And most cakes being offered by bakers are mostly chiffon (for butter/marshmallow/boiled icing) or the fruit, carrot, apple walnut flavors (for fondant).

:(

So now I want an all-cake, non-fondant cake. What's more... I want a cake reminiscent of a birthday cake... rocky road... with mousse... or caramel cake... with dulce de leche or chantilly cream filling... or different-flavored chiffon layers with different fillings/mousse...

And most bakers I've asked if they make such cakes for weddings just give me an odd look.

Which I resent.

And then I got to taste one of Alex Franco's cakes. It was at Karla & Adrian's wedding. It was his Black & White cake, 2 or 3 different cake flavors plus mousse and mangoes, and decorated with fresh fruits and flowers. Tsk.

But, eventhough Mr. Franco does not ask for a downpayment (he does limit clients to 3 a day ata because he/they slice & decorate the cakes themselves to be served to guests), I cannot ask my Baby anymore that we get him.

We're just simply over our original wedding budget.

Sigh.

And then Barbara's tells me it would be really nicer if we get a BIG or TALL cake because our reception venue is simply HUGE, with an equally GINORMOUS Joya-inspired sculpture littering the premises.

I think it was Abie who referred me to Costa Brava, because she got a cake from them that was P5k cheaper from that of Franco's. Make that CAKES, because it had some 8-9 round cakes. I've been trying to get a hold of Ms. Juda Liu but she was out of the country for awhile... and now, even her cake seems expensive for me too.

And then my Baby and I decided we'd just put up a Christmas tree at the reception... really trim it and all... put our gifts to parents/sponsors under it... and have a cake designed like a Christmas gift box. Under the tree table, we'd place the gifts we'd receive from guests.

Nice... if it weren't for the fact that we can't really know how windy it will be at the reception... because a swaying Christmas tree just isn't good (unless we have something sturdier made-to-order, and hello, that would still cost us plenty... actually, even Christmas trees aren't cheap).

So now, the idea is to just get a fruit fountain from Barbara's (around P5k)... but still have a small cake for the cake-cutting ceremony.

This would, however, mean that we'd have to forego that other gimmick we thought up for the cake table.

Sigh.

And still no cake. Howell...