Cutting the Cake

gothic_fairy60

To the all knowing knotties:

I met with the caterer today. I asked them if I could pay extra for them to cut and plate the cake after FI and I do the "ceremonial cut". They said no. Apparently they had done that in the past and had bad experiences with brides. While trying to respect their rule, it leaves me stuck. I have no wedding planner or venue event coordinator to ask about this. The cake is being baked at a local grocery store and dropped off before the reception begins. I have tried really hard to make sure that the only people working during the wedding are paid vendors. 

So what do I do about the cake? Do I offer to pay one of my teenage cousins? Do I hire some random person off craigslist just to come in and cut the cake? Do I suck it up and cut/plate the cake myself?

phira

Whaaaaaa. Your caterer is weird.

In your shoes, I'd either:

1) Scrap the wedding cake and get a tiny cake for you and your partner to cut, and then serve cupcakes, or

2) Offer to pay a friend or family member.

priceisright07

phira said:

Whaaaaaa. Your caterer is weird.

In your shoes, I'd either:

1) Scrap the wedding cake and get a tiny cake for you and your partner to cut, and then serve cupcakes, or

2) Offer to pay a friend or fa

What she said. That is weird. Our includes cake cutting in the package, unless you bring it from an outside bakery, then they charge a cutting fee. But to not do it at all is odd. Maybe they cut the slices too big before and ranout of cake. But we are having a small cake t cut and just servng cupcakes. Then you dont have to wrry about cutting the cake.

Pellegcm

This might be weird, but I saw on another board (I can't remember which one) where the bride and groom cut the cake and it was one way to ensure they talked to everyone at their wedding. Granted, if you have a lot of guests that might be too much work, but if it's on the smaller side, it's a touch your guests might appreciate?

phira

Pellegcm said:

This might be weird, but I saw on another board (I can't remember which one) where the bride and groom cut the cake and it was one way to ensure they talked to everyone at their wedding. Granted, if you have a lot of guests that might be too much work, but if it's on the smaller side, it's a touch your guests might appreciate?

Yeah, I guess if you have a small wedding, it could work. I'd say 40-50 maximum, and use it instead of a receiving line or table visits, etc. But otherwise, I'd opt for cupcakes if it's not too late to do that instead of a cake.

AddieCake

I will cut it! You can trust me......

NYCMercedes

Do you already have a contract with this caterer? You might want to find one who actually tries to please their customers.

gothic_fairy60

Wedding is in just over two months. Changing the caterer is not an option due to time and budget. I booked the caterer six months ago and forgot to ask about the cake cutting. Guest list is 130 (both of us have huge families and since most of them have been verbally invited cutting guest list is also not an option).

gothic_fairy60

@AddieCake

 I would let you eat it if you would cut it... lol.

MairePoppy

It's okay to ask for help. I don't think it would be wrong to ask a few people if they would be willing to cut the cake for you, as long as you're not pretending that this job is a special honor, KWIM? If you feel awkward about that, then offer to pay the cousins to do it.

phira

MairePoppy said:

It's okay to ask for help. I don't think it would be wrong to ask a few people if they would be willing to cut the cake for you, as long as you're not pretending that this job is a special honor, KWIM? If you feel awkward about that, then offer to pay the cousins to do it.

This exactly. While couples often take it to the extreme and expect that people will be falling all over themselves to volunteer to do ANYTHING to be involved in your speshul day, etc., the fact is, it's okay to ask for help, and most people will be entirely happy to help you.

sophhabobopha

That is really strange to me. Sorry I'm not of help!

insertusernamehere

I'm 22, and I'd be happy to help you cut your cake if you were backed into a corner like this! I'd probably want some cake to take home as "payment" so if your budget allows, order a bit extra for your helper(s).

Ask people ahead of time and have an apron available to cover a nice dress or suit

kmmssg

AddieCake said:

I will cut it! You can trust me......

And I will help you, I have cut a couple already so we will cut ours first and set it in the back while we take care of everyone else...wink, wink

JaxInBlue

Agree with PPs.  This is a time, I think, where the next time Aunt Susie or BFF Jane asks if you need help with anything, you can honestly say your caterer has left you stuck on cutting the cake. 

I will also say that if you can switch from a larger wedding cake to a small cutting cake and either cupcakes or sheet cakes, it might be easier to serve.  Bakeries that follow the traditional serving for wedding cake (that little 2-by-whatever morsel) intend for cakes to be cut by someone who knows that, not the person who usually cuts up a birthday cake.  If the person cutting the cake doesn't know how to do this, you will want to over-order on cake if you stick with a traditional cake.  Switching to sheet cake or cupcakes would likely give you a little more leeway on portions.

Sorry you're stuck with this.  We went the cupcake route just to avoid the cake cutting fee.

Jen4948

I'm sorry you have to deal with this.  If changing caterers were an option, I would suggest you do that and not use one that charges a "cutting fee," but since you say it's too late, the only other suggestion I can make is that you take people up on volunteering to help out.

insertusernamehere

JaxInBlue said:

Agree with PPs.  This is a time, I think, where the next time Aunt Susie or BFF Jane asks if you need help with anything, you can honestly say your caterer has left you stuck on cutting the cake. 

I will also say that if you can switch from a larger wedding cake to a small cutting cake and either cupcakes or sheet cakes, it might be easier to serve.  Bakeries that follow the traditional serving for wedding cake (that little 2-by-whatever morsel) intend for cakes to be cut by someone who knows that, not the person who usually cuts up a birthday cake.  If the person cutting the cake doesn't know how to do this, you will want to over-order on cake if you stick with a traditional cake.  Switching to sheet cake or cupcakes would likely give you a little more leeway on portions.

Sorry you're stuck with this.  We went the cupcake route just to avoid the cake cutting fee.

Also, you can order extra sheet cakes for relatively cheap, on the side. So you could literally order an entire extra sheet if you needed it, and still keep the original cake plan.

melbenso

I second the cupcake idea (with a small cake to cut). I've been to several weddings that did that, because:
1. Cupcakes are awesome.
2. Cupcakes usually cost less than regular cake.
3. No worrying about cutting them right.
4. You usually get a bigger serving than a regular cake.
5. You can have lots more flavor options. (The wedding I was at this weekend had 6 different kinds. My only sad was that I couldn't try them all, lest other guests not get dessert.)
6. More frosting in the frosting to cake ratio (huge plus in my family).

Edit: correcting what autocorrect uncorrected

phira

I would totally cut cake for you if you paid me in cake.

gothic_fairy60

Thank everyone. I think that if anyone offers to help I will take them up on it. No one has offered yet, and if they don't I will try to pay a sibling or cousin $30-$50.

Simply Fated

gothic_fairy60 said:

Thank everyone. I think that if anyone offers to help I will take them up on it. No one has offered yet, and if they don't I will try to pay a sibling or cousin $30-$50.

I think that's a really good idea, personally.

They don't even have to be stuck at the cake table for an uber long period of time. After the bulk of the guests grab a slice, they can just cut a bunch of slices out and leave them for people to take.

emmyg65

We cut and served our own wedding cake as our first act of hospitality. But our caterers (who did not provide the cake) came up to us in the middle and offered to cut it for us. We declined because it was important to us. It was a mess though! 

dolewhipper

My sister had a small wedding of 40 people and it was in BIL Aunt's home. Had outside catering buffet but cake from grocery store. I asked her about who would cut the cake and she realized that no one was hired for it. Me being MOH and the person I am, I just spoke up and said, don't worry, I got it.

Now, I know your guest list is three times the size, but if anyone near and dear asks how the wedding is going, maybe you can casually open it up in convo and say that you're willing to pay whoever can help out. I would do this when a few people are present though, so it doesn't feel like you're putting pressure on one person. 

RebeccaB88

Honestly, if I was your friend or family member and you were stuck like this, and you offered to pay me, I wouldn't accept payment and I'd do it because I care and I'd be disgusted with your caterer too.  So, if you offer to pay don't be surprised if they won't take payment. I'd be pretty pumped up if you sent some leftover cake home with me after I helped you, though. That would be payment enough.

If someone does help, have someone remind them to wash their hands and maybe provide food handlers gloves and an apron, because, you know, frosting.

beachyone15

RebeccaB88 said:

Honestly, if I was your friend or family member and you were stuck like this, and you offered to pay me, I wouldn't accept payment and I'd do it because I care and I'd be disgusted with your caterer too.  So, if you offer to pay don't be surprised if they won't take payment. I'd be pretty pumped up if you sent some leftover cake home with me after I helped you, though. That would be payment enough.

If someone does help, have someone remind them to wash their hands and maybe provide food handlers gloves and an apron, because, you know, frosting.

Definitely this. I was at a friend's wedding where the groom's Aunt cut (or rather, hacked up) the cake. It got everywhere, all over her hands and in between the rings on her finger. I actually didn't eat any b/c it really grossed me out to see it happening.
So if you have a family member or friend cut the cake, make sure they wear gloves,or even better - cut the cake in another area where your guests won't see!

wandajune6

I love the idea of having sheet cakes in the back for cutting. Although our venue will handle the cutting, we're doing this to avoid a long wait to feed people cake. Plus, we all love cake so it allows for multiple servings of lots of different flavors!

That said, I would help a friend or relative if they needed- and I wouldn't accept an offer of money though I'd appreciate the gesture.

hyechica81

i would find someone in the family that has experience cutting cake for a large crowed if you get thre wrong person to cut it. you could be left with not enough cake for everyone

Senecaf

That sucks your caterer is so weird about it. I cut dozens of wedding cakes in my time in that industry. If you have a volunteer or pay a family member(s) please provide them with an apron, multiple pairs of gloves, a place away from guests to cut and plate it (super messy and not appetizing to watch) and a pitcher or two of hot water. If you dip and wipe your knife every few slices and certainly between flavor changes it helps keep the cake looking nice.

Again, I think it is shitty of your caterer to expect you to do this for 130 people. YouTube cake cutting with said volunteer in advance. It is cut much different than a regular cake in order to get all of those servings out of it.

mysticl

sarah1551 said:

RebeccaB88 said:

Honestly, if I was your friend or family member and you were stuck like this, and you offered to pay me, I wouldn't accept payment and I'd do it because I care and I'd be disgusted with your caterer too.  So, if you offer to pay don't be surprised if they won't take payment. I'd be pretty pumped up if you sent some leftover cake home with me after I helped you, though. That would be payment enough.

If someone does help, have someone remind them to wash their hands and maybe provide food handlers gloves and an apron, because, you know, frosting.

Definitely this. I was at a friend's wedding where the groom's Aunt cut (or rather, hacked up) the cake. It got everywhere, all over her hands and in between the rings on her finger. I actually didn't eat any b/c it really grossed me out to see it happening.
So if you have a family member or friend cut the cake, make sure they wear gloves,or even better - cut the cake in another area where your guests won't see!

I don't like to see people wearing gloves to handle food.  The gloves sit in an open box and multiple people reach into that box to get gloves.  The outside of the gloves have been sitting exposed to the air and germs and multiple people have reached in and touched them and since they are planning to wear gloves they may not have bothered to wash their hands.  It's also possible that people have sneezed and coughed over them. I'd much rather the food handlers just wash their hands properly.  

crunchymamaof2

mysticl said:

sarah1551 said:

RebeccaB88 said:

Honestly, if I was your friend or family member and you were stuck like this, and you offered to pay me, I wouldn't accept payment and I'd do it because I care and I'd be disgusted with your caterer too.  So, if you offer to pay don't be surprised if they won't take payment. I'd be pretty pumped up if you sent some leftover cake home with me after I helped you, though. That would be payment enough.

If someone does help, have someone remind them to wash their hands and maybe provide food handlers gloves and an apron, because, you know, frosting.

Definitely this. I was at a friend's wedding where the groom's Aunt cut (or rather, hacked up) the cake. It got everywhere, all over her hands and in between the rings on her finger. I actually didn't eat any b/c it really grossed me out to see it happening.
So if you have a family member or friend cut the cake, make sure they wear gloves,or even better - cut the cake in another area where your guests won't see!

I don't like to see people wearing gloves to handle food.  The gloves sit in an open box and multiple people reach into that box to get gloves.  The outside of the gloves have been sitting exposed to the air and germs and multiple people have reached in and touched them and since they are planning to wear gloves they may not have bothered to wash their hands.  It's also possible that people have sneezed and coughed over them. I'd much rather the food handlers just wash their hands properly.  

You just killed all hope I had left. We rely on gloves, for like, everything. Way to spoil the party!

Seriously, those are really good but really nasty points I never thought of.

[Deleted User]

crunchymamaof2 said:

mysticl said:

sarah1551 said:

RebeccaB88 said:

If someone does help, have someone remind them to wash their hands and maybe provide food handlers gloves and an apron, because, you know, frosting.

So if you have a family member or friend cut the cake, make sure they wear gloves,or even better - cut the cake in another area where your guests won't see!

I don't like to see people wearing gloves to handle food.  The gloves sit in an open box and multiple people reach into that box to get gloves.  The outside of the gloves have been sitting exposed to the air and germs and multiple people have reached in and touched them and since they are planning to wear gloves they may not have bothered to wash their hands.  It's also possible that people have sneezed and coughed over them. I'd much rather the food handlers just wash their hands properly.  

You just killed all hope I had left. We rely on gloves, for like, everything. Way to spoil the party!

Seriously, those are really good but really nasty points I never thought of.

Um, your toothbrush has also been sitting out exposed to the air and germs, etc.  Doesn't stop you from putting it into your mouth on a daily basis.