A Cake WWYD!

ginadog

Hi all, I'm planning a destination wedding in Jackson Hole for July 2012!  We'll have about 55 guests maybe.  Even though it's only 3.5 hours away from us, we don't plan on going back up to Jackson until the day before the wedding (no extra trips).  I envisioned spending about $200 on a cake really.
 
Basically any cake I get from my town is going to be cheaper than JH. Plus we can actually taste the cake since bakers are local.  I found a local baker that will do a 3 tiered cake 6", 8", 10" for only $130.  She was a little worried about us driving a cake 4 hours to Jackson in July.  But thought if it were in a pre-cooled tall cooler with dry ice, kept out of the sun and on a flat surface (like the back of our Subaru), then put in a fridge right away, that it should be fine.  Just realize the risks.  Bake on a Thursday, pick up on Friday, wedding on Saturday.

My venue aceepts outside cakes, and let's just assume there's no issues with this.

JH is really pricey. There are some cake bakers that I could go with that are so good, I could just find one with good reviews.  We can't do a tasting though.  But we're looking at the same 3 tiered cake for $500+!  The good cakes are $14-17 per slice!

They do have an Albertsons in Jackson.  It's actually about the same price as my local cake.  No 4 hours of driving involved.  However, I cannot do a testing and it's going to be a prefrozen shipped in cake, then they thaw and frost it at the store.
 
WWYD?  Go with the lovely local cake and drive it up?  Or go with the spendy cake you've never tasted but don't have to worry about?  Or go with Albertsons because they are near the wedding and in your price range, and hope it tastes good?
 
Here's the basic cake I am going for.  Good old fashioned frosting.  Nothing fancy.  If I get a booboo, it could be forgiveable due to this frosting.

LittleMissCutiePie

There are way too many horror stories that I've heard/read about people transporting their own cakes to save costs, or out of pure logistics. Putting together a cake is considerably more work than you would think, and should be left to professionals. I may not be the best source for advice, however, because FI and I weren't even going to have cake in the first place. We're only having it now because a friend wants to get cake making experience and if she messes it up we don't give to sh!ts. I think spending 500+ on a cake is a waste of money. That's just me, though. I would go with Albertson's.

ETA: And when I say "putting it together" i mean assembling tiers and whatnot.

ginadog

The local baker does not suggest putting it together either.  She will assembled it to make the frosting seamless.  I'd transport it in a tall cooler assembled, if that adds to the info at all!

Two or three tiered it doesn't matter but it would fit in the cooler assembled.

jessicabessica

Having transported an assembled, three-tier wedding cake about 3 miles in the back of my Subaru, I say don't do it.  I would get a cake locally or consider having an alternative dessert (cupcakes, brownies, pies, etc.).  

ginadog

OK the delivery fee for Albertsons - the woman couldn't give me an exact price.  It's $40 for intown deliever and my venue is 13 miles out of town so she said $40 plus whatever the gas $ is for out of town and back.  I do not know why she couldn't tell me a price when I told her the exact mileage!  I don't like that! 

TurtlesAllTheWayDown

I've transported a regular, 10 inch birthday cake a few miles in my car, and my baker was nervous about THAT. I had her deliver the cake herself on my wedding day, even though it cost extra. No way would I transport a tiered cake myself, even a mile. If anything goes wrong, you're screwed. Whereas if you get Albertsons to deliver it to your venue, they are responsible for it. I would choose that option.

Or could you do cupcakes? I wouldn't be so against transporting cupcakes in special cupcake holders.

chickenbut143

I voted for the expensive cake...but was also thinking...have you thought of ideas for alternative cakes that would be easier to transport?  Cupcakes? 

ginadog

Thanks ladies!  My wedding month board suggested getting a 1 tier cake for just us to cut, then an inexpensive Albertsons sheet cake to cut for guests.  Thankfully cake cutting, serving and boxing are no extra charge.

However, it may save on actual cake costs, but then I'm looking at almost $100 in delivery fees!  No way.

My board also felt since cobbler and S'mores are also being offered to guests (part of the catering options) I could forgoe cake all together and just get one for us - however I don't like that idea.  I want guests to have cake too if they wanted it .

I feel like asking the fancy JH bakers what can you do for $250 ($200 was my tops, but they will probably laugh at me!).  Maybe cupcakes?  I am not spending $500 on a cake the more I thin about it.  That's more than my dress!

I'm leary of Albertsons because they just weren't very helpful on the phone.  They don't do email so how would they even know what type of cake I'm talking about?