Cupcakes, make or no?!

medusia00 · November 2010

Hey Ladies, you always have great advise on this board, I've been stalking this board for a while

I want to have cupcakes at my wedding, but the ones I am in LOVE with are way too much money. Do you think we could make 200 cupcakes before the wedding and still be sane?
Or should I just bit the bullet and buy them.

Also, I have looked at other bakery's and they are all pretty much the same price.

TIA!!

kaesha · November 2010

You CAN make them, it's just a question of how much time/sanity you hope to have. I don't think it's the making of the cupcakes, but rather the decorating that will be time consuming. Only you can weigh the pros and cons of giving up that much time.

What's the most cupcakes you've ever made at once? Think about how long that took and start multiplying the hours.

I Want Cake · November 2010

I agree. You can't make them very far ahead of time, and do you really think you're going to have that much time to spend on this project right before the wedding? If you do, then go for it, but if you've got doubts, it's better to let the pros do their job and keep your sanity, even if it does cost a bunch.

fallbride1109 · November 2010

It looks from your bio that you are doing alot of DIY--I encourage you to really consider whether or not you can take on this project on top of everything else. Also think of the other things: storage, delivery, the cost of ingredients, supplies, etc. Can you really recreate them so that you will love them as much as the ones from the bakery? Only you can really answer if this is something that is doable.

Maybe do a trial run and see how that goes and that could help you decide.

DanielleZZ · November 2010

It totally depends on what else you have to do last minute and how many things you may be worrying about.

colourz · November 2010

It can become overwhelming before the wedding. How do you feel about making then ahead and freezing them. Otherwise, it's probably worth the money to have them made. I tend to take on too much and then I regret it later. I also tend to be a perfectionist. It depends on whether you're the easy going type or not.

medusia00 · November 2010

Thanks ladies for all of your input! I am going to try a test run and do some for the holidays and then see how it goes.

Thank you very much!!

phut_action · November 2010

If you're set on skipping the professionals I'd see if you could get a couple friends or aunts or something to do it. You'll be so busy DIY-ing you won't have time to enjoy it. If it were something else you could do far in advance I'd say go for it. Ask around with coworkers or at church, you may be able to find someone like a stay-at-home mom who bakes from their home.

I'm in Northeast Ohio and we've found cupcakes for as little as $1.75/ea, both professional and "at home" bakers. No decorations, just creative flavors and icing but its cheaper than any cake by the slice I could find.

Manadag_1411534 · November 2010

My friend's sister and mother made the cupcakes for her wedding, and they were amazing, but they all drove each other crazy in the days before the wedding. I wouldn't recommend doing any last minute DIY in general, you just won't feel up for any big projects that close to the wedding with so many other things going on. I guess you need to measure the cost of the cupcakes vs. the cost of a regular wedding cake to feed the same amount of guests. It may seem expensive, but it's probably no more expensive than a big wedding cake. Unless you get a dummy cake, but that's a whole other story

Hope this helps!

dibsontop · November 2010

Making 200 cupcakes really isn't that hard. Decorating them takes a little bit more effort. I made about 170 cupcakes for my wedding.

Our wedding was on Saturday afternoon. I made the cupcakes and icing on Wednesday. Three bridesmaids and my mom helped decorate and box them on Thursday and they were dropped off at the hall on Friday. The caterer set them up for us.

Baking/Decorating in progress (cell phone pics)

Cupcakes boxed and stacked on tables as centerpieces

tlancaster89 · November 2010

yes yes and yes! We are making our own cupcake tower for the wedding. (well, I, his sisters and his mother) we are doing them from strach and it is cheaper because you can make them in bulk.

Linz10882 · November 2010

One thing to keep in mind is that cupcakes and icing can really dry out fast. If made several days before the wedding, you could end up with some dried out cupcakes!

Budnotes · November 2010

As a Pastry Chef - I highly suggest you DON'T make your own. Not that you CAN'T, but trust me - you will not have the time!! What about considering advanced students from a local culinary school/baking program or Pastry/Baking Interns who might be able to replicate the recipe or assist with the baking? My friend was in her final semester of school and a group of us all made her wedding cake. Turned out delicious and was a lot of fun. Made for some great memories!

caitlinandluis · November 2010

I made 200 the night before for my college senior project. I had my roommate and fiance helping me and it took a little time but I'm so glad I did instead of spending all the money for them! My colors were brown light blue and green. So I made chocolate mini cupcakes with vanilla frosting and put a couple of blue and green pearl sprinkles on top and they were so cute! I put them in individual 3x3 in boxes and put a label/sticker on top to seal it. Needless to say I made an A and graduated from college, so yes I would make them!

caitlinandluis · November 2010

Sorry you can also make the cake part of the cupcakes and freeze them and do the frosting the night before so you aren't completely overwhelmed!

pantinkins · November 2010

It is possible to do ahead of time, but you do have to consider seriously all the time it will take. Definitely do anything ahead of time that you can - find out if you can make the batter and freeze it.

It's a give and take. You can save money by doing it yourself, but then you're taking time away from something else that might need to be done at that time, or you can pay someone to have it done, but then not have as much money in the budget for something else.

My bridesmaids and I made my favorite cookie batter and freezed it. I found out that cookie dough is in the freezer is good for 4-6 weeks, so we made it about 4 weeks ahead. A few days before the wedding we'll thaw it and have the caterer bake it.

dibsontop - GORGEOUS cupcakes! Well done.

bosoxy · November 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_food-cakes_cupcakes-8?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:23Discussion:8e20aef4-a930-4af5-93c5-273f667b1e41Post:b80d420a-9c1f-428d-9699-bcfe4cc17703">Re: Cupcakes, make or no?!</a>:
[QUOTE]It looks from your bio that you are doing alot of DIY--I encourage you to really consider whether or not you can take on this project on top of everything else. Also think of the other things: storage, delivery, the cost of ingredients, supplies, etc. Can you really recreate them so that you will love them as much as the ones from the bakery? Only you can really answer if this is something that is doable. Maybe do a trial run and see how that goes and that could help you decide.
Posted by stephiehall[/QUOTE]
^THIS. Trial run sounds like a great idea. And you can always donate the baked goods afterwards!

mybestfriend4eva · November 2010

It can be done but I suggest trial run for taste and overall timetable with you having other DIY projects going on. Also if you are set on saving money and making them yourself you could always see if you have a few family members or friends you could trust with a recipe and baking and have them do it or help you do it to ease your stress and free up some of your time for other things. HTH and good luck

midgemoto · November 2010

If you have a big freezer you can do them earlier.. Come up with a nice simple way to decoorate and plan ahead...I think the trick is in being nice and organized...

sounds like some fun actually... as long as you dont stress and exhaust yourself...

luck!!!

morganharding · December 2010

Just from my personal experience as a MOH in a July wedding... I would say not only no, but heck no!

On one hand I totally understand the money aspect of it, but on the other I have to say that we spent hours decorating cupcakes the night before the wedding because the bride and her mother wanted them fresh. They made the cupcakes a couple of days in advance and froze them... but while everyone else was enjoying themselves at the dinner the night before the wedding 3 of us were slaving away in the kitchen decorating 200+ cupcakes.

If you have a great group of people that want to help, the time, and most importantly the artistic ability then I say go for it and make amazing cupcakes for your guests. However, if you have to take care of a lot more DIY projects and it would be more stress then I would have to say that go with the ones that you loved in the first place and sacrifice the money...

taylorandbryonsbigday · December 2010

I made 200 mini cheesecakes for my wedding. My aunt and I made them ahead of time and froze them but cheesecakes freeze really well. I made some really simple food for my rehearsal dinner and I was crazed. I would do it again but make things I could do ahead of time. I was CRAZED the week of my wedding and did not get to enjoy it. I regret that. I would suggest making the cupcakes a few weeks before and freezing them. You could find a friend, local culinary student, neighbor anyone really other then bridesmaids or family and pay them a small amount to frost them the day before the wedding. I think DIY is great but know your limits and set a cut off when everything that is not done is scratched. I suggest Thursday at noon if your wedding is on Sunday. ENJOY you only get that time once!!!

sister2groom · December 2010

I've made over a 100 cupcakes before. I was having a bad day and had a bunch of leftover cakemix and it just seemed like a good idea (it actually was because the ridiculousness of the chocolate expanse over my countertop really made my day). But to your question...

I would make up a VERY detailed pros and cons list. Go and price out the all the ingredients (don't forget the little things, like cupcake liners). Estimate the amount of time it will take and when will you have to make them (time that's closer to the wedding will be worth more). Compare all of the to the high price (but convenience and possibly taste) of bakery cupcakes.

Also, keep in mind that even if you do freeze the cupcakes, you will have to frost them, a day or two in advance. And if you have to frost while you're spending time with OOT guests, they may feel obligated/want to help you, in which case it would be much better if you did very simple frosting so you didn't have to get all OCD about it. If you want decorated cupcakes I would advocate for simple frosting with cupcake flags or something, simply because that moves cupcake decoration prep time from right before the wedding to any time at all.

Cupcakes, make or no?!

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