Fresh or Dead?

For the past decade 9 out of every 10 wedding cakes I made were finished with real flowers.
The trend is decreasing.
I breathe a sigh of relief.

Yes, they can be beautiful, but that depends on:
1. which florist you get them from
2. who adorns your cake with them
3. overkill

The cost to dress your cake with roses & daisies has escalated beyond belief. Simply to be viewed briefly, before they are removed & tossed in a trash bin. Poor... dead flowers, did they ever have a chance? I have received wilted roses with brown spots on occasion, the bride having paid good money for a pretty pink tea rose...then what do I do? I want the cake to look fabulous, sometimes it's not as easy as you'd think. I have already replaced flowers at my own cost to avoid finishing a perfect cake with un-perfect flowers. But, you learn from your mistakes. I charge an additional rate for dealing with 'live' flowers. The cost depends on which area florist the bride has chosen. I don't tell them this, of course. Because, to be blunt, some florists are bad & some are good, one is EXCEPTIONAL, while others are just ok.


Then there are also the flowers you have to stay away from, because they are poisonous, even with the tiniest brush against frosting. Ideally any flowers coming in contact with the cake should be grown pesticide free. Then again, this will cost you twice the amount of $$$. Bummer.

I have nothing against a few roses/rose petals here & there. On one occasion I was given enough loose flowers to cover at least 3 cakes. I felt obligated to use them all, as they were already paid for, yet there was no way I could fit them all on the cake. I made a separate arrangement & set it on the table next to the cake. Gotta think fast sometimes! Especially if you're setting it up in a hotel...people everywhere, some just watching me. A rare occurrence, but it does happen, heckling. Mostly by men who think they will somehow gain my attention by shouting, "Don't trip! Don't drop the cake!" Really, how dumb is that?!!?


If you have ever seen me deliver a cake, odds are I haven't noticed you. In fact, to glance at me, whilst delivering, you might even think to yourself, "Gee, that one looks like a right bitch!" I have to tune out everyone & everything. Set my eye on the goal [cake]. There aren't any distractions if I don't allow them. So, when the flowers are already at the reception waiting, I have set up the cake, I open the package to find dead horrible wilting flowers, with many people around watching me, instead of loudly exclaiming, 'Now what the fuck do I do?' I graciously salvage what I can, then decorate the rest of the cake with the 'emergency kit' I brought along, just in case.

What's your opinion?