The first time I ever delivered a wedding cake I think I lost about four pounds through stress alone. I don't recommend this as a diet, by the way: I'm sure I put back on much more than that after the cake had been delivered (by eating my way through a family-sized stash of peanut M&Ms).
The thing is, whenever you do something new, there are often things you won't have anticipated. Add in a special occasion where you're responsible for something really important and...yep, that'll be a crazy day indeed.
But now that I've started my own cake business and am used to delivering cakes, I don't find cake delivery to be stressful at all. (Using a sat nav to go to a remote location is a different matter.) So here are my top tips on how to deliver a wedding cake with ease.
Don't take a stacked cake. Seriously. Your cake is far more likely to arrive in one piece if it's not four tiers tall already.
Take the cakes in separate plastic boxes. I love Really Useful Boxes (and no, I'm not paid to say that). These are really strong and can stack on top of one another, which is helpful if you've got a big wedding cake to deliver and don't have much boot space.
Use webbing. No, not like Spiderman. Get some plastic grip webbing from a DIY store and put it under the cake board of each cake so the board doesn't slip in the box. You can buy it on a roll and cut pieces to fit your boxes exactly.
Ice your cake onto a cake board after fixing that cake board to a bigger cake board. I like to use vegan sugarpaste as it sets hard but is edible (so it doesn't matter if it comes into contact with the cake). This means you can gently lift the cake off the big board (using a slim knife) without having to touch the top or sides.
Drive like an old lady (speed-wise) but with your wits about you. I know, I know, that may seem patronising, but the horror stories of people having to do emergency stops send shivers down my spine. Do you really want to floor it with a wedding cake that's taken you 3 days to make?
Finally, good luck in your venture! I'm sure the bride will be really chuffed with your efforts. Just remember to breathe long and slow every time you come across a pothole, crazy motorist or driving rain. You. Can. Do. This.
Have you tried delivering a wedding cake? Do you have a story to share? Please do so below!