Saturday, May 8, 2010

Wedding cake-in-the-middle-of-the road

I once met a girl who, having just completed an events management course, told me a story about the unfortunate (hugely hilarious) happenings of how she had ruined a bride’s wedding cake. ‘Ruined’ would be an understatement; her description was more one of catastrophic proportions. I cannot begin to express how amusing the story was, given the fact that this particular girl, ironically, wished to become a wedding planner.

I won’t harp on with the details, as they are not the crux of this story but I must emphasize that she ‘had absolutely ruined someone’s wedding cake on the day of the wedding’ and had then to face the consequences of having to contact the bride...merely a few hours before the ceremony.

The result was a hysterical bride, panic-stricken mother of the bride and a terrified event planner who had been threatened with her life should she not replace the cake in time. She (the events planner) resulted in scouting Cape Town for the next best thing, if not better than the original, on a quiet Saturday afternoon to return to Somerset West (a good forty minute drive between areas) in time to for the ceremony. She had less time to do the return journey in, than it would take you or I to drive those distances normally.

*Sigh*

We have often found ourselves in similar situations, whether we are in the position of the bride, her frantic mother or the event planner. Stressful situations, high demands, pressure, anxiety, nervous tension, trauma, upset, strain, distress and all for a beautifully constructed mound of flour, eggs, butter, milk, cocoa powder and vanilla and the importance of meaning we associate it with.

A wedding cake (this is an analogy...go with it) is only life-ending if we say it is.

This, of course, may be applied to anything and everything in life. So here are some guideline’s to assist in holding your head together when your wedding cake-in-the-middle-of-the-road moment arises:

1. Be ok with back up plans, it is often that no one knows that that is what they are except you

2. Be relaxed enough to view the activity objectively and to rationally consider solutions

3. Specific to the events of a ruined wedding cake, understand that the heart of a successful wedding, marriage, relationship is not dependant on the cake but on the recipe used to nourish and sustain a lifelong partnership rich and sweet enough to see life through (this is an analogy...it applies to everything...consider it)

In conclusion to the dear, darling bride, the wedding cake is surely not what determines the success of your wedding ceremony and reception? Although I will admit, it makes for a hell-of-a-nice traditional wedding pic must-have.

4 comments:

  1. ah wish i knew the details of the cake catastrophe!!! Shame - it sounds distastrous though! I liked you ending and the analogies you used. Very good!

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  2. Wow, what did she do to the cake? I really like how you linked partnership and success to not be based on just the wedding and the cake. Very interesting story, I want to hear more! Well written!

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  3. Always good to keep you guessing about the details...LOL. I'll give you a hint...she worked at a golf estate and had the job of carrying the cake through to the reception area...oh yeah, and BTW, she took it from the chefs hands and...urm...WHAT A MESS!

    Must add that her facial expressions sold her story tenfold.

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  4. I love how you turned the blog post into a helpful reference for future disaster! Captivating piece of writing. Loved it!

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