A Piece of (Fake) Cake The cake might not be real, but the money is.
By Kristen Henning •
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What: Whimsical fake wedding cakes
Who: Kimberly Aya of Fun Cakes rental LLC
Where: Grandville, Mich.
When: Started in 2007
Startup costs: Less than $1,000
Kimberly Aya's career choice was an easy one. When she was just 8 years old, she started designing cakes for her chocolate-loving father--and she hasn't stopped since. So, after getting married and moving to Turkey for 15 years, her first order of business upon returning home to Michigan was to open a specialty cake shop in the U.S.
Aya started showing off her cake-designing talents at bridal shows, where she was soon struck with an idea. Although most show participants use fake cakes only for display, Aya realized that a large percentage of brides actually prefer the look of fake cakes. A few months later, she turned her bright idea into a business when she founded Fun Cakes Rental. "I don't care if I do a fake cake or a real cake," says Aya, 52, "as long as I get to decorate, because that's what I love."
