What To Charge For 300P Wedding Cake, Help Please.
Decorating By aviles2005 Updated 8 Sep 2013 , 11:20am by MimiFix
I just did two weddings this weekend for 300-350 each, and they paid the base prices for the flavors I do--one was $3.00; the other was $4.25 for the bride's cakes, which each served about 100. They both then got 12 x 18" sheet cakes, which I charge $2.75/sv for basic flavors, each sheet being 4" deep, two 2" layers with one layer of filling. The brides cakes were a 6, 8, and 12" for one and a 6", 9, and 12 for the other. Hope that helps. Good luck, and whatever you do--START BAKING about 2 weeks ahead or you'll give yourself a stroke. 
fabulous!
i would hate to freeze a cake - but i suppose this is the ONLY way to do it right?
p.s. can i quote your "mom's rule"? i LOVE it!
START BAKING about 2 weeks ahead or you'll give yourself a stroke.
I couldn't agree more with this! I did my first wedding cake last week--a gift to my niece--and it took all my week, Monday through Friday. I baked Monday and Tuesday (froze the cakes), Wed and Thurs I made the fillings and bc, Friday I torted and filled and frosted the cakes.
I have four children and a hubby who were terribly neglected last week. I told myself if I ever did this again, I would start at least 2-3 weeks ahead of time (the cakes freeze perfectly and it is done all the time) so I would just have to frost and assemble and decorate. Then you won't have a 'stroke'!
And how this thread got started, don't underestimate your time and skill by undercharging. If I were to ever charge (maybe someday!) I would take the advice in this thread and charge appropriately---don't undersell yourself--your time is precious, and there is a LOT that goes into a wedding cake. I think it would take all the joy out of doing cakes if one were to undercut themselves. I would rather pass up the business and do it for fun.
I hope it goes well! Have a good time with it.
Wedding cakes are 4" high plus... so I would do at least three torte layers. Also, don't include the top tier in the number of servings they want to order if they want to save it, but DON'T forget to charge for those servings!
That Wilton guide is for awefully small portions! But a very wise ccer said that they can cut the cake however they want, but use the Wilton guide for your pricing. Here I am giving advice, lol, my first paid wedding cake is Monday. Wish me luck too! <<<<<<Cheryl
I use the Wilton guide for my pricing and give them a copy for of the cutting guide, and I've never once had someone say they didn't have enough. They often over-estimate what they'll need, anyway...
If you think of a piece of cake 4-1/2" tall and 1 x 2" deep, it's like the size of half a sandwich, and I clearly describe this to my brides. That puts it into perspective for them.
And on pricing, I do love my mom's rule and what indydebi and others have said. It's not "just cake", (as in: down-home potluck for 30)--they are buying a high-end custom dessert for 100 (or 300) guests. Any restaurant around, the dessert menu starts at about $4.99 for anything. ...Ok, granted the pieces are the size of my garden shed, but whatever. 
If they still want to spend less than $3.00 per person for this part of their reception, tell them to try taking their guests all through the drive through at McDonalds for an ice cream cone, if the cake seems too expensive. !
If they still want to spend less than $3.00 per person for this part of their reception, tell them to try taking their guests all through the drive through at McDonalds for an ice cream cone, if the cake seems too expensive.
!
And I've actually told brides that. Had one who wanted to feed 200 people AND wanted me to set up and tear down the tables (I am NOT a maintenance dept!) for $500! I told her, "Honey, you can't get Happy Meals for that!"
If they still want to spend less than $3.00 per person for this part of their reception, tell them to try taking their guests all through the drive through at McDonalds for an ice cream cone, if the cake seems too expensive.
!And I've actually told brides that. Had one who wanted to feed 200 people AND wanted me to set up and tear down the tables (I am NOT a maintenance dept!) for $500! I told her, "Honey, you can't get Happy Meals for that!"
uuhhh.. yea! I've turned the tables on several people who squak about my pie prices. Yea.. I do old fashioned, everything from scratch deep dish pies. Had this woman HOWL at my $20 price for an apple pie last Christmas. I said, ok... how much would YOU charge if I ordered it?
her reply: I wouldn't do it, I don't LIKE to bake pies.
I said no more, she heard herself speak and ordered 3 pies.
Do what indy preaches! Break it down for them. It's the intial shock of hundreds, maybe thousands of dollars that puts them off. When you show them on a serving basis 99% of the time the resistance fades away.
The McD's comparison is right on. Came home from Wichita the other day, stopped at a McD's at son's pleading. Total for 2 lousy crappy (I'm not a huge McD's fan) meals thrown in a paper bag was over $8. AND.. that's cheaper than we usually get out of there for!
Debi.. can I get fries with that??
Please please do not undercharge - believe me I'm learning fast as more orders come in. Ditto on what everyone is saying. I charge $3.00/per slice for b/c and $3.50/per slice for premium flavors and fillings. I say at least $900 + extra for the sheet cakes of course and an additional charge for delivery. There is also time spent for your flowers unless you purchase them then add that cost in as well. For each bride I meet receives a "preliminary" detailed itemized quote so that it can be reviewed and when all changes/additions and add-ons are made I do the "formal" quote. It's really important for everyone to be on the "same page". Much good luck to you on this one. You can do it!!! 
good!! its gonna be a beautiful cake! so your bride is picking it up? she's brave!!
Personally, I will not allow anyone to pick up a tiered cake. There is an art to putting them together and not just anyone can do it. If they are going to transport it already stacked it could very easily be a MESS by the time they get to the reception site. Then who gets the blame?? The cake designer. I can just hear all the reasons it's your fault already.
I agree that $3.00 per person is very reasonable for the amount of time and material that it will take. Hell, just a very simple 3 tiered cake takes me all frickin' day and then some of the next! I agree with it could take 36 hours. If you charged $350 that would be 97 cents per hour (including ingredients). Is your time worth more than that??
everyone here has wonderful insight and tips. 
i had a woman call me on monday and wanted a cake to feed 200 on sat!!! 
i quoted her 425 including delivery and she never even returned my phone call. apparently, some people are unaware of what it really takes to make a cake. small or large.
ok, i'm confused. She wants to feed 300 people. so if she charges $900 for the cake ($3 per serving), that would be for the whole tiered cake. Why would she need any sheet cakes after that??? Is it possible that she wants a tiered cake for 150 people and then sheets for 150 people? That would bring the cost down considerably, IMO.
ok, i'm confused. She wants to feed 300 people. so if she charges $900 for the cake ($3 per serving), that would be for the whole tiered cake. Why would she need any sheet cakes after that??? Is it possible that she wants a tiered cake for 150 people and then sheets for 150 people? That would bring the cost down considerably, IMO.
When I was a kid, I always remember people planning weddings by ordering cake for the expected 100 guests and then getting a sheet cake "just in case"...... just in case more people showed up, which of course NEVER happens.
I think this "cake for 300 plus a sheet cake" is a carry over from that mind-set ..... order the sheet cake "just in case" because that's what you're POSTA do without knowing why.
And I do not discount for sheet cakes. Same cake, no matter what pan I bake it in. Sheet cake pricing does not include delivery .... wedding cake pricing does. MOre work to do sheet cakes .... example: if a bride wants a 3-tier for 100 and sheets for 50. It's the same amount of work to bake a 14/10/6 for 100 as it is to bake a 16/12/8 for 150. Making a sheet cake or two "on the side" is more work for me, so why do you think you get it cheaper? (And don't give me the "less decorating" BS ... iced plain with just a ribbon around the base takes me zero time!)
ok, i'm confused. She wants to feed 300 people. so if she charges $900 for the cake ($3 per serving), that would be for the whole tiered cake. Why would she need any sheet cakes after that??? Is it possible that she wants a tiered cake for 150 people and then sheets for 150 people? That would bring the cost down considerably, IMO.
When I was a kid, I always remember people planning weddings by ordering cake for the expected 100 guests and then getting a sheet cake "just in case"...... just in case more people showed up, which of course NEVER happens.
I think this "cake for 300 plus a sheet cake" is a carry over from that mind-set ..... order the sheet cake "just in case" because that's what you're POSTA do without knowing why.
And I do not discount for sheet cakes. Same cake, no matter what pan I bake it in. Sheet cake pricing does not include delivery .... wedding cake pricing does. MOre work to do sheet cakes .... example: if a bride wants a 3-tier for 100 and sheets for 50. It's the same amount of work to bake a 14/10/6 for 100 as it is to bake a 16/12/8 for 150. Making a sheet cake or two "on the side" is more work for me, so why do you think you get it cheaper? (And don't give me the "less decorating" BS ... iced plain with just a ribbon around the base takes me zero time!)
Well, I guess then I don't understand why you wouldn't just make a tiered cake for that many people... I mean, speaking from the customer's standpoint, I'd be like, "oh, you'll charge me the same for the sheet cake? Well make me a bigger tiered cake instead." 
I'm with you indydeb. I don't discount for sheets, either. In fact I charged extra for shapes other than round, because they simply take longer.
I explain it this way: "My wedding cakes are four layers of cake and three layers of filling per tier. Picture that slice on a plate. A true sheet cake is not filled. Picture a hunk of essentially birthday cake on a plate. You'll need to tell your caterer who to serve the pretty wedding cake to and which of your guests should get the cheap cake."
Stops that sheet cake crap every time.
Sooo, why is it your responsibilty to help a bride find a way to take money out of your pocket? If she needs 300 servings of cake, then sell her 300 servings of beautiful wedding cake. Don't offer to sell her 150 servings of beautiful wedding cake and 150 servings of sheet cake for which you will receive less money.
The bride's budget is not your problem. It's hers. Trust me, if she wants your cake she'll buy it.
Wedding cakes, compared to the cost of the meal, and the cost of desserts in a restaurant are not expensive.
Flame away.
Well Girls...
You have me convinced that my prices will be going up for next wedding season! I had been decorating in a retail setting for 12 years when I quit last year to open my home based business (keep in mind I live in RURAL PA) so just to get started I made up brochures for weddings and another for birthdays and passed them out at our local parade. I would charge $1.00 per serving for weddings......This year I had/have 27 weddings booked.
SOOO
I guess my name is out now and its time to raise the prices. You can see some of my work at www.missyscakesandbakes.com if you'd like.
So many people are afraid of quoting prices.........myself included, until after I did a cake in July for 400.........and I used Earlene's charts, not Wiltons, which are bigger portions, for this one as the lady said "my family likes alot of cake"..........so according to Wilton's charts, my cake was more like 600 servings..........These people, I gave a huge discount, because they are old friends of the family, yada yada........ I kept track of the time it took me to bake, make icing and decorate and set up and how much my ingredients cost.............so figure out what you want to make per hour for your time, electricity, time away from family, etc....keeping track of time and ingredient costs is an eye-opener.
The phrase "I just want something simple, maybe some sheet cakes in the back"........translates to "I want to see how cheap I can get you to work for me."
First of all, simple takes as much, sometimes more time as extravagent, because to ice a cake perfectly smooth is a pain, and decorations are good for hiding imperfections. Also, the sheet cake thing.........so far, I have been able to change many minds on the sheet cakes, because it's the same price as the round cakes that are equivalent servings..............I do not like sheet cakes, I have done only a few, and I am better at handling round cakes. So, when they realize that the round cakes will look more elegant and cost the same, they come my way and agree to do rounds.............don't undersell yourself..........don't doubt what you can charge, as stated above, try and take all of those guests to any restaurant and get dessert for less.........
I am in the exact same boat. the bride changed her order from 150 to 300 this weekend...in my case I am charging $1 a slice because she is a family friend and it will also be my gift to her. Red velvet also ( she wanted whipped icing , but that will never hold up) the design is very detailed as she wants a Harley Davison cake. don't under estimate your gift... doing what we love is a blessing but it can be very costly. I usually charge 2-3 dollars a slice depending on the detail and that is STILL a very competitive cost. Anything under $300 isn't fair to you!
If she had come to me, that cake would start at 1000.00 WITHOUT the flowers. WITHOUT delivery. WITHOUT the rush added in. The second you hit 2 tiers in my book you have left "little cake" in the dust. In addition once you add sugar flowers you have let "Simple" out the door. Plus that would be a white cake with IMBC, no fillings and no specialty flavors. Do not forget to pay yourself. You are worth it and your time is precious!!!
A
Original message sent by Kimblebee
I am in the exact same boat. the bride changed her order from 150 to 300 this weekend...in my case I am charging $1 a slice because she is a family friend and it will also be my gift to her. Red velvet also ( she wanted whipped icing , but that will never hold up) the design is very detailed as she wants a Harley Davison cake. don't under estimate your gift... doing what we love is a blessing but it can be very costly. I usually charge 2-3 dollars a slice depending on the detail and that is STILL a very competitive cost. Anything under $300 isn't fair to you!
Can you be my family friend? A $450 gift is already generous but now you're giving her a $900 gift - going by how much you are undercharging her for that cake, and that was on the low side. PS - you can't charge her at all for a Harley Davidson cake unless you have written permission to use their trademark.
I do sell my cakes to restaurants and they turn around and more than double the money...
I love learning from all of you thank you for your insights and sharing
Selling wholesale works quite well for some businesses. If it fits the business plan and cakes are priced correctly, then it doesn't matter what a restaurant charges. However, if you have enough wedding/specialty cake orders at a high price point, then wholesaling is not your primary goal.
I owned a retail bakery that also had wholesale accounts. Local restaurants bought cakes for their dessert carts which brought in more retail business.
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