I need help pricing an upcoming wedding cake. It will need to serve 250-300 people. It is just a white cake, pink buttercream with some "pearls". Basically very simple. Help??

A lot depends on your area. But just to get you started, my rate for buttercream is $3/serving. So for a 250-300 cake, that would be $750-$900.

I agree, it depends on your area. Someone put up their prices earlier, and thats what I use. Basically, one example may be a 12" round, I charge $56. In my area, no one would pay $3 a slice. I just did some math, how much it costs to make, labor, and equipment that I need to buy if I don't already have it.

It really is about the area you are in. I live in a smaller city and we charge $2.25 per serving for buttercream. but my fellow decorator that lives not even an hour away charges $3.75 per serving. In Jackson, MS, several people charge anywhere between $5-8 per serving and higher.

If you are anything like I was when I first started out, I was kind of nervous about charging too much because I was afraid it would scare the customer away. But several people gave me some advice (and I really appreciated it) and that was...as a cake decorator, your cakes are fresher, better tasting and not mass produced like a supermarket or other place in town. you put a lot of work, labor and thought into each and every cake you do...so if someone doesn't want to pay, then let them go...you don't need their business anyway.

good luck on your pricing...And God Bless You.