I got this email.
Can you do a cost estimations for me? If we did a 2 tier hexagon shaped cake for us, either style, and a sheet cake to serve 150 people in addition what would the cost be?
I do not do sheet cakes. I will do a kitchen cake if they need more servings than the cake that they want but I don't like doing sheet cakes. They are way too much work for me. Plus I don't want to be known for that. If they can't afford me I totally understand but I still want to give a reply. Just not sure how to word it. Also if you do kitchen cakes do you charge the same amount as a wedding slice or do you charge less?
TIA,
Jenn
cake is cake.
same price sheet (kitchen) or tiered.
so....
why go skimpy and unimpressive with small cake and kitchen cakes....
when you can knock their socks off with big mama of a cake!
----
this future bride has obviously been listening/reading all that advice about how kitchen cakes are SOOOO much cheaper.
NOT!
tell them your cost per serving for tiered cakes. You can offer satellite cakes or kitchen cakes at a slightly lower price, or just state your per serving cost STARTING price. A lot will depend on the design. You wouldn't charge$2.50 a serving for a cake covered in 100 gumpaste roses.
This is what I'd write:
I need to get some more information from you before I can give you an estimate, since my prices are based on the design of the cake. Do you have a specific design in mind, or any pictures that you can send me? If I have a better idea of what you're looking for it would help. Also, if you can let me know what your budget is, I'll let you know if you need to do a sheet cake at all. I prefer not to do them if it isn't necessary, and if you let me know what your price range is then I'll be able to determine whether you'll actually need an extra sheet cake or not.
I have already had a sampling with her and have sent her a quote for 2 different cakes. But she has asked for a quote for the above mentioned item.
Oh sorry! 
The OP sounded like it was a blind inquiry.
But since I dont' charge extra for design, flavor or filling (ergo since I don't charge extra for the "harder", then I don't discount for the "easier"), my reply stands. For the way I do things, it's $3/serving regardless of the shape of the cake.
I have already had a sampling with her and have sent her a quote for 2 different cakes. But she has asked for a quote for the above mentioned item.
Oh sorry!
The OP sounded like it was a blind inquiry.But since I dont' charge extra for design, flavor or filling (ergo since I don't charge extra for the "harder", then I don't discount for the "easier"), my reply stands. For the way I do things, it's $3/serving regardless of the shape of the cake.
No problem. My tiredness while typing the post.
I do charge slightly less for kitchen cakes because they are not covered in fondant. I have a minimum size order for the main cake though. Ex: You have to get a main cake of at least 100 servings before you can get the lesser priced kitchen cakes.
Dear Cheap-@$$ wanker bride,
here's the number for Wal-Mart, 123-234-3456
LOL!! You really do fit your handle...
I personally do kitchen cakes a lot cheaper then a wedding cake...I know, you are all gonna throw rocks at me!
A tier wedding cake can take hours, days, sometimes weeks to plan, design, bake and decorate.
My kitchen cakes are just a sheet cake, no filling, no torting..just a sheet cake. I slap on some buttercream (I don't even bother smoothing it..I do the old run the knife across a couple of times..) and I do a quick shell along the bottom. They take me 25 minutes to bake, they take me all of 10 minutes to frost. I make a pretty nice profit on them, becuase I save so much time. I don't feel I should be charging them the same price as a wedding cake!
Even if you have in your contract that you don't allow other cakes if you don't offer a cheaper addition to the big tier cake, they are going to order the big teir cake for less servings and sneak in a grocery store sheet cake. (do you go and inspect the entire kitchen for a sheet cake?) I dont want people thinking when they eat cake that it is something I made when its from a grocery store.
I guess I just feel for the brides who want a pretty show cake but have to invite all the cousins, aunts and step brothers to their wedding.
Dear Cheap-@$$ wanker bride,
here's the number for Wal-Mart, 123-234-3456
LOL!! You really do fit your handle...
I personally do kitchen cakes a lot cheaper then a wedding cake...I know, you are all gonna throw rocks at me!
A tier wedding cake can take hours, days, sometimes weeks to plan, design, bake and decorate.
My kitchen cakes are just a sheet cake, no filling, no torting..just a sheet cake. I slap on some buttercream (I don't even bother smoothing it..I do the old run the knife across a couple of times..) and I do a quick shell along the bottom. They take me 25 minutes to bake, they take me all of 10 minutes to frost. I make a pretty nice profit on them, becuase I save so much time. I don't feel I should be charging them the same price as a wedding cake!
Even if you have in your contract that you don't allow other cakes if you don't offer a cheaper addition to the big tier cake, they are going to order the big teir cake for less servings and sneak in a grocery store sheet cake. (do you go and inspect the entire kitchen for a sheet cake?) I dont want people thinking when they eat cake that it is something I made when its from a grocery store.
I guess I just feel for the brides who want a pretty show cake but have to invite all the cousins, aunts and step brothers to their wedding.
My kitchen cakes look like a wedding cake when you cut it. Who wants to be the guest who gets a piece of cake that came from Wal-Mart and guest X over there got a slice of the wedding cake?
Dear Cheap-@$$ wanker bride,
here's the number for Wal-Mart, 123-234-3456
THANK YOU so much for a full-blown-laugh-out-loud-moment.
Your response - while not possible - is certainly appropriate.
I'm with you! I'm still chuckling (sp?) as I type this.
My Daughter is a Wedding designer and the Brides don't blink an eye when she give them the prices in the thousands. But, they want a $150 Wedding cake.
A little off the subject but wanted to share. I went to a Wedding of a close friend last Saturday. The Wedding cake was included in the price of the Hall. I would have done her cake for free.
The first thing I do when arriving at a Wedding reception is go over and look at the wedding cake. What a mess. They didn't smooth the frosting. There were six cakes on different stands and they each had a rose (looked like it was melting) on them.
To top it off I watch people around me take a bite of cake and push the plate to the center of the their table.
I don't think anyone was talking about how beautiful or good tasting the cake was the next day.
I've often thought how it works when the Bride orders sheet cakes for the back. If it's not layered with filling I would think the guest would notice.
If the sheet cake is layered with filling than it is just as much work as the Wedding cake and should be charged such.
I started out not doing any sheet cakes. Then I kept getting calls from big corporate customers who wanted sheet cakes with logos etc. So I bought some sheet pans.I charge a lot for these cakes ( a 9X13 is $80 before any charge for decoration or specialty flavors) I still fill them, so they are not different when sliced than the other cake servings we make. Our wedding cake packages start at $350, so if they have a 200 plus person wedding, I'll sell them a three tiered cake for 90 ( $405 at least) plus two 9X13. If someone wants a smaller cake and sheets, it'll save them a little money, but not a lot, and it's easier for us to build, decorate and transport.
We have kitchen cake that are 3 layers just as the main cake. We only take .25 cents off since we dont decorate it. Thats it! We do charge extra from fondant, flowers, details, filling etc.
Good Luck!
I guess I just feel for the brides who want a pretty show cake but have to invite all the cousins, aunts and step brothers to their wedding.
I dunno, as a bride, I would much rather prefer to invite less people (those closest to myself and the groom, who I know will be pulling for this marriage to work and supporting us in every way possible) and have the nicer things that I want, than to just have a bunch of people there filling up seats and have to cut back on the things that are important. The cake is a centerpiece and I don't think folk should skimp on it. SO, since I charge the same price for a kitchen cake, most folk just go ahead and get a beautiful centerpiece cake.
I guess I just feel for the brides who want a pretty show cake but have to invite all the cousins, aunts and step brothers to their wedding.
I dunno, as a bride, I would much rather prefer to invite less people ......than to just have a bunch of people there filling up seats ....
I'm with you. Those who feel they "have" to invite cousins they've never seen but twice a year ... to me, it just sounds like they are either (a) trying to keep up with the Jones' or (b) allowing others to tell them how to spend their money. Either way, they are in for a rough time on the financial side of marriage, if they can't make their own decisions about their money from the git-go, without allowing others to dictate or worrying about "what everyone will think" if they don't buy the BIG house or the EXPENSIVE car.
Those Cousins are going to show up with a card and a $15 check.
Oh I agree completely! But man, I have had so many brides who I guess just feel they have to make their parents happy. I have one bride who had to invite her entire church to her wedding because her father was on the board!!
When my daughter got married, my son in laws mom insisted we invite all her family from across the country, stating they "won't come". Since she wasn't paying for the wedding, I had to put my foot down and say no. She kept insisting they wouldn't come. So I compromise and invited a smaller list of the people my son in law would actually enjoy seeing and you know what? THEY ALL CAME! (although my daughter did get some nice checks from them!)
I feel so sorry for these brides sometimes, I have had tastings where the mom is designing the cake and the bride is just sitting there. I try so hard to get the bride involved, but I guess the mom felt she was paying for it...
Back to kitchen cakes: If a bride wants a filled kitchen cake, I offer those too, which cost also about 25 cents less then the wedding cake per serving. But most of them just want the unfilled cake. I guess they are thinking they rather their guests get cake, even if its different, then no cake at all!
Dear Bride,
It is a popular misconception right now that ordering a smaller display cake and a sheet cake for additional servings is a way to save money on your wedding reception. However, this is not the case. I charge a base price of $x per serving, whether the servings are stacked or sheets in the kitchen. While I charge more for elaborate decorations to a cake, a simple tiered cake for 150 would cost the same as a small display cake plus a kitchen sheet cake to serve 150. Therefore, the cost for the amount of cake you need will be $x. If you have any further questions, feel free to contact me.
Sincerely,
Since it appears that she is fishing for what would be the cheapest option, my approach would be to ask her what her budget is, what is the most she would like to pay for her cake. Then you can give her the options and be done with all the back and forth.
Dear Bride,
In designing your cake, it is my hope to give you the best value for the amount that you have budgeted for this item. With that in mind, give me an idea of the maximum amount that you would like to spend on your cake and I will present you with the options that I feel will be the best in order to provide you with the style of cake that we have discussed.
If after that, she doesn't like anything that you've presented, move on because she's going to be a PITA anyway.
Those Cousins are going to show up with a card and a $15 check.
Oh I agree completely! But man, I have had so many brides who I guess just feel they have to make their parents happy. I have one bride who had to invite her entire church to her wedding because her father was on the board!!
When my daughter got married, my son in laws mom insisted we invite all her family from across the country, stating they "won't come". Since she wasn't paying for the wedding, I had to put my foot down and say no. She kept insisting they wouldn't come. So I compromise and invited a smaller list of the people my son in law would actually enjoy seeing and you know what? THEY ALL CAME! (although my daughter did get some nice checks from them!)
I feel so sorry for these brides sometimes, I have had tastings where the mom is designing the cake and the bride is just sitting there. I try so hard to get the bride involved, but I guess the mom felt she was paying for it...
Back to kitchen cakes: If a bride wants a filled kitchen cake, I offer those too, which cost also about 25 cents less then the wedding cake per serving. But most of them just want the unfilled cake. I guess they are thinking they rather their guests get cake, even if its different, then no cake at all!
I have to share: When DD got married I said I would pay for our friends and family and his parents could pay for theirs. I had already dished out a bundle on a wedding that was cancelled two months before the date.
We were picking up the tab because his Mother was a Widow and was on a fixed income.
DH and I have no family, some of our friends could make it. We had two tables at the reception while his side at least 15. They could afford it and besides I don't like them, very uppity people.
What a shame this Wedding wasn't cacelled two months before.
Just today DD was telling me that when SIL's parents recieved a wedding invation with Mr. & Mrs. ---- they would write in 4 and take the kids with them 
. How rude is that.
Back to the wedding cake I'm a sugarolic so of course I can't wait for the Wedding cake, the four layers with the filling. I'm not picky I'll take any flavor. If I got a piece of sheet cake, well, 
Maybe if that happened I could dig in the card box and get my card with my check back - JK 
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