I got this email and had to chuckle. She sounds really sweet but I'm a bit taken aback by the sticker shock. I'm not sure how to deal with it. Her aunt works w/ me at the hospital and told me she doesn't like cake and doesn't want to spend a "lot" of money on it.

Hi Melanie,
My aunt gave me your website and told me to check it out. I did, and I am confused a little bit about your pricing. Is your pricing based on the type of cake it is? I understand that ornamentation will cost more per ornament, etc. I'm having a rather large wedding (around 500+ people) and am trying to look for a pretty cake that's not going to cost me more than it was to rent the church and its facilities. I like the cake that had each layer on an individual platter-type deal. If I got the butter cake (because I hate chocolate), would it really be around 2.00 a slice? And how many would that five-layer cake in the photo on your website actually feed? Thanks so much for taking your time to answer my questions.

Here's my reply, I hope it was OK.

Hi, ____,
Yes, basic vanilla butter cake is $2/serving. Chocolate cake is $2.50/serving.
These include fillings.
The cascading stand holds 5 layers: 6", 8", 10", 12", 14". This equals approx. 165 servings. If you like fresh flowers a florist can supply those and also put them on the cake. I'm assuming you'll have a groom's cake, too? Are you sure you'll actually have 500+ people able to attend the wedding? A rule of hand is that approx. 60-70% of the invitees are actually able to come.
I understand that you don't particularly care for cake. I encourage my bride clients that even though they might not care for it that their guests will and to bear that in mind when ordering.
What weekend are you looking at? I have already received several orders for Dec. and Jan. and might not be available.

Good luck and best wishes,
Melanie McCrackin

If she's having sticker shock over $2 a slice, she'd probably faint over what many others charge! You gotta laugh at what some people want for practically nothing!

For the love of God, she is having a wedding for 500 people?? And doesn't want to pay alot for cake? People need to pull their head out and plan a wedding based on the money had actually HAVE, not what they feel like paying! Who the heck cares how much the rental hall is? That has nothing to do with how long it will take or how much ingredients will cost to make a cake for 500 people.

If she can't afford $2.00 a slice for cake (very cheap, btw) she should have less people at her wedding instead of trying to make you feel like you shouldn't be charging that much.

I sort of hope you are booked for the weekend in question because she sounds like a passive-aggresive nightmare.

She will die once she makes the math $2 X 500 is (gasp!) $1,000.00!!!
I hate the âI donât like cake therefore I donât want to spend money on itâ crapâ¦

Take your 500 guests to Applebeeâs and see how much they will charge you for an undecorated slice of frozen cake!

I never order dessert when I eat out but happened to see the menu at a rather middle of the road chain resturant the other day....*nothing* less than $3.29 a slice. If nothinhg else, tell her to check the menue prices on line to compare pricing....both resturants and other cakes decorators -- be sure to give her the high end places

I'm wondering where she can rent a church and reception facility big enough for 500 people and spend less than $1000?