My DH is such a soft touch for a sad story. He worked with a woman who was a single mom, couldn't afford a nice birthday for her daughter's 18th...you hear the violins in the background. So he asked me if I'd make her a cake with a frog on a lily pad on top for free. He felt it would promote "good will" in the office. I told him ABSOLUTELY NOT, and warned him that he'd better not ever volunteer me to make free or discounted cakes for anyone. I told him to promote good will at someone else's expense! Now he knows better!!

Yep, he got points for creativity, but a smack up side the head for presumptuousness. : )

dkelly, I've never heard of Henri Bendel, either. but I don't buy $400 purses. According to their web site, "Henri Bendel, New York's legendary Fifth Avenue boutique, is a Girls' Playground for trendsetting young women from around the world." So there it is.

LMAO!!! Indydebi you are so crazy! But I feel you. My husband knows better. I had some extra cupcakes & figured my growing waistline didn't need to keep them in the house, so I sent them with my husband to work for the fellas. SO now he gets asked all the time "Hey, when are you bringing us more cupcakes.", he finally answers,"Hey, when ever you feel like paying for more".

Hahaha!! indydebi you are so right! He is a bonehead!!! Just to clarify, I DIDN'T take his advice, I have my set prices and if I am asked to do a cake for a close friend than I adjust depending on how close of a friend they are I still love him though......even if he is bonehead, he's my bonehead!

I do the same thing!! I have gotten a lot of business from my bonehead's (oops, DH ) work! It's all good

Ok, got to say the reason I said to say you were booked is to just end it quickly. I honestly could care less about the persons feelings, but lets be honest here. How many times has someone not wanted to do a cake on here and said they were booked. Too many to count. Or how many times has their been a PITA charge added to the cake so that way they go with someone else more than likely, too many there also. I've done each of these also.
If you do want to do the cake for her just tell her I can do this amount of cake for this price, end of story. Don't go into explaining anything cost wise. I help run my DH's business there is always going to be different answers for different situations, here is no exception. It just seems more difficult because it's your kids school.
I did a price quote for a teacher at my kids school for her daughters wedding. I gave a slight discount because of the school and knowing the family for some time. They still went with the baker the daughter didn't want because the mom (teacher) was paying for the cake and I was still out of their price range. No problem there at all for me or the teacher. She actually thanked me for even meeting with them and being so nice about everything.
I've done some other work for the kids teachers and even with a slight discount I'm still out of their price range sometimes. It's all custom it costs more. You might even be surprised. I've had some people who I almost cringe when I tell them the price and they don't blink and eye and say ok, and put down a deposit.
I know it's hard dealing with your own kids schools and you feel like it's difficult to decide what to do.

how many people do these cakes need toserve a 12 inch feeds a TON of people especially women that will eat 1/2 of a wedding serving

maybe they have 1/2 a cake left over each time so by asking for a cake that costs less she is saying she wants a smaller cake.. simple as that except she did not say I need a smaller cake we have 1/2 left over so can you do a smaller cake for less.