Help! Need Pricing Advice, Stat!

Decorating By Enilajar Updated 19 Sep 2009 , 11:24am by cylstrial

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Enilajar Posted 18 Sep 2009 , 11:40pm
post #1 of 5

A friend of a friend, seeing pictures of the cakes I have made on facebook, has requested a princess castle cake for a joint birthday party. (Like, for two girls at once, not- uh, never mind) She sent me this photo:

http://photos-f.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs235.snc1/8228_1221560267725_1490491569_602709_7045178_n.jpg

(I'm not the computer-savvyest person, but I think you can just paste that into the address bar and get the photo up)

and, obviously, since I have only been decorating since March, it won't be and EXACT replica, but this is pretty involved!!!! I have been having SO much trouble with this issue, I charged $150 for my Pac-man cake and ended up thinking that it was NOT enough, but this (pardon the expression) takes the cake! What should I tell her? I was thinking that I would ask what their budget is and then design the cake around that, but I need to know a base price, like if she says below "X" number, I will say, "sorry, no can do." Also, she wants it for one week from tomorrow, which is not that big of a deal, but I don't think anyone else in the free world would take an order that late for a cake that massive.

Another issue- I live in New Orleans, and we do not as far as I know have any mid-range priced bakeries who even do these types of cakes. The only fondant bakery I know of in N.O is on Magazine (very fancy-pants) and their name is in french, so you KNOW it's $$$$! So, I REALLY have trouble coming up with a price when neither I nor my customers have anything to compare it to. So, you urban cakers, tell me the ABSOLUTE LOWEST I can go.

Anytime I've had an issue and posted it here I have had immediate results. Thanks SO much, it helps to have hands out there in the dark!

Enilajar.

4 replies
jammjenks Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
jammjenks Posted 18 Sep 2009 , 11:46pm
post #2 of 5

You'll get varying answers on price questions, but I'd go at least $250. At least.

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pattycakesnj Posted 18 Sep 2009 , 11:56pm
post #3 of 5
Quote:
Originally Posted by jammjenks

You'll get varying answers on price questions, but I'd go at least $250. At least.


at the very least but probably more

midlight21 Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
midlight21 Posted 19 Sep 2009 , 1:35am
post #4 of 5

Does this lady really want 4 tiers? How many guests? That cake is worth quite a bit more than $250. The lowest I'd go on that would be $400 for the 4 tiers.

cylstrial Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
cylstrial Posted 19 Sep 2009 , 11:24am
post #5 of 5

Wow - I think you're going to have to ask her what her budget is! Because that's a big cake and that's going to cost a lot of money. You could definitely make it smaller to help her save money. I would say, $5 a slice.

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