I have been asked to do a wedding cake for 200 people for my hubby's 1st cousin. I really wish they had not even asked because this is going to be one heck of a cake. I am up for the challenge but hate the whole confrontation on giving them a price. I normally do 25% on friends and family. Just wondered what everyone else does or if they even do one.

For nieces and nephews, I will give the cake as my gift if they want it. If they don't, that's SO ok with me because I dont' have to spend 3 days working for nothing and I get to be an actual guest at a wedding for a change! But if I start getting a 'zilla attitude (from ANYONE! Not just the bride, but ANYONE) regarding this free cake, then they get an invoice!

For other relatives, it just depends on how close we are, how often we see each other, do we even send Christmas cards to each other, etc. (It's just amazing how suddenly you're their favorite, most-missed-gosh-we-need-to-get-together-more-often! relative when there's the possibility of saving a few bucks on a wedding cake!)

My rule is simple. If you ask me, you pay full price. If I offer, then it is free (and you have limited say on it.)

I only do cakes for family and friends. So if I offered them discounts on everything then I'd be spending alot of my time making them cakes and they would be getting great deals. I know they can afford to pay me for the time I give up to do their cakes, so why not charge them that. I have one and a half jobs, so when I do a cake it cuts into my already limited free time.

Well this is my husbands only girl cousin. Very small family consisting of 4 cousins 2nd to get married. They were very close growing up but we normally only see them on holidays of family gatherings. They said they wanted to pay whatever I normally charge but I seriously don't think they actually KNOW how much I charge. I will probably go lower then 25% just so I don't feel guilty.

For family that ask, I do it at cost of ingredients. Birthday cakes for my family are free.

I have a very small extended family, so I understand what you're feeling.

My cousin married her first husband a couple years ago, she called and I made the cake for free. The once sober hubby turned coke addict and that ended in divorce a couple months later.
Cousin has a baby with her new fiance and calls and asks for a fancy baby shower cake, which I make...for free.
...then a second wedding cake. You guessed it- for free. New hubby's birthday cake...and on and on.

I love my family dearly, but I've ended up a little resentful. In the end it's my fault becasue I agreed to do it. Short of it is, just don't let it go so far you end up resenting it!

I have no problem telling someone I don't know a price. Either they go with it or they move on! I guess guilty was not the right word. I just don't want to "appear" greedy. Especially with the in-laws! haha And I do think my time is worth something. Oh and they just sprung the whole.. "well we were going to see if you would cut the cake too" thing. I am thinking of adding it all up and showing them what I would charge a normal customer then tell them what I am doing it for them.

Showing them the regular price is a great idea and it's something that is frequently suggested here on CC! This shows them that they are getting a $500 cake for only $250, or whatever kind of deal you are making for them.

In my experience, it tends to add the "Wow! She gave us a heck of a DEAL!" factor in, where if you just tell them $250, they tend to take a "holy crap is she kidding? she's really charging me $250 bucks???"! That is a VERY smart move.

FYI, my in-laws ran a car repair shop for 60 years. Our family discount was 10% of off the PARTS (not labor ... just the PARTS!). I appreciated it ... never expected more .... thought they were being more than generous. And never once did I consider them "greedy" for it.

It depends on who it is. My niece is getting married, her cake is free...and we're paying for the photographer. My immdeiate in-laws, for free...if it's for them. If they have a request for a friend, sibling, etc., etc., 10%. Cakes are expensive and I don't want it to be taken for granted. It just kind of keeps it in persepctive for everyone.

I recently started this method for most friends and family. I take my regular price and the cost of ingedients and supplies and meet them in the middle. So if the cake cost me $30 to make and I would normally charge $90, the family member would get it for $60.

Sometimes I will do a cake for family and friends as a gift, but for the most part they pay what everyone else pays. My parents and two of my brothers all have their own businesses and so they understand that you can't work for free and make any money. Giving discounts can easily snowball : First you give a discount to your cousin and then your cousin calls and asks if you can give a discount to her husband's aunt and so on and so on.

I don't sell cakes but I did, I would ask them what their budget is. From there, I would would add more details that will increase the value of the cake.

But then again, this doesn't work if the have a specific design in mind.

I too have done all of my nieces and nephews wedding cakes for free but I do NOT extend that offer to cousins.

I have a big family a lot of them are small business owners and we respect each others business. If I take my car to my cousin's gas station I don't get a discount on the gas.

My family discount is for immediate family(siblings/their children) only. Beyond that everyone pays full price.

I also agree with Rylan that you should ask this girl what her cake budget is before you even offer her a price.

I totaled everything up according to price per serving and what everything adds up to be for a normal customer. I basically took the total of the cake and cut it in half. Took the price for the sugar flowers that she is paying for and the cost of ingredients. I am making a little off of the cake but not a ton which is fine. I think by showing her what I would normally charge for the cake versus what she is being charged.. pretty sure they will be fine with the amount.