Well, since I am now legal (Whoo-hoo) I have spread the word and was invited to participate in a Tasting Party for over 300 people. We each have a table and offer bite-sized tastes of our food. I have some ideas of what I may serve, but wanted to hear other suggestions or experiences. Should I have a display cake as my centerpiece? Or a huge cupcake stand (with mini cupcakes or something like that) with a display cake on top?

I was planning on having my biz cards and brochures there as well. Am I forgetting anything?

I am really excited about this and don't want to mess up

Is this one of those deals where all the local places feed people for a donation to charity? Huge chance to network. Find out how much space you get. Ask if you are allowed a back table...a fabric backdrop would be great, also. Hang a tasteful banner or sign with your business name on the backdrop and drape the back table with some complementary colored solid cloths. Under the cloths place stands (I use books) at different heights. This gives you a nice area to display your work (great time for fake cakes here). Decorate the front table simply and place your samples in paper cups (think cupcakes and eclair sizes) on interesting dessert stands (don't forget napkins). Keep these stands full. Be sure to have lots of business cards available and for gosh sakes dress professionally. This type of event is not so much to get orders from guests as an opportunity to network with other pros.

thanks minicuppie. I have a banner and a chef coat that I can wear (even though I feel really frumpy in it). The back table is a great idea - I will definitely check into that. I already have a couple of dummies that I can put there and have been wanting to do another one - so there is some motivation.

Do the samples have to be in paper cups? Or can I just serve mini cupcakes? I don't like the look of the paper/plastic cups. Should I put a little filling in the cuppies or just a swirl of icing on top with a mini fondant flower or something?

Minicuppies are great (of course I am biased)...just make sure whatever you offer is contained so the goodies remain uncontaminated. Let us know how things go!

ooohhh...uncontaminated? While there or in transit or what? Sorry, not sure I understand that part. What if I were to bring a kind of sheet cake and cut it on the spot? Or have an assistant cut it so I can talk/mingle? Or is that too slow? Should I plan to bring more than enough for 300 in case people come back for 2nds?

It helps to have some way to protect your treats...sometimes when you pick up a treat you will accidently touch other treats. Just looks better and people will know that you think about stuff like that. If 300 are expected, not all will want cake and some will want extra. Indy would be a good resource for how much to bring.

I want to offer 2 flavors - should I just do 150 of each? Do minis look really tiny on those cupcake stands? I was thinking of having one flavor on one side of the table and the other flavor on the other side. Then my info in the middle. Ooohh....Do I have to provide napkins do you think?

Bring the napkins. Most vendors will forget and people will be greatful!

Congrats and good luck Sabrina! I think your mini cupcake idea is great-maybe not filled, so they can taste more of the cake. I think if you do that, it will allow you to actually have time to talk about your new shop, flavors, etc. If you're cutting cake and get a huge crowd, you'll be trying to keep up with getting everyone served before they get bored and move on and won't have time to talk - at least that's what I saw happen at a wedding fair we attended a few years ago. Hope that helps! Have fun!!

I would use several cake or dessert plates of different heights. My thinking: the tower will become empty as people move thru. My mama taught me to either refill plates or remove them as they become emptied...so I refill until I have judged the event to be waning, then move leftovers to one of the other stands and remove the empty dish. I guess you could do that with the towers. Maybe you can space the cuppies out a bit and keep some back to replenish as they are removed. Be sure to turn the tower as your yummies disappear so no one has to reach all the way around and some klutz knocks it over. (been there, ya wanna borrow the t-shirt?)

Thanks everyone! I'll go get some little napkins for it. CS - why not filled? I was going to one flavor as either white or chocolate cuppies filled with a little oreo filling (everybody LOVES it) and then the others were going to be pink champagne. Any other ideas?

If you fill the cuppies, the filling may overwhelm the small amt of cake you get with a mini. I have seen a lot of "frosting shots" at weddings. Maybe you could have a hundred or so filling shots to showcase your delicious fillings.