I Know I Am New To The Cake World But Wedding Sponsorship?
Business By pinkpiggie78 Updated 31 Dec 2010 , 12:27am by Annabakescakes
Is this kinda thing common or is this just a couple trying to get a free wedding?
Couple willing to trade sponsorship for wedding expenses. 150 guests will see your business information in our Wedding invitation envelopes, ceremony programs, wedding favors, and slide presentation. Please reply to this post if you are interested in being a sponsor. Local and non-local sponsors will all be considered. The wedding will be in August of 2011.
We are currently seeking businesses to offer sponsorship for the following services: Wedding Attire, Facility, Beauty Services, Invitations & Stationery, Jewelry, Flowers, Wedding decorations, Catering, Chair Covers & Sashes, Wedding Cake, Wedding Dress, Tuxedos, Brides maid dresses, Flower girls dresses, Spot for Ceremony & Reception, DJ, and Limousine/Transportation Rental. If you have a service that you would like to offer, please don't hesitate to contact us even if we haven't listed them.
Thank you so much!
Wedding sponsorships are becoming more common these days, and there are even companies selling "proposal packages" to supposedly help couples land sponsors.
I could see this working for high-profile events (for example, a wedding that will be featured on TV), but for most weddings I doubt vendors would agree to anything more than providing a small discount or some freebies in exchange for a few ads.
Only would work if the person is either a celebrity who is willing to advertise out the yingyang the vendors who donated, or if they are high society people. Mr & Miss Jo Blow will not help get you business at all. That is a crazy idea that the young entitled generation has perpetuated upon the wedding industry. Chances are if the B&G are doing a "sponsorshipped" wedding so will any of their friends who are also getting married soon, so where is the plus?
Yes it is people wanting something for nothing. Case of Champagne tastes on tap water budgets...
150 guests will see your business information in our Wedding invitation envelopes, ceremony programs, wedding favors, and slide presentation.
That's some pretty expensive advertising with very limited exposure right there.
Don't fall for it; they're just out for a free ride. I know IndyDebi has weighed in on this very topic before and had very good advice about it.
I agree with the others, unless it's a very high profile wedding, you're just giving away a wedding cake.
THis silly idea surfaces about every 7-10 years. this is at least my 3rd time going thru the cycle. Everyone who does it thinks they are the ONLY ONES who have ever thought of it.
Here's my blog where I flat out lay it out for those who just can't understand why I wouldn't JUMP at the chance to do a freakin' free cake:
http://cateritsimple.blogspot.com/search/label/sponsored
THis silly idea surfaces about every 7-10 years. this is at least my 3rd time going thru the cycle. Everyone who does it thinks they are the ONLY ONES who have ever thought of it.
Here's my blog where I flat out lay it out for those who just can't understand why I wouldn't JUMP at the chance to do a freakin' free cake:
http://cateritsimple.blogspot.com/search/label/sponsored
I love the news article linked in that blog. Being a military wife myself, I never quit being amazed at the kindness people have for the military. 
That's a big fat free-wedding grab. Don't bother, it's a waste of time.
There was no way I was planning on doing this. I just saw this and was stunned. I never heard of such a thing and it just seemed like a cooler way to ask for vendors to pay for their wedding.
There was no way I was planning on doing this. I just saw this and was stunned. I never heard of such a thing and it just seemed like a cooler way to ask for vendors to pay for their wedding.
Yeah, they make it look like it's a great opportunity for you but it's a big begging fest. I've received requests like this but it's usually "we want our dream wedding but we can't afford it, can you give us a cake so that we can get what we want?" Uh, no, I want to be paid for my work, so can you give me money for the cake so that I can get what I want? 
We are currently seeking businesses to offer sponsorship for the following services: Wedding Attire, Facility, Beauty Services, Invitations & Stationery, Jewelry, Flowers, Wedding decorations, Catering, Chair Covers & Sashes, Wedding Cake, Wedding Dress, Tuxedos, Brides maid dresses, Flower girls dresses, Spot for Ceremony & Reception, DJ, and Limousine/Transportation Rental. If you have a service that you would like to offer, please don't hesitate to contact us even if we haven't listed them.
Thank you so much!
I'd like a retirement sponsor please. I need cash, IRA, health insurance, prescription drugs, beach vacations, massages, household help, and anything else to make my life "comfy". I promise I'll list you in my will, obituary, and condolence thank you cards sent by family. 
Such ridiculous nonsense--- you want it- you pay for it!
Hey Deb, would you mind if I placed a link on my site to your article? I certainly couldn't say it any better.
"Oh sure I'll make your cake for free in exchange for advertising to a bunch of people who will also want their cake for free, the circle of idiocy will then be complete"
Sponsorships are a common thing in the Latin community.
They are called Godfathers, Godmothers and each one will choose to provide things for the traditional wedding and reception.
Rings, flowers, kneeling cushion for the alter, dress, cake, lassos..... you get the idea.
There is always a "cookoff" team willing to do the meat (that others have provided).
The girl's 15th bday (Quince celebration, the girl's entry into womanhood, leaving the girlish trappings behind) is gaining in popularity with the last doll, bible,rosary all the attendant's apparel (15 boys, 15 girls) all provided by friends of the family.
Beginning to rival (money wise) the wedding to come in 10 or so years.
Sweet tradition, IMO.
Minicuppie, it's a lovely tradition to have family members who choose to participate in creating an event for a loved one but it's completely ridiculous and greedy to ask business people to do so.
The notion that you're going to get valuable free advertising is entirely bogus. How many guests at a wedding are in the market for a wedding cake? Sure, they may know others who are, but if the cake is good they're going to pass the information along anyway.
Thanks. My post was totally OT, but also think it is a lovely tradition.
but if the cake is good they're going to pass the information along anyway.
that's exactly what I say in my blog article ..... I'm getting the advertisign whether the cake is freee or paid for, so I opt for "paid for"! 
Well, maybe you are all looking at sponsorship the wrong way. If you are sponsoring the cake, then you should be able to make whatever cake you choose, insist that it be displayed THROUGHOUT the wedding and reception (i.e. cut the cake at 1 am just before everyone leaves), and any interested member of the public is welcome to visit the site to view the cake at any time during the sponsored show, I mean wedding. Maybe it would be GREAT advertising!
Well, maybe you are all looking at sponsorship the wrong way. If you are sponsoring the cake, then you should be able to make whatever cake you choose, insist that it be displayed THROUGHOUT the wedding and reception (i.e. cut the cake at 1 am just before everyone leaves), and any interested member of the public is welcome to visit the site to view the cake at any time during the sponsored show, I mean wedding. Maybe it would be GREAT advertising!
Isn't this kinda the idea of Bridal shows? Like Ruth said, how many people at a wedding are currently planning their wedding? If I was going to do free cake I would make sure it was going to a place where I would get the most return. A business has to pay for advertising, it's just smart to allocate those costs to the proper place.
Thanks everyone for your responses. I didn't know this comes around in cycles and figured this was the best place to learn more about it. I am now prepared should I be contacted to "sponsor" a wedding.
Indy... I am now following your blog
Well, maybe you are all looking at sponsorship the wrong way. If you are sponsoring the cake, then you should be able to make whatever cake you choose, insist that it be displayed THROUGHOUT the wedding and reception (i.e. cut the cake at 1 am just before everyone leaves), and any interested member of the public is welcome to visit the site to view the cake at any time during the sponsored show, I mean wedding. Maybe it would be GREAT advertising!
Isn't this kinda the idea of Bridal shows? Like Ruth said, how many people at a wedding are currently planning their wedding? If I was going to do free cake I would make sure it was going to a place where I would get the most return. A business has to pay for advertising, it's just smart to allocate those costs to the proper place.
I was trying to be funny. I can't tell if you are trying to gently point out the flaws of my plan or are similarly mocking the wedding sponsorships, but just to be clear, I wasn't actually suggesting that someone do a wedding sponsorthip. Now, that's not to say that I don't think it would be fun to respond to the request with an enthusiastic, "SURE -- I've had some ideas I've wanted to try out for a while, but no one else was willing to let me experiment at their wedding! I'll need directions and the exact time of the reception beginning and end for my advertisements so I can direct my potential clients to the site for a look. I think we'll have to have the cake cutting by midnight, because not too many members of the public will want to hang around later than that to get their sample. I'll want to leave by 1 am, so I'll begin packing up my equipment and boxing up my leftover samples by about 12:30 am. I'll require approximately 12 square feet of table space for seting up my display (this will include the cake, so you won't need an extra cake table) and at least two chairs so that I do not have to stand throughout the event and there is room for people to sit when they are placing orders. Do you want me to let you know when I've made my final decision on the cake flavours and design, or do you prefer a surprise?"
I was trying to be funny. I can't tell if you are trying to gently point out the flaws of my plan or are similarly mocking the wedding sponsorships, but just to be clear, I wasn't actually suggesting that someone do a wedding sponsorthip. Now, that's not to say that I don't think it would be fun to respond to the request with an enthusiastic, "SURE -- I've had some ideas I've wanted to try out for a while, but no one else was willing to let me experiment at their wedding! I'll need directions and the exact time of the reception beginning and end for my advertisements so I can direct my potential clients to the site for a look. I think we'll have to have the cake cutting by midnight, because not too many members of the public will want to hang around later than that to get their sample. I'll want to leave by 1 am, so I'll begin packing up my equipment and boxing up my leftover samples by about 12:30 am. I'll require approximately 12 square feet of table space for seting up my display (this will include the cake, so you won't need an extra cake table) and at least two chairs so that I do not have to stand throughout the event and there is room for people to sit when they are placing orders. Do you want me to let you know when I've made my final decision on the cake flavours and design, or do you prefer a surprise?"
LOL! I LOVE the thought of replying to a BTB asking for a handout that way!
Quote by @%username% on %date%
%body%