They Paid How Much ??? $$$

Decorating By vlk Updated 13 Oct 2010 , 1:25am by BluntlySpeakingKarma

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bobwonderbuns Posted 9 Oct 2010 , 1:16am
post #31 of 46

I always want to bookmark things like that when people complain that my reasonable prices are "outrageous!" icon_cool.gif

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KrazyKakesNJ Posted 9 Oct 2010 , 1:37am
post #32 of 46

Regardless if its a cake for a family event you made or something extravagant from a star, I believe everything leaves a memory and makes you feel special. Regardless if it costs .05 cents or $3000. Art comes in many forms and a lot of work goes into it. But if someone is willing to spend that much and it makes them feel better, regardless for bragging rights or just because then I am all for it. I make cakes because I love it and can express myself but I will make sure that its worth it.
If you have it then do with it as you must, I will not judge but always remember you only have 1 life to live and enjoy so why not do what makes you happy. $3000 for a cake or a vacation...as long as you are happy and feel good with the decision you made then all power to you.

Sorry for being so long..

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tripleD Posted 9 Oct 2010 , 1:38am
post #33 of 46

wow, for $3000. They could have me for the day. Cut, serve, clean up the mess. come back the next day and serve them coffee with the left over cake. icon_biggrin.gificon_biggrin.gif

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Coral3 Posted 9 Oct 2010 , 2:32am
post #34 of 46
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ruth0209

There are plenty of people who pay $800 for a pair of shoes and $3,000 for a purse which is just totally stupid to me, but everyone has their own idea about what things are worth.

David, $2000-3000 for a four tier cake and a carved guitar cake doesn't seem at all unreasonable to me for a skilled cake designer. I wouldn't pay that much for cakes because I don't have that kind of budget and I can do it myself, but I don't think it's a price that's surprising.




Um...that'd be me I think! icon_redface.gif I look at it in terms of longevity: a $3000 handbag I would keep & use for the rest of my life (if I got sick of it I could always sell on ebay and get a good chunk of my money back - in fact with some brands limited edition bags can actually INCREASE in value, which would make it an investment! LOL - I digress!) ...a $3000 cake however would be gone in one evening, perhaps a week tops if there's leftovers - I personally couldn't justify that, although I do appreciate the labour involved in an extravagant cake.

It's great that Duff can get that for his work though...if that's the sort of money people are prepared to pay then really, he'd be crazy NOT to charge it!

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gatorcake Posted 9 Oct 2010 , 3:13am
post #35 of 46
Quote:
Originally Posted by Coral3


Um...that'd be me I think! icon_redface.gif I look at it in terms of longevity: a $3000 handbag I would keep & use for the rest of my life (if I got sick of it I could always sell on ebay and get a good chunk of my money back - in fact with some brands limited edition bags can actually INCREASE in value, which would make it an investment! LOL - I digress!) ...a $3000 cake however would be gone in one evening, perhaps a week tops if there's leftovers - I personally couldn't justify that, although I do appreciate the labour involved in an extravagant cake.

It's great that Duff can get that for his work though...if that's the sort of money people are prepared to pay then really, he'd be crazy NOT to charge it!




I guess that all depends on how you measure the utility of a cake. For many an exceptional cake is central to an eventthe event would have been impoverished without it. While it may not have a tangible presence (you cannot sell it back) it may also be part of great memories. It can make that special event extra special, something which you will always have.
Pictures of the cake will bring back memories of the event. The cake I
had for my wedding was made by a family member who had a decorating business. While it was not overly elaborate (did not want to take advantage of him so we kept things simple), it was nonetheless a beautiful cake. In part because of the way it looked and the fact he made it, it added another dimension to the event that would not have been there had someone else done it.

Now for folks willing to pay, it can be much the same. I have pictures of the cake and when I look through the album I think about what a great day that was, how the cake factored into making it a great day. If he had made us pay for the cake, we would have paid whatever he charged. But I would rather have those memories than a $3000 bag and if someone is willing to spend $3000 for a cake because what it brings to the event I am sure they would feel the same way. Could have used some of the money spent on my wedding could have been spent other things, I am glad I do not have them.

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Coral3 Posted 9 Oct 2010 , 3:44am
post #36 of 46

^ Very true...when you factor in the memories from the event then I guess you do get more than one evening's enjoyment out of a cake.

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Ruth0209 Posted 9 Oct 2010 , 3:45am
post #37 of 46
Quote:
Originally Posted by Coral3

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ruth0209

There are plenty of people who pay $800 for a pair of shoes and $3,000 for a purse which is just totally stupid to me, but everyone has their own idea about what things are worth.

David, $2000-3000 for a four tier cake and a carved guitar cake doesn't seem at all unreasonable to me for a skilled cake designer. I wouldn't pay that much for cakes because I don't have that kind of budget and I can do it myself, but I don't think it's a price that's surprising.



Um...that'd be me I think! icon_redface.gif I look at it in terms of longevity: a $3000 handbag I would keep & use for the rest of my life (if I got sick of it I could always sell on ebay and get a good chunk of my money back - in fact with some brands limited edition bags can actually INCREASE in value, which would make it an investment! LOL - I digress!) ...a $3000 cake however would be gone in one evening, perhaps a week tops if there's leftovers - I personally couldn't justify that, although I do appreciate the labour involved in an extravagant cake.

It's great that Duff can get that for his work though...if that's the sort of money people are prepared to pay then really, he'd be crazy NOT to charge it!




I mean no offense, Coral! I'm happy for you if you can pay that much for any consumer good. I'll never be able to pay that much for a purse or shoes. Plus, I'm no fashion maven, so I just wouldn't be interested in doing that. I did, however, just pay that for a week's vacation to a nice hotel on a tropical island for my husband and me, and a lot of people think that's a big waste of money, too. To each her own, huh?!

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Coral3 Posted 9 Oct 2010 , 4:40am
post #38 of 46

^ Like many people I'm a scrimper and splurger...I scrimp in one area so I can splurge in another LOL. You're right though - to each their own. Your holiday sounds GREAT! icon_smile.gifthumbs_up.gif

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auzzi Posted 9 Oct 2010 , 4:52am
post #39 of 46

As your business expands, and you gain a reputation, you accumulate all the "non-cake decorating" stuff that comes with it. You need staff because you can't do everything yourself .. and that's how it goes ..

1. most clients are getting their cake from Charm City cakes - not from Duff. Relatively few cakes are actually done by Duff... From his programme, you rarely see him "do" a cake .. "Duff does a wonderful job" - but can you tell which ones he "does"?

2. buddy valastro has over 100 employees, working 24 hours a day, in three shifts .. Specialty and Wedding cakes cost $12.00 to $18.00 range per person.
The bakery produces over 600 birthday cakes, 40-60 specialty cakes per week plus their pastries ..

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vlk Posted 12 Oct 2010 , 8:41pm
post #40 of 46

We just have to remind ourselves that our craft - Cake Decorating - not everyone can do. What comes easy to us.. is hard for others. I would pay a good carpenter top dollar for something, I can not do it.. they can.

My husband is amazed at the money people spend on cakes.. but factor in the 'home made taste' and the unique creations of the cake.. that is priceless.

We are blessed to do this.. and we can all sit around and talk about the price others are charging, and the money people spend - but its our craft and we own it, we own the price range and our time/skills.

Lucky us, that we have high caliber people in our business that set the bar... a bar that can be bent and a little warped sometimes... but needless to say a bar !

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leah_s Posted 13 Oct 2010 , 12:25am
post #41 of 46

I actually did get $3500 for a cake once. Once. Served about 450 - 500. For real the marriage lasted about 4 months. The had LOTS of $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$.

Anyway, I was happy. icon_smile.gif

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BluntlySpeakingKarma Posted 13 Oct 2010 , 12:45am
post #42 of 46

We did a wedding cake just about this time last year that was well over $7,000. I wasn't privy to the payment sheets back then, but I know based on how the others priced cakes, that that design was going to be at least that much. Pretty crazy! Some people are rich no matter what else is going on in the world.

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weirkd Posted 13 Oct 2010 , 1:09am
post #43 of 46

Yah, I can understand how some people have money to pay for something exstravagent where others cant. But to me, if Im paying $3000 for a cake, then it better taste AMAZING as well. I hear way too much that some of the "celebrity" bakers' cakes dont taste good. Infact, one of Duff's biggest fans had won a charity auction and won a cake from him. She is a CC member and said that it tasted horrible and didnt look like it should either. Ive never tasted it myself so I cannot say one way or the other.
But when your paying for a name doesnt necessarily mean that your paying for quality. Ive bought top $$ items and they didnt last like you think they would. But I guess if you have money coming out the wazzoo it doesnt matter. For someone like me who has to watch every penny, I cant afford to waste it on items that wont last me as long as they should!! So again, to each is own!
And I wouldnt mind having someone pay that kind of money for one of my cakes! Maybe someday! But I can tell you this, it will be the best damn cake they've ever tasted!!!

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playingwithsugar Posted 13 Oct 2010 , 1:11am
post #44 of 46

http://tobagarrett.com/cakes.html

Take a look at these prices. Sigh - she's my hero!

Theresa icon_smile.gif

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chrisviz Posted 13 Oct 2010 , 1:20am
post #45 of 46

Just checked out Toba Garretts site...and wow I will say the work is very, very beautiful and perfect, I might add.... but $1000 for a single layer that feeds 25 people??? Holy Insanity!

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BluntlySpeakingKarma Posted 13 Oct 2010 , 1:25am
post #46 of 46

Lemme let you in on something. With the exception of a few (us included), MOST professional photos are enhanced, altered, light changed to hide shadows, bulges, etc. When you get up close to some of the most gorgeous cakes you'd think you ever will see, there are smudges. There are gaps where the fondant didn't quite make the board. A bubble even here and there. It happens. Not with all the cakes out there, but don't put too much stock in the complete greatness of some of us out here. Ours are usually pretty perfect though. We work reallllly hard at it.

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