I got a call from someone at my mother's church for a cake. Her son and his girlfriend had eloped and she was giving them a reception in one month. She said it would be a small reception with basically just family. She said that if it was a real wedding with all the guests she would go all out and get a regular wedding cake. But since it wasn't she wanted something "real simple" to feed 50 - 75 people. She left all of this on a message. I have a full time job so I couldn't get right back to her. Before I had a chance to call her back, my mother called and repeated what the mother had said and started giving me all these ideas. I have to say, her ideas were good and simple, just like the mother had said but I still didn't know if I wanted to do it, I hadn't talked to her in person yet. So when I called her back, she started telling me again that it was going to be real simple and that the colors were red, purple, and black. She had a picture of it somewhere and would email it to me. SO, it turns out that the cake she wanted was 3 tiers. The 2 bottom tiers were round and the top tier was heart-shaped and also separated by pillars. The 2 bottom tiers were to have red and purple roses all the way around each one with a black bow in between every so often. Then she wanted a big pile of red and purple roses between the top tier and second tier. So I called her to actually tell her that I don't consider that a "real simple" cake. Before I could get a word in edgewise, she says to me, "I want the roses to be made out of sugar, not any real or silk ones. And you need to be there by 12 to set up for the reception, it starts at 2. And we've already spent $500 on just the food, so we need to keep this cake at a lower budget." So that was the stick that broke the camels back. I feel like she was going to take advantage of me because I grew up at the church she attends. Why does everyone think the cake has to be the most inexpensive thing at a reception? So what do you think? Was that really a simple cake and I'm just making too big of a deal? Maybe if I didn't have a full-time job and school I wouldn't think so much of it.

Oh and also I should say, I did email her back quickly and tell her that the cake she wanted was a bit too much for my busy schedule. She said to let her know if I changed my mind but I know I won't.

LOL, all those sugar roses would have taken forever. To me truly simple is buttercream and swiss dots and buttercream border. Once you start talking gumpaste flowers, we've past simple. Those are also very hard colors to work with in buttercream so if you went with fondant then there is a lot more expense. Good call on telling them no. Always go with your gut.

Doesn't sound simple to me! Just the colors got me! The hardest ones to get rich!

I think she knows how much it was going to cost. You were right in saying that she was going to take advantage of you since you grew up in the church.

I understand why you didn't want to do the cake. If you did change your mind I would just quote the price that you would charge someone you just met. However, it is probably a headache you just don't need!

You were right to walk away from this one. Sounds like she would have been a pain to work with and she would want the cake free!

I too would of ran. And I totally hear you most people think because you don't own a bakery per say the cake should be cheap

I think everyone has their own idea of what simple really is. To me, it sounds simple, normal, or average (except for the heart-shaped top tier), but I don't mind making roses. Simple can be more time consuming because there are fewer decorations to hide flaws, which means simple needs to be more perfect.

In a word... no.

I find that when someone starts in with "I just want something simple"... they are looking for cheap. You were right to tell her that it wasn't simple and that you can't fit it in. Sugar flowers equal the complete opposite of low budget and simple.

No, it's not simple.

BTW: you could have purchased the roses. Sometimes it's cheaper to buy than to make.

My S-I-L sent me a pic this morning of a cake that her "best friend" (who I've never even heard of before) would love me to make for her niece's 13th BDay...adding that "She doesn't want to break the bank though."

Warning bells start going off right away. The pic is of a large two tier fondant with moderately complicated bells and whistles on it. This is not the cake to order if you're on a budget. I email her back quoting $150. She emails me back, "it's only a 13th birthday, she doesn't want to spend that much."

I tell her the cake doesn't care what the occasion is and a cake like that costs $150. She asks if I can do the same cake, but not as nice for $50. I tell her I can't make any cake for $50 and have it compensate me for my time and ingredients, never mind make it worth my while, especially for somebody I've never even met's niece.

She doesn't bake at all, but she does cook. So I ask her what if I called you and told you a friend of mine wants you to spend two days in the kitchen making lasagna with homemade pasta and sauce and hand ground sausage for fifty people, but this stranger only wants to pay you the amount of the ingredients, not for the two days of your time, cause it's "just lasagna for a potluck so I don't want to pay much." I think she got it.

Over the years I have learned that whenever someone says that they want a "simple cake", that it normally means two things. 1) It is going to be a royal pain to do and 2) They want it cheap! No getting around it. And they think that by saying the "simple" word that you will automatically become a "simpleton" and do exactly as they wish. I simply set a price and they either say yes or no. It really doesn't matter to me at that point if I offend them with the price because they have already offended me. Life goes on.

You did the right thing by standing up for yourself. You will never regret it. Good luck and great caking.

Oh my gosh! What a good response!

http://www.avalondeco.com/Icing_rosesmainframe.htm

http://www.discountsugarflowers.com/SearchResult.aspx?CategoryID=1215

I've seen my sugar flowers. It would be a lot cheaper for the customer if I purchased them. I keep practicing, but until they look decent, my plan is to buy them. I haven't had to buy them yet, but I do know that Leah_s recommends these two places.

You might consider having a few 'simple' cakes in your portfolio ready to show to people so they will understand what YOU mean by simple! So when they start talking about simple cakes, you can say...oh yes...here are a few for you to look at...which one will work for you? I can change colors but anything beyond these basic designs will be considered custom and more expensive. Just a thought!

I would have told her to get a quote from other bakeries and you would gladly deduct the price by $25... LOL...

That alone would cause her to change the look of the cake - real quick.

I've done this several times with people who try to "budget" me. Sure - call around, get quotes in writing and I'll take $25 off.

Sounds fair to me.

When people use the word simple they often mean 'cheap' unfortunetly their ideas of simple and a cake decorators are often very different.