I have a consultation tomorrow with a bride who would like individual cakes for each table plus a cutting cake for the head table. I know you generally price per serving for wedding cake but wouldn't you charge more for several individual cakes versus one larger cake? I'm kind of cringing already at filling and icing 17 small cakes for one day.

I feel your pain. I am doing 22 single layer 8" cakes for July and I keep thinking to myself, wow, how long is it going to take to ice and bake those. Thankfully, she doesn't want elaborate decorations, just the new last name initial. Good luck!!

Did you price it differently than you would've for one large cake?

Really depends on how big the cakes are, how many, and how they're decorated.

I've never had to deal with this before, but it makes sense to me to charge your normal price, but add extra for the additional boards and any other supplies you will need. Also, if you're not crazy about doing it, you could add an additional PITA surecharge - that't totally up to you.

Karen

AnotherCaker - She's looking at 17-18 cakes to feed 8 people at each table so a 6-inch cake. She hasn't told me what she's thinking about decoration on each cake but has said she would like them all the same.

I did 10 little 2 tiered (6" & 4") wedding cakes one time and it took me longer than if I had just done one big one, so you have to factor the added time in too, along with the extra cake boards and so on that kearniesue already mentioned.

I've been doing a lot of these this year- I like the simplicity of it- not hvibg to stack, etc, and sweat it out during delivery. That being said, after a 38 cake order, I realized that I needed some sort of a fee for supplies (38 cake boxes, boards, etc! Vs. One or two.). Also, you will spend a lot more time loading up all those little cakes for delivery (thirty-eight trips!) and then setting them up at the venue (38 More Trips!). If you handle it correctly, it can be a much bigger sale for you, though, as they will inevitably round up their numbers (I.e. Buying a 6" cake with twelve servings for only 8 people at a table.)- which significantly increases the sale (but you can remind them how much they are saving not having to buy centerpieces!) I just finished a sixteen cake order, and it is boring and repetitive, I feel ya, but it's easy, and profitable

Yeah, and I refuse to work on anything boring and repetitive anymore, so those cakes would have to be interesting, every one of them! I'm not sure what I would do in that situation. Probably talk them into a big lavish cake. But that's me. Good luck!

And to answer the question- I don't alter my prices, I think that would just irritate people, they would probably view it as unfair (more money for the same thing). The supplies charge I would implement after six cakes or so, and I just plan on charging my actual costs and explaining it to the customer upfront as part of the 'cake centerpieces can save you a lot of money' speech.

Yeah, I don't think I wouldn't dicount at all. Full price just like if 18 people wanted one 6" cake themselves. So much work, so much room needed....ack.

I do price my celebration cakes less then my tiered cakes, but upcharge for decoration. I just took an order for 6 x6" cakes for a wedding, but she wants very minimal decoration and no fondant. I think it's fair because I don't get nearly as anal retentive making a single cake as I would a tiered cake so that goes much faster, also I don't know how much you pay for a cake drum/board, but it's much cheaper then SPS (especially with shipping). It's all about organizing and setting up your assembly-line. Of course, I'd never take an order of 32 (32!) cakes because I am only one person and would have no place to store that many cakes in process!

Jen

Yeah, part of why I'm cringing is I'll have to figure out where to put the 17 cakes as I work on them and store them all boxed in a temperature controlled environment. We'll see how tomorrow goes. Maybe she'll change her mind...