Did a consult (which is free) for a bride & groom. They are wanting a wedding cake, a groom's cake & a "sweets" table (cookies, cupcakes, cheesecakes, etc) to feed 400. I detailed them a price quote for each as well as a collective charge. I understand that they may not want me for the groom's cake because they want it Cowboy Football themed & I won't do anything copyrighted. Anyway, heard back from the bride & they want me for only the sweets table. She briefly mentioned at the consult that they were thinking of having different businesses do each category rather than collective but she wasn't impressed with the other cake lady's pricing/cake or so she told me. My pricing is lower than places around here which frustrates me & has me rethinking my game plan (but that's another story! lol). I was hoping to be able to do the wedding cake at best. Had an awesome buttercream design for her & only charging $2 per serving to give you an idea. Have yet to go to a wedding with other businesses there in the "same category" so to speak. Did I mention the groom is a life-long friend of my husbands....just feeling a bit down & wanted to vent but wanted to know if anyone else has had mixed emotions regarding other cake people at the same reception as yourself????????

My feeling is I don't like it.

I have a clause in my contract about being the only provider of cake/cupcakes etc., but honestly....there's no way to prevent it from happening.

I deliver their cake, set it up and leave. I have no idea what is brought in after that point.


I can't worry about it. Did you say anything to the bride about that?

I don't like it, but there isn't a way to control it, unless you know about it in advance. Which, in this case, you do. So you can decide whether you want to do it or not. I don't want someone taking credit for my awesome cake if they brought a less-than-excellent groom's cake, for example...Word of mouth is huge with weddings, so you need to decide if you want to be involved in muddy waters where someone think that you did the crappy wedding cake (if it turns out that way, and you really won't know until you see it) because you also did the dessert table.

thank you for your insight for both of you!!! i can see what both of you are saying which I hadn't thought of. Oddly I will be at the wedding since it is a friend of the family so this could get interesting thank you!!!

How strange! I can understand going elsewhere to get the groom's cake due to copyright etc - but why not the wedding cake? I had a look at your cakes and they're really nice, I'd book you for my wedding - especially if you were a friend of the family and as I would already be hiring you to do the sweets table.
Makes the kind of sense that doesn't.

I think (if they don't end up using you for the wedding cake) that you should put a sign on the table (real fancy-like, with scrollwork or something to match the decor) that says "Dessert Table Only by abunintheoven" to try and head off anyone thinking you're responsible for what could be a far less polished or tasty cake.

My thoughts are that this is a lose lose proposition for you. One of the many in life, because it's your husbands lifelong firend and you really can't say no.

What you could do. as was mentioned, is try to identify your table in a discreet manner, and since you will be there, just let your friends or whomever asks know that you did not make the cake, (just in case it turns out bad!)

Good luck! and I hope your dessert table is so yummy that the guests there book you solid!!!

I've frequently been the caterer and have cut other people's cakes. While cutting the cake, many guests would compliment the cake design or cake taste (when they came back for seconds). I just always made sure to tell them, "I'll be sure to share your compliment with the baker of the cake!" This let them know I didn't make the cake and I gave credit where credit was due ... to the actual baker.

Thank you again for all of your wonderful comments & suggestions!!! I have a year to "work" on this being that their wedding isn't until next Sept! I just hope that credit is given where credit is due (correctly!). Thank you again!!!

It's not at all uncommon in this area for the groom's cake to come from a different baker that the wedding cake, so I don't worry about it. One weekend, I only had 1 wedding cake but about 6 different groom's cakes of various sizes.