I have a wedding  consultation coming up and I have a few questions. Is it ok to conduct a consultantion at a coffee shop? With the couple wanting to sample at that time? 

I'd give them the box of samples and have them take them home if you're meeting at a coffee shop, Some places don't care, but I wouldn't be comfortable bringing food into a restaurant and eating it, so it's the same thing to me.

You could always check ahead and see if they care, and also buy the customers a drink to go with the cake samples. That way the coffee shop isn't just providing you free rent with nothing that benefits them.

Not advisable. Whether you're home based or rent commercial kitchen space, conducting business in a professional setting and in a professional manner is important.  Weddings and special occasions like anniversaries are significant life milestones.  Clients need to feel they matter, their event matters.  You can't instill that sense of customer service sitting in some other business owners establishment.  Aside from the customer service aspect, there's client comfort and privacy issues.  Clients don't want to discuss personal matters in the middle of a Starbucks.  There's also a sanitation and food hygiene issue.

interesting view on that norcal -- i've conducted consultations all over everywhere -- but what's interesting is your name 'norcal hiker' referencing northern california perchance? we were in st. helena's coffee shop and a large bustling entourage came in and took over a big table -- the chick did a wedding consult right there for flowers while i never ceased to vacation at a nearby table -- i enjoyed it very much felt even more like home -- geez i love that place --

so no worries each to their own i'm just saying it's totally done although not by everyone of course -- but it can be very pro and customer friendly esp if you spring for the coffee & stuff like cc said but i don't always -- we usually go dutch because i don't know how to order all the machiaterfratatas -- i'm not sure what the sanitation & food hygeine issue would be --

best to you norcal hiker and agoodecupake and costumeczar as well

tons of people conduct tons of business at coffee shops and restaurants and bars and everywhere

in fact unless you have enough room in your bake area and keep it company clean 

you are better off doing starbucks or the local pub -- most non-food peeps don't need to know and are aghast the the condition of the 'back of the house' -- it's easier to keep things in production mode and keep it clean and proper elsewhere -

you're on the right track

Thank you For the advice everyone 

If you're going to meet say, at a coffee shop, it wouldn't hurt to get the management's permission ahead of time and definitely buy something to drink as costumeczar said. 

As a restaurant owner, I don't provide tables for the public's use and I don't allow any outside food or drink to be brought in.  However, I have also been known to go the extra mile, especially if it is cleared ahead of time or if it's a regular customer.

There are several folks on CC who regularly meet customers at Starbuck's or other coffee shops for tastings so I know it's done.

A lot of wedding professionals conduct all of their business at Panera. Any given day I can go into random Paneras and witness a sea of Martha Stewart wannabes with clients or whoever. I think that brides are pretty used to meeting people there, but I wouldn't unpack cake samples and have them eat while they're there. I met someone at a grocery store cafe once when they couldn't make it to my office hours, and just gave them a box of samples to take home. It works out, they can eat it and discuss it in private and get back to you.