Do you charge a client for a wedding cake tasting session? If so, how much and is it included in the price of the wedding cake?

Yes we charge for wedding tasting/consultations. The fee for us is $25 and I've seen other bakers charge more and others who don't charge at all. We have a 2-3 person maximum (with a few exceptions like mother and father of the bride both coming with the bride and groom) absolutely no kids and no bridal parties lol. Ive so far only offered cupcakes for tastings.  I do apply it towards the order if they book with us and I use the opportunity of the tasting to gather more information about their wedding and most importantly their budget and expectations. I also give them a copy of our wedding contract so that if they don't happen to decide right then to go with us they can read through our contract and come back to us with the details filled out. 

Thank you for your reply.  I didn't even think about the contract.  That would be important though.

Yes, what Webake said.  A small fee that is then applied to the final price when they book.   

I charge and don't apply it to the cost of the cake :)

Wow.  I was just coming to this site to post this very question!  Thanks for the answers!  How many cake flavors/fillings do you allow per tasting?  Do you have the cake and fillings/frostings separate? Where could I find a sample contract?  I don't have one.

If you don't have a contract you can find samples of a few online and adapt it to what you need. THEN, get it looked over by an attorney. There are a lot of things that are legal in one area and not in another, and even some terminology that you need to use to be legal. I did a video on what to put in a cake contract, but you need to have an attorney go over it for you. 

Oh good lord, I didn't know it was going to plaster my face on here.

No more than 3 cake flavors and any beyond that the cost will increase for the tasting. My contract is 2 pages for weddings and then I have another page of all of our terms and conditions in addition to the wedding terms. All ends need to be covered may seem repetitive but and here is the big one people as a rule don't read everything all the way through. So it's good to have certain things reiterated throughout the contracts. Also I use the consultation to verbalize our terms and what they can expect from us. I looked at several different contracts and used what I liked and created our own. Also make sure that everything detail is agreed upon and any changes are physically signed off on. Weddings are more involved and you'll likely meet with them several times so having a good system in place will help make it an easy process for both you and the couple. 

I see, like myself CZ you are always impeccably made up and tastefully dressed?

One never knows when one will be "papped" by these annoying photographers.

Wise lady, and her cake advice is good too lol x

As an aside, I don't sell cakes, my business was in another item but charging for appointments weeds out the time wasters, compensates you for giving out free cake and makes you look like a busy professional who's time is worth something.

I've even seen some on here (CC) preparing a little sample box "to go" so that couples can buy them, take them away and sample in privacy and leisure.

What's makeup? ;)

 My first cake tasting appointment:

I charged $ 40.00 for four different flavors and two different filling (I let them choose). Packed and labeled the samples and they took them home to eat. I don`t apply cake tasting fee to cake order. I was surprised my first cake tasting was successful, they ordered from me. All the conversation was via email. Contract, deposit and color swatches thru mail.

I wanted to upload picture but CC wouldn`t let me.

Thanks for all of the good suggestions.  I think I'll do what Natka81 does, by boxing up little cakes for the prospective client to take home and sample.  I don't like the idea of applying the cost for the cake samples to the wedding cake price.  I think they should be separate. 

Thank you, I thought this was a good idea, especially since I work out of my home.

Thank for posting a video, although it stopped running before it was over, I got the general points.  I enjoyed the funny examples of things that happened to other bakers.  It sounds like you've been in the cake business a long time.  I appreciate your input.