Just jumping in with my 2 pennies ...

Like everyone else has said, you've set your price, you need to stick to that with this woman. You've already set a date and time for a tasting, but I would definitely contact the woman (by phone or email) and reiterate your pricing, and suggest that if she has already set a budget of $XXX for her cake, then she needs to speak with you to rework her requirements to suit her pricing. (Basically you're saying, "This is what I can do at that price. Take it or leave it - or work within MY budget.") But don't wait to contact her until the day of ... do it tonight or at least no later than Monday morning.

If she still hums and haws (or outright says it's "too pricey") then politely say that you're sorry, but you just cannot adjust your pricing for what she wants, or you'd be losing money.

And, like others have said, you need to contact the person who referred this woman to you. It's no shame on you if she's a PITA, and the caterer would probably want to know about it (I would if it were me), so she doesn't continue to refer this woman all around town. It would giver HER a bad rep, too.

Good luck, whatever you decide to do.

We could hook you up with a "wire"

Yeah, if it's the right kind, you can tazer me when I waffle on pricing!

I keep telling my friends that they need to be reading this website even if they aren't into cake decorating. The business advice on here is fantastic.

Cake Designer59 sounds like you will do fine. Just practice what you want to say and visualize how you want it to go. You can do this!!!!

I found that in the beginning I did much better giving price through email, then they could take it or leave it. Alot less stress and chance to cave. LOL But now Im even over that! Now I think about how my time is money and Im not wasting my time for little money. it is just tooo much stress making a cake for 5 bucks and stressing myself out, and disrupting my sons life. I much rather have 1 costly cake that I make money on rather than 5 cakes that I under priced and am not maing money on...

And if it turns out she wants a complicated design after she tastes your cake and loves it, remember that it will take extra time and you need to tell her it will cost more. Hopefully when you told her $2.50/serving it was clear that was your starting place.

I'll check back in with y'all after I meet with her (4pm EST). I think I will take the advice to ask her what her cake budget is, and start from there. I already told her that her design (four different sides of the tiered cake with four diff designs) would be like decorating 4 cakes. I told my hubby that I could see myself working all day on it!

**UPDATE**
That blankety-blank woman didn't show up! She called after being 20 mins late and said she found someone else (cheaper, probably Walmart) to do her cake for her. After I straighten the house, had baked a sample cake, etc. I am so ticked off. Hubby said "good, she sounds like she would have been a headache anyway". True, I probably dodged a bullet, but HOW RUDE.

Are you fricken kidding me?!?!?!??! It's stories like these that make me want to start charging for tastings!

"I'm sorry, I will be unable to meet with you. It would seem that we are completely booked now."

I like to hide. I have no backbone. So I tell people I'm booked. Sometimes it's true, sometimes not, but it avoids all conflict.

Where's Mensch at so she can tell you to go beat her up!?

The worst part is now I'm eating the cake (delicious, by the way) and I don't need the extra lbs. LOLOLOL

I think there is a reason that she is planning her own 40th birthday party. Hmmm, hard to believe she doesn't have anyone in her life who would do it for her. How sad.

I think I'll say a prayer for her tonight before I go to sleep. She may need some happiness in her life.

For crying out loud! That is SO RUDE, but just consider yourself fortunate not to have to work with her further. Your price IS NOT ridiculous. I --and many others, I'm sure--- looked at your photos and you're worth it. Don't be afraid to charge what you charge. I sometimes feel like I charge too much until I do a cake -- and it takes me hours! It's always a good wake-up call for me.

Thanks so much! I am really taking to heart what everyone says about the majority of our pricing reflects LABOR, not just flour, sugar, eggs.

Haha, great story Debi! How long have you been married? I need to know how much longer it will be until my husband behaves like that!

To the OP, since you started this thread looking for a backbone, I'm hoping that this woman's behavior in standing you up gave you what you were looking for. Someone who is going to cut down what you are trying to do is not at all worth your time.

Yes, I am taking it to heart. I already think half the time that it just isn't worth it, what we get paid for what we go thru. We must really love sugar art!
Debi, my hubby is my biggest cheerleader and has told me from day one that I don't charge enough and I under value my work. We're lucky gals!

IndyDeb-- that is great! I need to frame that. It isn't the ingredients at all-- I'm realizing that more all the time.

Hey I just looked at your picture, call her back cancel the appointment and tell you're already booked for that date. Don't even consider doing this for her, your work is beautiful and you deserve to be paid without feeling guilty, you don't need her. Good Luck, Deb

Deb, you're sweet! But too late....she already did a no-show (see previous post).

It's stories like THIS that made me glad I don't do tastings on a whim at all anymore, only group events. Oh life has been sooooooo much easier.

I know the fact but I had to add my 2 cents worth lol

If she can afford a caterer...she can afford your prices!!!

Remember that!

You are so lucky, now take all the advice and save it for the next PIA , that wants you to work for free.

I'm sorry/ glad it didn't work out for you. I'm still working on my back bone. I have made the horrible mistake of undercharging a couple of times, so now when others have asked me about doing a cake they say "Well you only charged so and so that much." So it's really coming back to bite me in the butt!

If I do a cake as a gift, I tell the recipient to "tell everyone you paid $$$ for this", so that doesn't happen to me! LOL