This for me is the biggest dissapointment with my business. I have had several cakes and consults lately where I just dont LOVE what the customer wants My hubby keeps telling me that it is their cake not mine and giving them what they want is all that matters but still. I stear them away from the truly hideous design ideas some of them have but feel I have to give in to things that are pretty but not great.

I have done two recent wedding cakes in particular that were executed perfectly, but when all together I just didnt love them. Fondant perfect, decorative elements came out perfect, level, straight, centered, the whole nine, but they werent what I would have done if it were my cake, which of course it wasnt. I attended one of the weddings and was at the other when guests began arriving...at both people ooed and ahhed, said it was the most beautiful cake they had ever seen and asked for so many business cards I ran out each time (at the one I attended and was there long enough for the cake to be served people were shocked that it tasted even better than it looked, I think that should be the norm but sad that its not). So why do I just not love these cakes

No idea why you dont love them But your hubbys right, Suck it up, its there cake not yours, after you all, you are making these people happy by giving them the cake of there dreams, and executing it well. Be thankful you have the ability and talent to actually pull that off and had the chance to make these cakes

I am happy that I can be a part of their special day and give them a well done cake. I guess I just like doing more elaborate type designs and it seems some people just want super simple (but elegant). I just like to make things that are more of a challenge and more fun to make LOL

I am happy they love them Have you ever just had a cake you really didnt even want to put on your website because its too plain?

Yep, if you don't want to do cakes you don't like you'll have to stick to it as a hobby.

I have had to make the same wedding cake design in different colours 11 times, yep 11 times. I am so annoyed that the customers would choose the same cake design but had to give in just to make them happy on their wedding day. So in this case, the customer is always right. Make them happy, after all they are paying for the cake

I did a baby shower cake where the customer kept insisting we put paisley on it even though it did not go, and I told her my opinion as a decorator that it was not going to look right. After it was done, it was so cute, it would not have been half as cute without the paisley. Sometimes they know what they are talking about. Good thing the customer was an acquaintance and didnt say I Told You So!!!!

I would love to do elaborate cakes every week but as a professional, we have to do what is the customers dream. I looked at your cakes and they are very pretty and well done. I think you should do some show cakes or dummy cakes if you don't like to compete. (I am not interested in competing!) That way, you still get the thrill of doing designs that you want and put them on your site - you never know, it might inspire someone to chose THOSE designs instead of the ones that are the old tried and true.

I did a cake this weekend that was so simply with just some pink bows. Very easy. I really like the bride and she loved her cake - I would have chose a "fancier" design but she was in love with this. There is no accounting for tastes and everyone's is different. I look at Picasso's work and see totally deranged people - others look at it and see beauty and enlightenment. In Vincent Van Gogh's paintings I see his pain. In Winberg and Thomas Kincade I see beauty and peace.

Each bride or customer has their own vision and you are the talent that brings their vision to fruition. And they bring you money! Woot! Everyone wins!

While I can appreciate the skill needed to produce some elaborate wedding cakes, that just would not be my style. I preferred (and got) a beautiful simple wedding cake when I got married. Remember, someone's big day (or special occasion) is not about showcasing the cakers skills with lace, or fondant,or stacking 15 layers, etc... it is what the bride and groom want as an accent for their day. Don't get offended if they don't want you to pull out all the stops. It's not personal against you...it is personal for them.

Be happy you can do perfect fondant and still have the cake be beautiful, it doesn't need bells and whistles and fondant doodads to cover up imperfections.

I HATE the "3 tier stacked with just a ribbon around the base" design. It's plain, it's ugly and it takes no talent to make one. But it paid the rent and I made them all the time. My artistic satifaction was filled everytime I deposited their check.

It's part of the difference between doing it as a business and doing it as a hobby.

I never go back to a caker who told me, "what you want is ugly and boring. let me take your money and make what *I* want you to have."

disclaimer: not saying anyone would actually use those words but I used this example once and got a PM from someone about how no one would actually SAY that (duh!) so I want to avoid any sidetracked discussions along these lines. The point is that messages like this can be conveyed without ACTUALLY saying the words.

I totally understand what you are saying!!

I second the suggestion to do some dummies of more interesting cakes. It worked for me. At least some of the elements get incorporated into orders that may not have if I had not done the display. Sometimes people can't see it in their mind, they have no idea what can be done so we have to show them. When I chose a design that I really loved and made the display at least 1-2 brides ordered it.

The other thing that worked for me is that when they call for a consult encourage them to look for inspiration in their gown, invites, any other element of their wedding stressing how their cake will be unique for them and not a copy of a cake 10 other people have had.

There will always be clients who want "something simple" which often translates to boring. We suck it up and do it that's life but these techniques have really turned things around for me. At least there is some creative satisfaction some of the time.

There will always be cakes that don't make it to my website, I am looking to showcase my talent there and I have no problem leaving off certain cakes.

HTH!

PS-- this worked for me on flavors too. I got sick of only making vanilla and chocolate so I added multiple flavors of cake and filling that were more interesting and unique for consults. Yeah, I still make vanilla all the time but almost every bride will choose a different flavor too. They don't know if we don't show them.

Nothing wrong with showcasing your talent!

I do alot of cakes that I don't like I don't put all of my cakes in my portfolio either. I've made some pretty tacky cakes because that's what the customer "designed". I've also made my share of the plain, fondant covered cakes with ribbon. But like Indydebi said "my artistic satisfaction was filled everytime I deposited their check".

I just did a wedding consultation the other day for an upcoming wedding and the bride brings in this *sigh* wedding topper that her niece unfortunately did not get to use on her wedding cake and wants the aunt to use it on hers. I'm cringing all the way but I let her look through all the books and then I just said, "Can I sketch you something quick to show you what I'm thinking based on what you've told me you like?" Then, in my sketch I incorporated things that I thought would look great and still go with the topper (that I despise but she loves for sentimental reasons) and she loved the sketch! I don't know if that helps, because doing and sending sketches can be time-consuming, but sometimes you could offer suggestions of your vision mixed with theirs and maybe they like it?!

I know the feeling... just did the ugliest wedding cake I've ever seen... plain white with grey piping up and down the cake..looked like spider webs.......but that's what she wanted, and she paid for it LOL

I think the main thing is if the customer is happy. If you did your job well and they are happy, you have succeeded. Some cakes you will just like better than others.

Jen