The Knot Is At It Again !!!

Business By BlakesCakes Updated 18 Jun 2012 , 9:23pm by debidehm

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costumeczar Posted 9 Jun 2012 , 1:45pm
post #31 of 73

sorry for all of the typos in my last post, I was typing on a ipad, which is another thing that sucks.

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gatorcake Posted 9 Jun 2012 , 2:02pm
post #32 of 73
Quote:
Originally Posted by FromScratchSF


But it's ridiculous to keep encouraging brides to come to ME, who doesn't have a single picture of a sheet cake on my website - in fact I have a paragraph in my FAQs about how I don't make them, and expect me to make them for weddings (at a discount!) because the Knot told them I should and the Knot told them I should be cheaper.

I'm pretty sick of it, and will never advertise with The Knot because of it.




First the video does not encourage brides to go to you. They are offering brides advice who are looking for ways to save on their wedding. They do not say every baker will offer you this alternative, they simply state this could be a way you can save on your wedding. You read into the video that they state every baker will provide this option. Some do, some don't. And not everyone that does is specializing in "discount cakes" as you put it. This advice is offered by high priced bakers in the industry so it is not just coming from the Knot.

Second you miss a pretty important statement in the video. It states order a small elabortately decorated cake and then order sheet cakes. Your sheet cakes may not be "cheap" but I do not doubt for a second that ordering a smaller more elaborately decorated cake and sheet cakes (if you offered them) would be cheaper than ordering a full elaborately wedding cake.

How do I know this? Because you state your sheet cakes state a $210 with no decoration in a previous post. The advice of the Knot is based on decoration not the cost of cake. That is stated at the beginning of the video where they state the more elaborate the decoration the more expensive per serving. Your pricing scheme for sheet cakes is consistent with that statement (as you note in your discussion of your prices for half sheet cakes).

So where is the problem? Given your discussion of your pricing scheme I fail to see how it is not consistent with the advice offered by the Knot. But it does not matter as you do not offer them anyway. So a bride looking to save on their wedding cake would not be your client, but since they are looking to save they could not afford your cakes anyway--so again where is the problem?

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Corrie76 Posted 9 Jun 2012 , 2:31pm
post #33 of 73

Wow- I haven't posted in a VERY long time- but felt compelled to defend the honor of the humble sheet cake. Sheet cakes are mostly what I create and what people in my area are comfortable with. Many times a wedding isn't professionally catered and for let's say, the aunt of the bride, who's been charged with cutting the cake- a tiered wedding cake can be a scary proposition! I charge only slightly less for sheet cakes (compared to the tiered) so it's not a huge money saver- and yet many brides still choose this option for the sake of practicality when it comes time to serve the cake itself. People in my area are excited to get a sheet cake from me and look forward to having a cake that is not only original and nice to look at but easy to cut and serve.
I'm neither surprised or alarmed by the Knot posting an article with semi-faulty advice- but really, I think it's safe to assume that many brides and other 'cake muggles' have already made these same assumptions on how to save on a wedding cake anyways so there's nothing to it but educating our customers on what their options are and being upfront with them on their budget and your own pricing. If some of you out there don't do sheet cakes than it simply means that you tell the customer that you do not provide sheet cake, period. There's no need to bash the poor cake just because it's a rectangle with short sides, for Pete's sake!
At the end of the day, it all boils down to different strokes for different folks. But also remember that if you are going to be very vocal about your disdain for sheet cakes in a condesending manner that other's will see that as having an inflexible, unfriendly and elitist attitude- which is never good for business.

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costumeczar Posted 9 Jun 2012 , 3:31pm
post #34 of 73
Quote:
Originally Posted by BlakesCakes

Oh, goodie! My turn.................


Image

Image




You started it! icon_lol.gificon_lol.gificon_lol.gif

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FromScratchSF Posted 9 Jun 2012 , 3:45pm
post #35 of 73
Quote:
Originally Posted by gatorcake

First the video does not encourage brides to go to you. They are offering brides advice who are looking for ways to save on their wedding. They do not say every baker will offer you this alternative, they simply state this could be a way you can save on your wedding.

You read into the video that they state every baker will provide this option. Some do, some don't. And not everyone that does is specializing in "discount cakes" as you put it. This advice is offered by high priced bakers in the industry so it is not just coming from the Knot.




They never said that all bakers don't offer this option or to go to a specific place or type of baker to make this cheaper discounted cost less budget saving option.

Quote:
Originally Posted by gatorcake

Second you miss a pretty important statement in the video. It states order a small elabortately decorated cake and then order sheet cakes. Your sheet cakes may not be "cheap" but I do not doubt for a second that ordering a smaller more elaborately decorated cake and sheet cakes (if you offered them) would be cheaper than ordering a full elaborately wedding cake.

How do I know this? Because you state your sheet cakes state a $210 with no decoration in a previous post. The advice of the Knot is based on decoration not the cost of cake. That is stated at the beginning of the video where they state the more elaborate the decoration the more expensive per serving. Your pricing scheme for sheet cakes is consistent with that statement (as you note in your discussion of your prices for half sheet cakes).




My party cakes for birthdays start at that price point, NOT a wedding kitchen cake. My wedding kitchen cakes are $6 per serving. I only offer this for wedding for 250 guests and over. So no, I am NOT consistent with that statement - I don't do sheet cake weddings. I though I was pretty clear about that?

Quote:
Originally Posted by gatorcake

So where is the problem? Given your discussion of your pricing scheme I fail to see how it is not consistent with the advice offered by the Knot. But it does not matter as you do not offer them anyway. So a bride looking to save on their wedding cake would not be your client, but since they are looking to save they could not afford your cakes anyway--so again where is the problem?




The problem is that The Knot is perpetuating the idea that wedding cakes are a waist of money and that everyone doesn't need to pay to get one, all while showing cakes that retailed for over $1000 created by high end cake studios regularly featured by The Knot. Did you see a SINGLE picture of a "small cake and sheet cakes?" No. I saw multi tiered Ben Ron Isreal, Cakegirls, Elisa Strauss, Pink Cake Box cakes. In fact, they kept talking about "fon-DAUNT" and kept going back to that PCB cake. If I was a bride I'd be imagining a 3 tiered fake cake with sheet cakes that look just like THAT! picture! and of all the money I'll be saving. It's false and misleading, setting unrealistic expectations of what a bride looking for discount or cheep cake can come to expect when asking for sheet cakes to save money.

I have more consultations then I care to admit where no matter how much prescreening I do to make sure the bride is in the market for the types of cakes I make and are comfortable with my pricing, they still show up, waist my time, eat all my free cake, and think they can get a 3 tiered cake and a sheet cake for their 75 person wedding and it'll be "so much cheaper!". I have point blank asked people before even making the appointment how much a basic cake of mine will cost them and they say "OK". They show up, eat free cake and waist my time because they assumed I'll make sheet cakes and they can get my cake cheaper. They literally are confused when I tell them I don't do that, they are asking for too much cake, and they won't save any money. I get complete confusion.

So yes, they ARE telling brides to come to me, and other cake studios just like me to get this discount option. That's my problem.

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costumeczar Posted 9 Jun 2012 , 4:16pm
post #36 of 73
Quote:
Originally Posted by FromScratchSF

The problem is that The Knot is perpetuating the idea that wedding cakes are a waist of money and that everyone doesn't need to pay to get one, all while showing cakes that retailed for over $1000 created by high end cake studios regularly featured by The Knot. Did you see a SINGLE picture of a "small cake and sheet cakes?" No. I saw multi tiered Ben Ron Isreal, Cakegirls, Elisa Strauss, Pink Cake Box cakes. In fact, they kept talking about "fon-DAUNT" and kept going back to that PCB cake. If I was a bride I'd be imagining a 3 tiered fake cake with sheet cakes that look just like THAT! picture! and of all the money I'll be saving. It's false and misleading, setting unrealistic expectations of what a bride looking for discount or cheep cake can come to expect when asking for sheet cakes to save money.

.




This is a very good point. If they're talking about the smaller cakes with a sheet cake, they could show that instead of dangling the fantasy in front of the brides. But that wouldn't be photo-shoot fantasy perfect, so they won't do it.

The only thing that made sense in that video was at the end where she said to talk to your baker and figure out what they can do to cut costs for you.

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jason_kraft Posted 9 Jun 2012 , 4:39pm
post #37 of 73
Quote:
Originally Posted by costumeczar

I've only seen single tiered wedding cakes as part of a multiple-cake dessert display. I think that the problem were experiencing here is that the majority of businesses who do wedding cakes arent doing single tiers plus a sheet cake, that an extremely unusual business model for weddings. So when Jason is giving advice on this topic it's normal for his former business,but out of the norm for 99% of the wedding cake businesses in the US. I wouldn't call your single tier plus sheet a discount option necessarily, but for people who specialize in custom wedding cakes that's so totally not what we do it's pretty much an irrelevant point,know what I mean?



Putting aside the single tier issue (I understand that is rather unusual), I wouldn't say it's unusual for custom order bakeries to offer lower prices for smaller tier cakes + sheet cakes as opposed to a larger tier cake. The cost differential for premium bakeries is probably not as much as my midmarket bakery but in many cases it will be there. This is even more applicable to relatively high-volume retail bakeries who regularly make both multi-tier and sheet cakes, after all a kitchen cake requires less decoration time than a tiered cake that will be displayed.

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BlakesCakes Posted 9 Jun 2012 , 4:47pm
post #38 of 73
Quote:
Originally Posted by costumeczar

Quote:
Originally Posted by BlakesCakes

Oh, goodie! My turn.................


Image

Image



You started it! icon_lol.gificon_lol.gificon_lol.gif




I know..........and I swear I didn't mean to "start" anything.

I should have known.

Mea culpa.

But, on the bright side, the drink & the popcorn were GREAT!!!!

Rae

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AZCouture Posted 9 Jun 2012 , 5:32pm
post #39 of 73

I don't offer sheet cakes ever, but I have a cool story. Bride contacted me awhile ago for cake for 200, asked my opinion about getting sheet cakes and a small cutting cake just for them to cut, yada yada yada....she really didn't know anything about it, so I politely gave her my opinion, and linked her to one of IndyDebi's articles. Told her it was completely her decision, but she might want to take a look at it from her guest's perspective.

Just like, that she doubled her cake budget and she got a huge 6 tier cake so that all of her guests had the same giant filled slices from the "real" cake. Dream come true, score one for the decorators!

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gatorcake Posted 9 Jun 2012 , 6:25pm
post #40 of 73
Quote:
Originally Posted by FromScratchSF



They never said that all bakers don't offer this option or to go to a specific place or type of baker to make this cheaper discounted cost less budget saving option.




While you are correct I think I am fairly safe in assuming even if they did you would still not find the message appealing given that your objection is more significant. That said, it is general advice that is consistent with advice offered by people within the industry. The rule of thumb is you should never pay sticker for a car, yet despite that advice being everywhere I do not walk into every dealership thinking they will negotiate---not all do. That people interpret the message this way is their issue and not the message. You are right they make no claim either way and because of that it is simply silly for a bride to assume they are making the claim all bakers will provide sheet cakes.

Quote:
Originally Posted by FromScratchSF


The problem is that The Knot is perpetuating the idea that wedding cakes are a waist of money and that everyone doesn't need to pay to get one, all while showing cakes that retailed for over $1000 created by high end cake studios regularly featured by The Knot. Did you see a SINGLE picture of a "small cake and sheet cakes?" .




Two separate issues here. The first -- perpetuating that wedding cakes are a waste of money. Does David's Bridal perpetuate the idea that wedding dresses are a waste of money? No--sorry not everyone can afford a hand made wedding dress from a high end wedding designer, they must buy off the rack. It is a place where brides who cannot afford to shop at boutiques like Keinfeld's can find a nice wedding dress (my sister found a beautiful dress there when she was straight out of college and could not afford a $6000 dress).

Say Yes to the Dress does a really nice job of making you feel like you need to find the perfect dress and that will cost you a few thousand dollars--not everyone can afford it. So you have places where you buy off the rack, it does not mean that because one HAS to buy off the rack they believe that wedding dresses are a waste of money. I am sorry but one does not have less of a wedding or does not perpetuate the idea that wedding dresses are a waste of money because they choose to be responsible and not place themselves thousands of dollars in debt just to satisfy some belief that if you buy off the rack you believe the dress is a waste of money.

Just as with dresses so goes the cake. That video does not target people who believe wedding cakes are a waste of money, it targets cost conscious brides who would like the cake of their dreams and cannot afford it. There is a big difference in saying you are on a budget here is how you can get a great cake, and stating wedding cakes are not worth the price tag and here is how you can do it on the cheap. The video is clearly targeting brides on a budget not those that think cake is a waste of money. The simple fact is many elements of wedding have elements where costs can be cut, the cake is no different. You may not like the message, but they are also not perpetuating the idea that cake is waste of money simply because you decide you can have a smaller version of the cake of your dreams while also opting for sheet cakes.

As to the showing of fully decorated cakes. And? So lets break down the video. They open with some elaborately detailed cakes along side the pricing discussion At the 15-20 second mark they show some tiered cakes and state as a general rule the more elaborate the cake the more expensive it will be--what do you want them to show? The advice is consistent with the statement--those are elaborate cakes--they will be more expensive. What is deceptive or misleading here?

The next cake they show is the brown three tiered cake with sugar flowers. While they show this image they state if you want a lower price stay away from tiers and sugar flowers. Frankly when being told to stay away from something I want to see what I am being told to say away from. There is nothing false or misleading in the visuals. They complement the message by showing brides what to avoid. Any bride looking at that believing they are saying you could afford this is not listening to the message--and that is their problem not the Knot's

The fondant discussion--they state clearly is it more expensive than buttercream. Is there anything misleading in that statement? They show fondant cakes and then state if you get fondant you will pay for labor. Again nothing misleading, if you want what is pictured you will pay. Again a fairly clear message.

The next tiered cake is an example of flowers on a cake and the image looks like a cake with real flowers on it. Now depending on the florist and flowers this may be more expensive, so they may over extend the claim. However the cake is consistent with the message. They do not say do all these things, they are providing different ideas into how one might be able to save on a cake.

The next is a small cake -- where you are right they do not show a small cake. They show a three tiered cake. Maybe not the best choice, then again what constitutes a small cake depends on the size of the wedding. My wedding we had around 90 guests the three tier cake (6,9 12) spot on, my cousin's which was 250+ that would have been small and they would have needed sheet cakes. What is small varies.

That aside they do not say you can get THIS cake, they say get a small version of your cake. And if you check the camera work on the second cake they show the camera zooms out only to show the top two tiers. They do not show the entire cake giving you an idea of what a small cake would look like. If people do not pay attention to the video again that is their problem, not the problem of the producers of the message.

Finally getting a small cake is one strategy they list. The video is not get small cakes and sheet cakes. Thus that they showed full cakes with other pieces of advice is irrelevant. They are examples of the other ways a price of a cake can be lowered.

As to the last advice they state use false layers. Now I will agree there is a question as to how much cheaper false layers will be. However of course they show full cakes, because their point is you can get this LOOK and no one will know the difference. Here they are not telling viewers not what to avoid but what get. So again of course they are going to show fully decorated cakes, nothing misleading in the image, even if the savings may not be much, if any.

As to your business experiences those individuals are influenced by things other than the message by the Knot. If they see that video they are going to interpret it as being consistent with what they already believe. It does not however persuade brides that wedding cakes are a waste of money nor does it tell people who pay attention to the message you can get these cakes for less. Most of the images are images of what stay o away from or what you might be able to get using dummy rounds. So your problem is much larger than a 90 second video telling brides who are on budget how they might get the cake of their dreams.

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Paperfishies Posted 9 Jun 2012 , 6:41pm
post #41 of 73

I just want to say I'm glad that you posted icon_wink.gif
Also want to add that your sheet cakes are amazing and are far better than about 98% of the tiered cakes I have seen on this site. You have reinvented te sheet cake via your flawless and amazing execution!! Please keep posting your pictures...you are one of the reasons I come back to this site, I want to check out new cakes youve posted!!


Quote:
Originally Posted by Corrie76

Wow- I haven't posted in a VERY long time- but felt compelled to defend the honor of the humble sheet cake. Sheet cakes are mostly what I create and what people in my area are comfortable with. Many times a wedding isn't professionally catered and for let's say, the aunt of the bride, who's been charged with cutting the cake- a tiered wedding cake can be a scary proposition! I charge only slightly less for sheet cakes (compared to the tiered) so it's not a huge money saver- and yet many brides still choose this option for the sake of practicality when it comes time to serve the cake itself. People in my area are excited to get a sheet cake from me and look forward to having a cake that is not only original and nice to look at but easy to cut and serve.
I'm neither surprised or alarmed by the Knot posting an article with semi-faulty advice- but really, I think it's safe to assume that many brides and other 'cake muggles' have already made these same assumptions on how to save on a wedding cake anyways so there's nothing to it but educating our customers on what their options are and being upfront with them on their budget and your own pricing. If some of you out there don't do sheet cakes than it simply means that you tell the customer that you do not provide sheet cake, period. There's no need to bash the poor cake just because it's a rectangle with short sides, for Pete's sake!
At the end of the day, it all boils down to different strokes for different folks. But also remember that if you are going to be very vocal about your disdain for sheet cakes in a condesending manner that other's will see that as having an inflexible, unfriendly and elitist attitude- which is never good for business.


usaribbon.gif

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AZCouture Posted 9 Jun 2012 , 7:35pm
post #42 of 73

Corrie's sheet cakes are awesome! But let's face it, most sheet cakes are no where near the quality of what Corrie makes, and most people when they think of sheet cakes, don't have a masterpiece like Corrie's in mind. And The Knot isn't referring to beautifully done flawless ones like that either. Apples and oranges? I'd proudly display your sheet cake at my party any day!

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maggles Posted 9 Jun 2012 , 8:28pm
post #43 of 73
Quote:
Originally Posted by FromScratchSF

They never said that all bakers don't offer this option or to go to a specific place or type of baker to make this cheaper discounted cost less budget saving option.




Nor do they say all bakers DO.

All due respect, FromScratchSF, you need to chill out. In my opinion, you've come across as petty, condescending, and downright rude in this thread. And not just about this topic...but toward other commenters. Hopefully that wasn't your intention. If I were a bride looking for a baker and read these comments, I would avoid you like the plague. Not because of your pricing policies (which I can well afford, before you insinuate I couldn't), but because of your attitude. Just saying.

P.S. I believe you mean "waste," not "waist." Three times you meant it. You're welcome.

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SugaredSaffron Posted 9 Jun 2012 , 9:25pm
post #44 of 73

Have to agree, Corrie76 your cakes are out of this world!

The Knot article doesn't really irk me, but then again over here in the UK we don't really do 'sheet cakes'. And I've never heard of one getting served at a wedding either.

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Norasmom Posted 9 Jun 2012 , 9:48pm
post #45 of 73

The fact that The Knot actually had to write about how to "save" on a cake implies that brides know that cakes are expensive. My younger sister makes custom invitations that are AMAZING, especially the ones that are embossed. She wins awards all the time, but she will not work with brides. She actually had a bride who was marrying a gazillionaire (he's a VERY famous author) try to get her to design something for next to nothing. Nice try bridey! My sister has convinced me to save my sanity and not do weddings. I just cannot believe how little people understand about talent and what it takes!

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jlynnw Posted 9 Jun 2012 , 10:49pm
post #46 of 73

The problem is only further compounded by the cake shows. Klienfield's at least prices out the brides dresses and budget issues. You see cake shows without the price tags, done in an unrealistic time frame withput reference to the practice or supplies brought in. When did you make a few hundred cupcakes, the display and creative idea in a few hours? Finish a mamoth cake in 8 hours without preparation and flaws? It is just not the KNOT that is the issue, it is overall media coverage of cakes. Stop reading or watching this drival until they support the cake budget issue. It amazes me that decorators allow this to perpetuate by participating in the shows, article interviews, etc and are surprised that "cake muggles" have no idea until they are insulted.

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BlakesCakes Posted 9 Jun 2012 , 11:14pm
post #47 of 73

Well, just to throw some fuel on the fire--NOT--I will say that in this day & age, there should be NO muggles.

It's too easy to do some rudimentary research before even calling for a tasting. Information is all over the internet.

No internet access, use the phone to get an idea of serving costs.
Develop a budget, find a baker who at least STARTS at your budget point, and stick to your budget.
Don't try to get the baker to jump thru hoops to get your business.
Don't tell the baker what they can do to get DOWN to your price point.
There's no harm at all in asking what options a baker might offer, but DON"T get your nose out of joint if they say they don't/can't/won't do something.
Just like every dress isn't in your price range, neither is every cake.
Use some common sense. In a day & age when the minimum wage (in my state) is $7.70/hr., when you ask about HANDMADE SUGAR FLOWERS, THINK about what MIGHT go into such a product.
RESPECT THE BAKER AS A PROFESSIONAL AND TREAT THEM AS SUCH.
IT'S NOT "JUST FLOUR & SUGAR".

My real gripe with these types of "how to cut costs" articles is that they often leave you with the feeling there's something wrong with a bride for even considering paying for a high end cake AND there's something wrong with the baker for asking so much for that cake.

Fine. Pile on.
Rae

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costumeczar Posted 9 Jun 2012 , 11:30pm
post #48 of 73
Quote:
Originally Posted by maggles

Quote:
Originally Posted by FromScratchSF

They never said that all bakers don't offer this option or to go to a specific place or type of baker to make this cheaper discounted cost less budget saving option.



Nor do they say all bakers DO.

All due respect, FromScratchSF, you need to chill out. In my opinion, you've come across as petty, condescending, and downright rude in this thread. And not just about this topic...but toward other commenters. Hopefully that wasn't your intention. If I were a bride looking for a baker and read these comments, I would avoid you like the plague. Not because of your pricing policies (which I can well afford, before you insinuate I couldn't), but because of your attitude. Just saying.

P.S. I believe you mean "waste," not "waist." Three times you meant it. You're welcome.




I have to disagree. To me she comes across as someone who is frustrated by the ignorance that comes out of the wedding magazine industry, which is set up to sell wedding dresses while throwing every other wedding service category under the bus. I can totally relate. I pretty much ignore the wedding magaziens now, though, they'll never change, and they'll still be churning out the same tired advice five, ten and twenty years from now.

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scp1127 Posted 10 Jun 2012 , 8:01am
post #49 of 73

I agree with FromScratch and costumeczar. These two are business women who are serious, successful, and do not mince words. Instead of calling one rude, it would be best to take in every word they write. Not saying you have to agree, but I have never seen a post from either that was not valid, even the controversial ones.

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Bluehue Posted 10 Jun 2012 , 11:39am
post #50 of 73

Hmmmm - question...

Is that women a caker/baker or just a mouth piece for The Knot?

If she isn't a caker/baker then i take her words with a grain of salt - sadly brides to be wouldn't...and no doubt hang on her every word.

If she is just a mouth piece - then need i say more.... icon_rolleyes.gif

My customers pay for my service - and like many others - i won't lower my price because someone wants a wedding that they really can't afford.
And no magazine or mouth piece will convince me otherwise.

As for the suggestion by the mouth piece that adding a few dummy tiers will be cheaper - *cough* - if it wasn't such a misleading and utterly foolish statement to make it would be hysterical.


Perhaps The Knot has to keep coming up with these airy fairy ideas so as to capture a new audiance all the time - *shrug*
.
From where i sit ............ The Knot = Not.

Blue.

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costumeczar Posted 10 Jun 2012 , 11:58am
post #51 of 73
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bluehue

Hmmmm - question...

Is that women a caker/baker or just a mouth piece for The Knot?

If she isn't a caker/baker then i take her words with a grain of salt - sadly brides to be wouldn't...and no doubt hang on her every word.

If she is just a mouth piece - then need i say more.... icon_rolleyes.gif

My customers pay for my service - and like many others - i won't lower my price because someone wants a wedding that they really can't afford.
And no magazine or mouth piece will convince me otherwise.

As for the suggestion by the mouth piece that adding a few dummy tiers will be cheaper - *cough* - if it wasn't such a misleading and utterly foolish statement to make it would be hysterical.


Perhaps The Knot has to keep coming up with these airy fairy ideas so as to capture a new audiance all the time - *shrug*
.
From where i sit ............ The Knot = Not.

Blue.




She's a mouthpiece...I doubt that she would know what a cake pan looked like. They've been giving the same advice for years and will continue to do so. It's not worth getting worked up over,but it is frustrating when people make an effort to educate themselves before seeing you, then they come into an appointment saying "fawndawnt" and talking about sheet cakes because they don't want to look ignorant. If magazines and websites would just tell them to cut their guest lists and ask their vendors how they can stay within budget it would save a lot of time.

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jason_kraft Posted 10 Jun 2012 , 2:08pm
post #52 of 73
Quote:
Originally Posted by costumeczar

She's a mouthpiece...I doubt that she would know what a cake pan looked like.



Ms. Winikka has experience as a wedding coordinator. She was also the one who rewrote the article that started the last Knot bashing thread to make it less objectionable.

http://www.xogroupinc.com/press-room/experts.aspx

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Bluehue Posted 10 Jun 2012 , 2:19pm
post #53 of 73
Quote:
Originally Posted by jason_kraft

Quote:
Originally Posted by costumeczar

She's a mouthpiece...I doubt that she would know what a cake pan looked like.


Ms. Winikka has experience as a wedding coordinator. She was also the one who rewrote the article that started the last Knot bashing thread to make it less objectionable.

http://www.xogroupinc.com/press-room/experts.aspx





Oh well in that case slap me stupid - because here was i thinking she knew all aspects of ACTUALLY producing wedding cakes.
It just gets more ridiculous

Bluehue

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jason_kraft Posted 10 Jun 2012 , 2:34pm
post #54 of 73
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bluehue

Oh well in that case slap me stupid - because here was i thinking she knew all aspects of ACTUALLY producing wedding cakes.
It just gets more ridiculous



Considering The Knot is about the entire process of putting together a wedding and is not focused on producing cakes, it sounds like she has just the kind of experience needed, which explains why she got the job of site editor there.

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Bluehue Posted 10 Jun 2012 , 3:19pm
post #55 of 73
Quote:
Originally Posted by jason_kraft

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bluehue

Oh well in that case slap me stupid - because here was i thinking she knew all aspects of ACTUALLY producing wedding cakes.
It just gets more ridiculous


Considering The Knot is about the entire process of putting together a wedding and is not focused on producing cakes, it sounds like she has just the kind of experience needed, which explains why she got the job of site editor there.




Sorry - i thought this paticular thread was about *her* suggestions as to cake cutting costs....
Knowing the entire pocess about pulling a wedding together doesn't for one minute mean one actually knows the ins and outs of creating a wedding cake - it just means you can source different companies to produce an end product.

A Site Editor has many little people running around finding out information - compiling it into files and then slapping it down on the Site Editors desk for her to read - then standing in front of a camea and making a video -
YESSSS - i can see where the caking expertise comes into it - Not...

Honestly Jason - as a caker, even you should see how shallow that is icon_rolleyes.gif
Thats not having a skill or craft - thats just being a mouth piece for the camera...


Bluehue

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jason_kraft Posted 10 Jun 2012 , 3:36pm
post #56 of 73

The wedding coordinators I've worked with have all had a pretty good idea of what goes into making a wedding cake. You don't need to have actual experience baking and decorating a cake to understand the process and the costs involved. I'm an example, since I don't bake or decorate.

You are also making several assumptions as to what the job of a site editor is and how The Knot is run. What are you basing these assumptions on? As an author myself I have worked with editors before, and editors need to understand the subject matter pretty well, otherwise they are just glorified proofreaders.

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costumeczar Posted 10 Jun 2012 , 3:42pm
post #57 of 73

Jason, come on...that little bio is a PR puff piece like most others. Her job as a wedding coordinator at a venue while in college could have been the assistant to the catering manager for all we know. I have a friend who does PR for wedding businesses, and she basically spends all day trying to stretch the truth so that it's still true, but sounds much bigger that is. I also have run across many, many very experienced venue coordinators who don't know their a$$ from their elbow when it comes to the cake. The things they say to me make me wonder if they've ever cut a cake before...oh wait, they usually don't, one of the catering staff does it.

Anyway, if you work for the knot and are put on camera it's because you're stepford wife photogenic, not because you're an expert. That's what a mouthpiece is. They don't care about your expertise, they just want someone who looks good on camera to read the TelePrompTer

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jason_kraft Posted 10 Jun 2012 , 3:47pm
post #58 of 73
Quote:
Originally Posted by costumeczar

Jason, come on...that little bio is a PR puff piece like most others. Her job as a wedding coordinator at a venue while in college could have been the assistant to the catering manager for all we know.



I suppose that's possible, and it's possible she was hired as a site editor to be an actress, but given that she has also written quite a few articles it doesn't seem that likely.

Plus, as BlueHue mentioned, she likely has a team of experts to rely on if she needs more in-depth knowledge in a specific area.

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Bluehue Posted 10 Jun 2012 , 4:03pm
post #59 of 73
Quote:
Originally Posted by jason_kraft

The wedding coordinators I've worked with have all had a pretty good idea of what goes into making a wedding cake. You don't need to have actual experience baking and decorating a cake to understand the process and the costs involved. I'm an example, since I don't bake or decorate.
Oh Jason - I can't argue with what you wrote - its too ridiculous......moving on to next paragraph.

You are also making several assumptions as to what the job of a site editor is and how The Knot is run. What are you basing these assumptions on? Oh Jason get of your high horse - i say it in black and white so don't give me the Assumption crap -

As an author myself I have worked with editors before, and editors need to understand the subject matter pretty well, otherwise they are just glorified proofreaders.
And there you go - need i say more - i call her a mouth piece - you can call her a glorified proof reader......because she hasn't a clue as to the designing - baking and creating of a Wedding Cake....
She only knows what she has been told and from whats she has read....
Not from standing at a bench colouring fondant to a cetain shade for 3 hours....and then covering a cake and decorating it....

And Jason - Kindly don't take the moral high road with me - my views are just that - MY VIEWS.

Bluehue


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jason_kraft Posted 10 Jun 2012 , 5:32pm
post #60 of 73
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bluehue

because she hasn't a clue as to the designing - baking and creating of a Wedding Cake....
She only knows what she has been told and from whats she has read....



I'm still wondering where you are getting this information from.

Also I'm not sure where morality comes into play here (e.g. the "moral high road" you keep referring to)?

Quote:
Quote:

Not from standing at a bench colouring fondant to a cetain shade for 3 hours....and then covering a cake and decorating it....



Being skilled at the mechanics of cake decorating has very little to do with skill in other aspects of this business, as has been demonstrated repeatedly in this very forum.

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