I have been contacted to do a cake for a celebrity client. Not just a "local celebrity"... this person is a LEGEND in the music industry. Sounds like a decorator's dream come true, huh?

My problem is that the people in control of arranging this event only want a cake large enough for this person and their immediate family. The guests, who are paying $100 a plate to attend the event will be served cupcakes... that I am relatively sure are coming from a grocery store. Is this the norm?

Also, I was told by the person who contacted me that a few years ago, they refused to display a cake because "it looked so bad, we just couldn't put it out."  The celebrity wasn't even consulted as to their feelings about this cake... some handler just decided it wasn't good enough. That HAD to hurt the decorator's business... being known as the person whose cake was so ugly it wasn't even displayed.

I am torn... being able to "advertise" that I made this person's birthday cake would be, in the words of my child, "like making a cake for the President."  However, I worry that guests will assume that I also made the cupcakes they will be served and that this could actually harm my reputation. Or, even worse, I become the victim of some handler who feels my work doesn't measure up.

WHAT WOULD YOU DO???

if i was a viable business i would so do it--life is risk

go for it for crying out loud

my kid has cooked for oprah and laura bush and gordon ramsay

it's awesome--do it--be happy--don't worry

shameless name dropping can be fun 

You may be right, K8... it's not nearly as scary as cooking for Gordon Ramsey!

and jonathan's mentality is this--he never did anything different for any of them--he always cooked his best so it was business as usual when he was presented with the big names--same same--no pressure

so yeah go for it

bragging rights forever--heck yeah!

rock & roll

Thanks K8. I really appreciate your input.

Is this a party for profit? Or is the money going to charity? Some celebrities go from city to city celebrating their birthday and lots of money is made in the process. These orders can either be so heartwarming that you couldn't believe they were so nice or at least very lucrative.  Or... they may hint around that they want stuff for free. Sometimes the person in charge of getting the cake is a complete jerk.  Either way, everyone involved is very egocentric about their event and celebrity.  For example, I once had the person ordering refuse to ever give me an address for delivery.  All she would say is "the arena". And she acted like I was an idiot for asking. I finally figured out she meant Toyota Center.

My policy now is, if I'm getting something in return, like if they'll feature my cake on national tv and give me credit, they'll get free cake. Or if I can get the pic of the cake, preferably with the celebrity, and see that it get's in the local gossip websites, I may do it for free. Otherwise, no free cake.  When you do it for free, you then gain control over what you make that will look good for advertising.

I don't count when they're letting people who attended know who made the cake as getting something in return. And I doubt it would have hurt that person's business who make the ugly cake for the same reason. These events don't really have an effect on your business.

So if they order something really small, so be it. If everyone there gets grocery store cc's, it's not likely to matter that much in my opinion. They aren't there to check out a cake company and there may be lots of drinking anyway.

That's quite a compliment to you to be asked!  I am one to both want to be paid and have my cake promoted…both at once.  If it's for charity and I can afford it, it makes me happy to do a donation.   

I think you should go ahead and make the cake.  People will see the beautiful cake and enjoy the cupcakes.  Just make sure they know you did not make the cupcakes, especially if they are from the grocery store.

Can't wait to see pictures?

Can we have a hint as for who it is for?????  

howsweet: As far as I know, the party is not a charity event. And, I have been told I can "name drop" but no promises of any media coverage/exposure for my business have been made. But, though they have hinted they would like me to consider lowering my prices, they have not directly asked me to do so. They have said they will be getting quotes from other decorators but #1 I would expect that and #2 my prices are firm. I even gave them the name of another local decorator they weren't familiar with, who just got started in business because she's darn good at what she does. She is a former client and my "cake buddy" (we loan each other tools, share tips, kinda like CC but IRL) If I don't get it, I'd rather see her get the job as anyone else I can think of.

Norasmom: It was a HUGE compliment... I swore my husband & children to secrecy when they contacted me. I haven't told anyone else, except the other decorator I mentioned - wanted to give her a "heads up" so she would be ready... I know when I first got the message I thought maybe I was being "Punk'd"!  lol

If I get the booking, I will definitely be name dropping but, until then, I don't want to "jinx" it.

THANKS EVERYONE FOR YOUR ADVICE! :D

I would so go for it!! We were asked to make cupcakes for Christmas for Kids sponsored by Charlie Daniels a couple of years ago. Made 400 cupcakes. It was a job, but well worth it. We had an article in the local paper about it. And we also made the Possum cake for George Jones's 80th birthday party. He loved it and the next motrning his wife emailed us and said they had possum leg for breakfast.!! LOL!

We had coverage on the tv stations. Plus I have several pictures of them holding the cake. We did it for free, but it was the best publicity we have have had. Too bad we ended up closing our storefront shortly thereafter, due to medical reasons, but we still do custom cakes from home. People still remember who we are.

Good luck on this and I am sure it will be worth it.

Patticake... OMG! GEORGE JONES!!!!! I would have probably died of happiness on the spot! He is one of my FAVORITE singers!

I'm usually very confident but maybe I'm just "looking for a reason" not to do this. Possibly, I'm afraid because this person has been in the music industry for so long (nearly 70 years) and I'm scared that, if I do get it, I'll fail.

I guess worst case scenario, they don't put the cake out and no one knows. They did not actually tell me who the other decorator was, so they probably wouldn't reveal my name if they were unsatisfied either. (Of course, I would know and it would kill me but it probably wouldn't harm my biz.)

And BEST case scenario, I might get some positive exposure and someday, I can tell my future grandchildren, "I once made a cake for ____!".

I  would, too, patticake! :D

AThanks. We had a blast doing it and got to go to the party too. My younger daughter lives really close to Nashville and was working for an entertainment magazine and has met many celebrities. She went to a Christmas party last year and George and his wife were there. She knows his wife and when she talked to George he told her that was the best birthday cake he ever had. If you want to see more pictures from the party I put a link to my Facebook album in the previous post. O P Sorry did not mean to hijack your thread. But like I said ,if you get the chance to do this, go for it. I will never forget that party.