Hi Everyone,

Remember the old saying,"careful what you wish for, it might come true".

I've been wanting to do a wedding cake for the longest time; well, my wish came true but I deeply dread this order

Here's the low-down on this cake;

Received a call from the lady that I did the Spongebob cupcakes for requesting a wedding cake.

Let me tell you, I was so excited that my mouth started watering, my hands trembling like they were being electrically charged...I was so excited until she dropped the bomb on me

"Stephanie", yes, was my response, I can only spend $40.00. I am helping out with this cake and I only want to spend $40.00...I don't really know this couple and can't see myself spending more than that much. They only want to feed 20-25 people and the topper to keep for anniversary. The wedding is next Saturday, the 25.

She preceeds to tell me that she will help get me exposure for my cakes and that several couples in her church are getting married and this will help alot for them to see my work.

I told her that I couldn't do a wedding cake for $40.00.

I know how expensive wedding cakes are and that you will be taking a big lost but I promise you will get some orders out of this she stated.

Well, suffice to say, I agreed to do it but at $60.00 and they will be only getting a 10" and 6" with little decorations.

Okay CC Buddies, I need your help

Will a 10" feed 20 to 25 people and what type of decorating can I do.
They want their name on the cake also.

I know that I am crazy for doing this, but hopefully, I'll get more orders.

TIA

Yah should have asked her to go out and get all the ingredients herself....I bet it wasn't $40.00....not even $60.00!! I do hope you get more orders though...You are kinder than me...I would have said Forget it!!!

According to Wilton a 10 inch 2 layer feeds 38 (wedding size) I would do something simple smooth butter cream with either small polka dots or cornelli design - simple but elegant.

Stephanie, I understand very well how you feel. Been there, done that. Please be careful as not to let people take advantage of you. Many people see that you have a good and giving heart and will use you every chance they get. I just hope you get more orders, and this 'lady' doesn't have any more semi-friends. Your cakes are very beautiful, and you deserve to be paid for your hard work and talent.

i agree,
for 40 bucks I would have made her a quarter sheet in bc with a coupla roses on it and their names and called it good! sheesh sometimes peeps seem to think that we pull these things out of thin air!!!!!

Thanks everyone

KiddieKakes,

You have me laughing...never throught of that.

Jaxdesserts,

I was thinking about the polka dots and some roses around the borders.

subaru,

Believe you me, I'm not a push over My mother tells me all the time that I am to outspoken for my own good

Thank you so much for the compliment on my cakes.

What I am planning on doing is not going to be alot, minimum at best.

steph,
the only reservations I have about this lady is she is gonna brag how she got this cake for only x amount of dollars and all the peeps she tells are gonna expect the same thing. hmmmm.... cause I also looked at your cakes and dang.... 1 you are very prolific and 2... you are very good!!!

prolific is a good thing. means you do aLOT!!!! and are good at it.
And good on the lady understanding where you are coming from.

The corneli lace would make the cake look like there is alot of elegant action going on-plus it would give good coverage-with a simple border and maybe a group of roses and I think it would be a beautiful gesture-make it look more $ than it actually cost (and got paid for) but be a beautiful addition to the wedding. Hopefully, by your being so sweet for doing it at such a short notice-you name will be spread with a smile! And think of it this way-you are doing the bride and groom a nice cake for the special day-the middlewoman is just an add on-hopefully you can make it up with other orders-you do fabulous work so they are bound to notice it!!!

Hi Stephanie!

I think I would have taken the order as well. A few months ago I did a small wedding cake with only a day in advance. I used the same size pans....a 10 and a 6 inch round. I used my 3 inch pans and charged her only 50.00. She was on a budget and she said I could decorate it however I wanted.

I used little edible pearls and ivory colored icing. It actually looked really pretty once the flowers were on it. I would stick to a simple design. Maybe some small dots or scrolls.

I think this is fine for you to do. This will give you some practice for other wedding cake orders that will be coming! You can also add this to your portfolio of BEAUTIFUL cakes!

Good luck...and post a pic!

Traci

Thanks so much.

My mother is trying to get me to do a larger cake...can't do it

nanni,

I've never done cornelli lace, is it time consuming?

traci,

I'm hoping that I get the orders.

Thinking about doing scrolls in peach color with royal icing ahead of time.

stephanie214 ,
it is so nice of you to take that cake order and willing to do it for $60,like someone else said on this forum, it will be good for you as a practice and will be an addition to your portfolio.
keep in mind that lady saying that she won't tell anyone how affordable the cake was,doesn't guarantee that she won't tell it...
I once had a bride come to me for a wedding cake for 200 people...expecting I would only charge her for the ingredients and supplies... ,or if it was something not acceptable for me...she could pay about .80cents per serving. duh!!!
later, i found out that one of my VERY BEST friends ( I did a little 6" valentine's day cake for her,and she provided the ingredients to me)told that bride about my cakes being "CHEAP" and "AWSOME".go figure!!!
good luck and do your best.
dont' forget to share a picture.
hugs
honeys cakes.

Cornelli lace isn't really time consuming when you consider how it is done. You do need to have a thought in mind when you do it since it is sort of random but it does take time to get your thoughts together etc. Since you don't have to change tips etc to do it-having a game plan will make it go faster.

Thanks

Here's a link on cornelli lace:

http://www.cakecentral.com/article41-How-To-Do-Cornelli-Lace.html

Good luck!

and here's a link to a great picture from the gallery of what is looks like:

http://cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=coppermine&file=displayimage&meta=search&search=cornelli%20lace&cat=0&pos=48&search=cornelli%20lace

I agree cornelli lace makes a cake look elegant without working your butt off. If this is a first wedding cake it is sometimes a good idea to do one that you aren't making a hefty profit on, and thereby lessening the expectations and pressure on you while still letting you get your feet wet. However I would make it clear that it was a FAVOR and that by NO means should anyone expect to get a wedding cake for that price under regular circumstance.

Indeed she knows the prices of wedding cakes...been married twice herself and that she had better be thankful that I wanted to do one.

A Bride brought me this picture and wants me to re-create it for her wedding, I know its a four tier, but the decoration with the swiss dots is very simple and very easily re-created in BC, and it would look just as well as a small two tier or even as a single tier cake. Fondant Roses aren't that time consuming either.



The original cake is one by Cakes and Co.

Better start looking for a cake mix on sale for this wedding cake.

Hey Steph,
You are very sweet to do this cake for so little, my only question is why is this woman looking for a wedding cake for these people if she doesn't know them that well?

And not to be a downer, but is a reception with 20 to 25 people present really going to generate a lot of business for you? Again, I think you're really kind to do this for this couple, but I don't want to see you hurt by sneaky people.

And I took a look at your 89 photos in your gallery. Good Lord, woman, you really are prolific!!

GCF

Hi! Here is a cake that would be fairly simple, but elegant. I would just stack it without the pillars/columns, though.

http://www.sweetlifedesserts.com/cakes/classic-05.jpg

Best wishes with the cake...I am sure it will be great!

Minnie

If she's so certain you'll get orders from this cake, she'll be willing to front you the difference between $40 and your usual cost, and you can pay her back in full plus interest (say, a 25% bonus for her, make it worth her while) from the orders.

I would do something like mousey and sparklycake recommended because the work is pretty simple, yet it comes out looking really pretty. I'm in the same sort of situation with a bridal shower cake pricewise so don't feel badly, and like the other members told me definitely let them know that is NOT the REGULAR price of your wedding cakes.

Since you're hoping this will generate some orders for you in the future, I would ask her to make sure she lets people know that you do more than wedding cakes. Sometimes people would never think that the person who did the wedding cake might do birthday and other special occiasion cakes as well. Those 20-25 people all have birthdays, and spouse's with birthdays, and children and friends with birthdays, etc, etc. Is she willing to have some of your cards on hand to give out to people? I'd do that too, if I were you.

As for the woman 'fronting you the difference between the $40 and your usual costs' and you 'paying her back in full plus interest from the future orders to make it worth her while'....that's just plain ridiculous. Talk about prolonging an already annoying situation money-wise...geez.

I think it's great you're willing to work with this woman so that you can have a 'get your feet wet' first time with a wedding cake. And like someone else said, above all you'll be giving the bride & groom a beautiful cake on their big day...something to remember.

BRAVO! Well said....Jenn

Okay-if she doesn't really know this couple that well-then why is she involved in getting the cake? What do the couple's really close friend have to buy-the wedding dress and the recption hall? It just sounds strange that she is handling and purchasing the wedding cake. Tell her $40 doesn't buy a birthday cake-unless she is shopping at the supermarket bakery. Rember this-just because you have never done a wedding cake-doesn't mean you shouldn't charge a wedding cake price. I know how you feel about the wedding cakes. It is the "olympics" of cake making in my opinion. And I have learned from past mistakes. My first cakes were embarrassingly cheap, because I thought because I was new I should not charge the full amount. BIG MISTAKE! They loved the cakes-they told all of thier friends. BUT they also told thier friends that I charge such great cheap prices. So do not get stuck charging bariagn basement prices! Goold Luck-I hope everything works out!