I get a lot of young couples who are doing weddings themselves and on very tight budgets. Every once in a while, I get a couple that still has that look of shock on their faces as they go around pricing for their wedding! I feel so guilty sometimes taking 300 dollars from a couple for just a cake! I look around at other bakeries in my area and my prices are still a lot lower, but I guess I myself am blown away at the wedding industry and how much people want for stuff!!

my DH reminds me if I figure out the hours I put into a wedding cake, and how you barely make mim wage..and that you can't charge different prices based on how much people make! hahaha! But man, sometimes, don't you just feel guilty, or am I strange?

sometimes i do. But i'm getting over that.

You need to remember that there are alot of sob stories out there, some are true some are not. And what of the brides that are shocked at the price of a $300 cake, but will spend 1000 or more on a dress.

I know that feeling, too. Sometimes it just "pops-up" in my mind, that we are talking about: sugar, flour etc. and I´m thinking, if I would spend the money for that cake .

My wedding cake cost me more than my dress, but that was just because I happened to find my dream dress for under $350, which is hard to do. I'm not big on spending a lot of money on things, but for weddings that kinda goes out the window!! We spent the most on our photographer because in the end that is all that is left, besides the top layer of the cake that you hope will survive for another year (which was still moist by the way thanks to a hefty layer of fondant and mom's craziness with wrapping it in four different things before freezing!)!! I'm sure every couple is different, but isn't it interesting how important the cake is?!?!

NOPE I DO NOT FEEL GUILTY!!!!!

I used to feel guilty, but if you were to let them "plea" with you or to offer you a price......it probably wouldn't even cost half of your ingredients.

And, if you let that happen, well...anyway!

I had a call from one of my good friends last weekend. Her brother is FINALLY getting married. She asked if I could do a tiered cake for 100. I told her a price and you could just hear the shock in her voice. She said she'd talk to her brother and that she'd call me back the next day. Well...it's been a week, lol!

No, I don't feel guilty at all!

I used to, but now I take the line of the L'oreal adverts - 'I'm (and my cakes) are worth it!'. Those who don't think so can go elsewhere - I'm such a perfectionist and stress about every cake I do, that I feel I deserve to be compensated for my time and talent (such that it is lol!). Never sell yourself short!

I'm with mmdd on that. Often people don't even know how much it costs, and sometimes they want to pay for the 'stuff' only, not your time. They don't even think about the time you spent to make it look perfect for them, so that they are happy. I used to feel guilty about it but after reading about all the 'horror' stories, on bad brides-to-be and evrything on this site, not guilty anymore!!! I need to stand up for myself, because nobody will. Besides when you're confident in yourself it shows. I even had two ladies this weekend, giving me a few extra bucks for my work and time!! Even in decorating you get tips!!! I felt so happy to know they appreciate my work!

have a nice day
Lorris

I think part of it, too, is the realization that people out there are willing to spend their money in such different ways. I mean, I would make very different decisions about how I would spend my money than others would, so when you charge what you're worth and someone is willing to pay it, you might think, "I would never spend that much money for this," but do you absolutely deserve to charge that much? Of course!!

I hope that made sense!

Don't feel guilty. Some people do think it's just a cake & some people think that when the timer dings & you take it out of the oven...Poof!!, there's a gorgeous cake that took no effort. If people could come just one time & help out making a wedding cake, they would understand the price a lot more.

Don't feel guilty. They are in shock because of the price of the cake. They are in shock because reality is hitting them. Life costs money and if you want a really good life you have to pay for it. I was just talking to a friend and she said the wedding she was at the cake tasted so awful.

I happen to know they skimped in that area and now the bride and groom have a whole bunch of awful cake on their hands.....

So, don't feel bad... They would get what they paid for : )

I haven't actually charged anyone for a cake yet. But I mostly do family and good friends. I'll just charge for the ingredients. I think most of my problem is guilt. I wish I could get over it and actually charge what my cakes are worth. Oh we..

I don't feel guilty for a couple of reasons, 1.when someone orders a cake from me they have to option to either pay the fee if they think it is fair or go to someone else, remember we all have the choice to go somewhere else if we don't like the price and 2 when I make a cake I really put a lot of time and effort into the cake as I am certain everyone else here at CC does. How many times have you spent 2 hours more on a cake that you finished decorating already had it in the box and then looked at it and thought oh, I should add this or that would look cute. Just my $.02

I don't feel guilty for what I charge for cakes.
As a rule I don't do weddings, bar/ batmitzvas, due to the drama factor.
DH volunteered me to do a friends wedding cake (our gift to them) for 350 people. Needless to say I'm not thrilled since I have already booked 5 other cakes between now and then(6/17) and work full time as a clinic director.
I put in many hours and a lot of time pull all nighters.

wow, thanks everyone!!! I do feel better...and not as gulty! haha!

I have a situaction where a friend of mine's father is getting married and I think they were expecting a special price. I gave them my usual price. Will see if they book me or not! hahaha!

I agree though, I think people watch Martha Stewart or someone on TV making a cake and they think How Hard could it be, it only took her 10 minutes. hahahaha! Wish I had a whole crew of chiefs helping me!

I wouldn't feel guilty at all because no one "has to" have a wedding with an expensive dress and a nice wedding cake. It's their choice. If people can't afford a wedding, they can always elope or go down to the courthouse to get married. This is a luxury item they're buying from you, not a neccesity, and luxury items come with a big price tag!!

DON'T feel guilty. I did the pity thing and made a wedding cake for $225 and I ended up on the short end. The bride was a bit** and complained after, she actually chose a HUGE cake and wasn't the least bit grateful of all the time, money and extra care I put into it.

I guess I lucked out - my wedding was on super budget. My cake was "Free" to me (my mom made it), my dress was $135 ( I got it at JCPenny outlet), my bridesmaids' dresses were like $40 each. When all was said and done: No one remembers what dress I wore, what decorations there were or what the wedding party looked like. They remember how great the cake tasted and how much fun the reception was. 14yrs later I still have my husband's relatives come up to me and say they had never had so much fun before or since.

I am the type of person that if I think something is too expensive I'll find a comparable thing for cheaper or learn to do it myself. I guess that's why they call me the Martha Stewart of the neighborhood


Barb

I agree with Cakey--

When I got married, I found my wedding dress--marked down. My husband bought a suit that he could wear to anything. Got married in a fancy 2-story house (my friend's parents house) in Houston. Came home the next day and worked all next week. Reception in Longview the next weekend for family and friends and wore our wedding attire. Went on a great honeymoon for a week in Mexico.

15 years later--still married. I think we paid $100 for our wedding cake at the reception with silk flowers on top.

I used to feel guilty too until I realized HOW MUCH of my time went into it. So I started charging for my cakes rather quickly! I love cake decorating...however I don't want to spend HOURS on a cake. I decorate more for the enjoyment than the money since I have a FT job. (I have 2 kids, 2 dogs, 2 cats, work FT & have 1 DH.) I DREAD making cakes with tons of different colors. It takes SO much longer. I even thought changing the price of my cakes by the color. Has anyone heard of this??

Michele