Hello fellow CCR's, I was looking at all of the beautiful wedding cakes and started to wonder "who provides the flowers if they are silk or fresh?" if provided by the customer, would they have them collected at the end of the reception? Also, about the beautiful stands that I've seen...are these retrieved immediately after the reception or do the customers hold on to them and return them after the honeymoon or does someone from their family just makes sure that they are returned...So many more questions, but that's just peakin my curiosity for now... Thanks in advance...

I think many of these answers are up to you and what you prefer.

The bride and/or her florist often supply flowers, and in that case, it's up to them to "collect" them at the end.

The stands and equipment are borrowed from you for the event. Most charge a deposit which is given back when the equipment is returned. Very much like the rented tuxedos and other things-- someone is put in charge of getting them back to you. I personally wouldn't allow them to be kept for more than a few days after the event.

I require my brides to supply any florals, real or silk, for their cake. I dont' care how if if they get retrieved, if they do at all. My pricing includes me staying and cutting the cake, so if they are loose florals, they go in the trash when I start cutting the cake. If they are a floral arrangement (set between the tiers) then I set them on the cake table as decor. It's up to whoever cleans up after the wedding to do whatever with them.

Stands: Again, since I stay and cut the cake, there is no issue on when I get things back .... I take them with me when I leave. If I have a drop-n-run cake, if I can't use all disposable then I make arrangements with the facility for me to come back and pick them up. During the peak season, I have weddings every single weekend ..... I cannot be dependent on a bride or family member FINALLY remembering to get my equipment back. Yes, they can forfeit the deposit if they are returned late, but that doesn't help me when I have no equipment for the next wedding! NO WAY can I wait until "after the honeymoon" to get my stuff back!

definitely great questions to ask! makes you think wow that's a lot of things beyond just baking/decorating/selling your cake to someone lol.

And good job on leaving with facility for pickup- cause yeah, people even may have good intentions on returning something, but if your schedule is all packed and one thing depends on another going smoothly, you cant rely on customers to return things in a timely manner. Especially re: thinking they'll return on time (or at all) to get their deposit back.

Hmm you know, I have never really given that much thought. So far all the cakes I have baked have been for family and friends so I am always there to retrieve the stands and whatnot. I think when I start selling my cakes I will have to include somewhere in the contract a deposit for the stands and other equipment left with the cake or make arrangements to have myself or my husband pick up the equipment after the reception/event.
I am so glad you posted this question, made me wonder what other things I never considered