I Am Getting Myself Worked Up! Possible 1St Wedding Cake
Decorating By springlakecake Updated 25 May 2007 , 9:40pm by FromScratch
okay, so I had someone contact me about doing a wedding cake (someone I do not know). She seems interested but I am freaking out because I have never done one. Just need advice before I get back to her with a price. I think I could pull it off, she sent over a fairly simple design, just white with scrolls, but I am terrified of taking the leap!!
1. is SMBC a no no in the summer (july)?
2. 6, 9, 12 inch tiers how much? She already has a topper.
3. How should I go about payment? Take a deposit and get paid in full like 2 weeks prior?
4. She hasnt asked about sampling the cakes, should I offer? For free or fee?
Here is the Wilton cake cutting guide to give you an idea of how many servings you can get: http://www.wilton.com/wedding/cakeinfo/cakedata.cfm
If she doesn't ask about a sampling, I wouldn't worry about it.
You need some sort of agreement/contract with a down payment and explicit direction on how final payment will be handled.
Just for comparison purposes, here is Earlene's chart. She says a 12-9-6 is 70 servings if you don't serve the top tier, 80 if you do. I like this chart, and I also like the 12-9-6 size proportion-wise.
http://www.earlenescakes.com/ckserchart.htm
For my wedding cakes I collect 1/2 of the amount upon booking of the cake, and it is non-refundable. The balance is due 2 weeks before the wedding. I posted the contract I made on my web site and you are welcome to take it and modify it to suit your needs:
www.cakeboss.com/contract.aspx
Your cakes are great, you will make this bride very happy 
Thanks! I told her that would be approx. 70 servings (without the top tier) 80 (with the top)and she thought that was good. I was wondering though how much you thought you would charge for that? Do you usually charge for the top, I was thinking yes, since this is a realitively small cake. I was thinking of telling her $175...??
I have never done a wedding cake so no advice there. I just wanted to say that your cakes are
awesome and you will do a beautiful job. Oh, my--just incredible.
oh and thanks kelley for the info, I am going to take a look at your site!
Just take a deep breath and you will be fine. I just done my first wedding cake 2 weeks ago and it was huge..serving 275 people. Plus, it was for my stepdaughter and she wanted the biggest dang cake she could find. I was stressed the whole week before the wedding, but once it was over, I was very proud of what I had accomplished and you will too.
After that week, the stress was gone. Now I am doing my second one next week, but a much smaller cake thankfully 
I transported all my tiers in seperate boxes and constructed on site. I could not even imagine traveling with a cake that big complete..
You go girl, if you can pull that one off...
Good luck to you with your first wedding cake and after it is all over, pat yourself on the back...because I'm sure it will be beautiful.
okay thanks everyone and thank you for your nice words about my cakes, it does help to boost the confidence a little.
So anyone know about SMBC? Could I do this in July? I made one cake with it and it turned out realively well. But I am much more confident in my fondant ability, I wish she wanted that!!
okay so I just quoted her $200 at 2.50 a slice. I was going to say $175, but I figured I would go for it. I just heard back and she said it sounded like a good deal 
! But she has to talk to her dad since he is forking over the cash. So I guess I will hear shortly. I cant believe I might be doing this...I am so nervous! 
And boy she hasnt even asked for any kind of tasting!!
Good for you Your work is worth at least $200.
About the tasting...be aware that she may agree, sign the contract, whatever, and then go "wait....." and want her tasting. So be prepared for what you will do/say in that event. You might even bring it up first.
Good luck! 
yeah, I have been trying to figure out what to do about that. I would have to meet up with her at some point anyway to at least get her topper. I thought I might offer just to do a 6 inch or something or maybe at least a couple of cupcakes to make sure she likes it. I dont know.
She just agreed ! Yikes I am excited but really nervous! I am glad though it is on the smaller side, though the biggest one I have ever done. So we are going to meet up I think. I guess I should get together some type on contract then. I hope I am ready for this!
You'll do great! Make sure you get 1/2 up front and let them know that the balance will be due no later than 2 weeks before their date. I would have charged more.. you do great work and you deserve to be compensated for it. Do you know what type of cake she wants? Fondant?? Is the design intricate? In the future you might want to sit down with her and figure out how much work the cake is going to be.. what flavors she will want.. what fillings she will want.. all of that before you quote her a price so you can charge accordingly.. other than that CONGRATS!!!!!! It's so cool when someone thinks highly enough of your work to allow you to make their wedding cake. 
WTG!!!!! Don't be nervous.. you will sail through it. You make very nice cakes!
Oh and to answer about SMBC in the heat.. probably not the best match, but if the reception in indoors.. you could get away with it. Congrats again!
Thanks! that is what I did tell her about payment. She had sent me a photo of a cake she was interested in with a flavor and filling. So I did quote her a price based on the cake sizes, flavor,decoration. We are going to meet, so if she makes a lot of changes then I will have to quote a different cake accordingly. I think she wants smbc. I hope she will decide on fondant though.
Well I just re-read your original post and DUH.. I see you had already seen a picture.. somehow I lost that in reading all the other posts. if she decides on fondant charge her accordingly.. explain to her the tempermental nature of buttercreams when they are warm. How warm is warm for you in July?
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