So Why Is It That We Charge Differenty For Wedding Cakes?
Decorating By SweetDreams Updated 14 Dec 2006 , 5:32am by nglez09
I just had a moment to actually sit and think quietly today (without the kids asking constant questions or requesting something) and i was thinking why it was that many of us (myself included) charge different prices for a party cake compared to a wedding cake. If it is the same cake that i am baking, the same amount of time to make and decorate it, why am i charging more just because it is for a wedding?
For an example. I made a graduation cake for my sister (i could not upload this one for some reason. Still not sure why it will not upload) that fed 90. It was a 3 tier cake that took me 13 hours to make. It was all covered in buttercream with a lot of MMF accents and some edible images. I would have charged about $140 for the cake (only paying myself about $6 per hour). If you took the same 3 tier cake that fed 90 and now called it for a wedding, my charge would have been $247 ($2.75 per serving)for the same amount of work and same tasting cake.
I guess i am confusing myself or just questioning what the big difference is in charge from one kind of occasion to all the others. It actually does not seem fair that i am acutually charging more for the same work, the same cake and on top of that, each person is getting a smaller piece.
Help!! I am at a loss for pricing anymore! What do you all think?
Is it that i should be charging more for my everyday occasion cakes? What do you do when you have someone that orders occasion cakes for one price then goes to order a wedding cake (maybe same size as they have ordered before but now for a differnt price?)
Sorry so long, i am just having a confusing ethical brain fart! 
P.S. I usually price my cakes cost+ time for occasion cakes and Per slice for wedding cakes. Not sure why, just seemed right compared to what others were charging at the time.
I have decided to price all my tiered cakes the same....and they are going to START at 300 for 100 servings for buttercream and 500 for 100 servings for fondant cakes..
I actually don't want to encourage anyone ordering wedding cakes from me and if they insist...I'm going to be paid! lol
That's a GOOD question! I don't sell cakes but I know when I had my engagement party I paid $80 for a cake but it would've been double that if it were a wedding cake.
I think that people just capitalize off the fact that it's "wedding' and people will pay top dollar to get what they want for that special day.
I charge the same price for all tiered cakes which is my wedding cake price. I have different prices for my single cakes depends on how much work is involved.
I charge the same, per slice, starts around 2.50 ish per recommended slice. I charge, roughly, cake at cost times 3 (including icing with plain decorations), plus labor (never enough) and then add on extras (like fondant accents, multiple flavors per layer, etc).
Cake + Labor + Extras = Total Price
This way makes my non-wedding cakes more expensive I guess, but that is the way it seems fair to me.
I had that same question. I did a 3 tier offset square baby shower cake a week ago and decided to charge like it was a wedding cake. Everything about it was like a wedding cake except for the gumpaste booties plaque that was the topper. I thought that it was expensive for a babyshower cake, but didn't think it was right to go through all of the same work as I would have if it were for a wedding and not get compensated for it. I explained to the customer that any of my tiered cakes, no matter what occassion it is for, starts at a certain price. She accepted the price and actually sent me a thank you gift after the baby shower.
I am glad to hear that most people are charging the same for wedding cakes as for other cakes. I am getting married soon, and am appalled at the prices that are charged for everything "wedding related". Goods and services should be based on labor, expenses and time .. not on what the event is. If you feel that your time and talent are worth a certain amount per hour or per slice, they should be the same across the board! I understand that cake decorating is EXTREMELY time consuming. I do not disagree with charging a lot of money for wedding cakes. I just think that a baby shower cake should cost the same 
There is my rant for the evening. Thanks for listening!
Well I've never made a wedding cake so I'm not really sure but I would think people charge more.............because they can.
Sad to say that but it's true. Most people expect to pay a lot for a wedding cake but not that much for a birthday cake.
Plus I would think there is much more pressure on you doing a wedding cake. Yes we want all our cakes to be great but a wedding cake is something everyone expects to be better then any other cake. It is a once (let's hope) in a lifetime event for the bride and groom and would cause much more upset if something wasn't right then say a birthday party not having a perfect cake.
But truthfully if the word wedding is attached to it one expects to pay more.
Like some others have said, I charge the same per serving cost for any and all tiered cakes that I make --- no extra charge if the word "wedding" is attached to the word "cake".
I've been down the same road of thought, agonized, wrestled with it, and I decided, ta heck with it!--I'm charging one price for one size serving, be it wedding, party, or whatever. I also only consider wedding servings when figuring "how many"...I just tell them my servings are a 1" x 2" x 4"+ slice. If they want bigger servings, they'll need more cake.
I'd rather not do anything BUT weddings or larger cakes anyway, so I think it helps discourage customers from ordering lots of smaller cakes from me, which I'm not interested in doing anyway. Most if not all of my small cakes have been done for family and friends for free or cost of materials (at most), because I love them (the family, not the cakes lol).
If someone calls and *has to* have my teacup cake or something for a smaller party, I'll quote that kind of order on a "per cake" basis rather than per serving (as in, "that cake in that size is $45.00"), but I'll pay myself enough for it to be worthwhile or I won't do it. Their choice...but I don't feel bad quoting high--most other skilled artisan/craftsman/artist don't undersell themselves, why should I? (Try taking a party of 20 out for a slice of gourmet, freshly made, handcrafted, custom-designed cake at an upscale restaurant for $2.00 apiece!)
I say, pick one fair price you feel comfortable with that is geared toward your target market (more party size cakes? or more wedding industry?), which pays you what you're worth, let them decide if they're willing to pay it (realizing that some won't be, and that's OK), and don't look back.
My DH, who is a marketing, customer sales/service, and advertising guru, always says, "The more something costs, the more it's worth." go figure... 
My DH, who is a marketing, customer sales/service, and advertising guru, always says, "The more something costs, the more it's worth." go figure...
How true! And it works the other way too! I recently had a request for a quote for a spaghetti dinner for a fundraiser. When I worked up my costs and applied the standard margin, the price was unbelievably low! Hubby told me I had to charge more than that because "...... they'll look at your price, compare it to other prices, and ask 'what's wrong with her food?' " Being too low can also be a bad thing.
A tiered cake is a tiered cake, regardless of whether it's "wedding" or not. More surface area to cover/decorate, more equipment investment, more stress and extra care required for set-up/delivery.
I sell my cakes in a package: one price gets your entire wedding cake reception. I also have a flat price for wedding cakes.....I don't charge more or less for design. So when a bride tries the old "I'll buy the package for 50 and then get sheet cakes for 100" deal, I always ask her....."So you're providing plates and forks and punch and cups for 50 of your guests but the other 100 will have to eat it from their hand and drink water from the bathroom?" 
I then go on to explain how "The cost of the cake is the same....it's the same amount of cake, the same amount of icing, the same amount of work, no matter what pan I bake it in."
I charge per slice on wedding cakes, because of the magnitude of the job!
When I'm baking a simple 9 inch birthday cake, with a single batch of frosting and 2 or 3 colors, my kitchen does not get "taken over."
However, when I'm doing a wedding cake that feeds 250 people, I'm going to the store for a cart full of supplies, and spending $50-75 at the cake supply (perhaps more.) Then, I'm bringing all of that home, and mixing frosting for about 1/2 a day, and putting it into LARGE plastic containers. I'm baking layers, one at a time because of the size, and freezing them up. I'm washing extra dishes and cookware, so that my house doesn't look like trash lives here. I'm using extra wrapping and packaging materials to keep the said frozen cakes fresh and useable. Then there's the trips to the crafts store for ribbon and beading.
And those are just the "highlights" of doing a wedding cake in my house. I haven't even thought about the delivery and set-up of said cakes.
And let's not forget about the "tastings," "consultations," and phone calls that are also more intensive with weddings, vs. other types of cakes.
All in all, in my opinion, a wedding cake/groom's cake is much more labor intensive, detail oriented, and costly on my part.
That's why I charge more.
--Knox--
I charge the same, per slice, starts around 2.50 ish per recommended slice. I charge, roughly, cake at cost times 3 (including icing with plain decorations), plus labor (never enough) and then add on extras (like fondant accents, multiple flavors per layer, etc).
Cake + Labor + Extras = Total Price
This way makes my non-wedding cakes more expensive I guess, but that is the way it seems fair to me.
Hmmm, Knox made me wonder if I should rethink my pricing to charge more for a wedding cake...
i was thinking this the other day, as i have my first wedding cake coming up. i quoted the bride $250..00 for a 2 tier mmf covered luster dusted hand made roses cake.
now i am in the middle of decorating my daughters 8th birthday cake and my god if its not worth twice that when i finish i will not be making one the same for anyone else. i have spend 8 hours today decorating the bottom tier (it will be 3 tiers) and i still have the middle and top to go. plus all the painting with luster dust i have to do....
i am new a selling my cakes so i have no idea what is a reasonably price for any type of cake.
kylie
My DH, who is a marketing, customer sales/service, and advertising guru, always says, "The more something costs, the more it's worth." go figure...
Your hubby is right...When I was younger I used to volunteer with unwanted animals and I once asked why did they charge for them to be adopted..why didn't they give them away for free, after all you could get a stray animal in the street for nothing...
their answer...
"Most people seem to value money above all...and wouldn't treat a free animal as well as one they paid money for..even if it's just $5.00. That's why we charge"
I never understood this...till I started my own business!
For some reason a lot of people like to brag about that "COST" factor...the more they pay the more they find value in the thing....
Go figure..
I myself....LOVE, LOVE...did I say....LOVE?? Bargains! lol
I have been kicking around the idea of starting to sell my cakes, so far my cakes have been gifts for the most part. A friend of mine (who is a wedding planner & encouraging me to sell my stuff) said that there is a market of people who want to tell people I paid $_____ (insert extravagant amount here) for my cake, just as there are people who like to tell everyone how cheap they got something! She said the trick is marketing to the people who like to spend money and feel your product is worth it! One of the main reasons I haven't sold my cakes as a business is because I put alot of work and time into them, and I want to make sure my time is welll compensated, not necessarily extravangantly, but you know what I mean.... If I were to make this a business, I think I would probably charge the same for any tiered cake, but like I said before, I'm just a hobbyist and haven't ventured into the business side of it yet! 
I just recently redid my pricing structure, and found that I didn't charge too much differently for my wedding cakes and non-wedding cakes.
I agree with Knox about the "project" aspect of it all. When I do a wedding cake, it's a project. From the first phone call to the minute I leave the venue after setting up the cake...that's a lot of time and labor involved. And nerves.
A birthday cake is usually a one or two hour job; and I almost always have the supplies I need on hand...and most people pick them up.
Now, since I have redone my pricing, I have standard (example: marble) and premium (example: champagne) cake flavors with a price differential. For all cakes...wedding to birthday to shower cakes.
Non-wedding cakes start at about 2.00/serving for very basic decoration.
Wedding cakes start at 2.50/serving for basic decoration.
The prices increase based on supplies needed, time involved, the size, and whether I'll be delivering it. And, also, if it's last minute. But I don't gouge, not one person has ever asked me why the price difference. I seem to have a pricing structure that is fair across the board.
You can check my website for examples.
I do have to, I have noticed, change the pricing for strawberries according to season though. In the summer, chocolate-dipped strawberries are so inexpensive for me to do. However, this past weekend, I paid 3 times as much as I usually do during spring/summer.
Ouch.
I do have to, I have noticed, change the pricing for strawberries according to season though. In the summer, chocolate-dipped strawberries are so inexpensive for me to do. However, this past weekend, I paid 3 times as much as I usually do during spring/summer.
Ouch.
When I do these I "average" the price so that they are the same price year round and no one goes into sticker shock.
I add the highest price from out of season...to the lowest price I pay in season..then divide by 2..that's the AVERAGE price for them
of course then you add everything else you do to them to figure the final price.
Or you can just offer them "IN SEASON"..lol
I do have to, I have noticed, change the pricing for strawberries according to season though. In the summer, chocolate-dipped strawberries are so inexpensive for me to do. However, this past weekend, I paid 3 times as much as I usually do during spring/summer.
Ouch.
When I do these I "average" the price so that they are the same price year round and no one goes into sticker shock.
I add the highest price from out of season...to the lowest price I pay in season..then divide by 2..that's the AVERAGE price for them
of course then you add everything else you do to them to figure the final price.
Or you can just offer them "IN SEASON"..lol
I don't like to dip strawberries AT ALL when they are "out of season". I did a cake with a dozen strawberries on it last week or so, and ended up having to buy 2 lbs. just to get a dozen worth dipping! In Texas (or at my house at least!) it is very hard to keep strawberries fresh after they come home from the store, less than 24 hrs. Will not be dipping strawberries this late in the uear EVER again!!!
As for wedding cakes...I do charge more for the wedding cakes! I consider it money well spent though. I do not usually take other cakes on a wedding weekend, I do not charge extra for any specialty fillings, and any ribbons or pearls the bride may want are INCLUDED in my prices. For a regular party cake, I only use buttercream icing, unless a special request is made...and then they pay extra $$ for any specialty flavors or fillings! I am comparable in price if not HIGHER than most charge around my area. AND, I have had no complaints about my pricing.
Hi, i hav'nt done a wedding cake as yet not sure how i would charge. i agree with knox it is more time consuming and a bigger project. I normally charge differently between a party cake and a christening cake only by around an extra £5 10 just because they are less often ordered and do take a bit more time because you are woring over them more and you want it to look good.
None of you out there should be feel guilty about charging a high prices i have seen some of your cakes and they are all fabolous . I'm ssure we are all shorting our selves somewhere on what we are worth.
Good luck to you all.
Wow! My head is spinning with all of this good, valid input for pricing. 
I have to say that at this time, I price my cakes on an individual basis depending on the material and time I "estimate" (usually too low) it will take to complete the project. I'm not sure that I could charge a per slice charge for all cakes. This is definitely something I need to research and give a lot of thought to by the time I retire and start "Sweet Memories" on a full-time basis. Thanks for all the ideas.
Or you can just offer them "IN SEASON"..lol
That's what I do. My menus for fresh fruits state "Best available for season" which doesn't lock me into always guaranteeing a certain size strawberry, or for my buffets, whether they get strawberries at all.
Food for thought: Attaching 'wedding' to a product is maybe like branding. Example, major companies manufacture breakfast cereal produce their brand cereals (eg Cheerios) to cater to one market, but also put out EXACTLY the same product with a no-name label to cater to a different market. Same product, different branding, different consumer market. Increased market share.
More cake for thought: handcrafted cake baking/decorating is already a niche market in and of itself (eg handmade furniture vs mass-produced).
Unless cake decorating is bizarrely different, I cant see how (in theory) one handcrafted cake ends up costing more if the overall production costs were the same.
Anyway that's my marketing perspective. Not a cake decorating perspective obviously. 'reality' is that one consumer market will pay more when someone's name is attached, wedding, celebrity, brand name. Has no scientific basis relative to actual cost of production. Not necessarily ethical either. But it's reality.
I don't sell cakes, but I would think that in a business setting, the cake artist must spend a great deal more time on the customer service aspects of a wedding cake sale (such as repeat consultations, set up, etc.) than would be spent for a tiered cake for another, less momentous, event. In that regard, I would be able to justify charging more for "wedding" cake, as the level of individualized attention and service is higher.
I charge all of my tiered cakes the same regardless if it's for a wedding or special occasion. To me tiered cakes take more time, and use more products (cake plates, cardboards, dowels, ect) so I charge more for them than I do my sheet cakes.
Jacqui
IMO, I believe tiered cakes, in this case wedding cakes, cost more because of the amount of time and detail that goes into the cake. The detail alone can be painstaking and take an enormous amount of time. As where a sheet or even a one tier round cake for a birthday, or whatever is just a cake with frosting or fondant on it and decorations and some writing. Now when you add edible images and molded items then the price goes up. Not that every occasion that needs a cake isn't special in and of itself, a wedding cake helps make one day in a couples life special and memorable.
Amy
I pretty much charge the same. I charge per slice but it depends on the tiers. FOr example. Single tier 2$, two tier 2.25, three tier and up 2.50 for buttercream. The more tiers the more work and more structural issues. This is just the easiest way to do. One serving size. I do have two charts. If it is a single tier I use one chart (earlenes) and if it is a tiered cake I use a chart a made that is an avg bewteen wilton and earlene.
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