If you're setting them up, charge full wedding serving price. They are more work per capita than a wedding cake. They take more time, paper product, icing, etc. than a regular wedding cake, not to mention the time it takes to set them up.
I know it's tough to charge $3.00/cupcake, but they take FOREVER!!
If someone is willing to pick them up, then you can charge less....but keep in mind how many times you'll have to handle them. Once to bake, once to take out of the oven, once to freeze (if you do that), once to take out, once to ice, once to decorate, once to box, once to unbox, once to set up. That's a minimum of 9x, and it's generally more!
I sell wedding cupcake trees all of the time and I charge $1.75 per cupcake plus the tree (ususally costs me $8 so I charge them $24) and delivery ($25). I list the cost of the tree seperately because there are one time use trees and then more elaborate ones to choose from. I like doing these because they are easier, faster, and I don't have to worry about smoothing them as much because the decoration on top ususally takes up the entire thing!
I also decorate the cupcakes in the box they are leaving in. That way I am not handling them so much and the icing can dry up a bit on the way to the event site.
Thanks for the tip SweetConfectionsChef! I wouldn't have thought of that but I can see how it will work great!
I did a wedding tree today....200 cupcakes decorated in about 2 hours...it would taken me 2 days to get a like that done! I have also started doing cupcake buffets....setting it up like subway! I will have 2 or 3 different cupcakes, fillings, icings, and toppings... we do all the work right there so the guest can pick out what they want! These have really been fun. I do have to have help...my assistant picks up the cupcake they choose & fills it then I ice and top it. That way we can keep the line going. Just food for thought...
Wow, I have to agree on the regular wedding cake cost. I am doing a cupcake tree in September, and I charged my usual price for cupcakes ($9.00/dozen). How foolish! WHAT WAS I THINKING?!?!? So now I'm stuck all over the internet and at craft shops trying to create my own cupcake tree (I could never put my name with the disposable one). I only have to make this mistake once, to know that next time the price will be much higher...hehe.
AH! As they say, "hindsight is 20/20"...but isn't there a way we could get corrected vision into the future??
With a little work, the disposible trees actually look quite nice. This one is from cupcaketree.com. The ribbon I got at walmart and I covered the cardboard with wrapping paper from the dollar tree.
But I do agree, they look horrrible undecorated.
edited because I can't type.
Wow! Very nice. I didn't realize it was possible to dress them up so much! What a cute and trendy color scheme 
The disposable ones I've seen are kind of an awkward shape, because the edges of each tier are not really wide enough to decorate....hmmm??
Speaking of cupcake trees, does anyone else have any clever ideas???
this tree is just carboard circles. They are thin, but I used the 2" wide ribbon to give the illusion of depth.
Someone on this site(Don't remeber who) said to use terra cotta pots and your seperator plates. I think there is a thread about this, let me see if I can find it.
What am I missing....
Cupcakes are pretty fast but charge the same as a tiered wedding cake serving? Are we talking about an iced cupcake like in the cute picture (Black & White) or one of those decked out fondant rose cupcakes?
I am just thinking that I could make and decorate a ton of cupcakes but would wet myself 
trying to balance a tiered cake so there must be different prices for different levels of decoration on the cupcake?
CakeDiva- I get what you're saying. At first thought, cupcakes would seem much easier. BUT they require a LOT more handling than a tiered cake...
Think about it like you're working on them...pour each into a muffin tin, take each out to cool, move each one into a storage container, take each out to ice and decorate the top of each, place each in a transport container, and then place each one in its place on the cupcake tree. That's a LOT of work, and a lot of time.
I would say basic cupcakes should be cheaper than those that require a more detailed design. Obviously the elaborate ones deserve a higher cost.
But I'm speaking as someone who only charges $1.90 for a wedding cake serving, so it's a good deal considering what a lot of bakers charge...at least, I think so!!
Lindsaycakes~ I am doing a cupcake tree wedding in June and have been researching my options for the tree. What I plan to do is have some glass circles cut at a glass store...and the edges buffed smooth. I have found a website that sells freestanding pillars/posts that are sturdy. These are placed between the glass "plate" circles in a way that is sturdy...then the next glass tier is added until you are the height you wish. I'm thinking my bottom glass will be 24"......then 16".....then 10.....then an 8" cake with 6" top tiered cake. Am I making sense.
I got my ideas from a baker in the UK( Maisie Fantaise...google it) . These make gorgeous displays which are reusable. Initially I'll have some cost, but will reuse the glass circles for regular cakes also....
I can visualize using glass bricks for elevating the base plate also...and adding tulle and white lights underneath.....
Where I work we charge our regular cupcake price ($1 a piece and up depending on deco) and then we charge a rental fee for the stand. We either have what we call the I do stand which is four plexi-glass stands that are different sizes and stand a different levels. Or we use the wilton tall tier stand. We usually don't deliver cupcakes because they are easy to transprt and setup. If we do deliver we charge a delivery fee depending on the location.
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