Okay...this could take a bit...so i apologize early!
I am doing a stacked cake on Saturday for a wedding...much like the red/white one I just posted. However, the MOB does not what that much cake and has requested a fake layer.
The sizes are 16, 12 (fake), 8 and 6 (bride & groom take). Well, I went to get the dummy layer there, and the lady said she wouldn't do it because you have to charge the same amount for it as if it were a real cake! What?!? Does anyone else do this? How do you charge for it? I know there is labor involved, but not that much.
She said they are harder to icin'...has anyone had any experience with these, and if so, could you pass on some to me please.
2nd...when I stack the layers...I can't obviously use the plates like I did for the last one that set into the hidden pillars. Will I be okay to set the 6 & 8 inch layers on like I would normally, but on the bottom of the 8 only have cardboard--no extra plate?
I have another question, but I will do it seperately...not exactly related to this subject line.
Hope this makes sense...please pass on your comments!
"Not that much" labor????? 
You need to read this thread for your pricing question.
http://forum.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-383533.html
They are not harder to ice. At least not in my opinion.
its exactly the same amount of work to deco a dummy as a real cake. i charge them the same. i mean, to bake a cake costs me about $5. to buy a dummy, costs me about $5. there is no savings here, so yes you should charge the same!
i would also assemble as normal, with dowels and everything, just to make sure its sturdy. you can slide the dowels or pillars or whatever you're using straight into the styrofoam. that way, you'll feel confident that this cake isnt going to sink, fall over, or anything else.
No, this lady made it sound like she would charge the same per slice price as a regular cake layer. So if I'm charging $1.50 per slice, and it serves 56 slices...that's quite a bit of money. I plan on charge for the cost of the styrofoam, and maybe figure a bit extra for decorating and the icing, but regardless...not what she was saying. I think the person would throw a fit if I told her that...I know I would.
You don't think the styrofoam will split if I tried to push the hidden pillars into it...I am picturing having to almost hammer them in...this is pretty stout styrofoam. The plates I have for each layer have kind of "feet" on them...so I need to at least dig out enough for those to rest on it. She suggested just putting a cardboard disc under the 8 inch layer, and putting it directly on top of the 12 inch. The 6 inch layer will have the dowels under it supporting it, because they can go through the 8 inch cake itself.
I'm dealing with a bride's mother that I think is going to be very particular, and I'm really worried about this. It is the 2nd 4 tiered stacked cake I have done...so i'm kind of sweating here! 
No, this lady made it sound like she would charge the same per slice price as a regular cake layer. So if I'm charging $1.50 per slice, and it serves 56 slices...that's quite a bit of money. I plan on charge for the cost of the styrofoam, and maybe figure a bit extra for decorating and the icing, but regardless...not what she was saying. I think the person would throw a fit if I told her that...I know I would.
yes, this is what i mean. for a 56 serving cake (real) in BC i would charge $140 for basic deco, or $2.50 per serving. for a cake dummy that would "serve" 56 (same size as the real cake) i would charge $140, or $2.50 per serving. most people do, its really not an uncommon practice. there are several threads on CC, and only a very very few people say they would charge less for a dummy. don't sell yourself short. its the art work that people are paying for in a wedding cake, not the flour and sugar. just because its foam doesn't make your artwork worth any less. if you are thinking of charging just for the styrofoam and a little extra for decorating you'll be doing a lot of work for next to nothing. the foam costs maybe $5. how much would you add to that for the deco?
...... I think the person would throw a fit if I told her that...I know I would.....
Below is what I posted in another thread (link above). If it's the same amount of work, why would you "throw a fit" if it's the same cost?
......
1) It takes the same amount of icing to decorate a dummy cake as it does a real cake.
2) It takes the same amount of time (labor) to decorate a dummy cake as it does a real cake.
3) Yes, it's true you are 'saving' money by not buying the cake ingredients, but you are spending money to buy the dummy (depending on the size of the dummy and your normal cake recipe, could end up costing more than your cake ingredients).
4) It takes the same amount of time and gas to delivery a dummy cake as it does to deliver a real cake......
This reminds me of the Christmas exchange where people would agree to "oh, let's just do gag gifts!". They say it with the attitude of "Oh, let's not get REAL gifts!", but they fail to recognize that gag gifts still have to be bought with real money!
So this lady wants a "gag" cake but she doesn't understand why it takes "real" work to create it? She doesn't understand why you have to pay someone the same hourly rate to make icing and decorate a dummy as you do to make icing and decorate a real cake?
It is part of your job when you're wearing your sales hat to show her the value of what she's getting, which means you need to explain why it has a value. It bothers me that you say you would 'throw a fit' if you were presented with the same situation. 
To explain why it has a value, you need to understand it yourself.
If you dont' appreciate the value of your work, how can you expect your customer to value it?
The more I am reading on this, the more I am understanding. Yes, I do value my work greatly, but guess this is a new concept to me, and is taking me a bit to wrap my mind around it. Had I not read these comments and the other posts, yes, i probably would have bucked if a baker told me a block of styrofoam would cost as much as real cake. Knowing though what goes into making a cake...I now understand, and probably wouldn't buck as much. I would probably go ahead and say, bake the cake, I will freeze it!
Unfortunately, I think I need to chalk this one up to a learning experience. The wedding is tomorrow, and I do not think the bride's mother will like me coming back to say I need another $80. Yes, I've sold myself short on this one, but truthfully I didn't know this concept, and with trying to get a "business" off the ground...I now know. I've already decided that I am too cheap, but I did that purposely to gain some experience. I only charge $1.50 per serving as is...which includes setup and delivery. I am thinking that after this cake order, I will raise my price. I think I could easily get $2.00 per serving. Trust me, this bride has already been back and forth on me several times...she first didn't want to pay the $1.50 per slice, because her reception site is charging her $1.50 per slice to serve it...she found another lady that would do it for $1.10 per slice as a favor...told her to go ahead. Well, her mom ordered a cake from this lady for her shower, and determined it was too dry, and didn't like it. She came back to me...asked if I would setup a tasting for her mom...and her Mom loved it! We settled on a price per serving and number of serving that night...wish I had waited to learn about this cake dummy, and I wasn't even thinking about the labor end of it...duh! Anyway...lesson learned! This is why I love this site so much! Thanks fellow cake bakers!
Quote by @%username% on %date%
%body%