So lately a lot of my friends have been getting married...and of course, every one of them just EXPECTS that I will do their cakes! It's starting to drive me crazy too because they think it should be my gift to them! I just want to say...my boyfriend and I are buying a house in about 2 weeks...we have our little girl to take care of and we really don't have the funds to make cakes for 300 plus people every week! Sorry guys, I just have to vent and I know you all understand what it's like to have the guilt trip of, "well we thought since you do them you'd do ours." But seriously what should I tell people? Should I just do them anyway? Or what?
Do your friends think that you would spend $300 or more on a gift if you purchased a gift instead of doing the cake? Because that's what they're saying by expecting you to give the cake as the gift. I would be honest with them about your time concerns etc. Perhaps they really don't realize why wedding cakes cost what they do? Many people think decorators charge outrageous prices because they can, not because it actually takes that much in time, talent, and cost of materials. HTH
Gosh that is a tough spot to be in. If you have made cakes for some friends then the others might feel hurt if you don't make theirs also. It is very expensive though. I really don't know what to tell you but I do understand your situation.
I get so worried about hurting someone's feelings that I would probably make them anyway.
I agree, tell them that unfortunately you don't have the money to do the cakes for free, but you would be willing to give it to them at cost. I got suckered into doing a wedding cake for a friend for 50 so I said sure and that would be my wedding gift. Now all of a sudden the guest list is 100 people. Luckliy they want something simple and are pretty much letting me do my own thing.
Good luck with this situation.
.... "well we thought since you do them you'd do ours." But seriously what should I tell people? Should I just do them anyway? Or what?
Ok...my vote goes to "Or what". When they try to schmooze you that "we thought you'd do ours", you just look them straight in the eye and say, "Why I'd love to! How much were you looking to spend?"
If they are uncouth enough to ask you for a free cake, you take to heart the above posts and ask them: "I'm sorry, I'm not in the habit of giving a $700 gift at weddings."
If you want to work out a compromise ("you buy the stuff, I'll do the work") or something, that's your call.
It depends on how you feel. Do you want to do it without making anything on them? If so, then charge them the cost of materials and no labor.
Or tell them, I love you guys but I really can't afford to spend $100+ on a gift for you because I'm trying to buy a house soon. Offer to give them a discount of how much you would have spent on a gift for them.
Or just say that you have a lot going on with trying to buy a house and getting things in order for that plus taking care of my daughter....
Besides, if they know you're doing it for a profit, they really can't expect you to give them away--they probably know that you're buying a house and all. They are mostly hoping that you will give in to the little guilt trips...
HTH!
Thanks guys! I knew I could get some advice from you guys! It's so nice to have found somewhere that knows exactly what I'm talking about! Yay! 
I did a wedding cake the week before I moved! Don't do it!!! Thank heavens it was a simple cake to do, and only 100 servings, but, still!
Just let them know that you have other commitments and that you hope they will understand.
And stop doing free cakes!!!
It sounds like the financial issue is the bigger issue here than it is doing the cakes. If that is the case, figure out how much you spend on EVERYTHING (down to electricity and paper towels) and how many guests that serves and what multiples you need to do your purchasing in (50, 25, etc.). Then, in the future when they ask you to make their cake tell them it is at cost because you just simply can't afford to be making wedding cakes as gifts because it has gotten rather expensive but offer to make the cake, but that they need to pay you for ingredients, materials, and some time. If anything else, have the time be your gift. That way you can let them know how much it is for the ingredients, they can figure out what 40 hours of work is worth.
My first question is do they also expect another gift? If so then there need to be some ground rules set.
I haven't done this with a wedding cake yet, but I have with birthday cakes for some of my family. I tell them my gift to you will be $50.00 for the cake. So if they order a cake that only cost $48 then the entire cake is a gift, if they choose a cake that is $100 then half of the cake is the gift.
If you would have bought a gift for your friends around $50-75 then why should they expect you to give them a $300+ wedding cake as a gift?
My friends are all getting hitched at the moment too and I'm in the same boat. I decided that there are some friends who I would do the cake for free and some hwo I would charge £1 a person to cover my costs and donate my time as their present. In all gift cake cases they have NO say over design other than a colour. If they want more of a say then they can go elsewhere and I'll buy them a cutlery set or something. It's worked perfecty well now I've sent the boundaries.
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