First Wedding Cake Order ... Questtions And Comments
Decorating By skittles2120 Updated 4 Aug 2007 , 6:56pm by Elizabeth19
Hey everyone,
I have a few questions. First off, I have my first wedding cake order for next May. I know it seems really far off but it's for a couple friend of mine and my boyfriend's. I want some opinions on the ideas and maybe some pricing help.
Right now they are estimating 300-350 for dinner. Instead of sheet cakes we came up with doing cupcake bouquets at each table. Her color is lilac. They are going to have 3 flavors of cupcakes. I am going to make each flavor icing in a particular color and have a small "key" so if someone doesn't like a certain type they aren't just picking up any one. So we'll have white icing, light lilac and darker lilac. Each bouquet will have 8-10 cupcakes in the bouquet.
The couple also wants a 3 tier wedding cake for pictures, etc. The bottom tier is going to be made of syrofoam, the middle tier will be used for the gift opening the next day and they will be saving the top tier for their 1 year anniversary.
So, how does that all sound? I guess my main questions are obviously how would I go about pricing this all? I know I need to stick to my guns and treat this as a business and not a hobby but obviously they are good friends and I don't want to charge too much.
Another question is how do I go about the syrofoam cake?? Just like icing a normal cake?? Never made a dummy one before.
Please give me any advice you may have for a first timer. THANKS SO MUCH!!
First off Congradulations on your first wedding cake. Don't know what your prices are but this is a lot of work. My wedings start at $2.50 a serving and go up from there. Don't know much about the dummy cake, someone else can probably help with that info. Good Luck!
Congrats on the chance to do a wedding cake!
Just a couple of things to keep in mind that once you DO settle on a price to charge make sure that the couple knows that any chances are going to affect the price. I'm not just talking about adding people to the count but deciding they want an expense filling or change in the design that will mean you have to buy premade flowers or different pillers etc.
Don't just say that will be $750 ( 2.50 per servinng at 300 guests attending) let them know the break down so they what they are paying for and it you want you can show them the prices from local bakeries to let them know they got a great deal.
Make a contract and get it signed for both of your benefits.
Do a bit of looking about on the business forum there are some great insights as to what to put on the contract.
Then come the important part...let them know that your price it only for THEIR wedding. A discount only for them.
good luck!
mommachris
Well I usually wrap my dummy cakes with a clear plastic wrap before icing them, helps keep the little bumps and ridges from showing thru in the frosting or fondant. If you frost it, make sure to do a real good "crumb" coat on it first. And as for pricing, I start @ 2.50 per slice and up, but since its a friend, to make it seem like their getting a good deal, I usually won't charge a delivery or set up fee. Good luck!! 
Check how your competition prices in your area to give you an idea of where you should be. BTW, competition isnt Wal-Mart or a large bakery that mass produces, its anyone that specializes in unique cake creations like you do. 
For cupcakes, if they are simply iced I would say between $1.50-$1.75.
I would charge the same price per serving for the entire cake, the bottom tier may be styrofoam but it is still going to take just as much work and you still have the cost for icing/deco. You could reduce the cost of the bottom tier by 25%, I wouldnt suggest any more than that though.
You can ice styrofoam the same way you do regular cake. (dont forget to add a small piece of real cake for them to "cut").
Just a thought, you can treat this as a business and still give them a good deal if you want (I do this for friends as their wedding gift), but be sure to note the "gift" on your invoice so they see what it would have cost.
I think the idea you came up with is great! Graduating shades of lilac at each table will be very pretty!
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