I tell my customers they can get gumpaste flowers from my catalog for the catalog price or I can handmake whatever they want BUT it's going to cost them. I tell them I would love to do it but it is going to take so much time that they will have to pay me for my time and the ingredients. Everyone seems to get that.
The thread with some of these videos was lost in the crash but seriously, any time any of your customers acts shocked that your prices are not the same as a supermarket's, please direct them to this link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hA_pBPsDK1E&feature=related .
I think it's just fine if someone only has $20 to pay for a cake and they don't care about the skill or artistry that goes into it, nobody should knock that choice. But it's NOT fine for them to desire a professionally decorated, personalized cake and then question your prices for your artistry! I just don't get it. The YouTube video creates such a clear visual for why some cakes cost so little. And frankly it makes those cakes look just a little bit less appetizing.
I agree about pricing the GP flowers separately. For crying out loud, you'd expect to pay extra for plastic toys, so why not for handcrafted edible flowers????! 
That cake (especially the gumpaste work) is just amazing!!
I say since she questioned the price, next time just add an extra $30 to your price and if she quips again when it comes time to pay, give her a 'break' and take $20 off - the extra $10 is for the aggravation! 
...and lets go further than saying how long it takes to make...how long did it take to learn the flowers and leaves? Did you take classes, did you travel to take classes?
There's a story about Picasso sitting on a bench and a woman walks by. She is excited to see the great artist and asks him to draw her something. He sketches out something very quickly, hands it to her and says, "That will be $5,000." She is shocked and says, "But it only took you 3 minutes!" He says.......
"No, madam. It took me a lifetime."
If they want someone with no talent, no skill, and no experience to make their cake, just point them to the nearest daycare .... I'm sure there's a 5 year old who would love to play with icing.
The thread with some of these videos was lost in the crash but seriously, any time any of your customers acts shocked that your prices are not the same as a supermarket's, please direct them to this link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hA_pBPsDK1E&feature=related .
HA!! That was really neat to watch! I had no idea that even writing on a cake could be automated. It was sloppy, but fun to watch. Thanks for posting that link.
cake is absolutely beautiful!!
did you quote her the price prior to doing the cake? if so, she should not have been surprised. if you didn't give her a price, i can understand her being surprised. unless you've put the work into do a cake like that, you have no clue. we want people to automatically be aware of the time and effort it takes. however, i believe it is unrealistic to have that expectation. we get offended if they don't "get it". each of us have underestimated what goes into a craft until we try it.
our accountant did our taxes last year and charged $80 more than the year before. of course i said "why". she said she spent more time due to some changes in my husband's company. more time = cost. i then understood. just like cake!
I'm sorry I hadn't had a chance to thank everyone for all their support. But, for some reason CC kept locking me out... won't even let me log in. Anyway, thank you all for letting me know what I already knew deep down. The automated cake decorating link was quite the eyeopener! And PennySue... I AM SO EXCITED!!!!! This child is in for a real spoiling from NaNa!
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