So I USED to get Stephi Stewart's "Fire Your WEdding Planner" e-newsletters and as I'm here bored at work decided to check what she had to say about cakes.
Well, below is what one of her 'brides' sent in.
All I could think was "YEAH RIGHT!! What cake decorator in their right mind and in BUSINESS would do that!"

Enjoy! LAugh, cry, whatever!




*** LET THEM EAT CAKE! ***


"Stephi,

Thanks so much for your tips. I had a quick
story I'd like to share.

I found a local baker with an amazing cake and
took your advice about getting sheet cakes to
cut the cost of the "wedding" cake.

While we were talking about the number of guests
I'm having at my wedding (200) she tried to talk
me into getting a larger display cake and having
it feed all my guests.

Her philosophy was that if I was having a wedding,
the desserts had to be great and this would make
things better.

I didn't listen.

Anyway, long story short, I left the bakery with
the intention of getting a display cake from her
and purchasing the sheet cakes from a local
supermarket to save on the costs.

She called me back about 2 days later and said
that she would give me enough cake to feed all
my guests and more at the price I would've paid
for sheet cakes. Basically, she took the price of
each slice from $3.10 per person to under $1.00
each!

It really is amazing what people will do to get
your business when you stick to what you want and
don't accept anything less than what you want!

Now I have the most amazing cake that I designed
myself and it's big enough to feed over 200 guests
at around $200.00 total!"

Yeah right!!!! That decorator must have really needed a sale!

O.k... That's probably that baker's FIRST wedding cake consult and s/he was not confident in themselves or their prices to stick to their guns with the price. Especially given the fact that in NO way, shape, or form going to break even on the cake (even if they purchase the cake premade from Sam's along with the tub of unflavored whipped crisco icing). I can feed 200 people too for $1/slice, but those are AWEFULLY tiny slices!

The problem is... That person probably isn't going to see the error of their ways until they go to Walmart and find that SAME CAKE would cost them $1.57/european fruitcake wedding slice to purchase, and the WM cake is what it is (decorated by a person with FAR too many orders and a case to fill to get done in the course of their shift) after spending the $250 on ingredients and supplies alone for the thing...

Some people just aren't destined to be in business long AT ALL...

O.k... That's probably that baker's FIRST wedding cake consult and s/he was not confident in themselves or their prices to stick to their guns with the price. Especially given the fact that in NO way, shape, or form going to break even on the cake (even if they purchase the cake premade from Sam's along with the tub of unflavored whipped crisco icing). I can feed 200 people too for $1/slice, but those are AWEFULLY tiny slices!

The problem is... That person probably isn't going to see the error of their ways until they go to Walmart and find that SAME CAKE would cost them $1.57/european fruitcake wedding slice to purchase, and the WM cake is what it is (decorated by a person with FAR too many orders and a case to fill to get done in the course of their shift) after spending the $250 on ingredients and supplies alone for the thing...

Some people just aren't destined to be in business long AT ALL...

Phooie! I don't even sell simple CUPCAKES for that price! Liar, liar, pants on fire !!!

Crap.


That was most likely *she* was showering herself with accolades on her own site. Self-made testimonials, if you please.

**Moderated Edited!!!!!

My oldest daughter is getting married next year sometime, so I thought I'd check this person out as well.

My first impression was of a VERY UNPROFESSIONAL person!

My second thought was that after being in the wedding industry in various capacities for 25 years, most of what she had to say was CRAP!

Oh. My. God.
That makes me so mad! How could any bakery afford to give away cakes like that?!?!?!?

That's a pretty good story, but usually when I read such a load of BS, it usually starts with "Dear Penthouse...".

Ok, I don't really read Penthouse, but I know they have 'true' letters from readers in there that are about as real as this one was!!

I'm sure they didn't. It sounds like a load of wank to me. Even the most insecure bakers here on CC who always ask if they charged too much etc.... I can't even imagine THEY would do this.

So, what she means is this decorator had an old display cake she was willing to sell for $200 and they'd have to cut through it with a chain saw?

Or maybe someone left someone at the alter and never picked up their cake? Recycle, recycle!

Seriously, it must have been her first or one of her first cakes and she was willing to do it for the cost of ingredients to get her name out there.

It does kind of fry my backside that this woman is now advising others to do what she did. "Honestly, girls....just be a bridezilla like me and you'll get whatever you want." Right. I'd have to politely decline if someone told me outright that they wanted a big tiered cake for uner $1 a slice...and then try to catch my breath after laughing hysterically as bridezilla left my bakery!

i dont think it was a bakery....perhaps it was a home baker...with a name of "Blanks Bakery" hahahahaa and she just wanted the practice....and expirence!!!! too funny!!!!! if not well lucky her!!!!! and good ole' "stephi" lucked out with her supposedly "good advice"!!!!!!! whatever....

nah, the funny thing about this is that this Stephi chick actually thinks people buy her crap stories!

dude, seriously, there are so many things in this ONE story that are so off! As I was reading the rest I just kept thinking - this girl has got to be joking!

My BS-omiter just hit the roof. I think this bride is trying to look good, and is not nearly as good as she says she it. Exaggerating or just plain ol' lying.

I also used to subscribe to her email .... I think she only has 12 of them because they start to recycle with the same 'ole stories after a few months..... Overall her philosophy is ok, but she presents it all wrong. She encourages brides to comparison shop (I agree) ... she encourages brides NOT to get emotionally committed to something they can't afford (I agree) ... to be ready to walk away if you can't pay the asking price (I agree).

But on a lot of topics, she is SO off base on how things really work.

If she wasn't so dangerous, she'd be funny.

btw, my sister-in-law runs a marketing business. One thing she told me was that if I posted testimonials from brides/clients, I BETTER have the actual letter or email on file to prove it's legit. I'd get more than my hand slapped if I phonied up some testimonials.

So she either actually has a letter like this ... or she's operating very dangerously.