Pricing A Martha Stewart Wedding Cake
Business By Jenn2179 Updated 23 Aug 2008 , 2:13am by mysonshines
Any suggestions on how you would price this cake? I start at $2.50 a serving for buttercream and $3.50 for fondant. This cake has over 800 flowers, leaves, and berries. I am meeting with a girl tomorrow. Another cake place gave her my info because they don't really work with fondant. I am hoping to have a general idea on what to charge so I can see if her budget is big enough. Also to me it looks like there is 4 inches between the tiers, what do you think?
TIA,
Jenn
I can't say for certain about pricing but keep in mind that the flowers are labor intensive, which will run up the cost bigtime. You may want to give her similar options -- if she likes the flowers you could do buttercream or RI flowers instead of fondant, things like that. It's something to consider.
I don't understand the 4" between tiers comment. You mean you think they are 4" tall? That's standard in the biz, so probably true. Those flowers do look easy, but they're small, so time consuming. I'd probably crank out those little things a 3/$1, so $266 for the flowers + $3.50 per serving for the cake, plus an equipment fee plus a delivery charge.
I'm going to guess that's a 6/9/12, so 102 servings using the top tier. $357 + $266 + $20 (equipment) +$50 (delivery) = $693
I don't understand the 4" between tiers comment. You mean you think they are 4" tall?
I know they are 4 in tall but wasn't sure if there were 3 in or 4 in between the tier sizes. But know that you say it, it does look like a 6 in, 9 in, and 12 in. Thanks for your input LEAHS.
I mean maybe the cake you have designed has 800 flowers & stuff but there's not anywhere near 800 as pictured. I mean if you're doing a nine tier wonder well yeah maybe.
How many servings and tiers are you talking about?
I mean, I would do that cake at my base rate. It is a very easy cake to me.
I mean maybe the cake you have designed has 800 flowers & stuff but there's not anywhere near 800 as pictured. I mean if you're doing a nine tier wonder well yeah maybe.
How many servings and tiers are you talking about?
I mean, I would do that cake at my base rate. It is a very easy cake to me.
The description in the book says a total of over 800 leaves, flowers, and berries so I was just using that. She needs to serves around 100 so a 6, 9, and 12 in would be perfect. No the cake does not look difficult but VERY time consuming to make all those flowers, leaves, and berries.
If there are 75 leaves flowers and berries on one quarter of the bottom tier that would be a very generous figure. 4x75 is 300 plus the top tier is maybe another 100-150 . They maybe made 800 to do the cake but they had oodles like half left over.
I mean you are looking at rolling out maybe 5 sheets of fondant + cornstarch. Roll out three different colored sheets of that and use three different leaf cutters--pop those out.
I have those flower plunger dealies, roll out maybe two sheets of the same f+c and pop those out but I mean I bet one sheet of plunger flowers would do it.
Have your roller ball ready, when you pick up the flower after you plunge it, squish it between your fingers to remove the edge, pop up the petals with the roller ball.
These are fast. Roll out five sheets (total) of fondant for that--add stamens--make berries with the leftovers. Easy peasy. But I would talk bridelette into letting me pipe some of the leaves too. But there's not that much to those.
My leaf plunger has texture on it too.
I mean mini-magnolias or dogwoods with precise coloring maybe more.
I use the measuring stick of how much more time it would take to do those or piped roses. I might add some more $ if they wouldn't let me pipe some of the leaves--but I'm sure they would allow it.
I don't know, it just looks easy. But I've made tons of those flowers. I doubt I'd add more than $50. It's many more leaves than blooms.
The rick rack is gonna be the killer. If you don't use real rick rack, I'd go with candy clay.
I mean plunge them all at once and pile them in a plastic container. Then go back and squosh the edge and roller ball the center. Lay them out one by one right next to each other so you can pipe the centers. It's not that much more time than doing piped roses.
Looks like a pretty simple cake. I would go with your standard fondant rate and charge $50-$60 for the time to make all the flowers, berries etc.
For the rick rack I would use those craft scissors that come in that shape and cut them from gumpaste or fondant.
http://www.fantes.com/images/7917pasta_cutters.jpg
Candy clay will not stretch when you go to apply it.
k8memphis, would you mind sharing where you bought your plungers?
Thanks!
Global Sugar Arts
I would pipe the berries or paint some pearls.
Not to split hairs, but that looks just like a 6, 10, 14 to me....
That many flowers will be time consuming to color, roll, cut, shape, and apply, so make sure you charge enough.
I'd do my base fondant price of $4.50 for the middle tier, because it's pretty basic, and add about $1.00/sv to the top and bottom tier servings. So, (assuming a 6, 10, 14), my price would be $666.00 + any delivery fee. If I did a 6, 9, 12", it'd be $518 + delivery.
It's a beautiful cake--I wish someone where I live would get with it and order something like that! 
I checked my copy of the MS book -- it had a really close-up picture, plus a description of the how-to (sort of):
RI tinted brown for all vines (looks like a #2 tip)
punched gumpase flowers, piped dot RI centers
veined gumpaste leaves, 4 types
the smallest leaves are piped RI (leaf tip)
berries are hand-shaped gumpaste, looks like food marker dots to give texture
The rick-rack: real! Hmmm...looks like you will be taking this cake to the next level if you do it in sugar. 
(a Wendy Kromer design, it seems).
If you PM me I can scan and send you the close-up.
Looks like a lovely cake -- I've been admiring it too!
I think it's a 6, 10, 14 also. I've done several that size lately and that looks about right.
I love Martha Stewart and Wendy Kromer cakes. They are always so fantastic.
The cake you are going to do is such a gorgeous one. I love the beautiful colors, flowers, leaves and berries. This is going to be a lot of work and fun. What a great cake to be able to do.
Please let us know how things go with you and the Bride. Then, we want to see your wonderful pictures.
Let us also know how the flower making went. You will have all kinds of fantastic tips for us on what to do and not do. 
Take plenty of pictures, and keep us updated.
-Debbie B.
Call me crazy... but if the cake is NOT filled, couldn't you cover it with fondant and chill it hard... maybe even an hour in the freezer... the for the rick rack on the second layer.... have it all cut out and spaced right... then take your cold cake and turn it on it's side and roll it right along to get the rick rack on.... you know what I mean? Like a tire rolling over paint... I would never ever be able to get those two lines on that straight without losing me mind.
Call me crazy... but if the cake is NOT filled, couldn't you cover it with fondant and chill it hard... maybe even an hour in the freezer... the for the rick rack on the second layer.... have it all cut out and spaced right... then take your cold cake and turn it on it's side and roll it right along to get the rick rack on.... you know what I mean? Like a tire rolling over paint... I would never ever be able to get those two lines on that straight without losing me mind.
You're crazy. 
I would never do it that way. Yeah I feel yah about how unforgiving ribbon & stuff is. But no, freezing a fondant cake will create it's own nightmares all by itself then add in the rick rack--just say no.
But using candy clay that does not stretch will work fine. But Martha & the artist used real rick rack so no worries.
The tasting went well. The bride was realistic on the cost so that was good. She talked to another decorator who told hr over $1000. She also talked to another decorator who said $400 but that decorator is like 90 miles away and she didn't know about a delivery fee. I gave her my price of $670 + tax and delivery and that seemed about what she was expecting. So we shall see.
I am so excited for you! I want to make that cake!
Good luck!
If the rick rack were to be sugar why could you not just take two pieces of real rickrack, attach tempoarily with a small pin or something (in an inconspicuous place) and pipe just above or below following the rickrack. Then remove the real rick rack and walla!
Anyone see problems with my idea?
If the rick rack were to be sugar why could you not just take two pieces of real rickrack, attach tempoarily with a small pin or something (in an inconspicuous place) and pipe just above or below following the rickrack. Then remove the real rick rack and walla!
Anyone see problems with my idea?
It would be difficult to get a clean line that way. And it would be too wide. Using that ziggedy cutter would create the illusion if it needed to be all edible.
Try it on a scrap of fondant and see how it does.
Wow this really stirred up a debate on how to charge for this cake. Martha is a hard act to follow but I am sure you are up to it. You know what feels fair to you and I would just go with the input you have here and be honest with yourself. If you like the flower work and dont mind it charge accordingly if you dont much care for that protion of the decorating use that base price plus each flower/ leaf method and charge from there. If she balks at the pricing remind her it is a Martha Stewart creation and she certainly would charge her more. I am sure your price will be fair, just dont short yourself for your efforts.
Hehehehehe
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