So I had my first tasting this past week. Before the tasting, the bride wanted a Bailey's Irish cream filling, which I did not offer, but said I would find a recipe and give it a try. I also told her my starting prices for both fondant and buttercream.
At the tasting, they decided on the flavors, and I saw the design. So when I left I we figured out the price of the cake and I told them I would send them the contract. The contract was sent and I get an email telling me that they are trying to cut costs (of course they are inviting 150 people and having it at the country club in the area) and do I do fake cakes with sheet cakes. So I sent them two new estimates that were slightly cheaper and didn't hear anything, until today. She now wants to know what the original contract amount was!!
Thankfully I am already booked for this day, so I told her that today, but are all brides like this? I can't believe how little people are willing to spend on a cake!
Fake cakes do not cost less for me...I charge same price as the decorating is what they are paying for. I have done a few fake cakes in buttercream frosting and they never get back to me...so I am out the cost of the dummy, which I have to ordrer $25.00 when I have to replace them. So no, I do not charge less for dummies.
Yes. There are a lot of posts on "cheap brides" on the site. I am a hobby caker but even I am surprised at how some brides behave.
I remember reading some of these cheap bride posts. I just didn't know if this was more the norm or the exception. I have been getting a lot of "leads" through various event sites and I can't believe people are only willing to pay $1-2 a serving for a wedding cake!
Mac, I only charged slightly less for the fake cakes over the real ones (she was maybe saving herself $50-$75). They take just as much time to decorate...
I only make faux cakes and the bride must give me a minimum $100 deposit to cover the costs of supplies if the cake is damaged or not returned. If the cake is returned and in good condition, the deposit is refunded. If not, I keep a portion or all of it depending on the damage.
Dsilvest,
How do your couples get the "cutting the cake" picture? I would love to just do fake wedding cakes... I could do them weeks in advance and "rent" them over and over again!
Dsilvest,
How do your couples get the "cutting the cake" picture? I would love to just do fake wedding cakes... I could do them weeks in advance and "rent" them over and over again!
Most couples just place the knife on the cake for a photo. If they want to serve each other real cake, I make a 4" cake that is decorated in a similar manner to their faux cake. They cut and serve this one for more photos.
Jamie, the bride I was describing earlier wanted a real bottom tier and the top two to be fake, but then wanted a sheet cake to feed the rest of their guests.
Dsilvest... that is really interesting. I really like that idea... do you then supply sheet cakes for the guests?
Another question for dsilvest--
How do you keep your colors from fading or the white fondant from becoming "not so white". I have been talking with a rental company here about having "set" dummy cakes for rental.
If I dust, my colours they tend to keep their brightness. If you look at my website, the cake on the homepage is almost 2 yrs old. I keep it covered losely with a plastic bag in a cool room. The colours have not faded and the fondant has not changed colour.
Jamie, the bride I was describing earlier wanted a real bottom tier and the top two to be fake, but then wanted a sheet cake to feed the rest of their guests.
Dsilvest... that is really interesting. I really like that idea... do you then supply sheet cakes for the guests?
I hate baking but like to be creative so I do not supply sheet cakes. Most venues in this area supply dessert as part of their package so sheet cakes may not be necessary.
I was told that Crystal Colors do not fade, even in sunlight.
Dsilvest... that is really a neat idea! I like the baking but it's an option I might have to think about. I learn something new every day here!
As my avatar suggests.....NO SHEET CAKES! Hee hee...
Kitchen cakes is the closest I'll come. Take for example, the square cake wedding cake I was talking about. If they wanted a "behind the scenes" cake to feed people from, it would still be baked in my 12x12, and however many they needed to come close that whatever amount of people to feed. It wouldn't be decorated, it would still be filled, and it wouldn't be on a pretty base, just in bakery boxes. Savings to bride...minimal.
I hate baking sheet cake myself... but I offer them. I like the idea of kitchen cakes too!
Here's my thing about sheet cakes and weddings. If you are witnessed by all of the guests cutting into your cake, of whose tiers are what, 4 to 5 inches tall and pretty....and then along comes a server with little 2 inch tall pieces of cake...wouldn't you be like, what the heck is this?? I think it's cheating your guests in my opinion.
In my opinion, the wedding cake is in itself a gift to the guests. Something that they look forward to, and a way to say thank you to them for showing up and supporting you on your big day. Here's a beautiful slice of heaven on a plate, guest, I love you enough to have not served you a sheet cake. Hee hee.... (insert devil grin here) 
So I had my first tasting this past week. Before the tasting, the bride wanted a Bailey's Irish cream filling, which I did not offer, but said I would find a recipe and give it a try. I also told her my starting prices for both fondant and buttercream.
At the tasting, they decided on the flavors, and I saw the design. So when I left I we figured out the price of the cake and I told them I would send them the contract. The contract was sent and I get an email telling me that they are trying to cut costs (of course they are inviting 150 people and having it at the country club in the area) and do I do fake cakes with sheet cakes. So I sent them two new estimates that were slightly cheaper and didn't hear anything, until today. She now wants to know what the original contract amount was!!
Thankfully I am already booked for this day, so I told her that today, but are all brides like this? I can't believe how little people are willing to spend on a cake!
I have had a bride who sent me several pictures for me to quote and the flavors they wanted. I went ahead and priced all of them (5) in both fondant and BC and with dummies (so 4 quotes for each image). I then get an email back from the Bride saying that it looks like they are not going to have a cake because they needed to cut costs. Ok I think, fine - I can understand that. A mutual friend comes to me 2 weeks ago and asked me if I was doing the wedding cake for this Bride - um no, she told me she wasn't having a cake 
I get an email from the bride 3 days ago and she states that she is baking the cake and another decorator in the area is going to decorate it! I'm glad I didn't get this bride as she seems to be a PITA.
I think that they figure they will get it cheaper!
Krista
I have brides that balk at my $1.75-$2.25 buttercream covered cake pricing. I price my fondant covered cakes at $3.50/serving and haven't had one yet. I have had a few with fondant accents at $2.5/serving.
favtrdtr: sheet cakes are generally an 11x15 or 12x18 size pan and are a two inch high rectangle pan.
Wow fosterscreations that seems like a steal!
I have had a bride who sent me several pictures for me to quote and the flavors they wanted. I went ahead and priced all of them (5) in both fondant and BC and with dummies (so 4 quotes for each image). I then get an email back from the Bride saying that it looks like they are not going to have a cake because they needed to cut costs. Ok I think, fine - I can understand that. A mutual friend comes to me 2 weeks ago and asked me if I was doing the wedding cake for this Bride - um no, she told me she wasn't having a cake
I get an email from the bride 3 days ago and she states that she is baking the cake and another decorator in the area is going to decorate it! I'm glad I didn't get this bride as she seems to be a PITA.I think that they figure they will get it cheaper!
Krista
That just makes me want to gag. And this email from the bride 3 days before, was that her just letting you know because she thought you would care, or was it in reponse to an email you sent? Barf! Glad you didn't get stuck with her either
DSilvest-
I am so intrigued by your faux cake business. I think that you have a fabulous idea there. Would you mind telling us if you are successful with this kind of cake business. I work part-time and have two small kids. I've been decorating cakes as a hobby and recently decided to start selling cakesfrom home, my husband did a website,etc but have just found out from the health dept in my town I will need a separate kitchen etc which is not in the cards right now. I live in the states but could you tell me if Canada requires a kitchen license for this kind of business, I am just curious, I would imagine not since it won't be eaten and I'd imagine the same here. I love doing cakes and want to bring in some extra income by combining the two but I don't want to break any laws and can't afford another kitchen right now. I hope you can share some more info. That is so interesting.
Every city in Canada is different depends on the municipalities rules. Where I live you do not need a license for a home bakery. I have contacted all the legal departments here and I do not have to have one. I don't sell alot of cakes for the lack of time but do 3-4 per month. Why are you interested in knowing what happens in Canada if you live in the states??
dcashly
I'm interested in whah happens in Canada because the poster named Dsilvest's faux cake business is in Canada. Since they are fake cakes I would imagine that a kitchen license is not required which is what I was trying to inquire from her. I am now thinking of doing a similar thing here where I live to avoid adding another kitchen which I cannot afford right now but if I don't need a kitchen license to do fake cakes since they will not be eaten it could be something I'm VERY interested in doing...
Oh I get a ton of them. I had one that I offered the fake cake with a piece for the cutting ceremony/sheet cakes. She had 150 guests and the amount was less than $300. They kept asking if they changed the shape did that matter, if they did would that matter. So after a month of questions they come back and tell me that they found someone to do the entire cake for what I charged for the dummy etc. So I congratulated them and wished them luck. Its always the brides like this that are the biggest PITA's. I have one that is spending triple that and have had less problems with her. My hubby says its because some people have the money and some dont. The one's that dont try to find ways of not spending where they dont have. I can understand that, that some people dont think spending $500 on a wedding cake makes sense. Thats fine. But dont come to me and try to get a $500 wedding cake for 300 people, six tiered and a Sylvia Whinestock knock off! And if you cant afford to pay for cake and food for 150 guests dont invite that many!! Dont think that everyone else is suppose to bow down to you because your getting married and give you things for free!!
Ok, sorry for venting!!! lol I just get sick of wasting my time on people like this.
Oh I get a ton of them. I had one that I offered the fake cake with a piece for the cutting ceremony/sheet cakes. She had 150 guests and the amount was less than $300. They kept asking if they changed the shape did that matter, if they did would that matter. So after a month of questions they come back and tell me that they found someone to do the entire cake for what I charged for the dummy etc. So I congratulated them and wished them luck. Its always the brides like this that are the biggest PITA's. I have one that is spending triple that and have had less problems with her. My hubby says its because some people have the money and some dont. The one's that dont try to find ways of not spending where they dont have. I can understand that, that some people dont think spending $500 on a wedding cake makes sense. Thats fine. But dont come to me and try to get a $500 wedding cake for 300 people, six tiered and a Sylvia Whinestock knock off! And if you cant afford to pay for cake and food for 150 guests dont invite that many!! Dont think that everyone else is suppose to bow down to you because your getting married and give you things for free!!
Ok, sorry for venting!!! lol I just get sick of wasting my time on people like this.
Oh I get a ton of them. I had one that I offered the fake cake with a piece for the cutting ceremony/sheet cakes. She had 150 guests and the amount was less than $300. They kept asking if they changed the shape did that matter, if they did would that matter. So after a month of questions they come back and tell me that they found someone to do the entire cake for what I charged for the dummy etc. So I congratulated them and wished them luck. Its always the brides like this that are the biggest PITA's. I have one that is spending triple that and have had less problems with her. My hubby says its because some people have the money and some dont. The one's that dont try to find ways of not spending where they dont have. I can understand that, that some people dont think spending $500 on a wedding cake makes sense. Thats fine. But dont come to me and try to get a $500 wedding cake for 300 people, six tiered and a Sylvia Whinestock knock off! And if you cant afford to pay for cake and food for 150 guests dont invite that many!! Dont think that everyone else is suppose to bow down to you because your getting married and give you things for free!!
Ok, sorry for venting!!! lol I just get sick of wasting my time on people like this.
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