please don't tell me that your reception is going to be at the most expensive country club around!!!!

I would love to find a NICE way to tell them that if they are having their reception at the most expensive place around, I'm smart enough to figure out that I don't need to cut them a break on the cost of their cake.....not that I would anyway.....or that I understand they are on a tight budget but I'm trying to make a living and NO DISCOUNT FOR YOU!!!!! ARRRGGHHHHH!!!!!

Ok, I've vented....we will now return you to your regularly scheduled program ........that is all......

"Ohhhh, that's too bad that your 'very limited budget' means your cake is going to look dinky in such resplendent surroundings..."

I just go deaf.

"Oh, the (insert name of venue here)! What a magnificent building. The windows soar over that fabulous marble floor. You have *such* good taste! I'm sure you'll want a cake that fits in with the venue and compliments it's surroundings."

Seriously, go deaf.

People, peo-ple. I know what the venues cost.

NO discount!!!

Jen

Or a combination of very expensive venue AND a reception for "....only 250 of our closest and dearest friends".

Yep, had one of those. Not only did they want me to cut my catering prices but ALSO wanted a BIG discount if they paid me a year in advance. Oh, and this was back when chicken was going up 78% in a 6-month period, butter was climbing at 37% a month and my flour was going up 34% every 3 weeks. So with prices going up every single day, they wanted me to CUT their prices and gamble on what my costs would be a year from now.

250 guests ........ a venue that costs at least $20k.

And they want "cheap" food and cake.

Bite me.

Here is what I have found works well with "those". I'm like a car dealer....or a realtor....I just draft up a gorgeous cake with all the trimmings and another cake more fitting with their "limited budget". Show them both with the "I just wanted to show you this....but, if you'd like to stay within your budget than "this" is what I can off for "that"."

It's amazing how quick that tight budget expanddddsssss.......

That's when you double your price and then give them a 20% discount, they think they are pulling a fast one when in reality they are paying 80% more

Okay so maybe that's a little untruthful, but so is saying you are on a budget when you're really not.

Yeh, I love it when they do that. And recently I've gotten, "I don't want to spend more than $50 on the birthday cake. Then I'm going to the most expensive boutique in town to lay down $300 for decorations!"

I think nothing irks me more than this.

I just say, my cake are already fairly priced, and since I know they are, they usually come back, or end up getting a walmart cake. More than likely they end up coming back.

In the beginning, I use to give in like an idiot, until this one lady gave me hassle over $10 (TOTAL was $210 she wanted no more than $200).

I agreed

When she pulls up, she's in a pimped out Mercedes Benz looking all blinged out. How dare she?! Petty people. I hope she was able to buy something really nice with those $10.

my thought is that a budget is just that.... doesn't mean they don't have money - more that they want to only spend so much on the cake. Could be that the venue was more important to them then the cake. Someone could spend a couple grand on a cake and then a cheap venue. Or they could serve a walmart cake and have a great venue. Could be that the decorations were more important to them ( and maybe in their minds reusable ) Cake isn't as important to many cake muggles.

BUT.........that doesn't mean they should get a deal from you.... But just show them what is in their budget. If I show up at a bridal gown salon and say... I want to only spend 500 bucks - they will show me what is in my budget- or try to upsell me into expanding my budget but based on where my wedding is or what I spent on other things for the wedding shouldn't make me feel odd about sticking to my budget