For those of you who sell cakes, do you rent your wedding cake fountains and pillars? What if it's your first purchase, do you factor the cost of the fountain/pillars into the cake price OR do you just purchase it and rent it out to the customer?

OK, first off, I haven't done a fountain cake in years. They are not popular around here. I did, 10 years ago buy a fountain and rented it out (the bride has to return it.) When it broke I did not replace it.

By pillars, if you'r asking about the stand that the fountain sits under, then yes, that's an extra charge.

I always have a deposit and a rental. Together they equal the cost of the item. If the item is returned in reusable condition, they get their depoait back. If not, you're covered.

Okay, great information. Thanks for replying. I didn't think those cakes were still popular, but i got a request today for a price quote on one. I was pretty shocked when I opened the attached photo and saw this cake, complete with a fountain, Grecian pillars and satellite cakes!

If I ever did get a request for something that required equipemtn like that, I'd put it on the customer to buy it all. I don't want the stuff, don't want to mess with deposits, don't want anything to do with any part of it.

compared to most bakers, I do fountain cakes pretty often. I don't charge a rental fee for the use of the stands, but I do charge a significant deposit for their ON TIME return.

Case in point, one father of the bride, who lives out of state, gave my silver plateau to a groomsman (undoubtedly the MOST irresponsible person in the wedding party!) to return to me. Groomsman carried it around in his trunk for 3 weeks. I was within a couple of hours of having to order a new one from ebay for my wedding that weekend. Father emails me, looking for his deposit back "...because I'm sure you have it back by now."

Sorry, dude. The stand was due back 3 days after the wedding, not 3 weeks. Collect your deposit from the groomsman, who carried in his trunk for 3 weeks. Giving it to a 3rd party to return to me is NOT the same as getting it to me on time.

I wouldn't put the whole cost on the bride, because you will get to use them again (it may be WAAAYYY down the road, but still). Now, if they don't get returned, then the bride has bought them.

That's what i'm trying to avoid. I don't personally want them back. I quoted a price per slice of cake so that the bride is purchasing/keeping the fountain/pillars. I think if she doesn't want to keep them, i'll purchase it and charge a $50 rental deposit.

I see the fountans and pillars really cheap on craigslist, pretty often. You might check your local craigslist and see if anyone's selling one.

There's not much point in purchasing it and renting it to the bride, if she's the only bride you're ever going to use it for.

Why not have your BTB place a deposit on a rental fountain and bring the specs to your final cake deco meeting. Then she can give it to her ditzy bridesmaid to return (that one's for you ID).

I'd make her buy it too. I don't have fountains... never want one... wouldn't be interested in investing in one. I have silver plateaus that I rent out. Rental deposit of full replacement value is charged and they get 25% of it back upon its timely return. If they are late... no refund.

I would'nt buy them either, I would nicely suggest a different cake or that they buy the stuff themselves.
They can just add that to the long list of stuff they buy for one time use at the wedding.
It's no different then buying 25 hurricane laterns filled with sand and sea shells .
They'll never use those again and can sell them on CL with the pillars and stands.

Frankly, the fountain and satelitte cake design is one I consider "best of the 80's." OK, I'm a design snob, but seriously you do NOT see those cakes coming from high end designers from the coasts.

I agree! I'm working thru a wedding coordinator, so I have not had contact with the bride, yet. I'm guessing mature bride/first time wedding and she picked this cake out a LOOONG time ago! LOL.

nowadays if an order came up like this i would add the cost of the plastic into the price of the cake and they can keep it all. I have quite a few sets from years past but there is no way i could use them now as they are no longer white. so dont buy the stuff for it to be returned, let them pay for it. i do rent out cake stands though.