My first wedding cake is coming up in a couple of months. But since I am new to cake decorating I don't have a lot of supplies. The bride is a high school friend of my husbands and she wants a 4 tiered cake the first three are to be petal shaped cakes and then the top a heart.
She wants the bottom to be pleated, then the second half way up the tier covered in roses and leaves. Then the third and top tier stacked on top of each other but separated from the two bottom ones. Then third tier she wants lace patterns and the top just covered in roses.
I know I can do it since I made sure that the technique itself would be simple enough for me to do. The issue I have is how much do I tell her that it's going to cost. I don't mind if she doesn't pay for my time cause I am afraid that just the cost for the supplies will be high. The cake is only to be for 100 people. What do I do? Do I try to talk to her and scale it down? She wants it all in fondant. What would yall do?

You have some time, so figure first out what ingredients will cost and a possible guess at hours of time involved. Don't give your time away for free, unless you really really really want to do this as a gift. What you're describing sounds like a pretty tall order (time-wise) for a first wedding.

(note: Make SURE the heart top tier will fit on top of the petal 2nd tier. Just a thought. I miss things like that all the time, until it's time to stack them, and I find out they don't fit).

Fondant is NOT cheap, unless you're making it, so really, I'd try and give her a per serving price that is probably a good deal for her (if you're friends), but will still pay you for ingreds and time.

Don't forget to check in here lots; everyone's great about helping you along as you go. Maybe not *me*, since I'm hardly ever here any more, but lots of great cakers are.

I feel like I am so heartless sometimes, I even charged my sister for her wedding cake. Things were really tight for us at the time but I just had her pay for ingredients but I just said it up front that it will be expensive, you would be surprised how much or how little people budget for a cake. but just like above, figure out how much everything is going to cost, and then let her now. Don't wait till last minute and get totally shaffed. The cake seems really time consuming but charge what you feel your time is worth.

Well she said she has like 2 people family members that want to pay for the cake. Because I asked her if she had a budget and she said no. So now I am worried that this cake is going to be way to expensive. I have done a few cakes for friends and they told me hey this is what I want to spend. Then I can come up with an idea for the cake. Because I am new to this all I really want is for the people to pay for the supplies that will be needed. I am already nervous as it is about this cake since it will bigger than i have ever even attempted to make and plus I have to bring to the reception hall. On top of all things she was my hubby's best friend in high school. I already gave her the price which covered just enough for the supplies two weeks ago and have not heard anything back from her. I don't know if that's a good thing or bad.

If you have never made a four tiered cake I would suggest you make a couple for practice, so you know how to stack and be sure they are supported really well

I think it's really generous of you to offer to make the cake and not be paid for your time. However, all those ingredients will add up. The brides don't always know what kind of costs are involved with just making the cake. I would tell her that you would be willing to donate your time, if she'll pay for the supplies (and let you keep the tools!) Get a price list together and see what she says. If she thinks it is too expensive for her to pay for, why would she expect you to?

Okay so two weeks later giving her a price, I called her to see if she wanted to do another tasting. She wanted to try like 10 different cakes. I find out today that her mother wants to go through walmart or king scoopers. I told her that I doubt that walmart will give her the cake design that she truly wants, She then said she didn't care. I told her then to go with walmart or whoever she wants. If i go to the wedding I will not be eating the cake. They put so many chemicals to have a longer self life. I know it doesn't matter but it upsets me that after two weeks I have to chase her down. I wasn't even charging for my time or the gas that it would take to drive almost 2 hours just to deliver the cake. I gave her an itemized list with the prices of the things I would need to order. Grrrrr I was so excited about making this cake since it would have been my first wedding cake. I hope it looks like poop :<

This just happened to me too. My immediate thought, their loss. It will all work out, it always does.

I know it will. I was nice about it but the fact that I was stressing myself out about learning on how to the techniques she wanted and this and that only to find out it for nothing. But I will learn those techniques anyways. It was just I wish I had known and I won't have wasted money and time on the first six cakes that she and her hubby ate and then took the rest home. I just needed to vent.

Hi, Christina! Have we talked before? I usually give a "holla" to fellow Coloradoans I encounter. I'm actually right up the street from you in Security and work in Fountain. When I read your post I was going to say to contact me if you get overwhelmed, I'd be happy to help but now I see you won't be making it. Sorry to hear that.

Elcee I think we have talked before, thanks for the help. Oh well it's all good after I got her call I started thinking about how to make the cake for my hubby. I haven't changed it on my profile but I am now in Canon City.

that's rediculous! I can't believe she did all that tasting (then wanted to try like 10 OTHER flavors!) THEN decides to use walmart? I think it is probably a good thing you aren't doing the cake. I think she doesnt really appreciate the time and effort you already put into this.

As I was reading your initial entry I kept thinking "this sure is an intricate cake that is going to really take a lot of time". Then I read where you were just going to charge her for your supplies and not your time. That truly would have been a "love" gift to her because I'm sure it would have taken you several several hours to do this cake. I think you should go ahead and learn those techniques and have fun practicing them! That's what I love about cake decorating! Let them go to Wally World for their cake. Doubt they get to taste cake and take the rest home though. It's probably a good thing because I don't think they would be a good first wedding cake experience. Chin up. Happy Decorating!

consider this your first burn!
read up on how people do tastings - unless your a well established business that can take the loses, or charge a fair and full amount per cake, you usually only give bite size pieces. cheaper for you, just as effective!

read up on the whole consultation/ deposit process. a certain amount of work (basic ideas, sketching) you kind of have to do to secure an order - not anything over and above that, and certainly its not your job to chase her down. the deposit secures the date - no deposit, means she obviously doesnt want cake that bad! leave it up to the customer - and dont be afraid to just say no to a PITA.

always charge for everything! as you have seen, people dont appreciate it. people who are actually your friends or family, sure cut them a deal, but people who you dont seem to know, who your husband was friends with at school (so not now?) do not deserve a break! sure you want the practice (although getting practice on a wedding = mega pressure and stress!) but then again, 4 tier cake, in a small home oven, requiring practice time too, you will lose a whole day from your family, friends and fun stuff! far better to make a massive cake for your own christmas!

dont worry about their budget either, if you are a custom caker then you charge way more than a grocery - and unfortunately that means you need to educate people! if someone wants a highly intricate 4 tier cake, then they pay for it. you can maybe say if we go for a three tier, also 100, with a simpler design, it will be $xxx. and if they say well i only have $100, you say 'walmarts just up the road'.
xx

Thanks yall, and the kicker is she is a salesperson at a car dealership so every-time she talks to us it always about coming in and getting a car. So i was already annoyed. I also really didn't mind baking for the tasting I wanted to see how they would come out. They were all new recipes to me and different flavor combinations so something good came out of this. Just the fact that her mother is paying for the cake and she didn't bring her mother. So i kinda feel like i never really had a chance. But now I know which cakes and filling flavors are my favorite. Oh well lesson learned. Saves me the headache on how to deliver what would have been a monster of a cake in my little car.