Advice On Cake Stands? Do I Supply Or Does The Bride?
Decorating By Donnabugg Updated 3 Jan 2011 , 5:12pm by cakesbycathy
I supply them as well. I end up making additional revenue off of renting them to the brides.
I always ask the brides if they might have a silver platter, or cake plate, or something that might have been something their grandmother had that they might like to use. So far, no one has had anything that they'd like to use, but they all love the idea! I give them a choice if they want me to supply something or if they want to supply something.
I don't rent them. If they are interested in one, I refer them to a local party rental place. They are only a few blocks from my shop and have some wedding cakes on display, including one of mine. The rental place is supposed to be getting a book of stands they have available so that I can actually show them to the bride but they haven't gotten in together yet.
I have a couple that I am willing to rent. But 99% of the time the bride already has something to use or doesn't care either way.
I owned a few that I'd use. If I didnt' have a specific one that they wanted, then they had to find it and provide it.
I was leery of a bride providing one of her own that wasn't an "industry standard" stand. Delivered one cake and the bride told me she'd have an elevated stand for me. The "plate" was actually bowl-like and barely the size of the cake! it was quite a trick to get the cake placed in it. I dont' like the "oh my gramma has something" comments. After that first one, I made them bring the stand/platter to me ahead of time.
I don't rent plateaus, but refer brides to the florist she.s using (that's who primarily rents them in this area) or a local rental company. I'm not in the rental biz and don't want to be. If the supplied stand doesn't work for whatever reason, i don't use it.
After having a cake disaster with a home-made stand I now require the brides to either rent from me OR purchase/rent from the local cake supply store.
They also have to bring the stand to me by the time the final payment is due in case there is a problem then there's time to find something else.
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