Ok, so I apologize if this topic has come up, but I was serching and couldn't find a pertinent thread.
Lately I have had several request for fake cakes or fake layers in cakes and everyone seems to expect that because there is no cake under that elaborately decorated fondant exterior that it shouldn't cost that much. Don't get me wrong, I do charge a little less for a fake cake, but apparentlly not as much as people seem to expect.
I did a quote for a 3D baby shower cake and the lady comes back and says.. well that too high how about your just make it fake and them we can serve sheet cakes instead. When I told her that it would cost about the same as my original quote for the carved cake she was livid. I can't say I blame her because theres advice everywhere online that says you can save by requesting a fake cake.
Generally speaking the only time I recomend using fake cake to a client is when a bride wants a wedding cake display that is considerably larger than is needed to serve her guests.
The way I see it, I still have just as many hours invested in the cake whether it can be eaten or not, so the only real savings is in the cost & markup of ingredients.
Am I the only one who doesn't price fake cakes considerably cheaper than real ones, or are the people offering theese "money saving" tips crazy?
I'm aroung 85%, so I'm not too far off base. I just don't get why so many sites with supsedly helpful tips on budget friendly weddings etc suggest fake cake.
Have you ever rented a fake cake?
Those websites that advise getting fake cake tier(s) would help in lowering the cost of a wedding cake should be the ones giving them (the bride) the discount don't you think? Your time is precious and could be used for many things so why do things for free?!
IndyDebi has great advice on how to explain these misnomers to the clients.
http://cateritsimple.blogspot.com/2009/07/fake-cakes-no-they-are-not-always.html
She always seems to know just what to say.
Hold on people - all the magazines say is that it will save you money. Even 10% is technically saving you money. So - if you are charging 15-20% less for a fake cake then you are saving them money. I charge about (give or take) 20% less AND I get my fake cake back.... 20% is a lot of money. On a $500 dollar cake, that's $100 off. Even 10% is $50 off and that's still a lot of money. 10% That can be a the cost of a plated dinner. 20% can be the bride's shoes.
What the magazines don't say is you will save a LOT of money. They just say you will save. Customers read into it what they want. They read you will save - and automatically deduct half. That's their issue, not yours.
Hold on people - all the magazines say is that it will save you money. Even 10% is technically saving you money. So - if you are charging 15-20% less for a fake cake then you are saving them money. I charge about (give or take) 20% less AND I get my fake cake back.... 20% is a lot of money. On a $500 dollar cake, that's $100 off. Even 10% is $50 off and that's still a lot of money. 10% That can be a the cost of a plated dinner. 20% can be the bride's shoes.
What the magazines don't say is you will save a LOT of money. They just say you will save. Customers read into it what they want. They read you will save - and automatically deduct half. That's their issue, not yours.
But it's not really saving money if they still have to buy sheet cakes to feed their guests. Seems like it would come out to the same, if not more, than they would have spent just buying a real decorated cake.
IndyDebi has great advice on how to explain these misnomers to the clients.
http://cateritsimple.blogspot.com/2009/07/fake-cakes-no-they-are-not-always.html
She always seems to know just what to say.
Love that, its perfect, I'm going to add it to my list of links of recommended reading for planning your wedding I sometimes send to difficult customers.
Hold on people - all the magazines say is that it will save you money. Even 10% is technically saving you money. So - if you are charging 15-20% less for a fake cake then you are saving them money. I charge about (give or take) 20% less AND I get my fake cake back.... 20% is a lot of money. On a $500 dollar cake, that's $100 off. Even 10% is $50 off and that's still a lot of money. 10% That can be a the cost of a plated dinner. 20% can be the bride's shoes.
What the magazines don't say is you will save a LOT of money. They just say you will save. Customers read into it what they want. They read you will save - and automatically deduct half. That's their issue, not yours.
But it's not really saving money if they still have to buy sheet cakes to feed their guests. Seems like it would come out to the same, if not more, than they would have spent just buying a real decorated cake.
That is exactly how it came out- once I deducted the savings for the fake cake and added the price for a sheet cake to serve it would have actually been more costly.
My total price after it is all said and done is 10-20% below, including the sheets. I get the dummies back which is a huge savings in itself. I don't know why it is costing others more. I end up making the same profit dollar amount (within 20 bucks) either way.
I just tell people not to believe anything they read in wedding magazines, They're dress catalogs with filler articles in between the ads. And the articles are written by people who have never baked a cake, taken wedding photos, dj'ed an event or arranged flowers in their lives, so how would they know how to save money on any of it?
I just tell people not to believe anything they read in wedding magazines, They're dress catalogs with filler articles in between the ads. And the articles are written by people who have never baked a cake, taken wedding photos, dj'ed an event or arranged flowers in their lives, so how would they know how to save money on any of it?
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