Have you every been asked to provide a small wedding cake for the bridal party (and to have on display) but then the bride wants the rest of the party to be served cakes from Costco to keep her costs down? One bakery has turned her down.

I would say no, too. I wouldn't want the guests to think that I made the Costco cake.

Many bakers (myself included) have an all or nothing clause in their contracts. I do not allow cakes from other places. I don't want my cake associated with or confused with someone's elses.

If a bride wants to save money they can either order their sheet cakes from me. Otherwise they can their entire order from somewhere else.

Thanks for your quick responses! I'm going to add that clause in my contract - thanks Cathy! I thought I had thought of everything

I would also say no to this.

I have this same type of request. They are asking for a fake cake. 4 tiered fondant styrofoam cake and they are buying costco cakes because "the groom won't eat any other type of cake". They are willing to pay a pretty good price for a fake cake and I've also talked them into letting me keep the cake when it's done for a display cake.
I also don't do sheet cakes though and I let everyone know that. I do cakes just as a very small side job. BUT if I did do cakes full time then I would do sheet cakes (for the money) and wouldn't do this particular job.

I won't do it. This is called "the all or nothing" clause!

I just had a bride ask me for something like this. Wanted a pretty 3-tier cake for cutting and then the rest of the servings she wanted to get sheet cakes. I told her about the all or nothing rule, expecting to lose the order because she seemed very budget driven. But she said she understood the policy, and ordered kitchen cakes from me instead of the sheet cakes from a grocery store.

This seems to be all the rage with the wedding bloggers and mags these days. "Pay for a consultant, but serve a Costco cake!"

Big NO here. It's in my contract they can't have any baked confections not ordered from me as part of their reception unless it's made by the venue and part of their meal package (which a lot of the hotels here do). I just told one of my brides under contract that No, MIL cannot make cupcakes as favors to send home with the guests. If they want cupcake favors they have to pay me to make them.

Mini Rant At No One In Particular: As for having me, a custom baker, make a fake cake and them get Costco cakes? Big no from me here too. This is a horrible trend that needs to stop. It's selling the rest of us short and giving the public yet one more thing to undervalue and question our worth for. If you run a fake cake rental, that's one thing, but if you are a custom baker, you value your product and respect others in your industry... bake cake and turn these absurd requests down.

Whew! Thanks for letting me get that out, I've been hit at the last 4 consultations to see if I'll make a fake cake with sheet cakes, or make the fake cake and let them get cakes from somewhere else "cheaper". I'm like, what part of "scratch organic baker" says "fake cake maker and sure, go get cake from somewhere else"? LOL

Jen

I have made fake cakes for bridal shows. They are not easier to decorate. So, minus the baking, they are not cheaper.

Big no on this one! I wouldn't mind making kitchen cakes to serve along with a smaller tiered cake, but I'm sure not sharing the limelight with an inferior baker(y).

Let me be clear.

::Oh, snap.:: Hells to the no.