First Wedding Cake Consultation...nervous....need Advice!
Business By CakeParlour Updated 24 Jan 2007 , 10:26pm by melysa
I scheduled my first wedding cake consultation (for someone I've never met) for Thursday evening and I'm losing sleep over it, haha! I'd love to hear any advice/stories from folks who have been doing consultations at their homes. I plan to offer samples of my most popular bride and groom's cake flavors, and have my portfolio and various wedding magazines/books to get ideas for style, design, etc. The part I'm worried about: Do I just sit there and watch her eat? I don't want her to feel like she's in a fishbowl! Maybe I could have something prepared to talk about while she's eating, or I could do something else?
You sound as though you've gotten yourself pretty organised. It can be a mistake to 'over organise' yourself and not let the consultation have its own life. I've always found two ears and one mouth to be a good thing to remember. Clients either know exactly what they want or have no idea or many ideas. You can always discuss her wedding plans and make her feel at ease (and build a good repall with yourself) while she is sampling your cakes and looking at photos. My advice would be to not give her too many photos either yours or books to look at in one single consultation as I have found many brides become more confused and unable to make decisions if they are bombarded with ideas. Keep it simple, organised and have a genuine interest in your clients wedding plans and you will find it will all come together well for you. Good Luck. Leonie, Australia 
I have yet to do a wedding consult, but have done many others. I have bobarded customers with pics and gon the opposite direction and totally forgotten pics. I find if you have a good assortment available, a sketch pad and take notes, if she wants to look at pics they are available but you don't have to show them, (kinda like a hair salon) sketch out any ideas that you come up with together so she can get a rough idea of what is in your head and just treat her as a friend. It will work out great! I am excited for you!
Small chit-chat is great. While they are eating, I tell them, "This is when you eat and I talk!" 
and tell them a little about how long I've been doing this, etc.
When we get to the nitty gritty, the first thing I ask them if they have an idea or a photo of what kind of cake they are looking for. If they have a photo, then half the work of that meeting is done.
If there is no photo, or I get a "not really" in response to that question, then I go thru a process of elimination: Pointing to my 2 dummies, I ask, "Pillars, like that one? Or no pillars, like the other one?" If no pillars, do they want the top tier elevated, to make it stand out, or no pillars there either? Round cakes or square? All white cake or a mix of flavors?
I have 2 books of photos: Book 1 has photos of cakes that I have made. Book 2 has photos I've printed from the internet and cut from magazines to give them an idea of design. Each photo/page is in a plastic sleeve, which makes it easy to remove from the book (i.e. to pass down to mom at the other end of the table). I find this looks a bit more organized than having 15 cake books with photos (although I have a number of cake books that I just can't bring myself to cut pages out).
I have a Post-It pad handy so they can mark pages of "Oh that's a possibility!"
Make sure you have your serving charts handy , so you know what sizes their cake will be.
I actually leave the room for 10 minutes while they eat. That's when I figure out their sizes (from their numbers that they have already told me. ). I think its nice for them to sample alone so they can talk (most of my tastings are bride/groom). I also serve my samples on china, for that extra special touch.
I ask them what their price range is, and tell them what I charge. I have a whole bunch of different styled cakes on a cork board to point and describe details.
Just stay calm, talk slowly, and enjoy!! Consults are alot of fun!
Im sure you'll be fine, the brides probably more nervous then you just try and relax and make her feel comfortable as you can.
I have a list of key points and questions that I work from and have done for a couple of years now. That way I know I wont forget any details.
Good luck
I have created a "Bridal Consultation Questionairre" that I use at my consultations. This way, I don't forget to ask anything and it kind of is an outline of how the consultation will flow. When they first get there I give a brief background of myself and then get right into the questionairre. I have found that most brides really like this and it helps me out a lot! As far as when they are eating the cake, I just chit chat and wait for their reaction.
I always have felt that the more comfortable you are, the more relaxed the customer will be. People like to talk about themselves, so I try and ask questions that will start them talking. I find if I listen, I can learn alot about what kinda of things they like or dislike, and just plain good info. After say 5 minutes or so, I then go into the general need to know questions, after a few questions, I get off track a little, to let them absorb what we've talked about. I do not rush them, I always allow at least one hour, and usually within that time we can accomplish everything. I always offer some refreshments, like coffee, or water or something. Be sure to have napkins. I usually put my samples on doilles and then on a plate, I also put some initials on the doilly to remind me of which samples I used. Sometimes, if you have several, if they eat the evidence you might forget which was on what plate.
Since in my town, I can't have clients to my house, I will be doing all my consults at the bride's house. Any advise on ways to do my presentation with everything I'll need to shlep over there? I don't want to show up with 50 pounds of stuff, but also don't want to ask the bride to supply anything.
TIA
I, too, just had my first 2 consultations. I was nervous, too! 
Pacing around the house, snapping at the kids, etc. 
But you know, they both went just fine. I think both brides are booking with me, I'm just waiting on the contract.
You'll do fine! Good Luck!
Since in my town, I can't have clients to my house, I will be doing all my consults at the bride's house. Any advise on ways to do my presentation with everything I'll need to shlep over there? I don't want to show up with 50 pounds of stuff, but also don't want to ask the bride to supply anything.
TIA
perhaps a cake box including a tray of prepacked/labeled samples- not decorated. (if you are able to do this much baking and preparation...) one or two peices of choc cake, vanilla etc... small cups with a dollop of bc, slice of fondant, fruit puree, ganache etc...so they can "piece together" the type of cake that they want. wrap the box with a nice ribbon for presentation.
i'd bring a portfolio of select photos of your best work.
and one or two books or magazines with different decoration ideas
Awesome Thread! I have not done a wedding yet, but I sure am getting a lot of people asking me about it! I don't have a contract yet. My cakes, cookies, etc., have all been for people I know and I haven't had any trouble. Is there a source to find a generic one? Any how much do you have them deposit? 50% down and balance due at delivery? I'm sure you'll do great. I agree, don't have a ton of stuff as to overwhelm the bride. Get her talking and it will probably really flow easy. Have fun at the consult!
My first consultation, the bride knew exactly what she wanted, had a picture, gave me the ribbon and flowers that day. The next bride just knew she wanted a cake. Her mother's eyes were rollin' the whole time! So I went from one extreme to the other with my first two consultations! 
I made a binder that I hand to the brides if they need ideas.(Scrapbooking is my other obsession.) It has one or two pictures on each page in plastic sleeves. Each page showcases a different technique or style. One page has cakes with cornelli, another shows scrolls, another use of color, etc. Further back are the pictures of construction--1 tier, 1 stacked, 2 individual on acrylic stands (one small, one huge), 1 with stairs, 1 with a fountain, and snapshots of the stands that I own with a cake on them. I actually start with the construction now, and go to detail when that is chosen. Some pictures are my own, some I found on the internet and here. If a bride doesn't know what she wants, that book is a life saver!
I have with me a calculator and a blank notepad for taking notes and doing sketches. A lot of brides will ask for a piece of paper to do some note taking and do some math themselves.
I have a blank contract in front of me which serves as my checklist. If you forget something, don't get flustered. Quite often I will call a bride a day or so later because I forgot to ask what flavor she wanted one of the tiers, or something minor like that.
Wow, that got kind of long winded! It's a lot like doing a bridal fair. You're first is the hardest on your nerves. Just have fun with it. The more relaxed you are, the more relaxed your bride will be.
Awesome Thread! I have not done a wedding yet, but I sure am getting a lot of people asking me about it! I don't have a contract yet. My cakes, cookies, etc., have all been for people I know and I haven't had any trouble. Is there a source to find a generic one? Any how much do you have them deposit? 50% down and balance due at delivery? I'm sure you'll do great. I agree, don't have a ton of stuff as to overwhelm the bride. Get her talking and it will probably really flow easy. Have fun at the consult!
There's a thread I think in the business section where you can get a copy of Roxie's contract--not sure of her screen name, but it has roxie in it. She is very willing to email you a copy of hers and you can make any changes that you like and make it your own, as long as you send her a copy of your changes as a courtesy.
I charge a $50 deposit to hold the date. Balance is due in full no later than one week before the wedding or the contract is null and void. There is usually no one around at a reception hall when I deliver, so I don't want to worry about having to collect after the fact. I also ask for a separate $50 check to serve as a damage deposit. If they return my stuff in the same condition I left it within 3 days of the wedding, I hand them the check back. If anything is broken, that $50 is mine to use toward replacement parts. Haven't had to cash that extra check yet. That just encourages them to be nice to my stuff.
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