Half Cake And Half Dummy Cake - Wedding Cake Pricing -
Business By Shaza25 Updated 29 Jul 2014 , 6:17pm by -K8memphis
Hi All.... I have my first wedding cake order, from a friend, who would like the cake to look the picture/ sketch below, the sketch that has all the detials they want and the picture is where they got their ideas from . Also need to keep the cost low
1. The bottom tier will be a white cake with chocolate SMBC, 13" x 4"
2. The two top tiers will be dummy cakes and will be on serparators (5"x3") that will be hidden with white and red fondant roses, that I will be making
3. Cake topper... which is a carriage and the groom.
Any comments will be much appreciated
AWell, that's about as costly as it can get, since you mention "keeping costs down". First off, don't bother with separators if you're keeping costs down, just use dowels and hide them with the flowers. I would suggest that they purchase real flowers and you just clean up the stems as much as possible. Really...friends and keeping costs down to me, screams of they want it cheap, and you're going to try to be too friendly and give them way more of a break than you'd like to admit. Could be wrong though. A cake in that style, that size, with appropriate separators and properly done [B]gum paste[/B] roses, would safely be about a gran, maybe more. Friend or complete stranger. ;) Then there's the matter of that topper...that's something they're providing? Cause I didn't figure that in to the price.
do you mean you want to make a 13x5x3? the picture might be a 9x5x3 -- it comes off looking very petite -- you could do a 13x9x7 to replicate that silhouette with a 13" bottom tier-- -- i don't know what size you want -- but going from a 5" cake to a 13" tier is too big a jump to replicate that style--
so they need about 65 servings? if yes then i'd just do an 11x7x4 all cake--it's easier and more petite
if i were you i'd decide what dollar amount i'd be comfortable with 'gifting' to this friend like if you were buying her a gift-- then determine the full price you'd charge for the cake and the difference of the two is what you should charge --
it's the drape that raises the level of expertise on this cake--what's cool is that printed border on the drape is very random--it's a floral but it's the piping that gives it the majesty/consistency-- the actual pattern is hit and miss which make it easier to reproduce -- and i either have a cutter to get a similar scalloped edge or i could make one easy --
i mean it's a beautiful ornate drape, some petite flower separations, lace borders made from a mold, floral topper, some piping, attention getting 2-piece topper --
honestly-- the flower separations detract from the elaborate drape--it gets too busy --i'd say dumb down the drape or delete the rose separators -- plus you got the dramatic topper --that's quite a lot going on there in a small cake and for a reduced price - idk
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Thanks for your responds...
AZCouture- The topper will be handmade by me, its for an Indian themed wedding and they want a similar concept for the the topper (see picture). I was thinking abt $500 for the cake, given that the 2 top tiers are dummies.
K8memphis - I agree that the flowers are over kill and the drape will be lost. The two top tiers are dummies, so going with a 13" bottom tier to server 80 guests. Also I will be hand piping the detail on the drape.
For a cake like this, replacing real cake for dummies does not save all that much money. Most of the cost of this cake is in the detailed decorations. I am with AZ on this. Minimum $1K. I agree with K8, decide how much you spend on a gift for this friend and subtract that from what you would normally charge a stranger.
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K8memphis - I agree that the flowers are over kill and the drape will be lost. The two top tiers are dummies, so going with a 13" bottom tier to server 80 guests. Also I will be hand piping the detail on the drape.
a 14" cake serves 78 -- if you cut extra small servings you could get 80 out of a 13"
srsly consider keeping this as small as possible -- you could still put it on a plateau for a grand effect or elevate it on the table with an upturned cake pan or some #10 cans and cover that with a tablecloth all scrunched up -- place the cake on that --
you could do a 12x8x6 all cake for 90 servings or substitute a 6" foam for top tier for right on 80 servings -- or do an 11x7x5 for 80
there is no real savings to you for doing dummy cakes--it's still an expense, nearly the same amount of labor --
if you could at least keep the flowers one color that will help --
you're gonna hate yourself for doing this for $500 --
Thanks for your responds...
AZCouture- The topper will be handmade by me, its for an Indian themed wedding and they want a similar concept for the the topper (see picture). I was thinking abt $500 for the cake, given that the 2 top tiers are dummies.
I hate to play devils advocate, but even if they are dummies; they will still take just as much time and money to make as a real cake..so why should there be a price difference? Is it going to cost less to buy a dummy cake than bake a cake..probably not; is it going to take less time and money to decorate..definitely not.
K8 - They only want the bottom tier to be cake and the two top ones as dummies. So I have to go with a later tier to serve at least 80. They are not that fussed that the number of servings have to be exact as its only for close family and friends and they have other desserts also being served at the buffet.
gotcha-- i hope you instruct them on how much money they are not saving by using dummies ;)
Thanks everyone for the feedback.... Will post a picture when the cake is done.. its in a months time. :o)
Hi All.... so as promised here is a picture of the cake... I was able to convince the groom to have only the top tier in styrofoam and made the middle and bottom tiers in cake... more value for money... removed the roses from my inital design as they were over kill. Thanks again for your support and comments... we did end up with a resonable price..so all ended well.
wow you did a great job -- it's stunning/elegant with everything so well balanced -- beautiful
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