Hello all,

So am new in the wedding cake business and, although my clients all are super satisfied, it can be challenging to find new customers.

So am thinking of starting a partnership with wedding coordinator. How much of my cake cost would be a decent/reasonable payout for a reference?

Anyone done this and if so with what terms? Any insight will be greatly appreciated. 

Thanks!

it's not especially viable -- making deals with them typically do not pan out -- complicated to add another person into the mix when you are aiming at satisfying a client's wishes and trying to make money with another entity -- getting your name out to all the other vendor's is very important though -- but not to enter into a contract or agreement with them -- gets messy --

Rather than partnering just get to know them.......go out of your way to find them when you do deliver a cake......or talk to the bride as to who she is using so you can connect to coordinate deliver time, set up etc.  Tying yourself to just one isn't wise..it could limit how much work you get in the long run. 

wow! Thanks for the insight! So how do you approach a wedding venue and coordinator? Do you just cold call them, ask for an appointment and offer them a cake tasting? 

I realise am totally clueless about that part.

what i would do -- full disclosure--  i could never be legal from my home so i never did this -- but i was a professional decorator and worked for many others -- but what i always wanted to do was make wedding cake cut out cookies and bag them up pretty and take a stack of business cards and drop them off like on a monday tuesday for other vendors, florists esp. caterers who didn't do cakes -- and then that gets you out there -- you can chat them up if they have time -- then along the trails they will see your work at various venues and voila --

but in my mind -- i would show up unannounced and just drop off the stuff -- they'll get what you're doing -- y'know, try to introduce yourself of course and if they are busy or diabetic -- it's not an in your face thing -- can be left for later -- and cookies can be easily shared with others -- i just always like that idea -- giving a cake always seemed like too much to me -- gotta slice it and find plates and take care of it -- cupcakes stale out in a few and what if they eat them then -- bagged cookies are easy peasy -- good shelf life -- decorated pretty like wedding cakes says all you need to say imho -- makes a good impression --

but surely there's tons of ways to do it -- best to you

you can have a portfolio in the car if they have time & request to see your work

......how do you approach a wedding venue and coordinator? Do you just cold call them, ask for an appointment and offer them a cake tasting?.... 

You could :)  I often got orders from people who had one of my cakes at another event - like a b'day party & passed my name on the the coordinator.....

I did a couple of wedding shows - met them there. Expensive but usually worth it.  Make sure you have samples enough to pass out to the other vendors - even more important then the brides that come :)    I'd go to shops - photographers, rental equipment places, bridal shops etc give them my business card......take my photo album etc.