Ok, fun one here. A bit lengthy, am trying to be as descriptive as possible!
Doing the groom’s cake and possibly wedding cake for the son of a family I’ve known a long time. They’re not expecting it to be free - more on that at the bottom.
They’re talking 150 for the reception. This will be cut a bit as there are some invited that won’t be able to attend.
cake is fairly simple, some nice lace piping, flowers, etc.
Bride wants people to have nice sized pieces. I’m going to round down and say that means about a 2” slice at the base from a round cake.
Because the groom’s cake will be at the reception, I was thinking I should assume servings for 100-125 people for the wedding cake.
So, if I did 2” slices, servings are:
10” - 15
8” - 12
6” - 9
4” - 6
That’s only 42 slices.
Even reduced to 1.5” at the base of the slice, that gives approximately 57 slices.
I don’t think many people go to weddings expecting to get a 2” piece of cake.
By the way, how do you cut cake for weddings? I’ve never known anyone to grid a cake like on the cutting chart.
So, what to do? She would need a massive cake to have enough for 100 people let alone 150.
Even a 12, 10, 8, 6, 4 - not enough by those calculations.
Make each tier 3 layers and cut them down to one inch? Or even 2 layers per tier?
I really don’t think people expect such huge pieces of cake at a wedding. In my experience, not everyone has wedding cake. Especially when there will be a groom’s cake as well.
Note: Groom’s family is paying for rehearsal dinner, groom’s cake. Bride’s family is paying for the reception etc. Including the wedding cake. From all accounts the MOB is very uppity (as in, unless you pay an arm and a leg for something, it’s not of good quality). Groom’s family is not of the wealthiest means. Was considering reducing my cost for them as sort of a gift, if that makes sense. Will definitely charge for materials at least.
I don’t want to price gauge the bride by any means. How do I price it so they consider me “good enough” to do her cake? And even if it’s 100 servings - at the size, the cost adds up. Not including the time it’ll take to make her flowers, do all the intricate piping, etc.
What would you do?
if you’ve read this far - thanks!
I wouldn’t change the way I offer my servings just because someone wants a more generous price, nor would I price the slices for what they want. If they want bigger slices, they can order a bigger cake, and pay for it, too. I use the Wilton wedding (event) guide for all my cakes.
http://capitalconfectioners.com/cakulator/cakulator.html -- learn to use this cakulator -- it has all the info you need --
not wanting to price gouge is not the question at all and should be the farthest thing from your mind -- the bride wants to get one over on you with double servings -- this is a wedding it's not family snack time -- no, reducing costs as a favor is -- why? why would you do that -- it's a wedding -- it costs --
you have to ask them about the groom's cake -- if they want to add it to the total number of servings or serve it in addition to the bride's cake --
you're supposed to set your price and they decide the number of 1x2x4" servings they want -- if they want 2x2x4" servings then you're doing cake for 300 -- see what i'm getting at?
if you are also serving the cake that's an additional charge per serving -- unless you are a family friend and are already on the guest list and receive an invitation
determine how may people are represented by the invitations they sent including blanket invites to their jobs, church etc. -- then my rule of thumb for over 45 years is half of that number will attend and get cake -- but there's lots of different ways to divine that figure, that's just mine -- so you help them arrive at a reasonable number then THEY decide how many servings they want to pay for -- and how to divide & conquer the grooms cake -- sometimes the groom's cake is taken home even -- but she doesn't get double servings w/o paying for 'em --
and the 12x10x8x6x4 is 145 servings -- but if you do a square 12" that's 156 -- top tier is minus 6 servings cake is 150 servings -- that's why I always had odd numbered pans too so I could get to enough servings w/o going nuts -- but at some point I started giving two 4" boxed cakes as my gift to b&g -- a honeymoon cake and a first anniversary cake -- it's easy peasy to pop them out from leveled scraps or extra bitts of batter --
but it was a bigger gift to moi because then I could avoid the nightmare of reserving the top tier servings for the anniversary -- I could just calculate the number servings straight up -- because then if they changed the size down the road -- it gets mind boggling complicated to keep subtracting the top tier -- I used it as a selling tool -- they always loved that --plus lots of time the b&g never get but the bite of cake for the picture so this way they can have a sweet treat later -- but if anyone screwed me on payments no gifts for you! ha!
i'm quite chatty today for some reason -- but I always make my cakes about 10% bigger too to allow for a dowel to nick out a coupla servings or for one or two to get dropped or whatever --
I'm shutting up now 
best to you
and kitchensix said so too of course -- not that I was a chatty cathy 
but the chick needs to buy a bigger cake 
hahahahaha
Price for the servings as usual. Like the others said, if the bride wants to cut bigger slices she needs to order extra cake. Bake and price like you usually do, and let the bride do the "different" part. You shouldn't have to change your business "norm for just one person.
I guess this is where it gets messy with friends. I’ve known them for years and am flattered they asked.
Couple things - I don’t want to be underbid by a place like Publix so i thought my prices should be lower than theirs a bit. I do need the business and it would be great for my portolio
she’s talking about traditional wedge slices - and with the she wants would probably get 12-16 from a 10”.
As for the groom’s cake - I was thinking of cutting it some - right now I’m thinking $50 for the armadillo cake - just because they really don’t have a lot of money. The mom asked for a price and didn’t ask me to cut it. Do y’all ever feel obligated to do that?
Boy business is fun!
$50 for a sculpture? no, never -- that's not how I operate -- $50 for a dang quarter sheet? never ever!!
if she wants to serve wedges then do six 8" cakes and set them on risers draped with some beautiful fabric, lace whatever and serve 25 wedges per cake -- according to the cakulator an 8" cake serving wedges gives you 25 servings --
(also according to the cakulator a .5x4x5" wedge would get you 31 servings out of a 10")
all the servings would be a different size if you cut different size round cakes into wedges -- a 4" cake has a 2" long wedge -- a 6" cake has a 3" long wedge -- an 8' cake a 4" long wedge and the 10" a 5" long wedge and the 12" a 6" long wedge -- that's just plain dumb on the brides's part to ask for that imho --
you have to decide if you want a business making money or a charity to make you feel good and to allow people to take advantage of you in the guise of business -- they don't have to expect it for free you're giving it to them -- you have to tell them what you will do for them and let the chips fall -- often cakers referred from the groom's side do not get the job --
would you go buy them a $300 wedding gift? that's what you're forfeiting here -- hundreds of dollars --
be true to katyn here -- they don't care how much time you spend on their products especially since you don't -- but when it's the wee hours of the night and you're up diddling cake and armadillo for free then you'll realize how special you should be to yourself -- they are not more important than you are --
best to you
if you don't want to be underbid by publix then you are in the wrong business -- you are on the fast track to burn out -- wish it was different
No this is definitely the right business for me :)
i just - I think because I’m trying to grow clientele privately that I need every job I can get. But you all make a good point - what sense does that make if I’m getting in the red?
I feel like cakes are easier to calculate than a sculpted cake. I’m new to that and know it’s more labor intensive than a traditional cake. You think $50 is too much?
And I’ve seen places charge at least $70 for a 2 layer 6”, so that’s what i mean she I say I don’t want to gauge people!
Quote by @KatyN on 14 minutes ago
No this is definitely the right business for me :)
i just - I think because I’m trying to grow clientele privately that I need every job I can get. But you all make a good point - what sense does that make if I’m getting in the red?
I feel like cakes are easier to calculate than a sculpted cake. I’m new to that and know it’s more labor intensive than a traditional cake. Been doing some research and I see that really is very low.
And I’ve seen places charge at least $70 for a 2 layer 6”, so that’s what i mean when I say I don’t want to gauge people!
Diddling armadillo...
I was saying $50 is not enough for a quarter sheet cake much less a sculpture but it doesn't matter what I think -- you think you're in the right business and at the same time wondering if $50 is too much for a sculpted cake -- I wish you the best
Quote by @KatyN on 15 hours ago
No this is definitely the right business for me :)
i just - I think because I’m trying to grow clientele privately that I need every job I can get. But you all make a good point - what sense does that make if I’m getting in the red?
I feel like cakes are easier to calculate than a sculpted cake. I’m new to that and know it’s more labor intensive than a traditional cake. You think $50 is too much?
And I’ve seen places charge at least $70 for a 2 layer 6”, so that’s what i mean she I say I don’t want to gauge people!
and for the record I was incredulous -- neither rude nor sarcastic -- I was also very helpful --
best to you
When it comes to "friends" pricing, charging anything more than $1 for a box mix, and $1 for the eggs, oil, etc.... is all an average person understands. That is where it all goes wrong.
Best advice I ever heard? Offer a written estimate/ bid:
10" round, 40 industry standard servings.... $120
"wedding gift/ baker's discount".....................$100
Total due..............................................................$20
How the bride decides to serve it...... like 4 large wedges for my teenage sons, that is on her.
And for the exact reason stated above, for serving, I would do all the same cakes (sizes) so that all the servings are the same. "Wedges" from anything other than a 8" cake just looks weird to me.
Sticky situation....gl!
When it comes to "friends" pricing, charging anything more than $1 for a box mix, and $1 for the eggs, oil, etc.... is all an average person understands. That is where it all goes wrong.
Best advice I ever heard? Offer a written estimate/ bid:
10" round, 40 industry standard servings.... $120
"wedding gift/ baker's discount".....................$100
Total due..............................................................$20
How the bride decides to serve it...... like 4 large wedges for my teenage sons, that is on her.
And for the exact reason stated above, for serving, I would do all the same cakes (sizes) so that all the servings are the same. "Wedges" from anything other than a 8" cake just looks weird to me.
Sticky situation....gl!
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