who's wedding cake serving chart do you use? - Page 2

Thank you so much for posting her site for me!!!!

While that is technically true... 100 servings will always cost $300 at $3 per serving, the point is, if you use Earlene's guide, you are making a LOT more cake! I'd rather make $300 on a three tiered cake, then on a six tiered cake, if you get my meaning. With Earlene's guide you are putting out more for ingredients and your effort. Not to say it shouldn't be used, I was simply stating that Wilton's will make you more money. I always tell the brides the amount of servings by Wilton, and charge them for that amount, then I tell them if they'd like to serve larger servings they should consider ordering extra cake.




Although I totally understand what you are saying, if you order 300 servings because you are expecting approximately that many guests, but 100 people take seconds because the pieces are small... well you get where I'm going with that! Where the difference really comes into play is what else they are serving. One of my first questions when determining how much cake they need is, "What else are you serving?" If it's a huge meal, then the little slices really are perfect. If it's just appetizers or something like that, the cake needs to be a little bigger because people are going to eat more. And, honestly, it depends on the family. While the more modest slices are great for some people, there are others that will never be satisfied with a 1" by 2" slice of cake. To them that's just a tease!

Lol, yeah that is what I was trying to get at in my reply to Pastry. I only do cakes for friends and family so right now I prefer more work for larger portions. Maybe I will become more thrifty when I branch out.

This is what I've done also-sort of an average between these two. I sure don't want to ever have a bride call me and tell me that they ran out of cake
Another pricing question...I know that the top layer isn't counted as "servings", but do you charge for this? Or is it a "gift"?
TIA

Hahaha! Trust me, the first time you let a $200 cake (that you worked on for two days) out of your kitchen for $50... you will become that thrifty baker!! When I'm doing a cake for family... I will go all out and not care how much it costs me, but when I'm selling it, I am concious of how much I am spending versus what I am making!

No, you charge for it, then be clear to the bride that it is not to be considered as part of the servable number unless they do not want to keep it. Most of my brides are not wanting to save theirs these days, and what I like to do it surprise them about 6 months after the wedding with a gift certificate for a free 6" cake to celebrate their anniversary. They love this, and it drums up more business! It's my anniversary present to them!

[quote and what I like to do it surprise them about 6 months after the wedding with a gift certificate for a free 6" cake to celebrate their anniversary. They love this, and it drums up more business! It's my anniversary present to them![/quote]

What an excellent idea Melvira...can I please copy it

OOOO, I like melvira's idea!

Melvira, I do the same thing. Let the Bride count the servings from the top teir to serve, and offer a 6 inch replica for the 1 year anniversary. It keeps you in their thoughts for birthdays and baby showers.

I made the serving sizes out of some cardstock, the wilton size and earlene's size. I sit them both out and show the size difference in cake and explain that the larger piece costs more per serving, but people would be getting more cake. I have both serving charts and let the customer decide how they want their cake. I would not charge the same price per serving for a wilton vs. earlenes serving, that's bad business.

aligotmatt,
That's a very interesting idea! I hadn't thought of that! What a great way to give the customer more control and choices. I personally would have liked that option! I may start doing this!

aligotmatt... that is a very bright idea!! I think I may try the same thing! I know sometimes one of the first questions I encounter is, "Do you give those teeny little servings that you can read through?"

Of course, any of you may adopt that idea for the anniversary cake! Like someone said, keeps you in their mind for other events. I also include a letter with the certificate that explains I will need at least 2-3 weeks notice as to when they would want the cake and it states that 'an additional order is not required, however, would be cheerfully accepted!' That way they know they don't have to buy something to get this 'gift', but it encourages them to buy something anyway!

Great idea...I know there was a member who had her husband cut her serving sample out of wood and she painted it like cake so she had a 3-D example for the bride...pure genius!!

Do you guys have a problem when the cake is being served by the reception site as far as how it should be served if you are using earlene's method? The wedding cake I did last year was served by the staff they automatically used the wilton method for serving(which I think most sites do). I'm just wondering if they would use a different method if you told them to.

Of course it's different if a family member/friend would be serving since the bride would have more control over that (one would hope anyway! )

Brilliant!!! Love, love, love that idea! Can I 'borrow' it? I just had a bride email me back that instead of my 3 tiered cake to feed 75 for $150 (and that's delivered, set up, etc.), she decided to go w/ a $90 cake (supposed to feed 75 also) from someone else....I hope she gets what she pays for!