I want to start doing wedding cakes, but I am working out of my house. I know I should have certificates/insurance to do this, but does anyone do wedding cakes with out it. I am scared I will have an order and at the last minute wherever the wedding is being hosted will ask for insurance, which I don't have. Any thoughts on how this is handled?

Venues ask for licenses and sometimes for insurance. If you don't have a license for your business, you can't get insurance.

I just recently had a hall require a copy of my license and insurance before they would rent the facility.

There isn't really a solution, other than not doing the cake.

I tell my customers before I even meet with them that I am a home baker and that I am not liscensed or insured - everything is word of mouth family and friends. I also tell them to check with their venue to see if they require a liscense and/or insurance before we proceed. I know that some states require that you be liscensed in that state in order to supply the cake - just let them know up front just in case.

Debbie

most venues around here don't even allow out side cakes at all. So i tell my customers to be sure to check with the venue cause they maynot allow a cake to be brought in, and if they do, they many times have a huge cutting fee, Sometimes its more for the cutting/serving fee, then i charge them for the cake in the first place.

I asked my insurance agency about insurance, and most insurance agencies in our area will not insure a new business for the first five years. I did find someone to insure me, but it is just for liability (like if someone falls down the stairs in front of my house). It doesn't cover enough if someone sues me for food poisoning or something huge like that though...have to warn you, it aint cheap!

I have never had anyone ask me if I have insurance...they don't even ask me if I have a license, they just assume it I guess (I have it posted for those who come to the house). I agree though, a lot of venues will not allow outside cakes and if they do, they charge like $2.00 a slice to cut it! (and they won't allow anyone else to cut it)

All the weddings I have done have been small, do it yourself type weddings. I think those kind of people are attacted to us home bakers...