I wish my scanner was working so I could scan a picture of the cake I was asked to make, but if you have the 1993 Wilton Yearbook, it is on page 75, called Cameo Rose. It needs to serve 200-225, all French Vanilla with regular buttercream. The design is 6 inch top tier, columns, then a 10 inch stacked on a 14 inch. This sits above a fountain. On both sides of the cake are a 6 inch stacked on a 10 inch, connected to the main cake with staircases. The bride wants a plain white ribbon around the bottom of each cake with a border, and around the top circumference of each cake, it is surrounded with mini royal icing roses, with a scalloped ruffle above and below the roses, with pearls lining the ruffle. The wedding is on Sept. 2nd. The bride had a decorator already chosen, but the woman has cancer and had to be hospitalized for chemo, so I felt badly for her and wanted to help her since I'm afraid at this late notice, she'll have problems finding anyone local who is available. I quoted her the price of $525 without the fountain or $560 with the fountain. She said she'd talk to her fiancee and call me back right away, and I haven't heard from her. I gave her the price yesterday around 11:00 a.m. Should I call her and ask if she wants it, or just wait to hear back? I did ask them when I met with them if they had a budget they wanted to stick with, and they both said no and kind of shrugged their shoulders. Did I price this too high? Any suggestions are welcome, please! I really wanted to do this cake to get more exposure and hopefully more wedding business, but I don't want to be known as the "cheapest in town" either. By the way, before I quoted her the price, I checked around and the high-end lady in town said it would be between $800-$1,000, and the lowest quote I got was around $375 from Donut Days. Thanks for any help!
Tracy
I believe your price is good, even a little too good taking under consideration the little time they gave you and all the work, icing roses! Good luck or should I wish the bride good luck finding another decorator with that little time left?!
Wish you the best!
i cant help as far as pricing goes but you should probably call her and let her know that if she wants you to do the cake you have to know soon (give date) because it is short notice already and you have to get your materials together and you would have to start making the roses. just my opinion.
This is true, time is of the essence here. You could call to let her know that you need several weeks advance notice and you have to mark her on your calendar. That way it sounds like she is lucky that you have an opening for her in your schedule. You look good and she feels special. Let us know what she says.
I do not call people back. I always let them know during our consultation, or on the phone that I only do so many weddings per week-end, and that I require a deposit to reserve their date. I also let them know that the balance must be paid 2 weeks before the wedding. If you really want this cake your could call her and say that you have had another customer that had requested that date and that you would like to give her the first opportunity since she talked to you first. If she bites on it, then politely tell her that you will need a deposit and that your policy is that the balance be paid before the wedding. Be careful taking a check, you want to allow enough time for it too clear.
Okay, here's an update. First of all, thank you all for your comments and suggestions! I truly appreciate them! I went ahead and called the bride yesterday afternoon and left her a message saying that I wasn't trying to pressure her, but I needed to know by the weekend whether or not she wanted the cake as I would need to get started ASAP on the roses and purchasing other supplies. She called me right back and told me she talked it over with her fiancee and they are trying to find a different design that may be simpler and less expensive than the first one. I asked her what price she was looking for and she said just in talking to different friends and family, they told her she should be able to get a cake for around $300! To feed 200-225? I let her know that I had estimated cost for ingredients, supplies, and everything I would need to purchase to reproduce this cake and it came to around $200. I also told her nicely that I would encourage her to call some other bakeries and just check on their prices. I didn't want her to feel like I was trying to rip her off or something. I did tell her I was willing to try to help her find a cake that was cheaper, but it couldn't have so many flowers that I would need to make. When I told her it was going to have over 100 flowers, she was surprised and said she didn't realize it was that many. So anyway, she has emailed a picture today of another cake and wants to know a price and also how much it would feed. I've attached a link to the picture as she got it from someone's website. It's kind of hard to see the details, but I'm guessing the sizes are 6, 10, 14, with a 6 and 10 on one side and a 10 in front. Does that sound about right? What do you think the side details are other than a zigzag kind of swag? Can you tell what tip was used to do the colored part on the sides? What do you think a good price would be for this one? She will probably not want the fountain as I told her it would be an extra $35 for that. Any ideas? Thanks guys!!!
http://www.yummykake.com/files/untitled_2jpg.jpg
I can't help you with what tips were used, etc. But just based on how much cake is there and all the construction issues, I can't see how I'd charge less for this cake than the other one. She's dreaming in technicolor if she thinks she can that much cake for $300. Plus, if she doesn't have the fountain, she's going to either have to sit that cake on the table or find a floral arrangement to go under it. And those cost, too. I almost think you might have under quoted her on the previous cake, since to make your rose-making valuable, you'd have to cut your price for a cake without them by a good deal.....and that would make this cake cheap by comparison.
I guess I'm not being very helpful, here, I'm sorry.....but I definitely think she is going to have to pay at least what you asked, and if she waffles, remind her that short notice deserves an extra fee.....she could end up having twinkies if she waffles too long looking for a cheap cake.
Does that sound mean? I don't mean it to be....
Funny you should mention Twinkies! I brought a picture of the first cake in to work yesterday and was doing a poll on how much everyone would expect to pay (by the way, most said $700, a couple said $500 at the very least). When I told them this morning that the bride wanted a cake for around $300, one of the guys (whose daughter got married last year, so he understands cake pricing) said tell her you know where she can get a bunch of Twinkies for that price. 
there's no way she can get a cake like that for $300. Maybe back in the 90's, which is when I got married and had a similar cake. Even then it cost about $500.
The problem is her family, depending on what era they were last buying a cake for a wedding, the prices would be applicable. But definitely not this day and age. Unless she is getting a 2 tiered simple cake with only fondant and a ribbon.
I am new to the game of selling cakes but there is no way you should or could do a cake for less than 2.50 pe r slice. When I figured it out just using a box mix nothing fancy added and support pieces along with packaging, you can not go less than that.
Stick to your pricing or she has to shorten her list.
I'm just sayin'
People who think they can get away with a cake like that less than 3.00 a serving don't understand the process of cake decorating. I personnally live in a area that the general public would rather go to a major chain and purchase there cake so i don't sell here. But i would like to say that she needs to decide now.
another cake decorator once told me to place a deadline for changes and inform the customer that there will be addtional charges for any changes after that deadline. Plus if you are like i am you don't want to attach your name to something you wouldn't be proud of and i am sure your work is worth what you are charging.
Here is another suggestion you mentioned you wanted to do this so you could get some exposer. Maybe you could offer her a discount if she will put the name of your cake company and phone number some where so everyone can see it. I hope that doesn't sound tacky.
I hope that helped
It's pretty obvious at this point that the woman wants an expensive cake for cheap. Just look at this as a black and white situation and make a decision. The way I see it, you can agree to make an extravagant cake for no profit and get some exposure (plus other people will expect a cheap price from you if the bride tells everyone what she paid for such a cake) or you can focus your energy on another customer who is willing to pay a reasonable price so you can make money and get exposure. Which situation sounds better to you?
I write this from a few years experience owning my own business. And remember, this is just my opinion. Good luck! 
Well, I would think that selling yourself short would not behoove you! If you give her a quote for $300.00 for that cake, shame on you! It isn't your fault that her origonal decorator had to back out. She needs your services. she should be willing to pay a premium at this point in time.
Something that stuck with me on Earlene's website was what she would do if she wanted to donate a cake to a friend or family member. She would not tell them she was going to discount the cake or the services until all plans were made and it was pay time. People tend to get much more simple when they think they are the ones paying. If you really want to do it I would suggest that. That way she KNOWS how much that cake was and if she decides not to use you (before you can do that for her); then you really haven't lost anything.
They want a silk purse for a sows' ear price. Period.
If they cannot afford that type of cake then they will have to change what they want.
That is a large cake, alot of time and work and worth far more than $300.00.
You have to do what is right for you but I wouldn't take the job for that kind of money.
I think I would cut the price a little bit since she is not getting the fountain and all the flowers. But, I would tell her a lot of the price is because it goes by servings. Tell her how much you charge per slice and then how much for flowers and so on.
There is no way I would do that cake for much less.
Thank you everyone for all your suggestions! Here's a quick update on the situation. I called her Friday afternoon and gave her a quote of $400 for the second cake she sent me. If she wanted the fountain, it would be $435. She said it sounded much better, but still needed to talk to her fiancee. She called me back Friday night and left a message on my phone saying thanks for all the time I've spent and trying to work things out for her, but her original cake lady is out of the hospital and feeling much better and wants to do the cake for them, so they're going to go with her. I think it sounds kind of fishy since she was so sick just a few days before, but that's actually better than okay with me. I knew if I did it for $300, I would be resentful and miserable the whole time I was making the cake, plus I don't care for the design really at all, so that's good, too! And I feel like if she had agreed to my price, I could have possibly had problems with payment or them calling after the wedding complaining about something hoping for a refund. So I think I ended up possibly dodging a bullet with her. I'd much rather just wait and find someone who cares enough about their wedding cake to actually pay for their dream cake, to ensure they actually get what they want and deserve. Thanks for all your help, fellow CC'ers!
Sounds like it all worked out for the best....
Also sounds like your bridezilla was a major cheapskate and wanted to see if she could get a 'better deal'..... and these people she talked to saying a cake to feed 220+ for $300????? What, are we doing cakes now for $1 a serving? This is not 1962!!!
Ok, got that off my chest 
I know exactly how you feel about doing it for so cheap and resentful... I would have advised her to go to Costco and get sheet cakes... cripes, I can't stand people like that.
I once had my neighbors in-laws want me to do a 3 tiered Quinceanera cake ( 12, 10, 
for @ $80...... In fondant, no less, and to quote her " I really like Colette Peters... can you make it look like one of her cakes?"
Uh...... I told them I would do it for $150 ( CRAZY woman that I was) and they declined.... said that was way too much.....
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