I have been asked what my price for a wedding cake and states she is on a budget . After looking at the cake she chose it lookes to feed about 138 ppl. She originally was expecting 80 and wanted a smaller version. I adjusted the layers and fot her to 100 and she now tells me her guest list is pushing 100. I have her at about 106 serving for cake...I gave her my price per slice $2.50..and told her the flowers, filling, delivery/setup..or any additional upgrades added were NOT included. She emailed me back and states she is on a budget and that she is going to shop around. I saw her t work today( did I mention she is a coworker) and told her I understand and to shop around and let me know. Just now I got an email from her and she asked me for the total price ( which I broke down each cost originally..cake..flowers..delivery charge, etc). But at the very end she asked for the flowers in the photo and topper price. Oh did I mention she tells me where the recption is possibly going to be and how much would I charge to deliver or she can have "the guys" meet me to get the cake.
I have never been through this before and am not sure how to handl this..would you deliver the cake? Let them take responsibilty for it? WHAT SHOULD I DO??!!!! 
I will post a pic of the cake. Did I mention..she has not "officially" asked me to make the cake. She got engaged last week and is getting married the beginning of sept.
I would stick to your price. Tell her that she has to let you know by xx/2007 in order to save that date for her. Tell her that someone else is asking for that date, and you want to save it for her, but you need a deposit. Don't compromise your prices. Stick with them, and if she has a problem with it, she can find a solution. You can offer other options that are cheaper, but I wouldn't offer a reduction of price.
If you don't want someone else to deliver your cake, or to pick it up, tell her that. Tell her only you can deliver it because you have to set it up and make finishing touches. IF you let her have someone pick up the cake, you have to make sure they sign off for it, and make sure the bride knows that it was picked up. Take pictures of the cake, and how it looked before it was picked up. Give them written directions on how to take it, and have them sign it. That will save you a lot of headaches later.
That's all I have. Hope things work out.
Just because she is a co-worker does not mean that she gets an automatic discount. If she is on a budget then she should be getting a cake that is within her budget - that's it!
As for delivery - don't let anyone else deliver and set-up a wedding cake for you. Too many disasters waiting to happen in that situation.
Stick to your price - break it down in writing for her and give her a timeframe that she has to give you a deposit to hold the date.
I can't believe that there are so many people around that want a million dollar cake for pennies!!!
Oh yeah, the "guys" will pick it up, the morning after their drunken bachelor party. Sure, no problem
after they slept through the alarm and are already running 2 hrs behind!
As for the cake I would say that you do not allow anyone else to deliver stacked cakes b/c you have final touches to do once set up.
As for the price, tell her what it is per serving what the flowers will be and you need to know by XX/XX/2007 and have a deposit in hand to reserve the date for her. I would make it clear that on that date if you will be doing the cake then you also need a final count of servings so you can plan accordingly.
I agree, if she is asking and you did not offer the cake then stick to your prices and if she can afford it then she can if not, then she can find someone else to do the cake at a price she can afford. Personally I think your prices are very reasonable if you are doing buttercream filling and buttercream icing.
good luck!
If the guys pick it up have something in writting saying you are not responsable with what happens to it when it goes out the door. Take tons of pictures before it leaves
there are only two people in the world qualified to transport/set up a wedding cake: the person who made it, and the person who paid for it. thats a bit of advice i learned right here on CC. "the guys" definitely do not fall in this category. there would be a high chance that the cake will get messed up or worse, completely ruined. if the reception site is with in reasonable distance (15 miles) i include delivery for free. outside of this distance i charge extra for time and gas. you should decide what your policy will be and stick to it! these are all important details the bride needs to know before she can make an informed decision on who should bake her wedding cake. don't sweat it, just tell her exactly what it will cost for all the things she wants, and if she can afford it, she will book you. make sure to tell her what her deadlines and deposits are going to be too!
A local bakery used to have a great list of stories about wedding cake pickups. It's no longer on their website, but I saved them. Here are some that make for great reading on this subject:
- Hung over best man picked up cake, put in trunk, and burned rubber down the street. Bride calls up crying, asking us to fix her cake. When we said it wasnt our responsibility, she replied, "but you know a best man isnt responsible!"
- Place cake in back of pickup truck. Dad traveled 40 miles with it, couldnt fit on floor of pickup truck due to beer cans. You dont want to know the rest.
- Place cake on floor of van. Dog jumped over back seat and had lunch. When cautioned about this possibility, we were dismissed. By the way, the dog hair was all over the van so it got on the cake too.
- Cake placed on floor under toddlers car seat. Toddler kicked of shoe. That was so much fun, toddler kicked off other shoe. Add one Barney, and the entire cake was messed up.
- Cake given to grandmother in front seat. Unfortunately, the sweet lady had a terrible cold. Bride brought cake back to us because Grandma sneezed, needed the cake re-iced.
- Groom picked up cake. Was late. Cautioned to put cake on floor. Wanted to put it on seat instead. Stopped short to avoid accident, cake ended up on dashboard. By the way, groom was more upset about cake being in air conditioning vents of his car.
Debi,
You alwyas have something that makes me laugh!! I have to save these!
I agree - no "guys" to deliver cakes. I usually get my DH to drive me and hold the cake on my lap (if possible) or sit holding it in the back of the car if it is too big. That way I can have a perfect cake on delivery. Tell her that you are getting other orders for that time and that she needs to book and pay the deposit. Be firm, business is business ...
indydebi, that was smart of your bakery to log what happened when the cakes were picked up. It also makes for funny reading!
if the bride is on a budget tell her you can make the smalled version of the cake(which was the orginal request) and then you can make some sheet cakes. what a pain in the
!!!
That would be the same price. Whether it's a sheet cake or stacked it's still per serving price.
If she wants the cake as she wants it she needs to pay the price. Don't bargain with your talent. The price is what it is. No if ands or buts about it!
[That would be the same price. Whether it's a sheet cake or stacked it's still per serving price.
You charge the same per serving price for sheet cakes as stacked and delivered cakes?
I'm at work trying NOT to laugh out loud at the "pick up stories", indydebi !! ooh noo I think I just busted a gut (LOL)
oh, I forgot to add: "the guys" picking up the wedding cake ? Is this bride nuts!!?? You should give her indydebi's list of stories. Stick to your price and delivery procedure, because it will be your name (and butt) hanging out to dry if any thing goes wrong
This is SO hilarious!!! 
I saved it and would like to share it with my people. LOL
For the love of pete no "guys" picking up stacked cakes. I get it she is on a budget and It seems she will say that 75 more times before she makes a decision. Be careful with this one, hopefully you will get a solid request for the date from someone else.
Make sure you get a "non refundable" deposit in cash to hold the date and have her pay for it in full 1 week before the wedding. Brides want everything for nothing.....I swear some kids today are totally useless...
If she can't afford your prices then she can take the pic to Walmart and have them do it...nuff said....
All I can say is if you decide to book her. Get a non-refundable deposit, payment in full one week prior and something in writing that states you are not responsible for the cake once it leaves your possession if she chooses to have "one of the guys" pick it up, deliver and set up. 
Well I heard back from the bride and she says the groom is insisting on a Publix cake. He really like the cake they make. I understand...n prob...however get this...my DH went off for a good 10 minute on this...she did ask me to set up her reception...Go and pick up the food AND CAKE fom her house and take it and set it up for her. "i trust you and know you will do a good job" OK....I will not be held responsible for the delivery of something I did not make..yet you wanted me to meet somewhere for the guys to come get the cake. I undertand you are going to be very busy that day but come on. Yes I some catering on the side but when you hire me to do so, but my big thing is cakes. I of course declined on the offer to et up her reception. I can now accept another offer that has been extended to me. I will of course advise her to pay the delivery charge that Publix will require to protect her cake from any damage. Oh yeah...Publix is a grocery store...like Walmart.
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