I just booked a wedding cake consultation with a couple I do not know. A local floral shop gave them my name.

I decided to meet with them at the Atlanta Bread Company at 10:00am on a Tuesday. I assume I will need a portfolio of my cakes, books with other ideas and pictures, my price list, and a notebook to take notes. They did not want samples, so I shouldn't get into trouble with the restaurant.

Do I offer to buy them coffee? Any other items I should take? Oh yes, I size chart and calculator. I'm excited but scared. Any help would be appreciated.

Congratulations! I will be of no help to you except for enthusiastic support since I have yet to have a wedding consultation, but just remember, believe in yourself. It was the most simple but best advice I ever got.... I have to keep repeating it over and over and over again but eventually it will sink in

I generally offer coffee when I meet in a 'coffee shop'.

Know your prices, be confident, and don't agree to something you aren't sure about.

Be prepared to take a deposit to hold a date

Do not give them any drawings you make during the interview. Brides sometimes love to take the idea to another "cheaper" baker.

Isn't it odd that they want to meet with you but don't want samples? If I were hiring a cake decorator, I would want to taste the cake. Isn't that what consultations usually include, or do they just want to see what you can do and taste later? I'm just asking because I really don't know.

I have done many wedding consults and cakes without samples.

It isn't very unusual if they have been referred by another customer.

How exciting! I am dying to do a wedding cake, but have yet to be asked or refered. Please keep us posted as to how it all went, what you learned from it, etc. I will surely be watching for your posts so that I can learn some tips for my first consultation.

I most likely approach this differently from other members due to my graphic design degree. (We were trained to "sell" ourselves). I carry a leather portfolio with me that contains: my Pantone color bridge, calculator, contracts, printed tips for brides I hand out, job calendar, and a section with color prints of cake styles. All this flips over like a notebook to expose a sketch pad. The front inside holds pens (I carry multiple in case we both need to doodle together to attain her goal). It all zips shut inside that leather exterior.

It sure beats the heck out of the 4 foot portfolio I had to carry to job interviews as a graphic designer! LOL!

I joke with hubby often about still getting use out of this old GD degree. (especially the 2D, 3D, & color fundamentals classes!)

I dunno, to me the more professional you come across the more confidence you build...but thats just me.

You'll do great! Trust in yourself.

It seems like you've got most of it down - not too much to add, except maybe put together a contract, so if they like you're work, and want to hire you on the spot, you're prepared.

I agree with JoAnne- definitely know your prices, and have confidence in yourself. Obviously the florist thinks enough of you to refer you, so that's huge!!

When I meet in a coffee shop, I too offer them something to drink. And I've had consultations without samples, so it doesn't seem odd to me at all. Suprisingly, most of the people that I've done cakes for don't even like cake, so they really didn't want to sample. How can you NOT like cake? Weirdos.

Good Luck, and keep us posted on how it goes!!

I bring my laptop with my pic and give a slide show while we are talking and go back to the cakes they like. I Ihave had some taste testings but not always asked for. If at a coffee shop I box a small cake for them to take home and I am always perpared with a contract have never left without the date booked and paid. S ell yourself I treat all my brides like I have known them for a long time as a friend not a stranger. I have begun to have my consultation at my home and they can see who I am.

Laptop, good idea, but could I get wireless there? Might need to check that out.

I like the way you think Morg. I received a leather briefcase when I graduated with my degree in business. Never used it except for interviews, and now it collects dust in the closet because I am a stay at home mom. I use a cool zip up leather binder to keep my cake books in and it has a notebbok as well. I think I need to work on my pictures. I didn't know if I should stay simple in the presentation or go for the cuter scrapbook look.

Completely forgot about the contract. I have one somewhat typed up. Need to add my percentages and such.

Most of my weddings have been friends and family, so lots of, "What ever you think is best, Honey..." This girl said she has a definite idea in mind. The wedding will be very small, maybe twenty guests, so I can really go all out on the details.

The program I use doesn't need wireless although I do have it. I have Picasa 2 from google all I have to do is to make sure my battery is charged.
I believe you can go wireless at any starbucks. Picasa is really easy to use you can even down size your photos to post on CC or to email it is free to down load.

Your right...I was thinking of the pictures on my website. But, I could just save them on memory or disk.

I have them on a disc and just load them into the program it has a slide show on it you can use. I have pics on my web site but I don't post all of them. Usually they have been on my site already and have and idea of my work.

I have done several cake consultations now and here is a few tips that have helped me:

I have a pre made book of what I have done with a printed copy of my flavors, prices and what included with my prices. I also have how they have to pay and all that jazz. Smile and be friendly, if you have any ideas share them and ask them what they have in mind. I dont know if i should do this or not but i bring along 5-6 of my current Wilton books and that has always helped brides because my portfolio isnt that great yet! GOOD LUCK

When yall mention you have something printed about prices, how do you all price.

By the slice? or something else?

Thanks

I price by the slice. I charge 2.00 a slice because i have never had any formal training and i have only ever done 3 wedding cakes,but i personnally think that the more expierenced you are and the higher quality of work you do, you should charge more. Bakeries in cities charge anywhere from 3.00-7.00 a slice.

I have a standard price list for party cakes, but for my wedding cakes I charge $2 per serving. $1.50 a serving for groom's cake.

I picked up my pictures at Walmart today and got them in my photo album. Nothing fancy, just a small flip folder. I will get the rest of the stuff together after the kids are in bed.

My suggestions are similar to the others.

I usually have my checklist before a consult -

1. Portfolio (although I think I'm going to start using the laptop also - I love the slideshow idea)

2. Wilton books

3. I buy different bridal magazines, pull out the great cake pages and put them together as a separate portfolio shown with the Wilton books

4. Samples to try there and boxed samples to take home

5. Contract and my "bridal form" (this is the MOST important thing for me personally). On the form I have the bride fill out the top portion - name, address, #, email, etc. and then the rest I fill out with location, time, contact person on wedding day (someone not in the wedding party who will have a cell phone on them at all times), flavors, sketch, price, etc., etc. If I don't have this I always forget something.

I like to treat brides in an extra-special way and they usually love it. I know I loved being treated like a "princess" when I was getting married and knew it was the only time it would ever happen in my life !

I have never done a tasting. I am not ready for that one yet. I am still in course 3. But I am anxious to hear your results. Good Luck

I do it like Southerncake, but I do take my laptop with the slideshow. It also has a copy of the contract in it, and I just edit everything there in front of them.

Also, if they request a tasting, I make arrangements for them to have that at a later date. Unless they request the samples there at the initial consult.

I'm really lucky. Never had a "bridezilla" yet. Maybe it has something to do with the Officer thing, but I doubt it. I'm just a regular old "mom" without it!

Having your prices set in advance definitely helps, but I usually just try to give them a "ballpark" price if they ask. That gives me time to get home, figure up all my costs and then call them with a definite.

It's also a great idea to get ALL the contact info you can at the initial consult: Fax, Mother of bride and groom, emergency friend's number (not in wedding party) and a work number.

Hope this helps,
--Knox--

I just had one here at the house recently. It went well; I made and served actually 3 types of cake in 4" cubes, filled and frosted, and sent home another 3 in a box for them.

We clean the house top to bottom and make sure the kids are playing upstairs and DH is working, so it's quiet.

Learned two things that would save me a TON Of work: Don't have them at the house (way too much cleaning) and don't do 4" squares (do cupcakes instead--SO much easier!), but oh well...they did order for 3 times more servings than they'd originally said they need.

We started with looking at designs online (here of course!), and they nailed down a design that they like (by Sugarshack--wish me luck getting edges like hers!).

I use the kitchen table (I have a large cherry table in my nice dining room, so it's a nice setting). Fresh tablecloth, real silver and crystal, offer them tea, pepsi, whatever, and had samples.

We had cake, and they told me about the size of the wedding, the budget, the quantities, etc. We came up with flavors they'd like to use and then how many servings they want, as opposed to how much they are able to spend. I don't budge my prices, so if they can't or won't pay "that much for a cake", they have to go with fewer servings. Which they did.

Decided how many servings and how many tiers/shapes to feed that number, etc. and a final price per serving, packed up their box, gave them a filled out contract and my card and the pic of their design, and they were off.

One more thing I'd do at the time is make sure that they understand that if you charge per serving but extra for things like gumpaste bows and fresh roses (if you're providing them), THOSE ITEMS are extra, above the price of the per-serving cake. I neglected THAT little detail, and I'm left with making 7 gumpaste bows included in the fee I quoted her. DUH. I'm still learning...

I like the idea someone had of working up a quote based on all the info and the design they want, and getting back to them the next day with it, but when they're sitting here trying to figure out what to expect it to cost, it's hard to tell them, "I'll call you tomorrow." I'll have to work on that...

That's what I've learned....hope it helps. Oh, and I dress casual but tidy, with my hair UP (it's past my waist...) Picture Martha Stewart's standby pants and light blue denim RL button-down...

Everything went fine with the consultation. The prewedding baby wanting to run around broke the ice. It is very hard to stay on track with a child in your lap, but I had two within 15 months of each other, so I could relate.

Anyway, she wants a 3 tiered cake for 30 people. Having a hard time adjusting sizes and might end up going with a dummy.

She paid in full right there and now I just have to type up the finished contract and email it to her. I will need to figure out what to do when you don't have a printer or copier around.

Thanks for everyone's help!!!

You could type up two copies of the contract in advance, leaving spaces to write in the needed information. Just bring both copies to the consultation and fill in both and sign both so you each have a copy. I have a contract that I made up. It is an adaptation of Earlene's wedding contract. I love all of the information she had on there but didn't exactly love the way it was set up. Let meknow if you want a copy to check out.

Diana

That was the plan I had this time, I had two copies of everything ready to go. The paper work went wrong with a baby and fiance acting bored and restless. Decided that it was in my best interest to let them leave and just email the finished contract.

Here's the thread with LOTS of info on how people do it.......


http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=14130&postdays=0&postorder=asc&&start=0