Should I Offer To Stay And Serve A Wedding Cake?
Business By yellowjacket Updated 6 Nov 2006 , 11:41am by indydebi
I'm may be booking my first wedding cake soon. Should I offer to stay and serve? My initial thought was to offer to stay and serve for an additional fee. But now I'm wondering if I would generate more orders, wedding cakes or other cakes, if I was there serving the guests.
I obviously wouldn't take orders there, and I wouldn't even think of putting out flyers or anything, but would it be tacky to have business cards in my pocket if anyone is interested give it to them? Do any of you get customers and orders from serving at weddings?
Thanks!
Don't stay for free!!!! Caterers charge hundreds of dollars sometimes just to cut the cake. We charge $100.00 for two hours. If my cake cutters have to stay later there is a $25.00 penalty for every 1/2 hour they have to stay over that time. I have to do this (penalties) because I have had the families try and get my cake cutters to stay and clean up and that's just not right. I get alot of business from my brides and past weddings. If a person really likes your cakes they will get your number.
Andrea
It's been my experience that people will/do/have ask(ed) me who made the cake or did the catering. I definitely carry cards in my pocket that way if they like your cake/cooking you won't have to worry wether they'll remember you; they'll have your card! I wouldn't set the cards out or a display as it may be deemed tacky or detract from the reception and the wedding couple.
not me I usually have to deliver another order. The caterers are the ones to do that. All you have to worry about is delivery and setup taking pictures of the cake when your finished so you have proof the cake was set up and in prpper condition and have someone sign off that the cake was delivered to protect yourself incase it get moved and dropped.
I would say if anything else, you can have it as a listed add-on service you provide for an extra flat fee and first come first served on the booking for you to do it, and you only serve cake buffet style (they come up to the table and grab a plate or two to take back)..
Seriously, knowing what some caterers around here charge to just CUT the cake, it's CRAZY! $3/pp just to CUT it! It doesn't cost the caterer $900 to cut the cake and do the dishes from it (figuring the average wedding is between 250-300 guests here). I'm sorry. If a bride told me this is what she was going to be charged, I'd be sold at being paid an extra $350 to come in and do the cutting, and for $400, I'd bring the disposable plates/forks that the caterer would be using (VERY rarely do they use real plates/silver for the cake here)..
The important thing is to find out how much they're going to be charged by the caterer because I know a lot who include it in the cost of the meal. It's totally dependent upon the caterer. The other thing is that if they need to find someone in the family to cut it because the caterer won't, if you've got the time, why not, just remember to charge for it!
not me I usually have to deliver another order. The caterers are the ones to do that.
Don't assume "that's what the caterers do". I do catering in addition to wedding cakes and I do not cut the wedding cake that I don't make. I will make exceptions such as I will be happy to explain to any family member how to cut the cake or if they ask me ahead of time and they are writing me a good sized check for the buffet they ordered, then I will cut the cake for them as a favor. (Someone writes me a check for $3500, you bet I'll do them a favor and help with their cake! 
). But I also require that they not wait until the very very end to cut the cake or I charge an overtime fee for staying.
As a matter of fact, when I do a D&R (Drop - n- Run) cake, I usually try to find the person at the facility who's cutting the cake so I can talk to them about how the cake is set up, flavors, etc., and usually no one with the on-site catering staff wants to be responsible for cutting the cake ... .they are hoping and praying a family member is going to cut it!
My wedding cake package pricing includes me staying and cutting the cake. (Details are on my website). Cake-only pricing is delivery and set up only. I began including the cake cutting as part of the price to set me apart from everyone else who 'just delivers', and this service is the most popular benefit I offer, based on feedback and conversations with brides. It also means I never have to deal with equipment deposits or worries about getting my equipment back since I'm there anyway.
If you are interested in cutting your own cakes you might look at what kind of pricing you would add on or include. It could be a service that sets you apart.
P.S. Clean up .... I make it very clear up front that I am not a cleaning service, I am a caterer. I will clear my dishes from the guest tables and clean/clear the food table area, but I'm not a cleaning service to clean the facility after the event is over.
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