just wondering at what point your bride must give the final head count for the cake. seems like they are wanting to wait longer and longer??

3 weeks before the wedding for me and 2 weeks before the wedding final payment is due.

I expect it at booking.

I expect them to have their final count when they pat their final payment, which is 4 weeks before their wedding date. After that point I will no accept any changes in headcount unless they need more.

Whatever I write the contract for is the final amount. If they need more I will renegotiate the contract if time permits, but I will never reduce the size of the cake.

I usually make them give me the headcount at time of booking. Then a final is due 10 days before. After that mark any changes I charge MORE for. After reading this maybe I need to push that cut off date back.. I also make payment due at this point, ( I also have deposits due prior to this date)

I tell my couple's during the consultation, and also include in my contract, that the final counts, balance and completed contract are all due 30 days prior to the wedding date.

I expect them to have a number at the time the contract is signed, which is usually 2-9 months before the wedding. I do let them change it as the wedding gets closer if needed, but everything must be finalized and paid in full no later than 3 weeks before.

thanks for the input everyone! just wanted to make sure i wasn't being unreasonable.

3 weeks prior ... they can make changes up to 5 days prior to the wedding. At that point "...what I've got written down is what you're getting, whether you like it or not" I start baking on Tuesday for a Saturday wedding, so 5 days is actually plent of time for me. I order food supplies on Tuesday for a Wednesday delivery for a Saturday wedding.

Even at 3 weeks prior, the bride usually doesn't have most of her Rsvp's back yet. I'm happy to reduce the headcount ... if I dont' hvae to do all of that work, then I don't want to.

Since I work very closely with them to get control of their headcount (60% Rule), I rarely have a bride who needs to reduce. I just posted this story on another thread, but one bride reduced her headcount and saved herself $800. She split the difference with us and tipped my crew $400.
http://forum.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopicp-6113211.html#6113211

To me, caterers are more the type to let brides get closer to the last minute. For me however, my limitations are clearer. If a bride books a year in advance for a 200 serving cake and in the meantime I get booked that day say for 600 other servings total and a sculpture. And I start turning down orders and then brides want to adjust downward--I'm loosing money, agh no. I'm not a caterer. I don't give that kind of wiggle room.

Chefs and pastry chefs think different they're wired different. Pastry chefs and cakers have all their stuff planned to the last minute and last detail. Chefs are more a la minute--more go with the flow-ers. Jacques Torres has a great quote about that--but I sent that book to my kid.

But anyway, I'm not committing myself to someone's big celebration that is months away so they can pull the rug out from under me because their money got tight or whatever reason comes up for them. Just not gonna do it. When they book then both sides commit. I think.

k8, you make good points, but that's my policy on my catering and on my cakes. I don't even pull a Saturday wedding file until the Sunday or Monday before. I have to get thru the previous week first!

Heck, I had a groom change the entire cake design the Tuesday before his Saturday wedding. Since I hadn't started baking anything yet, we were A-OK to go with the change.

Indy--yeah for sure. Caterers not only think different they also generally have more people around so the real last minute stuff doesn't phase them. Their 'last minute stuff' is business as usual.

I worked for a caterer and she did not even have all her cakes decorated until Saturday and I had to make myself not freak out every Saturday until I finally got used to it. I mean caterers don't have all their Saturday cakes to do Saturday so they have time to carry the wedding cake work over Friday night to Saturday. Even though I sucked all the air out of the room every Friday evening for a while.

Caterers get their head count late late late in the game compared to folks who only do cakes. Cakers don't change well Tuesday before a Saturday wedding.

It's the difference between sweet side & savory side huh.