I am discouraged!!!!

This happened to me when I got started. People loved the birthday cakes and novelty cakes...but a wedding cake? Nobody wanted to "trust" me with their most important cake!

I solved the problem my making a few styrofoam wedding cakes and photographing them for clients to see. So they assumed I had done weddings before!

Pretty soon, you'll have an album you can show them...which puts their mind at ease.

Mrsfish,

I can't understand why. By looking at your photos I think you do beautiful work. You are quite talented. Hang in there!! I had done cakes for a few years before my sister talked me into doing her wedding cake which was my first. I was nervous and she said think of it as 3 seperate cakes put together!! I have been doing wedding cakes ever since!!
Be patient the orders will come!!

~Luraleigh~

MrsFish, Just be patient~ A wedding cake will come your way one day!! I have never done a baby shower cake & I'm wanting to do one sooooo bad!!! I'm thinking of doing one just for the heck of it!! So that's an idea, do a wedding cake for the heck of it!!

Much Luck to you~

Your work looks wonderful. I do know people are picky with their wedding cakes. And if you dont have several that they can see that you have done...they would be very nervous. Maybe you could do a freebie or 2 donate one to a couple on a budget at your church or something? And as was mentioned above decorate a few dummies and take some pics. Something to build your portfolio.I know it seems like a lot of trouble to do free stuff. But sometimes it is the only way to get your work seen and your name out there. Hope this helps.

mrsfish94, your cakes are beautiful!!!! Don't worry...a wedding cake order will come probably when you least expect it! I advertise in my area and get LOTS of kids cakes. There are so many kids around here and I have to just wait until a wedding customer surfaces! I did a baby shower cake for a lady this weekend and she told me she passed my card on to someone that was getting married. Just keep passing out your cards...and someday you will be asked to do a wedding cake. Keep making those gorgeous cakes!
traci

I agree with the others about having some pictures of wedding cakes in your portfolio. I would never hire someone to do my wedding cake if I thought I was their first ever wedding cake. Put yourself in the bride's shoes and I'm sure you'd make the same choice. BUT, if she can see that you've done it before in a picture, those worries go away.

The idea of doing one or two free or at cost for low budget weddings at your church is wonderful. Once the word gets out, get your pencil sharpened and your Kitchen Aid ready to go!

I also agree w/everyone else. Make a few sample wedding cakes....use a cake dummy if you need too. It'll be fun practicing a wedding cake....you can do whatever YOU want!! No input from a stressed out bride!!

Good luck!!

Brides are fussy......I offered to do a wedding cake for FREE this summer for a girl who works in the auto repair shop. I brought in sample cakes, and she and her family raved about them, but she never called to say she wanted me to do her cake. I mean, it was FREE!!! All I asked is that she give out my business cards to customers coming into her dad's shop. NADA!!! Oh, well, her loss.

I think you do terrific cakes, and I agree with everyone else....just do a few wedding cakes for the heck of it. That is what I have been doing. I've only done two wedding cakes for actual weddings: My own and my brothers wedding. But I have about 6 wedding cakes I've done just because I want the experience. I think the right marketing strategies can also help...a gorgeous website, a nice group of photos, brochures with photos in them, etc. When I get my kitchen licensed, I am going to take a mini wedding cake to all the bridal shops in the area on Saturday morning, along with my card and brochures. They will be happy because they can eat cake, and hopefully, they will pass on my name and card to the brides-to-be. I also heard of doing a cake testing. Oh, and don't forget teachers.....we are big cake eaters!! GEt out a sample cake to the local school and put it in the teachers lounge with your brochure.......they'll be thrilled, trust me, and would be happy to pick up your card. Anyway, just some thoughts! If you want to email and trade ideas, I'd be happy to!!

What helped me was I did my daughter's wedding cake.... And I always mention the fact that I took advanced cake decorating classes too...
Plus, putting a little powder sugar on yourself and go somewhere, and say.... Excuse me for how I look, but I'm busy making a wedding cake......etc... get the picture...
I just so happened to be one of the photographers at the wedding last week in which I also did her wedding cake... It was a big hit...and I got an order from on of the bridal party girls for her wedding next Sept....
Good luck, you'll be getting orders left and right before you know it....
cakegal

mrsfish94 ---
Your cakes are beautiful but I think you're in the same position I am. Everyone sees your beautiful work, but a lack of wedding cakes. Like someone else said, would you pick you if you knew it was your first wedding cake?? Doesn't mean you can't do it, but they never know. They want a professional. So what I'm getting ready to start working on is dummy cakes. I've been looking around to get some ideas and I figured I'm just going to start making them up, all different sorts. Hubby thought I was crazy but then I mentioned to him, if all that work, time and money pays off, isn't it worth it?? When I first started doing cakes I had this horrible habit of not charging enough b/c I was just getting started or acting "unsure" about designs people requested. My mother-in-law (of all people) also decorates cakes, and told me one you have to act like it's no big deal to you and you've done tons of them!
So let's get busy!!
Good luck to you, I know how you feel

I agree with everyone else - your cakes are beautiful so it's probably just the fact that the brides need to see some of your work on a wedding cake. Having pictures to show would be a sure-fire way of exuding the confidence that comes with having done a wedding cake before. And, they don't have to be all that big, but try some different techniques so that you are actually getting that experience! You would actually be accomplishing 2 things at once! Hang in there - you'll get a wedding cake order soon, I just know it!