Cheap Bride...this Is Ridiculous...what Would You Have Done?
Decorating By BakeLoveMom Updated 30 Jul 2009 , 12:03pm by indydebi
you might have to up date this a bit, but here is my pricing sheet. I know exactly what it COSTS to make a cake. From there you have to decide what YOUR time and effort are.
HTH
This is exactly how I price out my cookies and it's great to know exactly what you're spending on one batch of cookies.
If I went by this for a price for my cakes they'd come out to something like $0.40 a slice (before any added decorations like gumpaste flowers, etc.) so I adjust to meet the going rate in this area.
Wow - you pay $2.00 for a box of cake mix? I bought three boxes of Duncan Hines cake mix yesterday at Target and they were $.97 regular price. The Betty Crocker ones were $1.09, I believe it was.
Wow - you pay $2.00 for a box of cake mix? I bought three boxes of Duncan Hines cake mix yesterday at Target and they were $.97 regular price. The Betty Crocker ones were $1.09, I believe it was.
Different parts of the country have different pricing. The cheapest I can find mix when it's not on sale is Wal Mart, and it's $1.30 ea. I stock up when Fry's has their 10 for $10 sales, but they're only during certian times of the year. (EDIT: Fry's non-sale prices are DH and Pilsbury cake mix is $2.19, and BC is $2.39.)
If I was any good at making cakes from scratch I'd have already switched to doing it that way by now. It's cheaper to get scratch ingredients in bulk than buying boxes here. 
A good friend of mine called me the other night. Her son is getting married. Now this is going to be a big affair...350 to 400 guests. Apparently the bride and groom were extremely upset because a red velvet wedding cake, highly decorated (cascading gumpaste flowers, the works so to speak) was going to run them around $750.00.
Money isn't a problem and the only place they balked at the price of anything was the cake.
I told her I was sorry but I didn't think that was out of line at all...in fact it was downright cheap. If they didn't think it was a fair price, they needed to check other bakeries. Then she let it slip that they had, and this was the only one that would even do a red velvet wedding cake that size.
Ah well....there's always Walmart. 
I didn't even get into the work on the flowers...etc. etc. etc. because it just wasn't worth the energy.
Why people have the "it's only cake" mentality, I'll never know.
Ever since then I make sure to stay on the opposite side of the room if there are any kids at the chocolate fountain. LOL
Chocolate fountain or not, I am always on the oppsite side of the rpoom when little kids are about! Blech!
Wow! That's deep.
I was thinking "That's Safe!"
I love little kids, and I know little kids are messy by default. Even the well behaved ones will sometimes forget and cover their mouth with their hand when they sneeze...and then immediately grab a marshmallow and stick it into the chocolate fountain, getting their fingers covered in the process because they think it's fun and a way to get more chocolate to lick. Meanwhile, the rest of the party gets to enjoy chocolate newly flavored with kid spittle and snot
As for the OT: I think the response was great! Brusque, but effective.
Are you a mother?
What does being a mother have to do with someone saying that being on the other side of the room from kids is safe?
I am a mother and if I were somewhere with a chocolate fountain I'd be as far away from my own kids as possible and I would probably not eat out of the fountain.
When there is food it's always safest to be as far from children as possible. The general rule of thumb is the younger the child the farther you should be from it.
you might have to up date this a bit, but here is my pricing sheet. I know exactly what it COSTS to make a cake. From there you have to decide what YOUR time and effort are.
HTH
This is exactly how I price out my cookies and it's great to know exactly what you're spending on one batch of cookies.
If I went by this for a price for my cakes they'd come out to something like $0.40 a slice (before any added decorations like gumpaste flowers, etc.) so I adjust to meet the going rate in this area.
Wow - you pay $2.00 for a box of cake mix? I bought three boxes of Duncan Hines cake mix yesterday at Target and they were $.97 regular price. The Betty Crocker ones were $1.09, I believe it was.
Actually, that is an average. Sometimes I can get the 10 for $10, and then I buy like about $50 worth. Other times they are $2.69. Other times I get the 2 for $2.50. Canadian prices are MUCH higher than yours, I think!!!
[Actually, that is an average. Sometimes I can get the 10 for $10, and then I buy like about $50 worth. Other times they are $2.69. Other times I get the 2 for $2.50. Canadian prices are MUCH higher than yours, I think!!!
I sure feel very fortunate that our prices are what they are after hearing some of the other prices out there.
I'm a mother, and a grandmother, and a retired preschool teacher... Kids and a chocolate fountain? ugh!!! ...waving merrily from the other side of the room...
(I'm also the little old lady with the purse full of little sticks at the end of the night. Waste not, want not.) LOL
Why people have the "it's only cake" mentality, I'll never know.
Because for most people, it is only cake. Everyone decides what they're willing to spend their money on. For some people, food is a consumable and not worth the money, when they can spend it on clothes or purses that won't be "worthless."
Some people will buy Ramen Noodles and a Prada purse in the same trip. Crazy, I know. But they're out there. I've known a few of them.
I currently have a "moocher" staying with us while some things of his get sorted out, he has flat out told me he wouldn't spend his hard earned money on the things we do. When pressed, he explained we could save so much money if only we'd quit being so "snobby" and learn Top Ramen & Mac N Chz were cheaper. This from the man who is lazying about in $200 baby blue linen suit with a $300 belt holding up the pants.
He's seen me make cakes and the time & talent. He has helped me and gotten the reality dose that it's not that easy. He still is reeling I made $175 for my last cake.
There's a reason BC and DH fly off the shelves.
ETA: I'm the kinda mom that buys chicken in bulk and Foodsaver them cause they were $0.97/lb. We're not eating caviar here.
Perhaps she has now learned many things about the pricing of cakes and all things wedding related. I would tell her the date is available, remind her of the quote, and remind her about booking the date with a non-refundable deposit. She hasn't been rude, just clueless. I am often clueless myself, so I have sympathy.
Why people have the "it's only cake" mentality, I'll never know.
Because for most people, it is only cake. Everyone decides what they're willing to spend their money on. For some people, food is a consumable and not worth the money, when they can spend it on clothes or purses that won't be "worthless."
Some people will buy Ramen Noodles and a Prada purse in the same trip. Crazy, I know. But they're out there. I've known a few of them.
I currently have a "moocher" staying with us while some things of his get sorted out, he has flat out told me he wouldn't spend his hard earned money on the things we do. When pressed, he explained we could save so much money if only we'd quit being so "snobby" and learn Top Ramen & Mac N Chz were cheaper. This from the man who is lazying about in $200 baby blue linen suit with a $300 belt holding up the pants.
He's seen me make cakes and the time & talent. He has helped me and gotten the reality dose that it's not that easy. He still is reeling I made $175 for my last cake.
There's a reason BC and DH fly off the shelves.
ETA: I'm the kinda mom that buys chicken in bulk and Foodsaver them cause they were $0.97/lb. We're not eating caviar here.
Don't you just love it when people you have no desire to emulate give you "advice"?!?!
Why people have the "it's only cake" mentality, I'll never know.
Because for most people, it is only cake. Everyone decides what they're willing to spend their money on. For some people, food is a consumable and not worth the money, when they can spend it on clothes or purses that won't be "worthless."
Some people will buy Ramen Noodles and a Prada purse in the same trip. Crazy, I know. But they're out there. I've known a few of them.
I currently have a "moocher" staying with us while some things of his get sorted out, he has flat out told me he wouldn't spend his hard earned money on the things we do. When pressed, he explained we could save so much money if only we'd quit being so "snobby" and learn Top Ramen & Mac N Chz were cheaper. This from the man who is lazying about in $200 baby blue linen suit with a $300 belt holding up the pants.
He's seen me make cakes and the time & talent. He has helped me and gotten the reality dose that it's not that easy. He still is reeling I made $175 for my last cake.
There's a reason BC and DH fly off the shelves.
ETA: I'm the kinda mom that buys chicken in bulk and Foodsaver them cause they were $0.97/lb. We're not eating caviar here.
Don't you just love it when people you have no desire to emulate give you "advice"?!?!
There is no need to get snippy. She's giving a possible reason from the other side of the table.
For many, perhaps most, it is only cake. Isn't that what people keep complaining about?
It's a wedding, for a wedding you're supposed to have this symbol, this one, this, this, this, and that.
Go down the list.
Check this off.
Check this off.
Check this off... wait this one we really like - spend more here, after all we met in a garden.
Check this off.
Check this off... I don't really like cake, but my mother will kill me if we don't have one - spend less here.
That's reality.
Especially in this economy.
$.97 a pound is good for chicken
Sorry guys, I didn't know that this thread was still active, I hadn't gotten a notice on your responses. Anyway, to catch you up, after she sent me that e-mail she ended up calling me and I agreed to do it, I know I am a sucker but I insisted that told hold her date I needed a $200 deposit. She asked for my address and said she would be sending it out. I sent her a flavor list and told her that when I got her check I would call and we could set up a tasting...of course a few weeks past and no check. I emailed her an told her I hadn't received anything, and I had another bride interested in that date, but since she had come to me first I wanted to check with her once more. She e-mailed me back that I should give that date to the other bride because they were making it themselves. I just wrote back no problem and if she ever needed my services in the future she could contact me. I am happy that it turned out that way, because she prob. would have caused more problems for me. She was so wishy washy and just a handful...it is probably best it happened that way and by the way, if she ever contacts me again, I will just respond that I am booked.
Thanks,
Sarah
Sorry guys, I didn't know that this thread was still active, I hadn't gotten a notice on your responses. Anyway, to catch you up, after she sent me that e-mail she ended up calling me and I agreed to do it, I know I am a sucker but I insisted that told hold her date I needed a $200 deposit. She asked for my address and said she would be sending it out. I sent her a flavor list and told her that when I got her check I would call and we could set up a tasting...of course a few weeks past and no check. I emailed her an told her I hadn't received anything, and I had another bride interested in that date, but since she had come to me first I wanted to check with her once more. She e-mailed me back that I should give that date to the other bride because they were making it themselves. I just wrote back no problem and if she ever needed my services in the future she could contact me. I am happy that it turned out that way, because she prob. would have caused more problems for me. She was so wishy washy and just a handful...it is probably best it happened that way and by the way, if she ever contacts me again, I will just respond that I am booked.
Thanks,
Sarah
Sorry guys, I didn't know that this thread was still active, I hadn't gotten a notice on your responses. Anyway, to catch you up, after she sent me that e-mail she ended up calling me and I agreed to do it, I know I am a sucker but I insisted that told hold her date I needed a $200 deposit. She asked for my address and said she would be sending it out. I sent her a flavor list and told her that when I got her check I would call and we could set up a tasting...of course a few weeks past and no check. I emailed her an told her I hadn't received anything, and I had another bride interested in that date, but since she had come to me first I wanted to check with her once more. She e-mailed me back that I should give that date to the other bride because they were making it themselves. I just wrote back no problem and if she ever needed my services in the future she could contact me. I am happy that it turned out that way, because she prob. would have caused more problems for me. She was so wishy washy and just a handful...it is probably best it happened that way and by the way, if she ever contacts me again, I will just respond that I am booked.
Thanks,
Sarah
Sorry guys, I didn't know that this thread was still active, I hadn't gotten a notice on your responses. Anyway, to catch you up, after she sent me that e-mail she ended up calling me and I agreed to do it, I know I am a sucker but I insisted that told hold her date I needed a $200 deposit. She asked for my address and said she would be sending it out. I sent her a flavor list and told her that when I got her check I would call and we could set up a tasting...of course a few weeks past and no check. I emailed her an told her I hadn't received anything, and I had another bride interested in that date, but since she had come to me first I wanted to check with her once more. She e-mailed me back that I should give that date to the other bride because they were making it themselves. I just wrote back no problem and if she ever needed my services in the future she could contact me. I am happy that it turned out that way, because she prob. would have caused more problems for me. She was so wishy washy and just a handful...it is probably best it happened that way and by the way, if she ever contacts me again, I will just respond that I am booked.
Thanks,
Sarah
I am dying to see that cake! WOuld love to be a fly on the wall! Kills me how people plan a marriage but don't budget for the cake. And now bloggers say you don't need cake, have a bunch of candy and brownies and crap. I love the whole cake ceremony, and the pictures.
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