I am doing 400 cupcakes for a wedding. (Locally high-profile). Good boost for my business.
I am not allowed to set-up or deliver my cupcakes to the venue. I have to deliver them to the restuarant that is handling the catering.
This is my concern:
I don't want the restaurant to get the credit for all the hard work that went into these cupcakes. This is a large order, and the decorating and filling is a big undertaking for a business of my size.
Someone suggested that I put little stickers on the bottom of the cupcake liners with my company name on them. Do you think this is proper? What should I do about getting credit? Please help me with any suggestions you may have.

I like the idea of adding the stickers, if you can do it for a decent price. Also I wonderig you could ask them if you could leave a little "ingredient card" on the table next to the cake with your logo and a list of the ingredients for allergy purposes. Just a thought, I know some people on here do that anyways maybe they can expand on the idea. I just wouldn't want to see you not get credit for all your hard work. : )

Ok, I see your point as the baker, but as the bride, I would hate that idea. If people adore your cupcakes, I think they would likely ask the bride who did them over the facility. Did she place the order or did the facility contact you?

amaryllis -- I am in your area. What restaurant is making you deliver to them and not the venue? That just sounds strange.

Yeah I agree about the delivery. There is NO WAY I would do that. I like to get everything set up and take pictures so no one can say anything happened and blame it on me. Sorry, but I wouldn't trust anyone to set up my stuff except for me. People tend to be careless which can lead to disaster.

I see nothing wrong w/putting a sticker w/your info on the bottom of the cuppy - like an return address label

I don't know if I would have agreeded to such an arrangement. I bet this resturant &/or carteerer is going to say they did them
Is it possible you are not legal and therefore the resturant wants to 'cover their butt' by saying they made them?

Sounds like the restaurant is "outsourcing" for the cupcakes. They will upcharge and you will not be given any kind of credit for future sales. So, this might not be a plus for your small business. I don't think that I would have taken this order.

Depending on how busy the restaurant is, they might turn out to be a valuable customer.

The only thing I EVER put my logo on is the box or cupcake holders I deliver in. I leave behind business cards with the person that ordered in case anyone asks where they got it from. However I would never ever put a sticker on someones wedding cupcake. Thats their day. While I know you want to advertise they already paid for the cupcakes. So unless they ok it. I wouldn't

We typically set up tent cards for wedding cakes and cupcake spreads (with our web address at the bottom in small print), we've never had a bride complain about them, and sometimes the brides request specific colors or designs for the tent cards to match the theme of the wedding.

In this case it might be difficult since I'm not sure if you have direct access to the bride, but it might be a good excuse to contact the bride to work out the design of the tent cards.

As another poster said, it would depend on who hired you, the Bride or the restaurant? If the restaurant is the one that hired you then they are obviously outsourcing and I don't think it would be appropriate to advertise, however, if the Bride hired you then I would stand firm on either advertising with a cupcakes provided by sign or cupcake menu with your logo, or delivering myself. Good luck!

What's more important to you, the credit or the money? I would do it and not worry about it. You will likely got more business from the restaurant than from anyone at the wedding, so why are you so worried that the restaurant may get dredit?

I believe her point was that it is more difficult to differentiate yourself with the design of cupcakes (since they are usually relatively basic) as opposed to the design of a wedding cake, which allows for more creativity.

I can never think of nothing more tacky then when a baker "advertises" at the wedding. It is their day, not your chance to advertise. Even if they bride is okay with it, have some class and let their cake/cupcake be about them. I gurantee if someone wants to know who made the cupcakes, they'll be told. Now, if you were hired by the restaurant, they may not find about you. But it will make the restaurant order from you again. I am sure you are charging them your full retail price, so it's still a win for you. If the bride hired you, the bride will let people know. And if they bride did hire you, there is no way in HELL I would not be the one setting those cupcakes up.

I agree that branding someone else's cupcakes would be in poor taste, as it is their event. I would probably use the more passive aggressive stance of putting up dessert table tent cards labeling the cupcake types or allergens and include a small logo on it. Just the logo, no address or phone number. It's small, tasteful, it differentiates you from the logo of the restaurant. If they want to contact you, I'm sure they can look you up.

I certainly disagree with the stance that they are "just cupcakes", anymore than a wedding cake is "just a cake".

If you label the cupcakes and the venue messes them up royally when the display is set up you will get the credit for that! I would be very careful. Better to give the bride some great cupcakes (and make sure she knows they're from you) than to have the restaurant possibly give you a bad rep by messing things up.

I'm sure Olive Garden is very proud of their food, but I once bought some to go and transferred it from their containers to plates for my guests (who were none the wiser). Do I think they care? I'm sure they don't, they are just happy to have my money. Likewise, I'd rather gain a regular, happy customer than worry about whether or not everyone at an event knew that the Great and Powerful Oz (me) was responsible""

If there is nothing good to be said then NOTHING at all should be said. There is always one in every family (yes, even cake families)! I think the leaving a tent card is a good idea.

It will probally be fine to let the restaurant setup the cupcake display. I would never let anybody touch/setup/carry my wedding cakes though. It might come off tacky to use sticker labels on the cupcakes since the occasion is a wedding. You could leave some business cards and brochures with the venue if they get inquiries from the guests. I've had people hunt me down months later like a blood hound from tasting a wedding cake I had made.

Playing devil's advocate: how do you know you will get credit even if you set them up?

Just CYA and have whoever ordered the cupcakes sign off that they are okay with this arrangement and on the day of delivery have the name of someone to sign off and verify that the order was received in full. That way you're not liable if something happens.

I have done little tent cards with the flavors. you could put your logo or name small and tasteful at the bottom or corner.

I have also done a menu in a small picture frame w/ the flavors and descriptions (Red Velvet - red liner, Chocolate w/ Vanilla Buttercream - silver liner)

They may or may not use them but worth a try.
Good luck!

Sounds like the caterer subcontracted you to do the job, without telling you they were subcontracting you.

A subcontractor, unless otherwise agreed to, normally works under the contractor's umbrella. Next time you take an order from them, make sure you can place your business identity at the display.

Theresa

Are you getting paid for the cupcakes? You're not donating these, right?

If these are donated, then I can understand expecting to get credit/publicity for your cake business. But if this is an order you are getting paid for, then sorry, I don't understand why this is an issue. While it's always nice to get credit, getting paid means this is a business transaction. And the restaurant is now one of your wholesale accounts; and they will hopefully keep ordering from you.

I would not let another venue (restaurant, caterer, etc.) take credit for my work, BUT there is always the thought that if you have a particular style, then it will shine and will be recognized. IF you think it is more important for the $ made than your reputation, then let the restaurant set them up...personally, my reputation is more important.

BUT...does your insurance cover you if your food is combined with someone else's? What if someone gets food poisoning at an event? Will they be looking at you, along with the restaurant? Are you covered under the restaurant/venue's umbrella policy? Did you ask for the copy of the policy when you contracted your cupcakes? These are questions that must be asked BEFORE it ever happens...I certainly do not want my food combined with others...(like Aunt Tilly who has 20 cats/dogs/animals living with her, but insists on bringing her special carrot cake for the groom's cake)...That is why I would want some form of identification (whether it is a card given to the bride & groom or a classy form of non-advertisement on the boxes)...something to let them know the ingredients, etc. in case of allergies.

I can't believe that people are saying that you shouldn't worry about
"getting credit" for your cupcakes...Regardless of whether you're a contractor or not, if you're trying to publicize a business, you'd better be making sure that you "get credit" for it. It's called word of mouth, which is the best advertising there is.

You don't say why you're not allowed to set up yourself...Is the event at the restaurant? I'd pursue this with the restaurant a little more and tell them that you prefer to set up your own product. Find out why they don't want you to do it. If they're padding the bill then they're definitely not going to tell people that they got the cupcakes from someone else, which translates to lost business in the end. People who would come directly to you for a smaller order might not call a restaurant for cupcakes. If they assume the restaurant made them they're not going to call there to order, but they'd proabbly call you.

If you're dealing directly with the bride, and the restaurant has gotten involved somehow, then the bride will know who did the cupcakes, which is who people will be asking. No issue then.

Regardless, I wouldn't advertise if it's a wedding, that's just not something I personally would do. I also don't work with people who pad the bill and pass additional costs on to the bride.[/i]

Hmmmm... I left a comment in this thread that apparently disappeared.

Let me rephrase it to appease the CC Mods:

You will never know what happens to a product once it leaves your hands anyway. It can be repackaged, resold, or the mother of the bride could take credit. Why obsess about it? I could see WANTING to make sure people know you were the baker, but NEEDING to is a bit of an over-reach, isn't it? A paying customer is a paying customer. Talk to the restaurant and find out why they don't want your name associated with them - and then decide if the ability to advertise openly is more important than getting paid and possibly getting repeat business.

cai0311- http://www.gotprint.net/gotprint/showStaticPage.do?page=tent_bc_pricing.html