I am making a wedding cake for a couple and they wanted to know what I charge to cut a wedding cake. I have cut the wedding cake at family weddings, but never have I been paid. What do you charge or how do you figure what to charge?

TIA
Sheila

I assume you will deliver the cake and maybe return later for cutting. Correct?

I would charge for my time and mileage. Decide how much you want per hour, and add on round trip mileage. You don't want to get stuck there waiting to cut the cake if they run late, so include that in your response - your services are xx for xx hours. Or just give them an hourly rate. I've had people ask me that same question and then decide to have family or friend do it when I don't offer my free service.

I charge by the hour, but I'm very willing to show someone at the venue the proper way to cut the cake, or anyone on the catering staff (even though one would think they would know). I generally cost too much - on purpose - to be used to cut the cake.

More than likely though, I generally have something else to do after my delivery which precludes me from being available to stick around and cut cake.

Am I the only one who has angst about cutting my cakes? I just don't like to do it, all of my hard work decorating, destroyed with one single knife swipe. I will do it, but I'd prefer someone else have the honor.

It kills me having to be the one to cut up one of my cakes too. All I can think about is the hours of labor I put into it. I perfer not to know what happens to it after I drop it off.

The only cakes I will cut are at family gatherings. I got tired of hearing "Oh, we can't cut that - it's too pretty!" So I make sure it gets cut and eaten.

I don't do wedding cakes. I can't think of anything more boring than standing around for hours watching people I don't know and will never see again, just to cut cake. There are many other things I could be doing. And let's face it - it's not rocket surgery. I'll provide a copy of a cutting guide, but it's up to the bride - or the venue - to have someone to use it.

$25.00 per hour. It must be in conjunction with the delivery and we stay until after the cutting. My daughter does it and she loves the full $25.00/hr.

In this situation, it's easy to suggest a few more items like chocolate covered strawberries, and gourmet cookies. Now we are actually attendants managing a mini buffet. We also will manage a punch bowl or drinks. So far I only have two weddings without an attendant because of the upsale. But I think we have more than usual because people choose us for the full service and the buffets.