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What to tell wedding clients when....

post #1 of 6
5/13/12 at 8:19pm
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I had a wedding client over for a consultation a week or so ago and she asked a question I had never really thought about or knew how to answer: "How much of the cake is leftover when people order for 100% of the guest count?" In other words, how much percentage of the wedding guests can you expect to eat cake? On all of my other cakes, I just make sure to offer a cake that will feed 100% of the guests, but when someone specifically asks, what is a generally accepted percentage to tell them? TIA
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post #2 of 6
5/13/12 at 8:25pm
My answer is "none". It's true that some don't eat the cake, but others make up for it by eating two pieces or taking some home. Generally, if there's any leftovers the guests will be asked to take some home or a family member will freeze it for the next family gathering (perhaps to be served while watching the couple open their wedding gifts).
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post #3 of 6
5/14/12 at 7:00am
Wow. Don't know how anyone would answer this. If I would take a cake for my husband's family nothing would be left, not even a crumb. No matter how big the cake was, it would be eaten or taken home by family members.

However I have done a cake here and there at my old job where people threw a FIT that there was cake left over. I mean come ON, you order a cake for 200 because you choose that number (not me) and I bake a cake that in the past has been fine for 200 (and every book out there states it will serve 200) and then you either have 1.) guests that don't eat cake or 2.) a cake cutter that cuts a 200 serving cake into 400 servings. At the end of the day it isn't my issue, it's your issue.

The only factor I mention to a large cake order is that in my 25 years of experience if there is a bar and people are drinking beer and alcohol from the moment they arrive at the function, they will eat less cake.

Almost guaranteed more booze = less cake eaten.

Other than that, it depends on your guests.
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post #4 of 6
5/14/12 at 7:44am
Personally I feel you should have cake for those that will be there. If you feel 100 of your guests will come to the wedding you need to have a cake that will serve 100. It doesn't matter who may not eat cake, because you just never know. Aunt Sue, who is diabetic and you figure won't eat a piece of cake, may have arranged her meals/meds so she could slurge a little at your wedding. Cousin Jane who is always on a diet may decide that the cake looks good enough to sneak a piece that day. You really just can't factor how many people may not eat cake that day.

IndyDebi has a percentage she went by..."Wedding: I use my 60% Rule, which states that 60% of the total number INVITED will actually show up. (invite 150 .... expect around 90-100 to actually be there)."

"Exceptions: Bride/groom is/are: active military; very involved in their church; part of an ethnic group like African-American."

You can read her detailed reply in these two threads...

http://cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=622700&highlight=servings+invites

http://cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=678005&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=60+rule+military&start=15
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post #5 of 6
5/14/12 at 3:41pm
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I think thats pretty much the answer I gave them, is that I would make sure to order enough servings for each guests because you do have people that won't eat at all, or you'll have some that will take 2 (especially if there's more than one flavor). Just thougt I had heard that somewhere there was a percentage. I'll just continue with the 100% answer, more money for me anyway icon_wink.gif
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post #6 of 6
5/15/12 at 6:30pm
I always use 80% of the total number of guests attending the reception, and I've never heard of a problem with people running out of cake. If you guys saw how small they cut pieces of wedding cake you'd be shocked. It's much more likely that they'll have a lot left over, and then they'll be mad that you sold them too much.

Whenever I explain this the couple usually looks at each other and says "you know, I never eat the wedding cake at weddings." Younger guests are usually dancing or drinking, and older guests will have the cake with coffee.

I tell brides that the goal is to have NOTHING left over. That way they say that it was so good everyone ate the whole cake. If half a tier is left over they complain that they overpaid.
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