AHello everyone I'm looking to start selling my cakes from home. We just moved to Fredericksburg VA so I need to build clientele. I'm not legal yet but plan to get so soon. Do I have to be legal to advertise by word of mouth? Also any advice on getting legal? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Virginia cottage food law:

http://cottagefoodlaws.com/state-regulations/virginia-cottage-food-law/

How to make a business plan:

http://www.sba.gov/category/navigation-structure/starting-managing-business/starting-business/how-write-business-plan

Also very helpful are business classes. You'll want to consider contracts with clients, your rules for tastings, your liability insurance, packaging, figuring out your costs (including not only ingredients, but your hourly wage, part of overhead [e.g., part of your water and electricity, gas to go buy ingredients and supplies, cake boards, foil and plastic wrap, structure such as pillars and plates, include in your time the shopping and clean-up.  Lots of other things.

Keep reading the Cake Decorating Business forum.

Good luck.

AWhat would be an acceptable hourly wage for myself?

I don't think we can tell you that. It depends entirely on where you live and what you expect to make as profit on your cakes. Hourly wage should be somewhere in your business plan--the instructions might tell you how to determine that.

AThank you for the sites I will look at them tonight!