Hi everyone! First let me apologise if i've put this thread in the wrong place - I am VERY new to this.

I'm a part-time baker, baking from home.  In the last 6-8 months i've gained a notable amount of interest and business and have been very busy.  A local wedding event planner has just asked me to exhibit at a wedding fayre, something i've never done before.

I'm not a registered business, and the organisers of this event have advised me that this isn't a problem.  My worry is, that I have no insurance.  Is this something that is neccessary in order to exhibit at a wedding fayre??  I understand that insurance would protect me if anyone became sick from tasting my cakes, so if it is neccessary, would I be ok if I just took dummy wedding cakes with me?

It's probably worth adding that this is a very small wedding fayre, comprised of only small local businesses.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated :)

ABeth, go into the cupcake thread, there is a UK thread, all very helpful.

Hi Beth, 

hopefully i can be of some help. 

If you are offering tastings of your cakes, then yes, get insurance. 

Its around £40.00 or less from companies like Black friars and will cover you for a  year. You might as well get prepared now, because if you have already had a lot of interest then you should be ready to take orders. 

All you really need is public liability insurance

Take cake dummies, they are cheaper to make, easy to transport and this is how we all do it.

If you can get business cards printed also this would be really helpful. 

If you do get orders from the fayre, then that's when you should really register your home business with you local council. If you can do this before hand that would be of benefit. 

I really hope this helps. 

check out www.pipingpearls.com for a first hand look at starting out in the cake industry ( in the UK) i'll add. 

AHi Beth

If you're looking to sell your cakes you need insurance, basic food hygiene (not strictly necessary but good practice), environmental health approval and to register with hmrc.

I'm wondering why the organisers have told you you don't need to be a registered business. If you are selling, you do need to go through the proper channels.

I would also day that if you are already selling for any profit at all, you are classed as a business already, you're just doing it without informing hmrc and EH.

I don't mean to be blunt, but I think you could do with looking into this properly. It doesn't take long or cost much to get yourself sorted. The trouble is, at the moment if I'm right in inferring you are taking payments, all it needs is for one person to query your status with eh or hmrc and you could find yourself in a pickle.

This might be of some use to you for some general information. https://m.facebook.com/notes/carinas-cupcakes/the-big-hobby-baker-versus-professional-business-baker-debate/707807592566970

I'm not trying to worry you, it really doesn't take much to get set up, you just need to research first.

Good luck! :-)