I was wondering how all you home bakers out there collect payment for your cakes.

Do you collect $$ in advance?

Do you have contracts for wedding cakes?

Just wondering! Hopefully I will be there soon! lol

For people I know well, or family, I collect upon delivery/pickup. For strangers, I have them send full pmt 2 weeks prior to delivery date.

I haven't done a wedding, but I sure wouldn't without a contract...no way no how

Do you have them mail it to your address?

Yes....mind you they are all referrals from people I do know...and they know that I bake from home.

My clients pay when they pick up the cake. I have done one PAID wedding cake. The bride was someone I knew (actually my dental hygienist) and I DID have a signed contract. She paid me on delivery of the cake. However, she DID offer to pay the money on the day of the consultation.

Beth in KY

Yes, I do the same. If I know them they pay at pickup and if they don't I request that I recieve payment 1 week before the cake is due. I haven't done a wedding cake but I do have a contract that I have done up. I based it off of Earlenes cakes...I think it's www.earlenescakes.com
Jacqui

Almost all of my orders are pay on delivery/pickup. Weddings are always paid in advance with a signed contract. If it is a large order, I do ask for at least a deposit, but most often just get paid upon delivery.

For regular cakes, I get paid when they pick them up. For wedding cakes, I requrie a 25% deposit (nonrefundable)in order to hold the date open for the bride, and I require full payment 3 weeks in advance.

This is all very good information. Great Question!

I generally do the same as all the others.
All party/special occassion cakes are pd upon pick up/delivery
All weddings, be it family, friend, friedn of a friend,etc. require at least a 25% dep. within 1 week of consult; full payment at least 2 weeks prior to event. I hold everyone to this simply because, when it's friend or fmily, you sometimes get caught up in the joy of the event and all is forgottten, then 'poof':"We've given all the cash on hand to vendors and the checkbook is at home" or the Newlyweds are off tothe honeymoon before any of you think about the cake payment. It's never happened to me, but that's the reasoning behind it. And it's not that I think I would have a problem getting paid or anything. I just like to do all transactions the same as they do with vendors they don't know.

I would definitely get at least a deposit on wedding cakes! I let my husband talk me into doing one for a co-worker of his this past October and since it was someone we knew I didn't ask for a deposit. They were suppose to pay in full the day we delivered the wedding cake to them, but just THIS week, they have finally paid me the entire price for it!! And I did this for them for ONLY!!!! $125 So it has took 3 months for them to pay for their wedding cake that I did soooo cheap for them as a favor. $20 here and there. There was never any agreement to make payments, I was never asked if they could make payments on a $125 wedding cake, of course I would have said, no way are you serious lol! I'm positive if my husband didn't work with this guy and see him daily, I never would have got a dime on that cake. NEVER again!! I'm sorry, I'm just still soooo pissed off over it LOL So yes, at least get a deposit to cover your expenses so your not out THAT money if nothing else.