Wedding Tastings
How do you small decorators handle tastings for weddings? I know bakeries usually have some of each of their cakes on hand so it's not a big deal, but when you are an at-home baker like myself I need to bake to order - even the tasters. This is turning into a big time and materials investment for me and I don't think I want to move forward like this.
For example - I'm meeting with a couple tomorrow and they wanted to taste 4 different kinds of cakes. It's a Fall wedding, so I made apple spice cake with cream cheese frosting, butterscotch pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting, french vanilla cake with hazelnut cream, and chocolate oreo cake with white chocolate mousse filling. The oreo and french vanilla will be covered with chocolate fondant, so I had to crumb coat with vanilla buttercream, the apple will be done in chocolate cream cheese basketweave and the pumpkin in a straight cream cheese frost. She also wanted to see examples of my fondant work so I made a gerbera daisy, an acorn (came out really cute), and some fall leaves.
So the calculation is:
Baked 4 different kinds of cake (6" rounds - I got two of each flavor so do have some in the freezer and gave some away)
Made chocolate fondant
Made white chocolate mousse filling
Made hazelnut cream filling
Made 2 batches of cream cheese frosting - 1 regular, one chocolate
Made 1 batch of vanilla buttercream
Formed the fondant accents
I filled and crumb coated all the cakes and I'm burned out already!!
Do you all charge for your tasting cakes? Do you let the bride take home the leftovers? HELP!
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Eileen S on
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I did have her sign the form we filled out at the tasting with the price agreed to. So that, at least, is o.k. I haven't checked with the venue, but I will have my serv-safe certification by then (I'm taking the class and the test on May 27). I will also be baking in a licensed kitchen. This is a really small town - there is a lot of "wink-and-nod" when it comes to stuff like this as sources for specialy items are scarce.
Thanks for the help!!
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Permalink Reply by jeri c on
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Eileen.. sounds great! I am terrible... I do not require a deposit. I have only ever had one cancellation and that was because the wedding was cancelled. And in that case, I would not keep a deposit anyway. I know most of my clients really well... we too live in a small town so a handshake still goes a long way in this area. Not so true some places but until I get stung, I guess I will keep at it the way I do. I do ask that payment in full comes one week before the wedding. I guess I want to be sure a check does not bounce! So far so good though. I have been pretty fortunate.
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Permalink Reply by Sherry Qualls on
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Well Eileen, looks like you have all your bases covered!!!! great job. I too live in a small town and alot of the wink and nod goes on here too!!!
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Oh, and I did let them take home some of the cake. They were so excited and said they would serve it for dessert after going to dinner with some friends - and all the people there were going to be locals, so it's more advertising for me. :)
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Eileen, its so fun to watch your business progress...thank you for sharing it with us...I am sure so many can learn from it
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Permalink Reply by Sandra I. Vazquez Lossiseroni on
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I always like to search the forums first as to no repeat the question, this was posted two years ago, I just hope it does not get unnoticed. What do you do when a customer insists in a tasting for a birthday, after you explain you only do it for weddings for a 100 guests or more. How can you politely say NO for a second time?
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Permalink Reply by Deah on
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Sandra, your answer should be the same. Reminds me of my kids when they tried to wear me down by asking me something a zillion times. Stand firm to your policy.
However, if you want to handle it another way you could say something like if she really, really wanted a tasting you could do it for a fee of say $40 or $50 - non-refundable and not applied purchase of a cake, of course. Whatever number you choose make it worth your time and ridiculously high.
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Thank you Deah for your reply,
I was thinking the same way, maybe she will insist, thinking that I am desperate for $185... (I'm upset already is a Tupsy Turvy Cake and wants an exact replica of one of The Pink Box- I don't like replicas, ideas - of course) I do not want to set a precedent of cake tastings that are not weddings (and they have to be over 100 guests). When I have explained this before to brides with less than 100 no problem, or even others, have tried getting cake tastings for baby showers...My gosh, I don't see them going to any grocery store, "ah can I have a taste of the those cakes, to see if I like them to buy them".
I just needed to hear from you "cakey girls" to get the strength to stay firm in my policy. I will feel so bad with myself if I give in to her and not the ones that I already said NO.
Well, I thank you again Deah,
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Permalink Reply by ann pallett on
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Well I don't do any tastings.
I do two big wedding fayres a year and do tasters there.
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But when they ask you directly, how do you say NO?
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Permalink Reply by June Kowalczyk on
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I also agree 50% now..... If as a business you are only comfortable in charging 25%, I WOULD NOT give back the whole amount if they cancelled 2 weeks before. You would have bought supplies by then, so in essence, you're not getting paid for those supplies. If you want to give a refund, perhaps 1/2 of the 25%. Don't forget if customers/clients were to cancel two weeks before, no venue, the hall, florist, tuxedo rental etc., would give them ANY MONEY BACK. This is because they cannot make up the revenue on such short notice. So I would think twice before that agreement. Most places I have dealt with over the years, deposits are NON-REFUNDABLE. This is, of course, a personal choice.
I have only ever taste tested twice. Once was an aquantaince through my family, and she paid for my coffee at a local coffee shop, and I only brought 2 cupcakes, chocolate & vanilla. They were actually leftover from a previous event about a week before, so on hand already, no big effort put out. 2nd time was a good friend who has MS, can't get out much, kind of house bound. But she tipped me extra when I actually made the cake, I am sure as a thank you for my consideration.
If I were to do a tasting again, it would probably be cupcakes, and not sure I would do exotic. The basics gives them a idea as to how well your product tastes. I would charge to make up for time & ingredients. If they really wanted different flavors etc. there would explain there would be a extra charge for the time & effort.
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