Sounds too simple. A bride is researching costs for her upcoming wedding and it just sounds simple to call a baker an ask "How much are your wedding cakes?"
Unfortunately, it doesn't work that way. It's like calling a home builder and asking, "How much are your houses?" and expecting to get a one-price answer. We all know the price of the home depends on the square footage, how many rooms, size of rooms, type of extras like fireplace, air conditioning, cheap or expensive carpet, if there is a dishwasher or not and the quality of the dishwasher, ultra fine wood cabinetry or cheap buy-em-in-any-home-improvement-store caliber. This list and more affects the final cost of the house.
Cakes are the same way. A baker's version of square footage is "how many people does it need to feed?" How many rooms and the size of rooms can be compared to the number of tiers and what size those tiers are. And dont' be mistaken. Many bakers charge more for small tiers (sometimes also known as "mini cakes") because these are harder to work with and therefore incur higher labor costs.
"Extras" on a cake include things such as hand-made gumpaste flowers or fondant figures, some of which are VERY labor intensive and can take hours to make for a wedding cake. As I've pointed out in other columns and other writings, some sugar flowers can take an hour to make just one, so a cake with a small assortment of just 20 flowers will incur 20 hours of labor and if we assume $15/hour for the sugar artist, the bride is looking at $300 JUST in the labor costs. This doesn't include the costs of materials and any overhead the bakery must cover. For a cake for 100 people, this breaks down to $3.00 per person JUST FOR THE FLOWER WORK.
Another example of "extras" can be cake and filling flavors. A white cake with plain white buttercream icing as the filling is pretty quick, simple and easy for a baker. Customized and exotic cake flavors and fillings can have higher ingredient costs and additional labor costs.
This is why bakers encourage a one-on-one consutlation appointment with brides so both of them can have a conversation about the bride's vision for her wedding cake and the baker can get a better idea of what the bride is looking for, enabling the baker to offer a more accurate quote for the bride.
But to address the original problem of a bride trying to find out a general price range so she can determine her budget, I DO recommend calling bakers to ask the preliminary questions. Bakers are happy to help brides who are working to see what things do cost.
I recommend the bride tell the baker she is in the prelinary planning stage and is looking for an idea of what cakes to serve 100 will cost. It's helpful if the bride explains to the baker "I'm aware there are many factors that affect price, but I'm just looking for a general price range right now so I can establish the budget I'm going to need."
Being prepared with accurate and current pricing information greatly reduces the stress of planning a wedding for a bride!
.
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
More Website Advice - The "Oh Yes!" factor
Just a few days after posting my article on websites (see below), I receive notice of another blogger entry with similar advice.
The blog of "Marketing to Brides Online" article is interesting ..... read it here: http://www.marketingtobridesonline.com/say-oh-yes-to-more-sales/
The blog of "Marketing to Brides Online" article is interesting ..... read it here: http://www.marketingtobridesonline.com/say-oh-yes-to-more-sales/
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Is Your Website Welcoming or Uninviting?
I encountered a website peeve yesterday.
Bad websites irritate me. There's the standard list of big no-no's we all know about such as bad grammar and spelling, photos that take too long to download (so please consider that some people still DO have dial-up!), and annoying music that gets you busted at work for browsing non-work related websites!
I was checking the website of a Texas event planner. I had encountered her through my facebook and was interested in knowing more about her.
Unfortunately, her website had the biggest no-no of all: The inability for me to even get IN her website!
It's too bad she hired some gun-ho web designer who was anxious to show everyone how smart and skilled he or she was, because I just got tired of waiting for all of the "pretty animation" to stop so I could just get into her website. The site had so many bells and whistles, it was taking forever for the site to download and open. Unlike other websites that gave me the option to "skip intro", this one didn't. I was stuck. Waiting.
And like I'm sure many of her potential clients did .... I left the site without even looking.
So as you start a business and get excited about how thrilling and unique your website will be, please factor in that the folks looking at it will have to actually get into it before they can be impressed.
Bad websites irritate me. There's the standard list of big no-no's we all know about such as bad grammar and spelling, photos that take too long to download (so please consider that some people still DO have dial-up!), and annoying music that gets you busted at work for browsing non-work related websites!
I was checking the website of a Texas event planner. I had encountered her through my facebook and was interested in knowing more about her.
Unfortunately, her website had the biggest no-no of all: The inability for me to even get IN her website!
It's too bad she hired some gun-ho web designer who was anxious to show everyone how smart and skilled he or she was, because I just got tired of waiting for all of the "pretty animation" to stop so I could just get into her website. The site had so many bells and whistles, it was taking forever for the site to download and open. Unlike other websites that gave me the option to "skip intro", this one didn't. I was stuck. Waiting.
And like I'm sure many of her potential clients did .... I left the site without even looking.
So as you start a business and get excited about how thrilling and unique your website will be, please factor in that the folks looking at it will have to actually get into it before they can be impressed.
Sunday, September 5, 2010
Being a Speaker
I recently had the honor of being invited to be the speaker at a cake club in Columbus, Ohio. Now, those who know me, know that I love an opportunity to speak in front of people (no, I’m NOT one of those people who fear public speaking!) and I love talking about cake and caking! So while some may say they got a “job” speaking, I think of it as having fun speaking!
My 18 year old daughter went with me. Coincidentally, the day of the event was her 18th birthday and a member of the cake club presented her with a birthday cake! We had lots of fun on the 4 hour drive, plus some shopping and just having some great mother-daughter time.
The best compliment a speaker can receive is a lot of animated discussion and questions during and after the event, and I was certainly complimented in this aspect. We cakers love talking about cake, about our passion, and about our art. We love sharing our experiences and our expertise with others.
Wherever I speak, I find many of the common questions and concerns such as how to conduct a consultation and how to battle the problem of no-shows at a consultation.
Consultations, while necessary in this day of wedding marketing, can become expensive for the caker. Different flavors of cakes and icings are prepared; time (from 45 minutes to up to two hours) that could be used in sales production is set aside just for the potential client, plus the time spent preparing the samples. So a client who just doesn’t show up can be cost prohibitive for the business owner.
There is always good discussion on how to conduct a consultation. Cakers have many different styles and methods of how they conduct their own samplings with brides and the bottom line is a person should evaluate the great ideas and select the ones that work best with their personality and style.
My advice is always to keep it simple. Planning a wedding or a large event can be very intimidating for a bride/client. They’ve never bought cake for 200 before and odds are good the only time they’ve ordered a cake is when they walked up to the grocery store counter and said, “I need a cake …. Chocolate …. By Friday.” Wedding cakes are just a little more involved than that. A good caker helps a client feel at ease and gently walks her through the decision making process. A “bad” caker sits back and says “What do you want?”
Another common question is how to battle the pricing perception …. or rather, the LACK of the proper perception. The consensus is that the TV cake shows add to this problem. Viewers seem to think an “Ace of Cakes” cake or a “Food Network Challenge” cake can be made in one day. But the biggest problem is these shows never give an idea of the cost of these cakes. Too many times, a caker has to explain to a client that the $3000 cake they saw on TV just can’t be made by tomorrow for only $200. (See my blog on this topic, http://cateritsimple.blogspot.com/search/label/Ace%20of%20Cakes , and this USAToday link for examples of what I mean: http://www.usatoday.com/life/television/news/2009-07-28-cake-boss_N.htm )
I received a wonderful letter from Cindy, who organized the Columbus, Ohio meeting, that I am sharing here:
Dear Debi,
I am sending this letter to personally thank you for attending the August meeting of the Central Ohio Sugar Artists. Our group is a diverse one, and your presentation was informative, entertaining and fun! I have never seen so many in the group participate in a question and answer session. You not only offered information for the business owners, you included those of our club who are new to this and made all of us feel comfortable talking with you. I have received several phone calls since the meeting from different members, and they all made it a point to tell me how much they enjoyed your visit.
We wish you well in your future endeavors, and would highly recommend you as a speaker to anyone! It is rare to find someone of your caliber willing to share so much knowledge about their business with others. I know that our members all appreciated everything you shared with us.
Thank you again,
Cindy Patrick
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Debi is available for speaking engagements for your club, meeting, or organization. Presentations can range from a simple presentation up to one of the workshops or seminars that she has written.
My 18 year old daughter went with me. Coincidentally, the day of the event was her 18th birthday and a member of the cake club presented her with a birthday cake! We had lots of fun on the 4 hour drive, plus some shopping and just having some great mother-daughter time.
The best compliment a speaker can receive is a lot of animated discussion and questions during and after the event, and I was certainly complimented in this aspect. We cakers love talking about cake, about our passion, and about our art. We love sharing our experiences and our expertise with others.
Wherever I speak, I find many of the common questions and concerns such as how to conduct a consultation and how to battle the problem of no-shows at a consultation.
Consultations, while necessary in this day of wedding marketing, can become expensive for the caker. Different flavors of cakes and icings are prepared; time (from 45 minutes to up to two hours) that could be used in sales production is set aside just for the potential client, plus the time spent preparing the samples. So a client who just doesn’t show up can be cost prohibitive for the business owner.
There is always good discussion on how to conduct a consultation. Cakers have many different styles and methods of how they conduct their own samplings with brides and the bottom line is a person should evaluate the great ideas and select the ones that work best with their personality and style.
My advice is always to keep it simple. Planning a wedding or a large event can be very intimidating for a bride/client. They’ve never bought cake for 200 before and odds are good the only time they’ve ordered a cake is when they walked up to the grocery store counter and said, “I need a cake …. Chocolate …. By Friday.” Wedding cakes are just a little more involved than that. A good caker helps a client feel at ease and gently walks her through the decision making process. A “bad” caker sits back and says “What do you want?”
Another common question is how to battle the pricing perception …. or rather, the LACK of the proper perception. The consensus is that the TV cake shows add to this problem. Viewers seem to think an “Ace of Cakes” cake or a “Food Network Challenge” cake can be made in one day. But the biggest problem is these shows never give an idea of the cost of these cakes. Too many times, a caker has to explain to a client that the $3000 cake they saw on TV just can’t be made by tomorrow for only $200. (See my blog on this topic, http://cateritsimple.blogspot.com/search/label/Ace%20of%20Cakes , and this USAToday link for examples of what I mean: http://www.usatoday.com/life/television/news/2009-07-28-cake-boss_N.htm )
I received a wonderful letter from Cindy, who organized the Columbus, Ohio meeting, that I am sharing here:
Dear Debi,
I am sending this letter to personally thank you for attending the August meeting of the Central Ohio Sugar Artists. Our group is a diverse one, and your presentation was informative, entertaining and fun! I have never seen so many in the group participate in a question and answer session. You not only offered information for the business owners, you included those of our club who are new to this and made all of us feel comfortable talking with you. I have received several phone calls since the meeting from different members, and they all made it a point to tell me how much they enjoyed your visit.
We wish you well in your future endeavors, and would highly recommend you as a speaker to anyone! It is rare to find someone of your caliber willing to share so much knowledge about their business with others. I know that our members all appreciated everything you shared with us.
Thank you again,
Cindy Patrick
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Debi is available for speaking engagements for your club, meeting, or organization. Presentations can range from a simple presentation up to one of the workshops or seminars that she has written.
Saturday, August 21, 2010
What's Your Message?
I was in a meeting not all that long ago when the speaker asked anyone from the audience to tell her their slogan and what their company stood for. A gentleman in front of me stood and said, “We offer the best product and the best service at the best price.”
I sat there mentally shaking my head. Even the speaker whizzed right over this one. What he said meant nothing. Everybody says that. I mean, who DOESN’T think their company offers the best product and the best service at the best price?
I see too many generic Claims to Fame in company names, slogans and taglines. I learned a long time ago that if you have to explain what your company does, then you have the wrong name or tagline.
Have you ever sat down and gone through your stack of business cards that you’ve collected? If you’re a good networker, you collect at least 25 to 100 cards a week. And like many of us, you throw them on your desk until you “have time” to put them away.
I’m guilty. I’m a procrastinator.
But when I do get around to sorting through them, it’s a weeding process. Bad business cards get thrown away. And what I mean by bad business cards is that I can’t tell what the company does by reading the business card. Catchy name, artsy logo, pretty colors. But what do you DO? Since I can’t tell what the company does, I see no value in keeping the card. What a waste of money and advertising.
I heard the story of a person looking for day care for her child. A friend asked her if she had checked out a place called “Teddy Bear Care”. The woman said, “I thought that was a sewing shop to repair torn teddy bears!” Nothing in the name of the business keyed this woman in to the fact that it was a day care center for children.
As you set up your company name and your marketing strategy, think like a consumer and not like an insider. When you introduce yourself and company, listen to the response from the other person. If the first thing out of their mouth is “And what is it that you do?”, then you don’t have a strong message …. or the right one.
I sat there mentally shaking my head. Even the speaker whizzed right over this one. What he said meant nothing. Everybody says that. I mean, who DOESN’T think their company offers the best product and the best service at the best price?
I see too many generic Claims to Fame in company names, slogans and taglines. I learned a long time ago that if you have to explain what your company does, then you have the wrong name or tagline.
Have you ever sat down and gone through your stack of business cards that you’ve collected? If you’re a good networker, you collect at least 25 to 100 cards a week. And like many of us, you throw them on your desk until you “have time” to put them away.
I’m guilty. I’m a procrastinator.
But when I do get around to sorting through them, it’s a weeding process. Bad business cards get thrown away. And what I mean by bad business cards is that I can’t tell what the company does by reading the business card. Catchy name, artsy logo, pretty colors. But what do you DO? Since I can’t tell what the company does, I see no value in keeping the card. What a waste of money and advertising.
I heard the story of a person looking for day care for her child. A friend asked her if she had checked out a place called “Teddy Bear Care”. The woman said, “I thought that was a sewing shop to repair torn teddy bears!” Nothing in the name of the business keyed this woman in to the fact that it was a day care center for children.
As you set up your company name and your marketing strategy, think like a consumer and not like an insider. When you introduce yourself and company, listen to the response from the other person. If the first thing out of their mouth is “And what is it that you do?”, then you don’t have a strong message …. or the right one.
Friday, August 20, 2010
Sometimes it *IS* Personal --- My George Bailey Moment
There’s an often quoted phrase in the business world of “It’s not personal …. It’s business.” I am one who uses it frequently simply because it just applies.
But sometimes we are reminded that there’s a personal side to what we do. And it’s very humbling.
Allow me to share.
I am a regular contributor to the discussion forum on www.cakecentral.com, a cake decorator’s website, where I’m known as “Indydebi” (that becomes necessary to know later in this article). And when I say “regular”, I’m not kidding. I hold the record for having the most posts. Cake Central even created a new category just for me: “Forum Matriarch”.
My son was reading some of my posts and of course my blog and said to me, “Mom, what are you doing? People get PAID to give out advice like this!” I didn’t have an answer for him.
For the record, I DO get paid for my monthly column in Cake Central magazine and for other articles that I’ve written for various other publications. So I’m not totally uncompensated. And I am working on expanding my public speaking work, so that avenue is moving along.
The truth is I just like sharing my ideas, tips and experiences with others in the cake and catering world.
But once in awhile I get a “George Bailey Moment.” That’s what I call those points of realization that the gifts God gave us are not just lying dormant and that we HAVE made a difference in someone’s life.
About a year ago, I shared my business plan with a woman who wanted to open her own cake business, so she could see what a finished plan looked like and model her plan likewise. I paid a lot of money for professionals to help me construct this plan, but I’ve never hesitated to help others by sharing my plan as they work on their own business plan. The other day, I received an email from her and with her permission, I am sharing some of what she said.
I just felt moved to write you. I don't know if it's hormonal or just stress but I feel like I know you.
I am 47 and last year, you sent me your business plan as I was working on my own business plan. I am so grateful and it helped me out tremendously. I don't know how many times I've been talking to my husband as we work on some plan and I say "indydebi says..." or now, it's just "debi said...". I don't even have to put the Indy on because he knows who I'm talking about.
Your confidence is amazing. I am confident when I am in a situation where I am in control but it is so tough for me to cold call or walk into a place to sell myself. I am more the mother hen - don't mess with my chicks or I'll be all over you but if it is for me, I'm a wuss. You have been such an inspiration in your approach to selling and running your business. Through that, I have been strong in my prices and haven't cut my prices to meet someone's budget. In fact, after almost a year in business, I am raising my prices on Sept. 1.
My cake business is going great! Our local TV station is currently running a 'Best of Little Rock' competition and after only 1 wedding season, we were nominated for best wedding cake. And, we are getting wedding cakes now from being referred by other brides or bridesmaids so things are going well.
On April 1, I went part-time at my day job and unfortunately, I am still there but I will stay for probably another 6 months. It is extremely stressful and poorly managed but it is guaranteed income.
After a really frustrating morning, I took a break and ended up going to your writing blog. I was so touched by your stories. The story about Vicky was incredible. She was indeed a very special girl.
Then, I read "I thought I'd missed it". If I could write, I could write a similar story. I've had a wonderfully blessed life but at times, it's easy to forget. I always wanted children but wasn't blessed with any. But, I have lots of them. I teach 4/5 years each Sunday morning and they are wonderful kids and I love them.
I don't know why I wrote this, this isn't something I normally do. Just having a really rough morning and your writing was such a breath of fresh air. Sorry for the rambling. I just wanted to say thank you but being such an inspiration.
Tracy McCauslin
aka Tracycakes
Seasons of Love Cakes
This made me cry. I mean make-up ruining, grab the tissue cry. It is very humbling to be reminded that sometimes a little thing, a small piece of sharing, makes a difference to others, and that we have left our mark as we travel this road of life.
Thanks, Tracy, for your very kind words and a reminder that sometimes it is NOT just business; that sometimes it is just being helpful and paying it forward.
"Dear George, remember no man is a failure who has friends. Thanks for the wings, Love Clarence." ---- inscribed on a book for George Bailey in “It’s a Wonderful Life”
.
But sometimes we are reminded that there’s a personal side to what we do. And it’s very humbling.
Allow me to share.
I am a regular contributor to the discussion forum on www.cakecentral.com, a cake decorator’s website, where I’m known as “Indydebi” (that becomes necessary to know later in this article). And when I say “regular”, I’m not kidding. I hold the record for having the most posts. Cake Central even created a new category just for me: “Forum Matriarch”.
My son was reading some of my posts and of course my blog and said to me, “Mom, what are you doing? People get PAID to give out advice like this!” I didn’t have an answer for him.
For the record, I DO get paid for my monthly column in Cake Central magazine and for other articles that I’ve written for various other publications. So I’m not totally uncompensated. And I am working on expanding my public speaking work, so that avenue is moving along.
The truth is I just like sharing my ideas, tips and experiences with others in the cake and catering world.
But once in awhile I get a “George Bailey Moment.” That’s what I call those points of realization that the gifts God gave us are not just lying dormant and that we HAVE made a difference in someone’s life.
About a year ago, I shared my business plan with a woman who wanted to open her own cake business, so she could see what a finished plan looked like and model her plan likewise. I paid a lot of money for professionals to help me construct this plan, but I’ve never hesitated to help others by sharing my plan as they work on their own business plan. The other day, I received an email from her and with her permission, I am sharing some of what she said.
I just felt moved to write you. I don't know if it's hormonal or just stress but I feel like I know you.
I am 47 and last year, you sent me your business plan as I was working on my own business plan. I am so grateful and it helped me out tremendously. I don't know how many times I've been talking to my husband as we work on some plan and I say "indydebi says..." or now, it's just "debi said...". I don't even have to put the Indy on because he knows who I'm talking about.
Your confidence is amazing. I am confident when I am in a situation where I am in control but it is so tough for me to cold call or walk into a place to sell myself. I am more the mother hen - don't mess with my chicks or I'll be all over you but if it is for me, I'm a wuss. You have been such an inspiration in your approach to selling and running your business. Through that, I have been strong in my prices and haven't cut my prices to meet someone's budget. In fact, after almost a year in business, I am raising my prices on Sept. 1.
My cake business is going great! Our local TV station is currently running a 'Best of Little Rock' competition and after only 1 wedding season, we were nominated for best wedding cake. And, we are getting wedding cakes now from being referred by other brides or bridesmaids so things are going well.
On April 1, I went part-time at my day job and unfortunately, I am still there but I will stay for probably another 6 months. It is extremely stressful and poorly managed but it is guaranteed income.
After a really frustrating morning, I took a break and ended up going to your writing blog. I was so touched by your stories. The story about Vicky was incredible. She was indeed a very special girl.
Then, I read "I thought I'd missed it". If I could write, I could write a similar story. I've had a wonderfully blessed life but at times, it's easy to forget. I always wanted children but wasn't blessed with any. But, I have lots of them. I teach 4/5 years each Sunday morning and they are wonderful kids and I love them.
I don't know why I wrote this, this isn't something I normally do. Just having a really rough morning and your writing was such a breath of fresh air. Sorry for the rambling. I just wanted to say thank you but being such an inspiration.
Tracy McCauslin
aka Tracycakes
Seasons of Love Cakes
This made me cry. I mean make-up ruining, grab the tissue cry. It is very humbling to be reminded that sometimes a little thing, a small piece of sharing, makes a difference to others, and that we have left our mark as we travel this road of life.
Thanks, Tracy, for your very kind words and a reminder that sometimes it is NOT just business; that sometimes it is just being helpful and paying it forward.
"Dear George, remember no man is a failure who has friends. Thanks for the wings, Love Clarence." ---- inscribed on a book for George Bailey in “It’s a Wonderful Life”
.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Venue vs. Wedding Coordinator
I'm a big advocate of having a wedding planner. In this day and age, with the cost of weddings getting more elaborate and expensive, I believe a bride needs someone on her side who is looking out for every detail on behalf of the bride.
Many brides choose to skip the cost of the planner because "the venue has someone who does that." I'd like to caution brides to take care in this decision. The venue coordinator works for the venue, not for the bride. The venue coordinator will probably not be at the church before, during and after the ceremony, nor will they be there between church and venue during the photography shoots.
I could go on and on but I'm just going to refer you to this wonderful article from the Get Married blog. They list it out perfectly.
http://www.getmarried.com/articles/index.php?id=143
.
Many brides choose to skip the cost of the planner because "the venue has someone who does that." I'd like to caution brides to take care in this decision. The venue coordinator works for the venue, not for the bride. The venue coordinator will probably not be at the church before, during and after the ceremony, nor will they be there between church and venue during the photography shoots.
I could go on and on but I'm just going to refer you to this wonderful article from the Get Married blog. They list it out perfectly.
http://www.getmarried.com/articles/index.php?id=143
.
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Lying About the Wedding Date. Yes, They Are Doing It
I discovered an interesting new piece of advice being circulated on some wedding forum websites. Brides are lying to their vendors about the wedding date to help insure "prompt" service.
This is being done mostly to bridal shops so that dresses will be received in plenty of time prior to the wedding, with no last minute surprises. Kind of like building in a cushion of time for the shipment and alterations.
But conversations on these forums reveal it is not just bridal shops being told a false date. Some brides confessed to telling the florist an earlier date "to make sure I got the flowers in plenty of time". I wondered at the time of reading her comments if this bride realized that fresh flowers won't last the four weeks she cushioned in with the florist?
I did go in and tried to do the honorable thing and reminded these brides that many vendors will only book one wedding or book a limited number of weddings on a particular date. A bride that lies to the florist and says her wedding is the third of the month only to go back later and say "Oh, sorry! It's really the 24th of the month!" may find the florist is fully booked on the 24th and can no longer do her wedding, leaving this bride with no florist at the last minute.
I also reminded these brides to check their vendor contracts. Many contracts have monetary penalties for changing a date, if the date can be adjusted at all. Some contracts consider a date change the same as a cancellation-rebook, with monetary fees attached.
I can understand wanting to be sure the dresses arrive in time. I really can. But the solution is not for a bride to lie to the dress shop (or the florist, or the invitation designer). The solution is for a bride to make sure she is dealing with a reputable company that has a great track record with their clients.
This is being done mostly to bridal shops so that dresses will be received in plenty of time prior to the wedding, with no last minute surprises. Kind of like building in a cushion of time for the shipment and alterations.
But conversations on these forums reveal it is not just bridal shops being told a false date. Some brides confessed to telling the florist an earlier date "to make sure I got the flowers in plenty of time". I wondered at the time of reading her comments if this bride realized that fresh flowers won't last the four weeks she cushioned in with the florist?
I did go in and tried to do the honorable thing and reminded these brides that many vendors will only book one wedding or book a limited number of weddings on a particular date. A bride that lies to the florist and says her wedding is the third of the month only to go back later and say "Oh, sorry! It's really the 24th of the month!" may find the florist is fully booked on the 24th and can no longer do her wedding, leaving this bride with no florist at the last minute.
I also reminded these brides to check their vendor contracts. Many contracts have monetary penalties for changing a date, if the date can be adjusted at all. Some contracts consider a date change the same as a cancellation-rebook, with monetary fees attached.
I can understand wanting to be sure the dresses arrive in time. I really can. But the solution is not for a bride to lie to the dress shop (or the florist, or the invitation designer). The solution is for a bride to make sure she is dealing with a reputable company that has a great track record with their clients.
Monday, July 19, 2010
Cake Reality Shows ... Oh, let's get "real"!
In the great and recent influx of so-called "reality" shows involving cake world, we in the "real" cake business are seeing too many things that grate us the wrong way. We are concerned about the image going out there that bakers allow dogs in the bakery and don't have good food safety practices. We are concerned about the impression being left with the viewers that those who work in a cake business are bumbling fools who can't even carry a cake.
My good friend Evelyn recently posted an entry on her blog that I just have to share with everyone. In plain, everyday, no-holds-barred language, she says what many of us are dying for the networks to hear. That cake drama for the sake of good TV isn't good TV.
Take a look at what she says. I believe that once cake-show-viewers read her blog, then they will understand more of what REAL "reality" is.
http://2chickscakesandcatering.wordpress.com/2010/07/19/the-reality-of-cake/
.
My good friend Evelyn recently posted an entry on her blog that I just have to share with everyone. In plain, everyday, no-holds-barred language, she says what many of us are dying for the networks to hear. That cake drama for the sake of good TV isn't good TV.
Take a look at what she says. I believe that once cake-show-viewers read her blog, then they will understand more of what REAL "reality" is.
http://2chickscakesandcatering.wordpress.com/2010/07/19/the-reality-of-cake/
.
Friday, July 9, 2010
My apologies to my readers......
Due to a sudden bombardment of sex sites (mostly from out of country) trying to post comments on a number of blogs, I've been forced to screen comments before allowing them to be posted. I dislike this process and would much prefer to permit your legitimate comments be posted immediately, but I've had to add this security to protect the integrity of the site.
All comments will be reviewed as quickly as possible so they can be posted and shared with other readers.
All comments will be reviewed as quickly as possible so they can be posted and shared with other readers.
Monday, June 28, 2010
What Does it Mean to be a Preferred Vendor?
When a bride shops for her wedding vendors, she frequently depends on word of mouth referrals and other vendors' "Preferred Vendor" list. This is usually a list of wedding vendors that a venue (and I'm going to use "venue" as the example while acknowledging a photographer, or wedding planner, or caterer could also have such a list) has listed on their website that pretty much says, "We recommend you try these folks."
A bride may look at this list and assume the venue is vouching for the quality and business practices of the listed vendors. This is not always true.
It is in the venue's best interest to only list vendors that are reputable and offer quality products and services to the venue's clients, otherwise it looks bad on the venue.
How does a vendor get on a "Preferred Vendor" list?
In my experience, some places just charge a fee for the exposure. I could have been on the Preferred Vendor List of one venue in town just by writing them a $300 annual check to be on the list. A bride would have thought my name on the list meant the venue was recommending me because of my great food when the truth was they were recommending me because I paid them to. (I refused to be put on their list just for this reason.)
Some places would have been happy to put me on their list if I just showed them a copy of my health department license and proof of liability insurance. Actually, every venue should ask for this documentation, regardless of whether I'm on their list or not, but in most cases, my name on their list merely meant "Yeah ... she's legal and we'll let her in."
Some venues required that I do a "payback" to them based on the bookings at their venue (notice how I refrained from using the term "kickback"!). I had no problem with giving finders fees or referral credits when I actually received the business from the venue (and for the record, there was only one I encountered who operated this way), but I DID have a problem writing a mandatory check to a venue when the bride/groom found me on their own and the venue had nothing to do with it. Had I agreed up front to this venue's terms, they would have been happy to make me a "Preferred Vendor". In this case, my name NOT on their list just meant I wouldn't play Kick(back) Ball with them.
Before you think I'm just a big Negative Nelly, many venues select their Preferred Vendors based on performance and the relationship they've built with the other wedding vendors over a long period of time. As I mentioned, the venue's reputation is also at stake if they refer a bride to a vendor is just doesn't make the grade. Many "Preferred Vendor Lists" are helpful to couples who have no idea who to call and the venue has done a preliminary pre-screening for them.
As you shop for your wedding vendors, ask the venue how a company gets on their Preferred Vendor list. Ask if the venue will personally vouch for their character, their quality and their service.
A big assumption is that couples believe the "Preferred Vendor List" means they can only use those vendors. While a Preferred List is usually exclusive, it's not always. Ask if the Preferred Vendor List is exclusive or if the bride/groom can select their own florist / photographer / caterer, etc. Sometimes there is an additional fee to bring in an outside vendor, but depending on the pricing, it could still be cheaper for the couple.
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A bride may look at this list and assume the venue is vouching for the quality and business practices of the listed vendors. This is not always true.
It is in the venue's best interest to only list vendors that are reputable and offer quality products and services to the venue's clients, otherwise it looks bad on the venue.
How does a vendor get on a "Preferred Vendor" list?
In my experience, some places just charge a fee for the exposure. I could have been on the Preferred Vendor List of one venue in town just by writing them a $300 annual check to be on the list. A bride would have thought my name on the list meant the venue was recommending me because of my great food when the truth was they were recommending me because I paid them to. (I refused to be put on their list just for this reason.)
Some places would have been happy to put me on their list if I just showed them a copy of my health department license and proof of liability insurance. Actually, every venue should ask for this documentation, regardless of whether I'm on their list or not, but in most cases, my name on their list merely meant "Yeah ... she's legal and we'll let her in."
Some venues required that I do a "payback" to them based on the bookings at their venue (notice how I refrained from using the term "kickback"!). I had no problem with giving finders fees or referral credits when I actually received the business from the venue (and for the record, there was only one I encountered who operated this way), but I DID have a problem writing a mandatory check to a venue when the bride/groom found me on their own and the venue had nothing to do with it. Had I agreed up front to this venue's terms, they would have been happy to make me a "Preferred Vendor". In this case, my name NOT on their list just meant I wouldn't play Kick(back) Ball with them.
Before you think I'm just a big Negative Nelly, many venues select their Preferred Vendors based on performance and the relationship they've built with the other wedding vendors over a long period of time. As I mentioned, the venue's reputation is also at stake if they refer a bride to a vendor is just doesn't make the grade. Many "Preferred Vendor Lists" are helpful to couples who have no idea who to call and the venue has done a preliminary pre-screening for them.
As you shop for your wedding vendors, ask the venue how a company gets on their Preferred Vendor list. Ask if the venue will personally vouch for their character, their quality and their service.
A big assumption is that couples believe the "Preferred Vendor List" means they can only use those vendors. While a Preferred List is usually exclusive, it's not always. Ask if the Preferred Vendor List is exclusive or if the bride/groom can select their own florist / photographer / caterer, etc. Sometimes there is an additional fee to bring in an outside vendor, but depending on the pricing, it could still be cheaper for the couple.
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Sunday, June 13, 2010
Let's Talk Cupcakes!
What picture comes to mind when someone says "cupcake"? Is it the regular cupcake-with-a-swirl-of-icing on top?
Love chocolate covered strawberries? Here are white cupcakes topped with a chocolate ganache, then a chocolate-dipped strawberry placed on top. The whole thing was then drizzled in white chocolate.
Not really a cake person? (ok, I'll forgive you this once!). Here are brownies baked in cupcake liners, topped with a chocolate fudge icing. We then topped them with a few cherries (we used canned cherry pie filling), then drizzled with a white chocolate. We called them "Black Forest Brownies".
Here are a few photos showing what you can do with cupcakes. Great ideas for weddings, parties, showers, birthdays or just because!
Love chocolate covered strawberries? Here are white cupcakes topped with a chocolate ganache, then a chocolate-dipped strawberry placed on top. The whole thing was then drizzled in white chocolate.
Cupcakes can be a wedding favor AND double as a centerpiece. Here are champagne flavored cupcakes, topped with a raspberry buttercream, with and without a fresh strawberry on top. Have a bottle of champagne on each table and your guests will be wowed with this simple but elegant refreshment/centerpiece.
Cute for a baby or wedding shower, these ladybug cupcakes will add color and that extra touch of pizazz to your event! The icing is a special recipe topping made with melted chocolate and butter that will have everyone licking their fingers to get every drop!
For the next family reunion or neighborhood backyard BBQ, confuse everyone with a cupcake that looks like a cherry pie! Fruit filling is placed on top of the cupcake and buttercream icing is 'woven' into a lattice pie covering.
Not really a cake person? (ok, I'll forgive you this once!). Here are brownies baked in cupcake liners, topped with a chocolate fudge icing. We then topped them with a few cherries (we used canned cherry pie filling), then drizzled with a white chocolate. We called them "Black Forest Brownies".
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