Cupcakes or not to cupcake

When I first started out I said I didn't want to do cupcakes. Why? Simply because there is a preconceived notion about cupcakes and their place and cost in the cake world. These are the things of birthday parties and children's celebrations.

A few years back a trend started in weddings with cupcake towers. A lofty tower construction filled with cupcakes and topped with a top tier for cutting. My first thought is, "How do they get it down to cut it without knocking over the stand?" Suddenly these became very popular because they were deemed "more affordable" and were told that it was a "less expensive way to feed" guests.

Why pay for a big fancy cake that most people won't eat when you can save some money and get cupcakes? Well, in defense of the traditional wedding cake, this is just not necessarily true. And the art of creating beautiful little cupcakes has come a long way from the first few images we saw of traditionally swirled cupcakes in plain old liners stacked on a stand.

How is it not cheaper? Well, let's start with the fact that you are still paying for the baker to bake the same amount of cake but now they also have to supply the paper wrappers, and in some cases, order special decorative wrappers. That is an extra expense that does not come with cake.  Yes, but you get more cake with a cupcake instead of that little sliver of cake at a wedding. Actually, you don't. There is a "standard" guide to cutting cake but not every baker uses that when averaging out how many people your cake will feed. A good sized piece of cake should measure (approx) 2" W x 1" D X 4" T. It is easily a big enough piece to fill a dessert sized cake plate. You can do it as a 1x2x4 but it depends on the diameter between tiers. Either way you are given a healthy single serving.

Now, when is the last time you went to a party where cupcakes were served and saw anyone eat just ONE cupcake? Chances are slim. On average most people will generally consume at least two cupcakes because they're cupcakes. Their perspective on serving size is shifted from a plated piece of cake to a hand held, bite sized cupcake. And no one thinks twice about seeing someone eat two cupcakes but if you go back for a second slice of wedding cake you look piggish.  So in the grand scheme you have to actually figure two cupcakes for every guest you intend to serve cake too. If they are mini cupcakes, I recommend counting three per person. I attended a wedding this summer that used the mini cupcakes and I had four of them on my plate because they were all different flavors. So your 100 servings guest count just turned into 200 or more cupcakes.

Pretty little cupcakes!

You are now paying pretty close to the same price for your cupcakes that you would have paid per slice for cake. The real trick is getting someone who can pull it together and not make it look like a sweet sixteen. Hence the more ornate confections that have started gracing the reception scene. The trouble has now become the fact that the more decorative and beautiful a cupcake is the more it costs. Say, for example, a standard cupcake is $2; plain paper, no fancy decorations. If you wish to add a filling it may cost $.50 more. If you want special designer tops and decorations is may be an additional $2 and if special papers (for color or foil or dyecuts) are used you can add another $2. So your less expensive cupcake route just increased to $6.50 per cupcake and you might need two per person. So theorecticaly $13 per person in cake. You per serving cake probably wasn't this expensive.

This isn't a ploy to deter people who want a cupcake wedding. I am not pushing that all weddings must have eight tiers of cake to be considered a proper wedding cake. I am simply making an effort to contradict some of the opinions out there stating that you can save money when buying cupcakes. As with any purchase you should talk with your baker and explore all the options. Believe it or not most of us are pretty honest will not charge you more just because it's your wedding cake.  

Unhappy Workers

I don't have employees but I have been one. I am still a consumer and I have certain preferences about the places I shop. One of my regular stops is a local business where I would say 50% of my supplies come from.

Recently I ran into a regular employee whom I have gotten to know and she is always happy, always smiling and always ready to help. This day she was not. Our conversation is short and is summed up with, "I'm not happy here anymore and not too many are but we keep coming back because it's a job."

This is so sad to me. I'm not saying she has the right of it as there are always two sides and this is hers but it conveys to me, as a customer, that she is unhappy with the management. It has affected her outlook on her job and, if you think about it, her outlook on each day. She doesn't want to come to work. At work she wishes she were elsewhere. It comes across in her demeanor and body language and ultimately her speech.

I will still come to this store because no place is perfect. But it reminded me of one or two very fundamental things.

1. Always smile when you answer the phone because people will hear it. Your opening attitude will determine the entire conversation. If you sound less than thrilled to answer your work phone then they may be less than thrilled about hiring you.

2. Your words and attitude have a strong impact on how others view you and your business. You may say all the right things but if the wrong attitude is behind it your clients will be able to tell and it could directly impact your business.

I have the most difficult boss in the world; myself. So if I have an unhappy worker I have only myself to blame.

Last Minute Panic

Normally I would say that panic mode sets in for a bride when they have waited until the absolute last minute to book a vendor or a venue or something of similar nature.  This was the first time I'd heard of a bride panicking because her vendor bailed on her a mere 24 hours prior to the wedding.  The following story was relayed to me recently and I felt compelled to share.  I am sure as I retell this it will not be verbatim but the point will be made.

Twenty four hours before her daughter's wedding, the mother of the bride receives a phone call from the baker who is creating her daughter’s wedding cake.  This baker is well known in her area and has been baking and decorating cakes for over 30 years.  However, on this particular occasion, she was calling the mother of the bride to tell her that the cake had fallen - it was completely decorated and finished - and she didn't have time to redo it.  She was very sorry.  She didn't know what went wrong but it had and she just didn't have time to make another wedding cake and she wished her luck.

What?  You've been doing this for 30 years!  How can it just go wrong?  What are we supposed to do?  This is my daughter's wedding.  Still, the answer was the same.  I don't know why it fell but it collapsed and there is not enough time to make another cake.

To this poor mother's despair and panic of a last minute solution, this bride was treated to a retailed wedding cake (store starts with W and ends with mart).  While not entirely happy, the mother felt it was the best she could do with so few hours left.  She arrived at the bakery counter when they opened, showed them pictures of what she needed and within a few hours her cake was ready.  (I do not know if it was picked up or if they arranged delivery but I'm thinking the first and not the second.)  It was not the cake they had envisioned but there was cake on her wedding day.

I personally was appalled when I heard this story.  I can think of dozens of things that could have gone wrong with the cake.  I can also think of dozens of compromises and adjustments that could have been made by this baker to accommodate the bride because, as I see it, that was her responsibility as the hired professional.  

I have been very fortunate that I have never been in this situation.  I try to plan and organize my time so that I have enough flexibility should anything unplanned occur because it usually does and you need to be able to roll with it and not lose focus.  I would be personally and professionally mortified if this had happened to me.  To my knowledge this baker has yet to offer any compensation to the family as a replacement for the cake she couldn't deliver.  

I think this just goes back to prove that just because you've done something for a very long time doesn't mean things can't go wrong and we should all have a Plan B for when they do.  If my bride is panicked it should be because she's waited too long to book her wedding and not because of something I did or didn't do.

Client Rejection

I recently had a potential client decide that my services would not be used. I was perplexed. We had met and had a tasting. We designed a very elegant and unique cake that fit into their budget. They were ready to make their deposit. As a matter of fact, it was only hours between the email that said they would like to pay the deposit and we will not be in need of your services.

A few years ago this whole situation would have sent me into a tailspin of,  "What did I do wrong?" I would have agonized over it and without ever asking probably never have known the answer. I would have felt defeated and just know that nobody else was going to do business with me.

From a professional standpoint I'm a little longer in the tooth now. I'm not saying it doesn't bother me when I get a rejection (because sometimes you know it's for the better) but it doesn't send me into such a drama.

When I received the above email I responded with one of my own. I am sorry that they have decided to look elsewhere and could they please tell me what changed their mind. A few years ago I would have never asked because of fear of what I'd hear. But believe it or not it was reading a business article on why it's okay to ask a client why they reject you made me feel better.

I was given a response and again did not go into a tailspin over the reaction. I have learned that a rejection is not the end of the world but if you are going to ask for a reason you should be open minded about what you may hear.

The silver lining for me is that I have a cake design in my folder of designs that I didn't have before and will enjoy creating it for display or incorporating arts into some other lucky bride’s cake. Until it's been created it's still unique and idea generation is half the battle sometimes.

So today I'm okay with my rejection; sometimes it's you, sometimes it's them and sometimes it's just best.

Jennifer and Eddie, April 6, 2013

I met Jennifer and Eddie last year and could tell they would be fun right away. It was my genuine pleasure to meet with them and design their wedding cake. Their three tiered cake came in three flavors: red velvet, marble and orange. Each tier was filled with fresh cream cheese frosting and then vanilla Italian meringue as frosting. Fresh marshmallow fondant, handmade fondant pearls that were embellished with silver luster dust, fondant bands in lavender and handmade lavender roses completed the cake. We delivered to La Residence  www.laresidencedining.com/weddings.php   in Chapel Hill, NC.

Congrats to a lovely couple.

Magazines

I never subscribe to magazines.  Unfortunately I never have time to read them or the news paper so I just buy one when I want one.  It's sad because there are several that I would like to have.  Every couple of years I get the pleasant surprise of  a magazine subscription in my name that I didn't order.  I have received everything from gardening to cooking and now fashion.

I have been the happy recipient of a really popular fashion magazine and I just love it.  I have found tons of inspiration from the pages and color and occasionally I see something that I might try myself.
I truly love the patterns and textures and especially the colors I see.

So, to the magazine fairy out there, I thank you!

Where do you get inspired?

Part II - Kelley Kennedy of Teacup Floral

Teacup Floral

Happy February!  As promised, here is the second part of a blog in a series on some of the vendors who participated at the Perfect Wedding Guide luncheon held at the Homewood Suites in January.    

I interact and create connections with many vendors across the wedding community.  I thought I would do a series of blogs specifically highlighting some that I have worked with over the last couple of years.  The first in this series is an interview with Kelley Kennedy of Teacup Floral.  

I want to say what a pleasure it was to do this interview.  I really enjoyed getting her perspective on not only her business but the industry as a whole; very insightful and well said.

Let's start with an introduction of you and your business. What would you like us to know about you?

My name is Kelley Kennedy and I'm the owner and head designer at Teacup Floral.  We are located in Central Raleigh and design events for the Triangle/Triad area-while not limiting travel to other parts of North Carolina.   Teacup Floral offers a unique design perspective with attention to trend forward event inspiration and budget consciousness.  We use a combination of color, texture and composition to reflect a romantic, classically modern style.  Special designs, exclusive to Teacup Floral, include pop art inspired pieces such as ‘the groom’s arrangement’.  We have a 5 star rating on  Weddingwire.com and we're proud members of the  Triangle Bridal Association as well as The Bridal Society.

. 

What is your background? Have you always been in this type of work or is this a new career turn? 

My background is in fashion accessories design.  After graduating from the Fashion Institute of Technology, I spent 10 years in the NYC based industry designing everything from hair clips, to men's belts, to little girls' light up handbags.  I also returned to FIT for 2 years to teach graphic design software techniques to Accessories Design majors.

What brought you to this area (if you've moved here)? Is this what you did previously (before moving)? If not, what prompted the change? 

After a decade of sitting behind a desk designing mass market merchandise, I craved a profession in which I could create with my hands and work on a more personal level with my customers (rather than through a chain of sales people, merchandisers, buyers and overseas factories).  I also wanted to go into a field which existed outside of New York City in case I ever decided to move.  Through a google search for something unrelated, I ended up on Flower School New York's website and decided to go through their intensive series of classes.  I became completely hooked on floral design.  I was spending any time off from work (nights, weekends, holidays) interning and taking master classes to learn as much as possible.  Finally, I felt I was ready to 'retire' from fashion altogether and was lucky enough to find a full time position for a high end, neighborhood flower shop Opalia Flowers in Brooklyn, NY working in both the retail and event design aspects of the business.   My husband and I moved to Raleigh from NYC this summer looking for a change of pace and a great place to raise a family.  We believe whole heartedly that we made a great choice!

Image by 2 and 3 Photography 2 and 3 Photography

What inspires you in your work? Are you visually driven? Do you follow trends or fads or do you keep to your own unique style? 

Brides inspire my work!  They all come with a unique perspective- some have their favorite colors, some stay true to their wedding season and some follow the hottest trends and want to be the next, most blogged about wedding! I love to see bride's Pinterest boards- sometimes they are very cohesive, other times they can be all over the place and need help with editing.  Once I speak to a bride, it's very easy to narrow down what she's really looking for and maybe it was just a little detail she wanted from one photo- we'll pull it all together and it will make a lot of sense by the end of the meeting. I can't help but follow trends, I believe it's how any design business grows.  Of course I have my own unique style, but I already had my wedding and now it's time other bride's unique styles to shine.  I love to be their design chameleon.  Sometimes I do have an outlet to express my own style- such as Wedding shows and the latest 'love issue' of Cary Magazine Cary Magazine and Jonathan Fredin Photography.

Writer is Emily Uhand

Photographer is Jonathan Fredin

Where would you like to see yourself in 5 years? 

I would love to see myself with a consistent flow of event work.  My business has been growing by leaps and bounds over the past 6 months and if this trend continues, I will be one happy flower lady! 

If you had one goal for your business what would it be and how do you think you would achieve it? 

One goal I have would be to maintain a positive reputation with clients, venues and other vendors.  I hope to achieve/maintain this by always making customer satisfaction a number one priority and continuing healthy, respectful relationships with my fellow industry professionals.

What is the one thing about your specific field/industry that you really don't like and one thing you really love? 

Something about the floral/event design field I find disheartening is when I have brides come to me saying another designer called their idea ugly or didn't get back to them because of their low budget.  There is no such thing as an ugly flower or bad trend.  Sometimes ideas need to be tweaked a little, but anything can work if you have a true sense of design.  Similarly, I am not a fan of the cable shows which take a bride with a small budget (who is not a designer), tear their ideas apart, and give them a 6 figure wedding.  What does anyone learn from these shows other than 'you need to spend a ton of money to achieve a beautiful wedding'? One thing I really love is hearing from my brides after the wedding is over.. It makes absolutely every second of work worth it!!  A second thing I love about the industry is how helpful and friendly my fellow wedding professionals are and how many outlets we have to connect and refer each other for weddings.  

Images by Erik Perel Photography www.erikperel.com

If you weren't doing this, what would you be doing? 

Something that has always interested me is interior design. 

Thank you so much Kelley for sharing your time and yourself with me.  I look forward to our June wedding experience and many more to come.

PWG Guild Lunch at Homewood Suites by Hilton Cary

Part I - Lunch at Homewood Suites

The Triad/Triangle Perfect Wedding Guide held their guild lunch at Homewood Suites by Hilton Cary. These lunches are always a treat. They were my first introduction to networking within the wedding industry. Gail Galloway is the lady behind it and her goal is to bring wedding professionals from across the triad and triangle into different venues for a great meal, an informational guest speaker and a little self promotion.
I have been attending these lunches for almost two years. One of my favorite aspects of the lunches is that you are not just having lunch but you are being served lunch by the venue and it gives you the opportunity to know what their services are like. Different vendors are invited and encouraged to volunteer their services to their fellow professionals. It's great way to display your skills to your peers so that they know to add you to their list of preferred vendors when they talk to their brides. Planners can find bakers, photographers, florists, etc. It is also a great way to see new venues so that you have a frame of reference for deliveries and asthetics when speaking with your brides.

You do not have to be a member of the PWG guild to attend the lunches. The lunch fee is $23 and it lasts from 11am to 1pm. It is well worth the cost of lunch. If you're interested you can contact them directly at pwg@triad.rr.com or gail@pwg.com or you can contact Southern Gold Leaf Cakes at veronica.yoshida@pwg.com.  Don't forget to subscribe to the newsletter for more on the wedding industry.


Host - Homewood Suites by Hilton Cary
Catering - VAB Catering
Photography - Blue Box Photography
Linens - A Special Event
Floral Decor - Teacup Floral
Door Prize - Bartending Unlimited
Luncheon Coordinator - Cherished Celebrations

Cold Call Advertising

So this one is about advertisers calling my home. I understand that this is one way that publications get put together and I don't mind, in general, getting these calls but I do mind when I feel like it's a quasi-scam if not a full on scam.

For example,  I received a message this week about an advertising opportunity using a popular social media network.  I call them back and it went down hill from there.  First I had to remind them of who I am, my business name and why I'm calling.
  Hint #1 - If you call someone to do business with them you should be keeping a log of who you called,      when and why you called them.  Having their name and business name, as well as where they are located, is also good.

She explains to me that their business opportunity is to put me up front on this social network and there is only a small up front fee and then a monthly fee.  Since there's not a contract I only have to pay for each month I allow them to boost my business.
  Hint #2 - When using a social network that is already free to use and has their own marketing venue that, while does have cost associated, is minimal and affordable.

Even when I'm intrigued enough to consider I always take 24 hours to think about it.  It allows me to not make an impulse decision I can't get out of and regret and if they are willing to let me take that time and get back to them it is usually a more legitimate offer.
     Hint #3 - They should not have to ask where you are located in relation to other major cities.  Telling you that your closest local competitor is also on the list but they only know that by association of city to city and aren't naming in any names in order to get you to make a quicker decision is not a good strategy.

I end the call telling her I do not make these decisions without 24 hours to think and that I will call her back the next day.  The next day I have three repeat phone calls from this company.  Why three and why within three minutes?  I suppose because when I couldn't get to the phone and my voice mail kicked on they did not leave a message and calling back two more times from two different display extensions with the same number would some how prompt me to answer.  It did not.

I understand that marketing and advertising requires cold calling from time to time but it doesn't mean it can't be done professionally and it also doesn't mean we're all going to say yes.

Cupcake Wars

My daughter loves to watch this show with me.  And I get asked quite often if I watch these types of shows.  I don't watch as many as I used to a couple of reasons, one, I don't have as much time and secondly I don't find as many out there are as likable as I used to either.  I DVR The Next Great Baker and occasionally Sweet Genius.  They have few Challenges now but they have Sugar Dome which I'm going to check out.   I find myself more interested in David Tutera Real Weddings.

So why Cupcake Wars?  Honestly I don't care about the competition at the end, the drama between about who almost made it to the next round.  I'm watching them put their cupcakes together (as much as they show) and I can privately agree or disagree with what they are doing.  My reason was always round one - the eclectic taste competition.  I absolutely adore this round.  These guys know going in they are going to be given weird food combos and they always act like there is nothing they can create.  I have found myself making lists of what's on that table and asking myself, "What would I combine?"  Then my kids started asking,  "Mom, what would you have put together?"  Granted, I'm really glad that I don't have to taste all those combinations.  And in round two, their fondant decorations are always interesting to see but it's round one I care most about.  To be fair, in round two  hearing their own flavor combinations can be intriguing too.

But now, as I said in the beginning, my daughter loves to watch them with me.  She likes to try to predict who will win, ask me what I think and what would I make.  So we've found our own little bonding experience on Tuesday nights watching cupcake wars before she heads to bed.

Update on TeiredCaker

I recently received a wonderful email from the creators of  the app TeiredCaker.  I find I must make an update to my review.  In my review, I noted that they did not do hexagon in their "other" category for shaped cakes.  This was an error on my part.

In the "Select your pan sizes" option you can choose from all the available sizes of pans listed so that it can accurately account for the amount of cake you want to price.  It will only take into account the pans you list.  Since I didn't have those selected for some odd reason they did not show up when I was playing around with the app.  This was my error.  It does oval, petal (both four and six petal pans) as well as hexagon.  

This also showed me a level of customer service that I didn't expect.  Not only did they read the review of their product but they responded themselves and very promptly.  The tone of the email was very genuine and friendly and made me appreciate the fact that I'd done the review.  I know how much it means to get a review from a client that lets you know how your work is received. 

Just to recap - my assessment on the pan shapes was incomplete due to user error not the creator.  They are aces in my book!

Dulce de Leche

I finally got the opportunity to make Dulce de leche.  I've been really tempted to make it before but just never got around to it.  I was really excited to try this recipe I found from Alton Brown Alton Brown's Good Eats - Dulce de Leche recipe and it really was fantastic.

Let me first say, start with a saucepan that is big enough for the job and then double check how much you intend to make.  When the milk begins to foam it will over run your saucepan if you are not careful.  I fixed this by pouring my bubbling concoction to a larger pan, returning it to the heat and the cleaning up my stove top.  Also, make sure you have enough time to complete the recipe and allow it to cool.  I misread the time frame and thought I had about 30 minutes more than I did so mine was still very warm and drippy when I took it to my consultation.  The good thing is that by the time I got there it was still warm but cool enough to eat and drizzle over cake!

The recipe is simple but does take diligence.  You cannot walk away for long periods of time or get distracted and forget it's there for fifteen minutes at a time.  While it doesn't take constant supervision, you want to be able to check it and give it a stir every five to ten minutes.  You need to keep it smooth, well mixed and not stuck or burning on the bottom but you also don't want to incorporate the lovely layer of foam that will be created on the top.

The secret is keeping your heat low after the first simmer.  Alton's recipe has you bring it first to a hard simmer to heat the milk and melt the sugar.  Then you add your baking soda, hence the original foaming, and then bringing it down to a low simmer so that it continues to reduce down to between one and two cups of caramel colored deliciousness.  I have read that some people use salt rather than baking soda and I'm tempted to try that next simply because I think you'll get more of a salted caramel taste rather than the smooth, creamy flavor this recipe provides.

It can be used warm over ice cream, set to room temperature and spread on cake or toast or, I as found out yesterday, can be combined on a spoon with peanut butter, chocolate or bot

The TieredCaker app

I actually got the app because I saw another baker friend's review.  This was before I got my iPad and was trying to decide on it or a tablet.  So I began searching for similar products for the tablet.  There were a dozen apps about cakes if you wanted games or recipes, not that a recipe app is a bad thing, but nothing like what I saw in the TieredCaker.

I waited until the update came out which fixed a few of the problems I kept hearing about in the first one, such as not being able to get a custom cutting chart or enough odd pan shapes, but those seem tto have been relatively easy things to fix.  While there isn't a cutting chart for custom sizing there is a serving chart to help you determine how many pieces you should be able to get from each sized pan that you indicate you are using.  That is still more helpful than trying to guess.

I also like being able to include the top tier in your calculations if you choose too.  I offer a fresh anniversary tier so my top tiers are always included in the number of servings.  This allows you to show the difference in how much cake is offered.

It will also help you decide what size your pieces should be if you wish.  In the sizing chart there is a small link that says, "help me decide" that basically offers you slide bars that change dimensions and cake slice size.  Once you reach the slice size you think is best you click "choose recommended slice" and it works from those numbers.  It's a neat little function.

It covers a variety of pan shapes including petal, oval and heart and you can switch between shapes while in calculating and stacking mode which is nice.  It does not cover hexagon or diamond shape so you are still on your own for those.

All of the features for emailing or printing are still there.  The text is nice and large and the navigation is still very user friendly.  I have used the app when in client consultations and it really helped the client get a better idea of how much cake they were getting as well as see the cost differences.

I would recommend app.  It is one of the major reasons I ended up with the iPad as well since it was one of the few apps I've seen that were specifically created for bakers/decorators and it's not going to be made available on the tablet.  

If you are curious it is definitely worth a walk through and a very affordable tool.

The SheetCaker app

I decided to get the SheetCaker app as an addendum to my TieredCaker app.  While sheet cakes aren't as complicated to size and price it is still nice to have a more accurate guide for dimensions than the "approximate" serving.  Most cakes need to be squared or the crustier edges cut a bit so they aren't the exact size that a pan might indicate.  Having the ability to change the pan size to reflect a more accurate finished cake and the size of the cut piece allows for a more accurate quote when talking with clients.  I have also been able to use the app to illustrate to clients how the cake would be cut based on sizing and it reflects the price as well.  This combination is nice as well.  

It has been a great app when putting together quotes where the cake is multi-dimensional or sculpted.  Knowing how many servings are needed and how many servings can be yielded from a cake once it's been changed helps with calculating how much cake might be needed.  

I like the ability to print out a cutting guide as well.  Many times when delivering sheet cake the comment I hear is, "Are you sure that will be enough?"  I am sure this is because they are accustomed to cutting larger than normal pieces of cake.  While it won't prevent them from doing the same thing it will at least visually guide them to the number of servings they should get from the cake.

Over all I like the app as a helpful tool.  It is easy to navigate from calculator to pan size, viewing the cutting guide and either emailing or printing the guide.  Changing the price is easy and the print is large and easy to ready.  This is a very user friendly app and one I would recommend others. 

Tire Kickers

This is my term for the phone calls I get when someone is truly just looking for prices.  The problem is they never say they are just trying to get a quote.  I'm not sure why.  It would save us both a lot of trouble and probably a shorter phone call or email.

It seems the worst are those that call and go through all the details, ask about all the types of decorating you can do, what colors can we do it in, et cetera and after fifiteen minutes have created a very elaborate cake.  You are able to price things out for them, explain how deposits work and even though you have a sneaky feeling they really are just price hunting you finish the call.  I find I'm generally given the, "Let me check and see if this works and I'll call you back."  I am fairly certain I will not hear back from this person.

In the beginning this really bothered me and I beat myself up about it.  What did I do wrong?  Did I charge too much?  Then I realized it is just part of the process.  Would it be easier for them to just say "I'm just curious about pricing" ?  Yes, yes it would.   Would it be easier for them to just admit that they don't want to pay what you are charging?  Yes, yes it would.  Here's a recent example:

On a Friday afternoon I was called with a question about a baby shower cake for two weeks from that date.  She was looking at the website, new what she wanted, talked about the changes to the cake in question and we chatted for a few moments before she said, "Can I see you tomorrow about the details?"  I had to honestly answer that I could not see her on a Saturday less than 24 hours away for multiple reasons, mostly due to already being scheduled.   She asked about pricing again and when I repeated that she thought that it was too much for so little cake but had a "change of heart" and said she would see if her daughter could meet with us a on a different day to confirm things - she would call me back.  I haven't been holding my breath on this.

I knew before the phone call was half way through that this was someone who wasn't going to commission work from me, for whatever reason, and wasn't going to call back afterwards.  I do not fret about these things anymore.

I get many of the same type of request by emails as well.  The result is much the same.  I used to agonize much the same way as well but not anymore.  Those who truly want to commission my work will do so, others will hope to get a cheaper price or all for nothing so they are just kicking the tires.  Remember kids, it's okay to say, "I'm shopping around and comparing prices and work/taste for my event."  I promise, we'll both be happier.

Charging for Consultations

This is a topic that has been covered a lot by many different people yet it always seems to get plenty of attention.  I am asked regularly about whether the consultation that is booked is free or not.  My initial consultation with a client is always free.  I do limit what goes on at the tasting, for example, how many people and the number of types of cakes you can try.  It isn't meant to be a free dessert buffet or a dessert bar with friends.   

My general practice follows a pretty simple rule:  your first tasting is complimentary.  We are also going to work on cake design and any other services that I may be able to offer.  However if we don't cover everything to satisfaction or if we decide for whatever reason a second meeting is necessary, then we reschedule and a small fee is charged.  If the couple books then the fee is applied towards their balance.  If they don't then I have been compensated for my time and I wish them well.

Do you think it's appropriate to charge for an initial meeting? 

Today is just a quick soap box about buying things that don't taste good.  I know, I know, it doesn't make any sense when you read it out loud but it happens constantly.   I will not name names, and to confide in you I was equally ignorant back in the day (more than 15 years ago), but there is one company in particular that continues to put out "edible" materials that are just awful.

In fairness, from my own personal knowledge, they may have been one of the first to market professional decorating materials and techniques available to the general baking public.  Even if they weren't the first, they were definitely one of the few to be able to hit the mark in such a way that they are still on just about every store shelf of every local retail craft store as well as on line and many times sold by and through other large on line retailers.  I know by now you know who I'm talking about but remember, I never mentioned a name.

I remember the first time I used fondant off the shelf.  Remember, this was long before I learned how to make it myself and have since found at least three different recipes I like.  The store bought stuff was hard as a rock, next to impossible to soften and tasted awful.  I couldn't imagine why someone would want this on their cake.  To this day I still have couples tell me that they don't like fondant and sometimes refuse to have it as an option because they have had such a bad experience with the store bought stuff.  This is why I always make sure I have fresh samples of mine at the tasting so that they can see how it was meant to taste.

In the last year or so this same company has started putting out edible icing sheets.   They are preprinted so you just cut them and apply them to your smoothly frosted cake and now you have a new work of art.  These are not new to the industry and can be purchased from a number of more reputable tasting companies.  But they look really great and your cake will look really great so they must be good.  It's still the same company.   I've looked for the expiration date on some of these prepackaged lovelies - I can't find one.  Everything expires so this makes me even more suspect.

With a little time and practice you could learn to make these yourself.  There are tutorials all over the web.  Just like you can make your own fondant, gum paste, edible glitters, sanding sugars and, of course, cake without the box. I know, sounds impossible really, but it can be done.  It takes more time, can be messy and does take practice but in the end it is so much better.

I guess it falls into the category of the "quick fix".  I guess that is why so many are still plucking it up off the shelf.  I am all about making this easier and quicker myself but I will not sacrifice quality to do so.  I will continue to buy a few premade items or ingredients on line either because of quantity or to save time.  But if it's something I can make myself, even if it's not the prettiest thing I put out, at least I know that it will taste great and I will own it.

January 5, 2013

Our first cake of 2013 was delivered to Parizade in Durham for an evening reception.  I was extremely pleased to do this cake.  The sisters who ordered the cake for their mother was very sweet and wonderful to work with.  They wanted something sparkly but needed blue - so we made the cake blue.  Blue angel food cake concealed beneath white fondant, pearls and silver.  The topper was of their mom's design and highlighted with gem stones.

The scroll work on the middle tier is actually very tiny pieces of fondant rolled thing and applied into the desired designs.  We thought it was just the right look for this cake.

Congratulations Emily and Eric

December 29, 2012

Emily and Eric at The Museum of Life and Science

I met with Emily and her sister at the beginning of December to talk about her wedding cake, the date just weeks away on the 29^th.  Emily was a bit nervous about the short notice but this was the not first of this kind of timing nor was it the shortest notice I’d received so we were ready to taste and design.

I liked the idea that there wasn’t a lot of issue or stress on theme or color or tradition.  Emily and Eric were using some bold colors and also some subtle colors, teal and champagne, and the wedding was at the Museum of Life and Science so it was a fun setting.

We chose to go with a diamond shaped cake because it went with the invitation layout and the piping to resemble the beading of her dress which I was lucky enough to get a peek at.  We also decided that some cupcakes for some of her guests with special dietary needs would be good.  Two dozen cupcakes that were gluten free and vegan were done in chocolate with chocolate frosting.  They were delicious as we had to do a taste test on the first batch!

When I arrived to set up the cake I could not believe how the museum had been transformed to accommodate their wedding.  The venue was bursting with color and looked amazing.  I’ve had a few sneak peeks at their photos and they continued to be bold in their use of colors and weren’t afraid to have some fun.  It definitely seemed to fit their personalities.

I am so pleased and have worked with Emily and Eric and to have concluded my baking year with the wonderful wedding!

Congratulations Alex and Zan!

December 28, 2012

Smith-Gormley Wedding at The Carolina Inn

I met Alex and her mom in March of 2012 and from the first moment I was excited to be included in this wonderful event. Admittedly when I received my first emails about Alex and Zan's wedding I wasn't sure what to expect but the fact that they share an almost identical name, Alexandra and Alexander, proved to be almost a private joke amongst those in the know.

Alex and her mom Karen were such a delight to share cake with and discuss designs. They had a pretty solid idea in mind already so the hard part was figuring out what kind of cake to get.  They chose classic pound cake filled with white chocolate ganache and iced in a traditional buttercream.  They had images for me to work from and everything was set.

Fast forward to around August of 2012 and I get an email from Alex’s mom saying they’d like a groom’s cake as well.  This time pound cake covered in luscious fudge frosting.  The had a special topper for his cake that they wanted to share and so we now had two cakes.

Continued reading the email and she decided they wanted to make sure they had plenty of cake so they also got a sheet cake, or kitchen cake, to be cut in the kitchen and served to guests.  No need to leave any boxes!

All I can say is that it was a lot of pound cake but it looked beautiful.  It was a project that, when complete, you could step back and say, “Yep, that’s exactly how it should look.”

The Year of Green

Pantone has selected emerald green as the color for 2013. I am pretty happy about that since I love all shades of green. If I were a "Steel Magnolia" I would say it was "my signature color." To say that I am happy about this comes from my personal love of the color and my artistic view of the world but to say I can be happy about it as a cake designer; not so much so.

Why?

It's a fair enough question with a not so complicated answer. You see, Pantone sets the stage for the color, assigning it a unique number so that whomever in the world that is planning to mix that dye lot will get the same color as everyone else thus making it universal and everyone is painting/dying/mixing by the same color palate.

Now, let's take this theory to any number of bridal shops in any part of the country. We don't need to name them because there are dozens and it's all going to be the same sort of answer in the end. When the bride chooses her bridesmaids gowns in her particular shade of green and gets her color swatch it WILL NOT say emerald green. It will have any number of lovely, ethereal titles - Sea Dragon Green, Deep Irish Green or what have you - but not one swatch will say emerald.

Allow this true example. Last spring I decorated a cake based on the color swatch provided by the bride's parents and it was a lovely shade of blue. It was a color that had to be mixed so that it would match and I would say it was spot on to the swatch. I arrive at the venue and set up and notice that the linens, bridesmaids dresses and coordinated floral arrangements all contain blue - but none of them match. Each and every shade of blue was different ranging from almost turquoise to sky blue meaning that the blue on the cake was its own unique shade at this point. Even though we were given a swatch and it all supposedly came from the same source it was not the same color.

All of that is to say that while Pantone is setting the color stage for the year and in most circles having that unique dye lot number will be exceedingly important it won't mean anything to those of us who will be working from color swatches of unusual names. Most of those colors cannot be ordered and must be mixed and that is difficult if large batches of color have to be done so that there is consistency.

So from my personal point of view I will say yay to the power or green.   My professional feeling on this wonderful announcement is that at least I'll get to work in shades of a color I love.