wedding cake from the venue

[caribqueen]

So just a few weeks into planning and I already know I do not want to do this again. Anyway, the ballroom where we''re thinking of having our reception provides the cake. The thing is, they don''t offer cake tastings. What they do offer is that you can buy a 6" cake for $15 each to try to sample a couple different flavors. First of all, am I out of my mind hoping for a free cake tasting? I thought that was standard. The thing is, my parents are paying and they don''t seem to think it''s a big deal if I don''t taste the cake beforehand. I on the othehand do. Also, my mother is thinking of the simplicity of the setup. Which means, if we get the cake from the reception site, that''s one less vendor to coordinate with and no transporting of a cake.

Now, it''s very likely we''ll go with this reception site, but I''m a dessert person and so to me the cake taste is very important. I guess we can always order a cake from outside of the venue, but that''s extra cost and the cake from the reception site is included in the per person cost.

My questions: How might you handle a situation like this? What''s the average cost for a wedding cake from a bakery (obviously because they already have the cakes there, that probably makes it easier to taste anyway)? Has anyone been in a situation like this before where the reception site made the cake? How did it turn out? Was it just as good?

Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

[FrekeChild]

First of all, cake prices vary depending on your location. NYC has cake that can go from $10 per slice and up, where as Albuquerque NM (where I am), has cake that can start at $1. So that''s relative to your area.

Second, I am totally with you. Taste the cake. And I would be caught off guard at a non-free cake tasting too...and I''m a former (depending on what day it is) pastry chef.

 

[Kelli]

I''m a dessert person too and I DEFINITELY want to taste my cake beforehand. And no, I don''t want to pay.

That seems strange to me.

 

[Gypsy]

BEFORE you book any venue... negotiate for what you want. That''s when you have the leverage to ge what you want. And in this economy... ask for anything that occurs to you. They can only say no.

AFTER you book, it''s too late. They have your deposit.


You want to taste your cake? Tell them it''s a requirement that you get 2 or 3 flavors free. And that they wave any additional fees if you decide you want a cake from elsewhere. That is fair. You don''t get a cake from them... they keep the cost of the cake, they don''t charge you extra. If they want to charge you for the outside cake... they need to credit you the cost of the cake you aren''t going to get from them. It''s all a wash if they don''t charge you a fee for bringing a cake in. As long as you get it from a commercial bakery they should have no problem, their liabilty insurance could cover it as long as the place is commercial.

 

[marchswallowbird]

I would insist on being able to taste the cake beforehand. This is standard. They are insane, making you buy an entire 6" cake just to taste it. They are not being fair; not letting you taste their cake but insisting you pay extra to bring in a cake from the outside. Negotiate this before you plunk down your deposit.

 

[mrscushion]

For me, the cake is pretty much the last item on my priority list, and I'd still want to taste it. You need to know what your guests will be fed! So, if they're not giving you a free tasting (which I agree is very annoying -- can you negotiate?), I'd probably just pre-select a few flavors and pony up the $15 for each to make a final decision.

 

[brendaman]

We had been looking at hotels for our wedding and settled to one of the luxury hotels in Washington, DC. Most of the hotel packages do offer cakes, some of them from well-known local bakers. The venue we chose makes their own cake, and their pastry chef is quite good. I still want to taste the cake though and have not yet asked whether this was possible, but I will inisist if it is not. The cake is included as we''re doing a four-course meal, and one of our choices is to make the cake the 4th course. Otherwise, I could a regular dessert, and if they wanted cake provided as an extra, it would start at $14 per person.

Hotels often have big Sunday brunches in which the pastry chef will prepare a dessert table. If they are not doing a tasting of the cake, as if you could try some pastry samples. We were worried about the food at our venue and told them we needed to try out the chef and pastry chef and service. We went to a Sunday brunch, which I thought was a good indication of what the kitchen does in preparing dishes in large portions. Everything was wonderful, and to our surprise, they comp''d our meal.

Really, I had heard for a hotel, you can negotiate quite a bit, e.g. lower room rate for your guest block; upgraded bridal suite, etc. So, it doesn''t hurt to ask. What could you lose, that they say, "no"??

 

[bee*]

I''d definitely want to taste the cake. Try and negotiate it that you can taste a few flavors for free but if not I''d just pay the money to sample them.

 

[rhbgirl24]

I would want to taste the cake too! My cake is included in the package (up to a certain amount) and is outsourced. We went to the location and they gave us a free tasting. We customized the cake COMPLETELY (cost us quite a bit extra) and then ordered (and paid for) a small cake to try to completely custom creation..............

So I''ve done both there, but I think you should be allowed to try their standard. How hard is it for them to make a few cupcakes? Geez.

 

[NakedFinger]

Caribqueen- Ok, I am a wedding planner, and I have never heard of a place not doing a cake tasting??? Assuming the place offers more than one cake type and filling type, how are you supposed to decide on what cake/filling combo to go with? I dont see how ordering a 6' cake of one cake/filling would really help anything?

I am personally a big fan of getting the cake outside of the package. Because many places will show you photos and say, "Pick from cake A, cake B or cake C". If you go to an outside bakery, you can custom design a cake to your specifications. And again, ALL places do a tasting.

If you wanted to consider this option, then I would let your venue know you plan on getting a cake outside, and will not be using the one included in the package. Since the cake price per person is factored into your package price, speak to them about lowering your package price, since you are no longer getting the cake through them. Then I would go elsewhere (just make sure they allow outside vendors and see if they charge a cake cutting fee if you dont use their cake).

Regarding cost, Freke said it best. It really depends on where you are located. I am in NYC and a cake STARTS at $10 per slice if you go to a random bakery, and some of the "famous" bakers start at $15.00 per slice for something very basic, and can go as high as $40 a slice like Sylvia Weinstock or Ron Ben-Israel. Sylvia is a doll, she is actually a friend of mine, my avatar is a pic of her cake, thats about $10,000, lol. But she does a very nice tasting plate and really works with you to create your dream cake.

 

[caribqueen]

Thanks for the input.

Just an update. After the conversations with the venue owner (the one who provides the cake) and my uneasiness with his responses, my parents and I went back to our number 1 choice and did a little price negotiating and it looks like we may end up getting the original venue we wanted in the first place. Part of our problem was that the price was too high, but it''s a 225 guest list and so that made it easier for us to negotiate with them for a lower price per head. In addition, this venue (choice #1) actually contracts with a nationally renowned bakery (and yes we''ll be able to sample cake FOR FREE). There is something to be said for how someone treats you in the beginning. And while I know some of these venue places do this every weekend, I only plan to do this once and I expect to be treated like my business matters. The venue that we''ll end up going with has been first class since we met them a month ago, with follow-up and willing to please us with additional requests not included in the package. I''ve learned that sometimes the best deal, is not the best deal. But this time around, it may turn out to be the case with our change in venue choice.

 

[LauraBabe08]

My venue had its own pastry chef, and the cake was included. I could have chosen to add things, which would increase the cost of the cake, or hire an outside cake vendor which might have saved me just a couple hundred dollars (and added a ton of stress!)

I went with the pastry chef at my site, and did not have a cake tasting. I chose devils food cake and vanilla buttercream icing. I think I paid more b/c it was a 3-tier square cake (instead of round) and I had it served with berry sauce.

The cake was delicious! I did pick really basic flavors though, so if you are considering specialty flavors, then a tasting might be best just to make sure that you really like it.