How to Start Wedding Cake Business
The wedding cake business is a business opportunity that continues to grow from year to year. New outlets that offer wedding cake making continue to emerge. The increasing population of the ready-to-get-married generation is driving the business of providing wedding party needs. Every year there are so many wedding exhibitions that are participated by various vendors providing wedding needs, one of which is the wedding cake business. They are competing to display wedding cake as it is the centerpiece of a wedding. It’s an item you will definitely need to prepare, but it contains a lot of thoughts and origins.
Like any business, a lot of creativity, dedication and acquiring knowledge is always necessary. Having different skills and techniques will make your business stand out quickly. When making cakes for family, there is not so much demand. However, when making cakes for profit, there are rules to follow and the more impeccable the better. Customers like a competitive price, but always prefer quality first. The profitability in this business is so great that even existing businesses cannot take advantage of everything.
Are you burning with the desire to know what it really takes to start a cake-making business? We prepared a step by step guide where you will learn how to start wedding cake business. You will know basic things you need to do to consolidate yourself in this market that is only growing. Check out!
In summary:
- Why Start?
- How to Start
- Wedding Cake Order Procedure
- How to Increase Profits
- Success Tips
Why Start?
A wedding party is not complete without the presence of a wedding cake. On certain dates and months that are considered to be good dates for weddings, the profits from the wedding cake business can soar along with the high demand.
Wedding cakes have become part of today’s wedding party trends that are common in various circles and not just part of certain cultures. This is what causes the wedding cake business to flourish.
This business is a great way to make nice money on what you love or classify as a hobby.
In the wedding cake business every order is different, and people are always so happy and excited when they see a finished product.
We believe that there are many misconceptions regarding running a wedding cake business. Many people think it is just a hobby, because you can bake or decorate a wedding cake in an hour. But even if it can start as a hobby for you, it’s a business that can bring you a big pocket.
Note that passion and talent for artistic culinary creations are necessary if you are starting a business wedding cakes, but it is not enough. You must have the organizational and business acumen to be successful. It is very important to note that like any other business; wedding cake requires hard work and long hours. But you can speed up this clock a bit by learning how to run a wedding cake business. It does not have to be long, but you need to understand what opening a business looks like. Learn the secrets, tips and techniques to make your business as efficient (and delicious) as possible.
If you love to design and work with baking, think about how to combine these two talents to start a wedding cake business. We believe that this type of business does not need a lot of resources, tools or equipment and you can start working from home. But to be successful, you need to understand that:
- The wedding cake is something that most people attach great importance to. In fact, no wedding ceremony, event or anniversary would be complete without a cake. So as a wedding cake decorator, you will always be in business, as long as people attach great importance to these events. Second, not only are people looking for attractively decorated cakes, but they are also willing to pay for everything just to get them.
- As a wedding cake decorator or designer, you are your own boss. This essentially means that you determine your salary and accept orders only from your customers.
- Doing a wedding cake business gives you a feeling and a sense of self-updating. Seeing your creative creations and designs appreciated by your clients delivers joy and a sense of pride.
- The wedding cake business is a business that you can start without money and you can also start from home; either full-time or part-time.
- It is neither capital intensive nor intensive management.
How to Start
- What do I need to know first?
We know that creating any business from scratch is not easy, especially when there is no knowledge at stake. The fact is, wedding cake business is a sure-selling business. After all, there is no one who does not like and resist a beautiful piece, agree?
We have competition everywhere, but when it comes to wedding cake business, there is plenty of room for creativity and innovation. That is why I always say that it is worth keeping an eye on trends.
So one of the first things to do to get this idea off the ground is to start planning the future of your business. This involves bureaucratic issues, a business plan, investments and possibilities for expansion.
Where do you want to go in 5 years? How can you start safely, economically and reach the level of success? How can you differentiate yourself from the competition?
All of this needs to be thought out in order to show you a safe route to start your business without fear and on the right track. Better to start right, as any loss can affect your entire business. For this reason, many companies close their doors even before completing one year of existence.
Planning is everything and without it, it is not possible to have a business that grows and bears good fruit over time.
- Market research
Doing market research always comes first. You need to look into the wedding cake business and learn more about the existing businesses. It knows which parts of the town are in demand, but no one can meet it, knows where to get it, and determines the exact potential location.
This phase is important because you can concentrate your efforts on covering only one area, which will translate into fewer losses, unlike when you try to cover several niches within the market, this involves a greater risk.
If desserts like cupcakes are your strong suit, you should focus on them and offer them for corporate events or wedding parties. If, on the other hand, you prefer to make cakes with decorations that include more elaborate designs, the ideal thing will be that you focus on the confectionery for weddings, etc.
In the culinary business, location is one of the main factors that determine the amount of capital you have to prepare, the type of wedding cake that must be produced, and the estimated price and profit. Therefore, you must choose the right location before starting this wedding cake business. Moreover, the intense competition in this business makes you have to be careful before choosing a business location.
The wrong location can make it difficult for a newly opened business to grow. So, before deciding on the best choice of location, you should conduct a survey to find out the market potential and the types of wedding cakes that people in that location are eyeing. Competitive conditions can also be seen from the survey you conducted.
For example, when you want to start a wedding cake business, you can choose a location in a traditional market, mall, shop in a residential complex, or a roadside outlet. However, do the calculation of the costs that must be incurred to rent the location, because each place has a different price.
If you choose a location in the mall, of course it will be different if you open a business on the side of the road. If you open a stall in the market, of course the rent is much cheaper than renting a shop house. Also pay attention to the concept of a shopping center whether it suits your wedding cake business or not.
We recommend that you choose a location that is in accordance with the habitat of the resident community.
Determining the selling price cannot be done carelessly, because if it is too cheap it doesn’t match the capital you spend, you might end up losing money. Meanwhile, if it is too expensive, your product will not be accepted by society. So, try to set a competitive price that is still in your favor but also light for the buyer.
You can determine the price by calculating the materials used, the equipment and supplies used, as well as other costs and costs during the production process. Therefore, it is better for you to record all expenses in detail at the beginning when starting this wedding cake business, whether it’s a cake business, a pastry business, or a home cake business. This will make it easier for you to set the selling price later.
However, as a beginner you are not advised to set high prices. You should wait for your wedding cake business to run smoothly and have lots of customers first, only then can you gradually increase the selling price.
The success and failure of a business, including a wedding cake business, depends on how you do promotion and marketing. You can do promotions by offering the best price so that buyers are interested. This promotion is not only done offline, but it will be faster when done online through social media on the internet.
Make new breakthroughs in your marketing such as regular discount offers, buy one get one , participate in exhibitions, improve the taste and variant as well as the appearance of cakes, especially the products of the wet cake business, provide tester products to taste, especially your pastry business products and home cake business.
This promotion must also be done vigorously, because your success in this cake business depends on the success of the promotion you are doing. So, try to make attractive promotions starting from door to door, especially for the pastry business.
By introducing directly to friends and colleagues, as well as the local community, you can create a wedding cake product brochure with their reviews about your product. After that, you can market this cake business online through the right social media such as Facebook or Instagram. Don’t forget, display your wedding cake products in an interesting and creative way in terms of product photos and designs.
So, those are the wedding cake business ideas and opportunities, whether it’s a cake business, a pastry business, or a home cake business. A culinary that can be cultivated and in demand by various groups, because it always develops following technological advances and is certainly worth running.
Get started – Don’t wait too long. Once you have everything in place. Start your wedding cake business while delivering quality and value for your customers’ money. Build meaningful relationships with your customers, too.
It is how much you market yourself that determines how far you go in your business, so let the world know that you are making wedding cake.
- Basic Equipment
Ovens: think of the ideal oven for your confectionery, as you will need one that holds several shapes at the same time and that regulates the temperature for each type of product;
Stainless steel table: you will need this table to open the pastries and pastries from your bakery;
Mixers and mixers: choose instruments that allow you to choose different speeds, to achieve the required consistency of each mix;
Shapes: You need shapes of various shapes and sizes. And purchase this product in many quantities;
Plastic pots: use them to reserve food;
Creative packaging: display your products in packaging that catches your customer’s attention;
Freezer: for the production area and for the sales area;
Kitchen utensils: Spatulas, silicone mat, roller, nozzles and cutters.
Your work team depends on the size of your business. They must always be updated on the new techniques and news on the market.
Note: If you are planning a wedding for 100 people or more, two questions arise. One is whether there are enough slices of cake for each guest, and the other is how can everyone be satisfied? In this case, a good large wedding cake, even a hundred-slice or high-rise, is recommended, in addition to which we can order smaller so-called accompanying cakes, including the same taste as the original big one. In this way, guests who may arrive at different times can experience the cutting of the cake, and the selection can satisfy all needs.
Wedding Cake Order Procedure
- Decide the order destination
First, decide where to order the wedding cake. It is smooth to request a contractor to cooperate with the ceremony, but if you are particular about the design and the creator, you may ask an external contractor.
However, in that case, additional charges may be incurred as a carry-in fee and a carry-in fee, so let’s confirm in advance with the ceremony that you can bring in.
- Decide on a budget
The cost of the wedding cake varies depending on the design, ingredients, and the number of guests, but the price is around $9.43 to $14.15 (material cost + design cost) per guest.
If you want to keep costs down, using an imitation cake is another option.
- Decide the theme and shape
Let’s consider the decoration and taste by choosing the type of cake you like.
Recently, instead of choosing the cake of your choice from a catalog, an increasing number of brides and grooms consult with the wedding cake decorator in the wedding cake business shop and prepare original cakes.
When thinking about designing ourselves, we first decide on concepts such as “I want to express the memories of the two people” and “I want to express my gratitude to my parents and relatives.”
After that, it is better to fill in the detailed design by referring to the case of a wedding cake that was actually made.
After knowing how to get started, also consider the strategy to increase its profit below:
- Increase Selling Value
Increase the selling value to attract buyers. That way, buyers will feel more value if they buy a wedding cake at your place.
There are many ways to improve it. For example, serving delivery for those who place orders online.
- Increase Production Amount
This one method is only suitable for those who already have a broad marketing target. If you already have a wide market, it doesn’t hurt to increase the number of products being marketed.
That way, the profit on your business will slowly continue to increase.
However, pay attention to what products you want to add. For example, suppose you are marketing two types of wedding cakes, namely wet and dry cakes.
Which do you think is worth adding? Instead, look at the sales side. Which type of wedding cake sells well, that’s what you add.
- Expanding the Production Field
The next way to increase profits is to expand the industrial sector. For example, adding several new wedding cake menus to your production list. That way, the market reach will be even wider.
- Stay away from price competition
Competing in price is something that is common in the market. However, you should avoid it. Look for some other ways to increase profits. For example, such as reducing some operational costs that are not or less effective.
- Keep Looking For New Target Customers Every Day
Today, the internet makes it easier for us to find new customers every day. You can promote your wedding cake via social media for free. If enough money, you can also promote it for a fee.
Success Tips
In order for your wedding cake business to be able to gain success, follow some of the following tips:
1. Dedicate yourself to the project
If you want to create a truly lucrative business, you must dedicate yourself to the project and specialize in the subject. The person you hire will hardly have the same appreciation for the client and for the quality of your wedding cake business. Knowing the ins and outs of baking will show you the performance problems you must overcome to improve service.
2. Attention to quality
Do your best to guarantee the quality of the cakes in your bakery. This may imply higher initial investments in machinery, for example, but if the quality is good, you will recover in the medium and long term the invested value.
The importance of quality will be seen in customer loyalty. Do you think that, when it is no longer a novelty in the neighborhood, your pastry shop is going to sustain itself without quality? Nobody recommends a low-quality product.
3. Invest in a good presentation
A cake shop refers to special commemorations, such as weddings. It is therefore important that the presentation of the products is impeccable and attractive to consumers. Invest in the decoration of your store and keep it clean.
4. Work on customization
The more the customer can personalize their cake, the more satisfied they will be. Offering the possibility of comprehensive customization can work as a differential value for your bakery.
Get in touch with wedding and graduation production companies, bridal gown shops and specialized gift shops to organize events together. In this way you can publicize your cake, attracting potential consumers.
If you have the intention, immediately start this wedding cake business from now on. Those who like to procrastinate usually have many reasons. Even though a good business is a business that is run, not a business that is thought of. After running, run this wedding cake business diligently, because no results betray the effort. And now, after you’ve figured out how to the wedding cake business, it’s just success!