The 5 Most Important Questions To Ask Before Buying A $23,000 Wedding Cake
Written by Christy Bowman
July 06, 2018 |
Weddings are expensive, so before overspending on a cake, make sure you ask these 5 questions first.
Even though it's tempting to fill this article with the 5 whys, I will put aside my cynicism and assume that somehow, someway you have come up with a legitimate reason as to why you would buy a wedding cake that costs $23,000.00. However, before you commit to buying such a monstrosity, there are (at least) 5 important questions you need to ask first.
What Is The Difference Between This And The $21,000 Cake?
There are a whole lot of weddings featuring a cake that costs $2,000.00 or less, including those with homemade cakes presented with inexpensive wedding cake stands. If you ask your cake provider this question and they huffily storm out of the room, that's probably a pretty clear indication that they are scamming you. A car manufacturer can tell you exactly the difference between a $23,000.00 car and a $21,000.00 car - and those differences will include both elements you interact with - like the car stereo and floor mats - as well as mechanical differences in things like drive-train and brakes. In the world of car sales, all the players realize how competitive the marketplace really is, so they are fully prepared to work with customers to help them clearly understand details about the car.
Surely if you are seeking to purchase a $23,000.00 cake, you are the cake provider's biggest client of the year, so they should be taking the time to explain intricate details with you.
What Is The Return Policy For Uneaten Tiers?
One of the things that makes a $23,000.00 wedding cake a $23,000.00 wedding cake is volume. All of those tiers add up. Not only does each tier result in a lot of cake per wedding guest, their shape can also making eating it more difficult. Add to that problem the tendency for high end wedding cakes to have ornate, flowing icing decorations. The consequence of these design elements may be that guests either choose to avoid having a slice of cake, or if they do, they have only one.
As a newly minted bride, it may be right down your alley to feast on wedding cake for the next 6 months, but somewhere along the line, that's bound to get tiresome. Even at $23,000.00, cake per mouthful is still just cake. With so much cake left over, you need to ask if the cake provider allows for a fall back plan in the event there are significant portions left uneaten.
What Is The Insurance Policy On The Cake?
If you're spending $23,000.00 on a wedding cake, the very last thing you should have to consider is risk. With wedding cakes, there are a lot of factors that introduce risk on the big day. What if the weather is unseasonably hot? Will the cake or icing melt making a beautiful wedding cake look more like a dying snowman? Reception halls feature a lot of people and each of them can cause harm to a wedding cake before the big moment when the bride and groom cut the first slice. Guests, the wedding party and even catering staff all might accidentally bump the table holding the cake causing it to topple to the ground. Couple that risk to the fact that weddings often feature open bars and there's a pretty good chance that cake might not be standing until it is time for dessert.
Lastly, what if the bride or groom get cold feet at the last minute? Should the cost of a $23,000.00 cake still be something they pay for? The whole point of the cake is to celebrate the union of two lovers, so if that event does not transpire, then the cake is extremely overpriced. Insurance for all risks is something you need to consider on a cake with such an enormous price-tag.
Can The Payment Be Split Into A Deposit And Fulfillment Amount?
In construction, it is fairly common to pay contractors a portion of the estimate up front, but not pay the full amount until the job is complete. This splitting of the payment amount gives the consumer some leverage over the level of quality of the completed job, as well as allow for some level of adjustment during the construction process. If contractors did not have the threat of non-payment motivating them to satisfy their customers, they probably wouldn't.
Given there are a lot of reason why a $23,000.00 wedding cake may not fulfill $23,000.00 worth of wedding day expectations, it is very important to split at least 50% of the payment to occur after the wedding is complete. That way the bride and groom can have more peace of mind that if something does go horribly wrong on the big day, and they're faced with major wedding cake drama, they will have some level of recourse. Cake providers with an $11,500.00 incentive to ensure that the big day goes smoothly will likely bend over backwards to ensure that happens. With that much effort working in your favor for not one additional cent paid, your wedding day stress will come down a notch or two.
Can I Have A List Of Reference Clients Who Have Previously Purchased A $23,000.00 Cake From You?
If you were to purchase a new TV, you would first ask friends for their recommendations. After that, you would probably go online and look up reviews from other customers to determine the things they liked about it as well as what they found to be a problem. The same thing goes for travel: the whole industry is driven by endorsements by travelers.
If you are on the cusp of purchasing a $23,000.00 wedding cake, do yourself a favor and get a list of references from the cake provider. And then actually contact them! If the bride and groom on the reference list purchased a $23,000.00 wedding cake from your potential cake provider and they were completely satisfied, that might go a long way in reassuring you that you are making the correct choice. However, if you get some negative reviews back, that simple phone call might save you enough money to completely pay for a honeymoon or new car.
Summary
It's hard to believe a $23,000.00 wedding cake can be a purchase worth making. But if you decide a wedding cake with a price tag that large is essential for your wedding, take the time to ask these 5 questions. By challenging your cake provider to give you details and to advocate for your success on the big day, you will help ensure that your $23,000.00 goes to more than just cake. With a focus on outlying scenarios like returning uneaten portions and insurance will help you eliminate unnecessary risk. And by checking up with reference clients, you will get the straight goods from someone who has experienced what its like to spend such a crazy amount of money on a wedding cake.
Have you ever spent a crazy amount of money on a wedding cake? Did you ask any of these questions before making the purchase? What was the result of either asking the question or the consequence of not asking?