Why We Charge for Wedding Cake Consultations

A couple of months ago, we started using an online appointment booking software program called Appointy to book wedding and custom cake consultations. It looked like a great way for us to keep on top of appointments, while at the same time, giving our customers the convenience of booking their own cake consultations. After a few weeks using the system, however, we noticed that we had a much higher frequency of "no shows" than ever before (50%). It was frustrating. It seemed that the ease of booking an appointment online translated into an ease of not showing up for the appointment. Engaged couples that really wanted to meet with us couldn't because those appointment slots were occupied by "casual" customers. So, we made the tough decision to charge for wedding cake consultations.

Many of our baker friends from around the country have adopted this policy for the same reasons. Following suit, we are now charging a $25.00 fee for wedding cake consultations. This consultation fee will be applied to the wedding cake balance if you choose to book with us. It includes up to four cake sample plates and one hour of our cake consultant's time. A cake consultant is one of the owners (Beth or Becky), or a wedding cake decorator. During the consultation, the cake consultant will help design a cake that suits your colors, theme, and taste. We'll give you a quote on a range of designs and do our best to work within your budget. At the end of the consultation you may choose to book with us, or to think about it - leaving a sketch and estimate in our wedding estimate book.

Like we tell all of our brides and grooms, when it comes to wedding cakes, time is money. The amount of time required in creating a wedding cake is much more than with our other cakes. A great deal of the time we spend on your wedding cake is in the consultation phase. When people choose to not show up for wedding cake consultations, it impacts our bottom line - and that, in turn, impacts our customers. In order for us to keep the price of our wedding cakes reasonable, we need to insure that our staff members aren't setting aside their time unnecessarily. Of course, we understand that paying the fee will alienate some of our potential customers. Some engaged couples just want to know what our cake tastes like - and that's all. For those that just want to try cake, you can call in an order for a "wedding sample to-go". There is no fee for this sample, you just need to place an order for it ahead of time. We also sample our cakes several times a year at bridal shows and community events. It's a great way for you to see what all the fuss is about :-) without the formality of a wedding cake consultation.

Here are some of our upcoming events, where we will have FREE samples of our cakes:

• Thursday, December 11, 2014: Bridal Mixer at Creative Cakes Bakery & Café
• Saturday, December 27, 2014: Bridal Mixer at Creative Cakes Bakery & Café
• Sunday, January 25, 2015: Bridal Expo at Georgio's Banquets in Orland Park
• Wednesday, February 18, 2015: Bridal Expo at Drury Lane in Oak Brook
• Sunday, April 19, 2015: Bridal Expo at Double Tree in Oak Brook
• Sunday, April 26, 2015: Bridal Expo at Georgio's Banquets in Orland Park
• Sunday, July 12, 2015: Bridal Expo at the Marriott in Naperville
• Sunday, July 15, 2015: Bridal Expo at Georgio's Banquets in Orland Park
• Wednesday, September 9, 2015: Bridal Expo at Drury Lane in Oak Brook
• Sunday, November 8, 2015: Bridal Expo at Georgio's Banquets in Orland Park

Article from the Tinley Junction 05/29/2014

   

Creative Cakes owners open new café adjacent to bakery

Jason Maholy, Staff Writer, Tinley Junction

When Beth Fahey and Becky Palermo envisioned the type of place they would prefer to go on a Friday night for a cup of coffee or a glass of wine and a bite to eat, they saw a cafe with art on the walls, healthy menu options and a dining area that lends itself to quiet conversation.

The sisters, who have owned Creative Cakes in Tinley Park since 2002, have transformed that idea into reality with the opening of a cafe adjacent to their popular bakery, 16649 Oak Park Ave.

Fahey and Palermo, who both live in New Lenox, began developing the concept for their restaurant last October and in late April opened the 2,400-square-foot diner. Creative Cakes’ expansion into the space formerly occupied by an AT&T store nearly doubled the business’ square footage, and gave the shop the frontage it had lacked along Oak Park Avenue.

“We needed more space, we just couldn’t grow,” Fahey said. “We had a good wedding [cake] business bust just couldn’t do much more than that. We were maxed out, especially refrigeration-wise.”

The sisters moved the business to its current location in Rubino’s Plaza in 2005, but the space had been difficult for customers and potential customers to see because of its location in the corner of the L-shaped plaza.

“I can’t tell you how many times people have come in and said they’ve been a customer of Rubino’s [deli] for so many years, and asked ‘how long have you been here?,’” Fahey said. “We felt the area needed something like this. It’s fast-casual and has healthier options than burgers, fries and pizza.”

The cafe’s menu features soups, salads, sandwiches, crepes, Intelligentsia coffee, wines, and craft beers from local brewers. The cleverly-named dishes include the Fromage a Trois grilled panini with three cheeses, bacon and tomato on sourdough; the Goat in the Garden “sammy” topped with herbed goat cheese, sliced cucumber, roasted red pepper and arugula on whole wheat ciabatta; and the Wild Shroom crepe with wild mushrooms and Swiss cheese. The cafe uses artisan cheeses including fontini and aged cheddar, and offers vegetarian and gluten-free options as well as a children’s menu that features grilled cheese, ham and turkey with cheddar and a hummus plate. Craft beers include Hailstorm Irish red, brewed in Tinley Park.

“They’ve got really great beer and they’re trying to distribute to local restaurants,” Fahey said of Hailstorm. “That’s a story in its self.”

The sisters’ based their concept of the cafe on the type of place they would like to be available to them, and what they believe is needed in downtown Tinley Park.

“How many times have you gone out for date night and you want to go get some coffee, or maybe you don’t want coffee you just want a glass of beer or a glass of wine, and you don’t want to go to a sports bar,” Fahey said. “It’s a little more quiet, you can have a conversation, there’s interesting art on the walls.

“We’re really into food, and we just created a place we wanted to go. A lot of the feedback we’ve gotten is that corporate food is not what people want, and I think Tinley deserves better than that. The soup doesn’t come out of a bag, we make it from scratch. The baked goods are baked here, not made off-site by some wholesale bakery and brought in.”

The cafe has been serving a variety of customers, from women who are there with their book clubs to couples to busy families with small children, Fahey said.

“I think for a lot of people it works,” she added.

The cafe’s open floor plan enables customers to watch crepes being made on the same kind of crepe-makers used by French street vendors. On the bakery side, large panel windows afford a view of the cake decorators at work. The red-painted cafe walls are adorned with the works of local artists. The art is for sale, and half the proceeds go to a local animal shelter. 

“It’s visually engaging,” said Fahey, who used to work as a camera assistant in Hollywood. “We’re trying to bring a little bit of theater into food. What we sell here is art and food.”

The weather this spring has been largely uncooperative, but when it isn’t raining or cold the cafe’s outdoor dining area is a place customers can sip drinks or eat amidst blooming flowers and an herb garden from which the harvest will be used in the cafe’s food.

Transitioning from baking and decorating cakes to producing high-quality food has its challenges. Palermo and Fahey had to train their staff members to do jobs with which they themselves were largely unfamiliar.

“We’re new to restaurants,” Fahey acknowledged. “We’ve been doing bakery for 25 years but a restaurant’s a totally different thing, so we’re learning on the job. But we have a lot of friends and we’re not afraid of asking questions.”

“Our level of service is 10 times better than what you’re going to find at a corporate [cafe]. We have very low turnover, we’ve got a great company culture, and the people who work here – they get it. One of core values is a ‘wow’ experience for all, for customers and employees.”

The sisters are hopeful their cafe can be part of a vibrant dining scene along Oak Park Avenue. 

“We’d like to see a restaurant row celebrating art and food, and funky little shops,” Fahey said. “It’s a great downtown, it’s just under-utilized. This is what we’re doing to help improve that.”

- See more at: http://www.tinleyjunction.com/creative-cakes-owners-open-new-cafe-adjacent-bakery#sthash.0GDPi52Q.dpuf

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Celebrate St. Pat's with our festive treats!  View this email in your browser  At the end of the rainbow you'll find...  our amazing desserts! Better than a pot of gold, don't ya think? Irish Soda Bread We use buttermilk and a mix of raisins in our recipe. This bread is great on its own and AMAZING toasted with a schmear of butter. Perfect for breakfast or an anytime snack! 10 Servings, $6.95 Order online Mint Oreo Cupcake Made with our rich chocolate cake and filled with mint Oreo mousse. Topped with mint buttercream, Oreo chunks and a shamrock. $2.95 each Order online Chocolate St. Patrick's Day Brownie Pop This little gem is made with a fudgy brownie ball that's dipped in chocolate. Decorated with St. Patrick's sprinkles. $1.95 each Order online Pot O' Gold Cupcake This festive cupcake is made with chocolate cake and topped with gold tinted buttercream. Decorated with a leprechaun and gold chocolate coins. $2.95 each Order online   Baileys Cupcake Our white cake with Irish cream mousse filling. Iced with buttercream and topped with a caramel drizzle. *contains alcohol* $2.95 each Order online White Chocolate St. Patrick's Day Brownie Pop Made with a fudgy brownie ball that's dipped in white chocolate. Decorated with St. Patrick's sprinkles. $1.95 each Order online Shamrock Cookie A cute shamrock-shaped sugar cookie that's decorated with St. Patrick's Day sprinkles. $2.25 each Order online Baileys Bites Cookies These rich cookies are made with Baileys, coconut, white chocolate chips and pecans in the dough. Topped with Irish cream glaze. *contain alcohol* $15.95 per lb (approx. 12 ct. per lb) Order online Irish Cream Macaron This is a French almond meringue sandwich cookie with delicious Irish cream filling. $1.25 each Order online Remember to check out the Irish Parade in Tinley Park on Sunday, March 9th! We'll be there handing out goodies! Share Tweet Forward to Friend Copyright © 2014 Creative Cakes, LLC, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: 16649 Oak Park Ave. Tinley Park, IL 60477 unsubscribe from this list    update subscription preferences