Wedding bakery studio with tasting room

Couples and families, wedding planners, venues, and local customers who order celebration cakes.

Wedding cakes priced per slice or design, plus tasting fees (often credited toward an order), dessert tables and cakes for other celebrations such as birthdays and showers.

• Advanced baking and cake design
• Running a small business and managing costs
• Hiring and training helpers
• Marketing and relationship building with wedding vendors

• Commercial kitchen build-out and equipment can be costly; check health department plan review requirements before signing a lease
• Lease terms, zoning and signage rules vary by city
• General liability, property and workers' compensation insurance once you hire
• Food safety certifications and allergen rules, check your state requirements
• Seasonal income swings, with a rush in spring to fall and slower winters
• Long hours and weekend work, particularly around events

Startup costs are typically around $20,000 to $100,000, depending on the premises, kitchen build-out and equipment. Commercial kitchen build-out and equipment can be costly, so check health department plan review requirements before signing a lease.

Monthly revenue is typically around $4,000 to $20,000, depending on how many orders you take and your pricing. Income can swing by season, with a rush in spring to fall and slower winters. Treat these as estimates, not guarantees.

Check health department plan review requirements, your state's food safety certifications and allergen rules, and local lease, zoning and signage rules. Also look at general liability, property and workers' compensation insurance once you hire help.