General Questions

How much is a cake?

All cakes are individually priced per size as well as design. There's no such thing as "wedding tax" added, whether it be a birthday cake or wedding cake, they are all priced the same.

Wedding cakes may cost more due to the size and detail needed. Please remember that your wedding cake may just be the biggest, most anticipated cake you will ever order!

Some designs do cost significantly more than others due to the cost of materials used, or the extra decorating time it can take to achieve the look you are wanting. We take pride in ensuring each of our cakes (wedding or not) receives the same care and time needed to create a beautiful finish.

Things to be considered within our costs are licensing, insurance, and fair wages. We also liaise directly with your venue, florists, and co-coordinators on delivery schedules and setup details.

I've never ordered a custom cake before! What do I need to do?

As your cake designer, I will always start with these 3 questions:

1. When is your event date? Let's make sure your date is available! Booking at least one month in advance is highly recommended.

2. How many people are you trying to feed? This will determine the size of your cake. The number of servings you require will determine the number of tiers. For example, you will not need to order a 3 tier cake to feed 10, or a 2 tier to feed 100. Allow us to recommend the number of tiers based on what would look most aesthetically pleasing based on your serving needs.

3. What price range were you looking to stay in? This step is often the hardest for most clients; however, it is the most critical in designing a dessert that you are happy with. Cakes are priced by the serving, by the filling (if any), and by how much work is involved in the design. Designs that have lots of fondant or intense sculpture work will naturally cost more. We work in many budget ranges, so don't be afraid to ask.

Where can I look for ideas of what kind of cake I want?

Pinterest, Instagram, and Google images have been the MOST HELPFUL avenue for getting inspiration. You can also view our gallery, our Pinterest page, or our Instagram page to view our previous work. Gather several images, noting what you do and do not like. Let us know when you contact us, and we can design from there.

How much notice do you need?

We hate to turn anyone away, so the sooner the better! We start taking bookings up to 12 months in advance, and for peak wedding season we would definitely recommend getting in contact at least 9 months out from your date.  To keep our standards high, we do have a strict limit on numbers for our wedding orders as each delivery and setup can be quite time-consuming. If you are still unsure on the final details, we are happy to reserve your date with a non-refundable booking fee. This locks in your booking date and we can go through the final details in good timing. 

We prefer to have 2-4 weeks notice in most cases for all other events, but again, spaces are limited so it is a good idea to get in touch as soon as possible. If we have the availability, we always welcome late orders.

Do you deliver? Can we pick up?

That's a double YES! We deliver all over Montana and most of the Big Sky Metroplex. We highly recommend having us deliver wedding cakes and sculpted cakes, and actually insist on anything over 2 tiers. Delivery is $50 for the Billings area and $100 for Red Lodge. Wyoming deliveries start at $200.

Destination events in Big Sky/Glacier/Yellowstone: Due to the distance of these deliveries, we require a hotel room in addition to the delivery fee to these areas. Plan an $100 delivery fee for every hour the venue is from the bakery. Final fees will be discussed at your consultation.

For smaller cakes, we do offer pickup and we can structure up to 2 tiers to be collected (please be advised that any collections, once taken off-site are the responsibility of the client). We will instruct on the best way to travel with the cake but cannot be held responsible for anything happening in transit.

Our pickup times are usually between 9 am-10 am on weekends, and our deliveries start from 10 am onward so arriving promptly for your pick appointment is critical. We generally do not meet clients in parking lots or random locations due to safety reasons. Thank you for understanding.

Do you have a shop? Can we get a sample?

As we are completely custom-made to order, we do not have a retail area to purchase cake from.

​Whoa! Those sculpted cakes blow my mind! How much are they?

Sculpted cakes are definitely my passion! They are very labor-intensive and require extensive amounts of materials and expertise. My sculpted cakes start at $500 and go up from there depending on the complexity of the design. The bigger and more gravity-defying the design (see my sculpted cake gallery) the more expensive. These cakes are edible works of art that will absolutely make your event UNFORGETTABLE!

I saw cakesicles on your social media pages! What are those, and how much?

Cakesicles are like cake pops, only SO MUCH BETTER! They are bigger bits of cake covered in a chocolate candy shell. From fancy to whimsical, they are great as small bites, wedding favors, or thank you gifts. They come in sets of 4 and start at $20/per set. More elaborate designs with characters, gold leaf, etc will need to be quoted out.

Do you make Sugar cookies?

Yes and no. Our passion is cake, but we know sometimes an occasion just needs cookies. Our cookies are covered in marshmallow fondant and embossed or painted. We do not work with royal icing at this time.

Do you make cupcakes?

Yes, a minimum order of 1 dozen per flavor. Basic cupcakes are $48/dozen.

What about sheet cakes, cake pops, or cheesecakes?

Unfortunately, we do not carry those confections at this time.

Do you offer gluten-free/Vegan/Dairy-free?

We do not cater to Celiacs as our kitchen and equipment are shared. For anyone with high food allergies, we do recommend Rae Rae’s Bakery on Grand Ave as they are dedicated to gluten-free baking! Unfortunately, we do not offer Vegan or Dairy-free selections at this time.

Do you do smash cakes, or cakes for photo sessions?

I do prepare smash cakes as an add-on service to an additional dessert order, meaning your baby will get their own cake for play, and your guests get a party cake to eat. My baby cake for smashing consists of a 4” round buttercream cake that matches the theme of the party. 

If you are wanting a cake for a Smash Cake photo session, I will prepare a 6” round buttercream cake as they photograph better and produce a more dramatic smash. Keep in mind; however, that this cake is billed at our standard rates, and will be a minimum of $180.

What are your payment policies?

To place an order, a signed contract and 50% booking fee must be received. This retainer fee holds your date and is NOT REFUNDABLE. The remaining balance is due 2 weeks prior to the event date. Cakes booked 2 weeks or less from the event date must be paid in full at the time of order, as well as any order under $200.

Do you take credit cards/Venmo/Facebook Pay?

We accept all major credit cards. We use Square, a secure online payment system. We cannot accept payments from social network payment systems.

My event has been canceled! Can I get a refund?

Unfortunately, the retainer fee cannot be refunded as we have had to turn away other clients who desired your event date. Payments that have already been applied towards your dessert can be transferred to another date based on availability. Thank you for understanding.

How much will my cake cost?

Each cake is priced individually based on flavors, fillings, design details, and delivery distance. The simpler and smaller the cake, the less costly. See our General FAQs for a more detailed explanation.

Wedding Cakes that feed around 50 people can expect a minimum cost of $300

Wedding Cakes that feed around 100 people can expect to pay a minimum cost of $700

Wedding Cakes that feed around 200 people can expect to pay a minimum cost of $1200

Do you do tastings?

​We currently meet clients off-site from our working kitchen at Gainan’s Midtown Floral, on Grand Ave. in Billings. These are held by appointment only and reserved for clients needing a single large dessert for 50 or more guests (Not to be confused with a small cutting cake for the couple and cupcakes) Our sit down consultations are $35, and include a private design meeting with one of our cake sample boxes (which includes 3 cake flavors, our icings, and up to 3 fillings of choice) for you and your partner. We love meeting with our couples, and think it's a really important wedding planning experience. Meeting and discussing likes and dislikes, themes, and event feel helps us to understand and deliver the perfect cake for your occasion. Weekend appointments can be booked 3-4 weeks in advance, we can take weekday appointments before 10 am-1 pm subject to availability.

When do I schedule my tasting and/or consultation?

We recommend scheduling your tasting or consultation no less than 6 months prior to your event date. At the time of scheduling, you will need to send in your tasting fee, if you will want to taste cakes at your consultation. It is generally advisable to have your venue booked before scheduling your tasting.

How do I prepare for my tasting?

The most important way to be prepared is to have an idea of what you want and how much you want to spend. Knowing a price range helps me design a cake in your budget so no time is wasted in creating designs outside that range. Bring inspiration images to give me an idea of how you envision your cake to look like. Also, you will need to know how many people you want to serve, the venue location, and the time of the reception.

What should I bring to my tasting or consultation?

Please bring any inspiration photos you may have found, color swatches of ribbon if you would like to color match, and anything you may want to incorporate into the cake (such as a topper or figurine). Although, if you HAVEN’T purchased anything, please wait until AFTER our meeting to make sure what you want to incorporate will fit the design. Some may not be appropriate for your cake due their weight. Some toppers may not look appropriate on your cake due to their size.

What’s a Groom’s Cake? Do you make those?

Of course! Why should the bride have all the fun!? A groom’s cake is a great way to incorporate a little personality into the dessert table if you are wanting the bridal cake to be strictly more traditional in style. Groom’s cakes are often designed around favorite sports teams, fandoms, pets, or hobbies. They are definitely a great way to add a little wow factor to your event. A groom’s cake is also great to get additional servings for larger weddings, without committing to having a huge bridal cake.

Do you deliver?

Yes. See our General FAQs for a more detailed explanation.

Do you do cake floral arrangements?

Yes, typically I work with the couple on a floral design for the cake, then liaise directly with their hired florist for the needed blooms. The florist will then add the cost of the cake blooms to your FLORAL contract. Florists leave me a vase with blooms on the cake table to arrange at delivery.

If you are not working with a florist, I will use my own sources to purchase the flowers, whether live or artificial. If you are doing your own flowers or Soma flowers, please leave me the appropriate amount of blooms and greenery on the cake table to arrange. I will inform you of the stem need during our consultation, and it will be listed in your contract. Our preferred floral vendors are Macs Floral, Gainan’s Floral, and Stigma and Style.

The cake I want is outside my budget, but I WANT YOU! What can I do?

1. The first thing to do is verify your guest count. Double-checking the RSVPs will not only save you on cake, but on additional party supplies as well. I encourage couples to count on 75% attendance of the total guest count. (i.e. if you invite 100 people, plan on 75 actually attending.)

2. Consider a less intricate or pared-down version of your design or reducing the number of flavor options.

3. Consider a smaller "Centerpiece Cake". This smaller cake can be the focus of the dessert table, while a modest kitchen cake staged elsewhere feeds additional guests.

My wedding has been postponed/canceled! Can I get a refund?

We understand that sometimes life doesn't go as planned. However, a wedding date is reserved specifically for each couple; therefore we must turn other clients away who also desire your chosen date. Should you request a date change, it is likely that Bluebird Sweets would not be able to recover the lost income. As such, we cannot issue any refunds. We can allocate the dedicated funds to another available date or event type. We request a minimum of 60 days’ notice plus a 20% service fee should you choose to reschedule your wedding or other large event.

Do you have payment plans?

Yes, wedding cakes are often a big purchase! We are happy to accept monthly payments for cakes over $200. The final payment is due 1 month prior to the wedding.