In businesses providing custom services, I’ve always found the pricing mechanism works well to direct customers to competitors when I didn’t wish to perform a desired service. Require the perspective clients to list in writing all of the services required as well as the names of customers. If the normal market rate for a similar list of services is $5000, quote a price of $50,000 with a 50% non-refundable deposit due on signing and the balance due 10 days before the event. If the balance isn’t paid on time the contract is void and the deposit will not be refunded. In the contract, include a provision that permits you to subcontract the work.
Very few people will pay ten times the market rate for any service. In the event the business person is being set up by an activist for a future court challenge or publicity smear, and has paid the deposits on time, hire a subcontractor to perform the actual work and deliver the product. Give the obscene profit to a charity performing the work of God. If the work is completed per the contracted specifications the customer has no legal standing for a court case against the business, no matter who does the actual work, if the contract permits the work to be subcontracted.
If challenged on the price the owner can state he/she had other activities planned for the date requested and the price reflects the premium for changing the plans. This response is truthful because the owner did not plan to be providing services to a gay wedding.
They key to using the pricing mechanism is not to publish a price list. A published price list can be used by the customer to demand services a the specified price. Simply state something to the effect - “We believe our pricing is competitive but due to the custom nature of many of our services we can only provide price quotes when we fully understand your specifications. Please call for an appointment to come into our store and discuss your needs.”
Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant. I had that vague idea, but you have thought it through.