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Furious, ticked, miffed and hurt!

post #1 of 123
5/11/07 at 2:35pm
Thread Starter 
Here is the jist of the situation I'm facing:

Bride and groom booked in Dec. 2006
Wedding is in TWO weeks.
Balance is due TOMORROW
Mother of the bride has called saying that they will pay all but (basically
$100 of $600 balance) upon delivery. She says that she needs to be
assured that the cake is pleasing and won't fall apart? WHAT??? Do
you know of any baker worth their salt that does this???
Explained that per the contract her DAUGHTER (not her) signed, she was
well aware of that stipulation in my contract. A contract is just that...
a contract...a binding agreement.
Received an e-mail from the bride last week asking for an extension to
pay the balance. I told her that it needed to be paid 14 days prior to
the wedding date for me to order, etc.
The mother first contacted me YESTERDAY.
Here it is Friday. Balance is due tomorrow. Even if they mailed a payment
it wouldn't be here until mid-week. What should I do? I'm thinking
that I'll contact the bride and tell her to forget it. It's not worth the
hassle. Plus, the contract is between she and I NOT her mother, who
got quite huffy with ME, because I wasn't willing to bend.

Okay, ladies...I need advice. I know what I want to do, but I want your opinions...anyone been here??? I don't want to gain a bad reputation. I've worked too darned hard to build the good reputation that I have. Any thoughts or suggestions are MORE than appreciated!!!

Thanks,
Amy
Wife of Audy since 9-12-92

Mama to Ethan (7-19-96) & Gracie (11-08-00)

Proud owner of a licensed home bakery since 2006
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Wife of Audy since 9-12-92

Mama to Ethan (7-19-96) & Gracie (11-08-00)

Proud owner of a licensed home bakery since 2006
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post #2 of 123
5/11/07 at 2:46pm
I'd tell her payment is due by tomorrow or she can find another person to do her cake. This sounds like someone who will complain and try to not pay for the cake.

I agree with you about talking to the bride not the MOB.
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post #3 of 123
5/11/07 at 4:03pm
Wow, that is really tough. But you are right on every point. You have a binding contract with the BRIDE that the BRIDE agreed to. It sounds like the MOB has been reading Stephi Stewart or something. Tell the bride she needs to hand deliver her payment by tomorrow or she can find someone else to do her cake.

I'm sorry, but that makes my blood boil.
How to Price Your Cakes
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How to Price Your Cakes
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post #4 of 123
5/11/07 at 4:13pm
thumbsdown.giftapedshut.gificon_biggrin.gif SHE WOULD STAND BY ***MY*** CONTRACT THAT ***SHE*** SIGNED OR SHE WOULD BE GETTING ANOTHER CAKE FROM SOMEONE OTHER THAN ~~ME~~!!!!

That just stinks......people are so ignorant. You stick to your guns lady....I have seen your work, and read comments......THEIR LOSS if they screw this over on YOU!!! icon_evil.gificon_mad.gifthumbs_up.gif
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post #5 of 123
5/11/07 at 4:20pm
This has never happened to me, but I would say either pay me now, or I am not doing the cake. You can't risk not getting your money. AND she insulted you by saying she wasn't sure if it would be pretty enough and even hold up. I say that it is fine to fire a client if they treat you like that.
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post #6 of 123
5/11/07 at 4:21pm
I would stick to your contract. If you deviate any then she does not have to make payment in full. It sounds like she (MOB) trying to get out of paying in full. Let the Bride know that payment needs to be paid by COB tomorrow.
Debi Ashwood
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Debi Ashwood
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post #7 of 123
5/11/07 at 4:21pm
no money = no cake.

hmm...

wonder if you can sue them for breach of contract --- loss of income?

after all -- you could have booked another cake for that weekend!
Keep on cakin'!
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Keep on cakin'!
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post #8 of 123
5/11/07 at 4:22pm
Well, I tell ya what. I saw an episode of Ace of Cakes and they had not received the balance by the deadline of the cake. Duff told the office manager (can't recall her name right now) to contact the client and tell them that due to the fact they had not complied with the contract he had cancelled the order. He is a PROFESSIONAL CAKE PERSON!!

Okay, having said that I know you don't want a bad rep, but, really, this is not YOUR fault. It is the client's. I would call the bride, tell her you need the money tomorrow or you will not be able to do the cake. That simple. If she balks. Refer her to the contract. I BET she comes up with the money.

Beth in KY
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post #9 of 123
5/11/07 at 4:22pm
I think that you should contact the bride - don't deal with the MOB as she is not your customer. Tell her payment is due tomorrow as per the contract she agreed to and signed.

If you don't stick to your contact protecting yourself from such situations, what is the point to having one?

I make all my brides sign a contract and I even go over it at the consultation so that they completely understand they if payment is not in my hand by the date, there will be no cake delivered - and that's it.
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post #10 of 123
5/11/07 at 4:28pm
Mom needs to go sit down somewhere. You have a signed contract so she has no leg to stand on with her demands.
Why are fools and fanatics always so certain of themselves, but wiser people are full of doubts?
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Why are fools and fanatics always so certain of themselves, but wiser people are full of doubts?
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post #11 of 123
5/11/07 at 4:29pm
Well, if their willing to pay $500 of a $600 cake, give them just that...5/6 of the cake! All joking aside, a contract is just that, a contract. I'd tell them no money by tomorrow, no cake in two weeks. The business of "waiting to see if it's pretty or will fall apart", that's just down right rude. And about the chance of having your reputation ruined, just remember there are two sides to every story!
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post #12 of 123
5/11/07 at 4:31pm
Like Bethola said about Duff on that episode of Ace of Cakes...those people did NOT receice their cake because they had not paid....

...I mean, she could say anything about the cake to not pay once it was there....
"...oh, it wasn't all that great..."
"...we didn't like the filling..."
"...the decorations were not what we wanted..."

So NO WAY should you deliver without gettin' your money honey!!!
thumbs_up.gif
Matt 18:20 "For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them."

Pray wherever, whenever!
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Matt 18:20 "For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them."

Pray wherever, whenever!
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post #13 of 123
5/11/07 at 4:33pm
I'm dealing with a mother of the bride currently and I have drilled it into her that if I am not paid the full amount (she's already paid me half) by exactly one month before the wedding then I'm not showing up with the cake and the $$ she already gave me is NOT refundable. She signed a contract agreeing to this and thus far I haven't had a problem (although the due date is Aug. 1st!)

Stick to your guns sweetie and don't back down. Once you appear wishy washy they have you. icon_confused.gif
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To find "THE RECIPE LINKS ARE HERE" thread, click on "Forums", then "Recipes" and it's the first sticky. Latest updates are on (the bottom of) page 10 here: http://cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopic-625803-135.html
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post #14 of 123
5/11/07 at 4:33pm
Hey Amy.

Don't do it! Not without payment. I recently did a cake for someone in Gastonia and when it was time to pick up for the birthday party....no money. I did manage to get the money out of them weeks later but it just made me so mad. They knew I could not give them the cake...it was an hour before the 7 yr olds birthday party...she would have been crushed.
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post #15 of 123
5/11/07 at 4:34pm
Please do let us know what you decide to do. I'll be thinking about this all weekend now!
Let them eat cake.
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Let them eat cake.
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