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Under Paid Wedding Cake!! People have b---s!!!

post #1 of 45
9/3/06 at 11:19am
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My daughter asked me to make a wedding cake for her friend's daughter. This was an only 2 weeks notice, the lady is giving me $100 deposit. Ok, I made a trip from NJ to NYC to meet this woman. She looked through my portfolio and chose a cake that I easily sell for $700-800. Now the woman starts telling me that she's being disposed from her home in a couple of weeks and loosing her job almost at the same time. I am like... uh????? how is she going to pay for my cake with all these problems around her? Well my daughter gives me this look like "mom please do it!!!" I asked the woman for how many people she wants the cake, she says she wants 4x-10" and 2x-8" and half sheet one for people to take home in the little cute boxes with their names engraved ARGGGHH!; fillings to be strawberry, coconut/pineapple, bavarian and apricot (all homemade ones!!) My daughter again gives me the "please mom" look. Okay lady....errrr......I will do it for $200 AND you have the flowers ready at the site so I can take my pictures (you know, pics are very important to me I place them in my portfolio). She says "Ok, I will send you the money this friday when I get paid".I am like...."Hellooo!!!!...what is this?". I have to buy everything needed for the frikin' cake with my money! Here is my daughter again with same look in her eyes. "Ok" I said. I started working with the cake and spent close to $120 in supplies and ingredients without including 7-hours of baking and energy used for the mixer. Regarding the flowers, I contacted this people 4 times during the week to remind them to leave the floral arrangements for me, "don't worry was the answer". Finally, the wedding day arrived I am very proud at how beautiful and perfect the cakes came out. Here I made the delivery trip to NYC (FOR FREE INCLUDING TOLL AND GAS) under a hurricane weather, arrive at the posh reception site by the ocen and surprise!!!! .....there are no flowers for the cakes!!!!. After all my hard work, the cakes will look dull without their flowers. I called the bride she says "I am not in charge of the cake"....duh??? whoelse is ??? her mother is not answering the phone either! AT THIS POINT I HAVE ONLY RECEIVED $100 deposit! Then I decided to call the groom who has the b---s to tell me in an arrogant manner "well there are no flowers for the cake, there's nothing she (the bride) can do and nothing I can do, just assemble and leave the cake at the site as it is and that's that!!" What???!!! this a-- h--- has not chipped in a penny and he's telling me what to do with MY cakes? I was fumming, told my daughter the cakes are going back to NJ with me. My daughter then called the groom to tell him if he wants to have cake for his wedding, now price went up and he must pay $300 cash or no cake at the wedding; he said yes it's ok I will pay your mom whatever she wants tomorrow. "TOMORROW?????? I yelled" As I was switching the cakes back to my car, my daughter pleaded for me to leave the cakes as she will try for her friend to give me some more money after all this agravation. I agreed. BOTTOM LINE I had to go back a good 45 minutes ride to my daughter's home buy .99 cents flowers, arrange on the cake to take the pix I needed and go back to deliver the frikin' cakes. While I was leaving the reception, I noticed the manager of the place has called in the newlyweds and their parents onto her office and won't allow them to leave until the balance $495 was paid off. I don't know what happened next as I returned home after such an exhausting night. By the way, before I left the mother of the bride gave me another $100. Big deal.......Could anyone believe all this?
Thank you LORD for your daily blessings.....
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Thank you LORD for your daily blessings.....
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post #2 of 45
9/3/06 at 11:33am
That really sucks! Although... I have to say, even before I even finished reading half way through this, I already knew how it was going to end!! (I'm sorry!) ...but you had to see that coming?!! As far as the flower thing... I totally wouldn't have wasted any effort in "completing" that cake for her - portfolio or not (you can always photoshop them in later). I would never leave a wedding cake unpaid for - I'm glad you were able to squeeze enough out of her to cover your expenses - unfortunately, you probably won't see the rest of it. That's rediculous! Not a great way to start off on a marriage!
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post #3 of 45
9/3/06 at 11:33am
I wish it had all gone smoother for you.

Your cakes are beautiful!
"Be the change you want to see in the world."- Mahatma Gandhi

miniature cake tutorial

http://www.youtube.com/user/MyNewSneakers?feature=mhsn
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"Be the change you want to see in the world."- Mahatma Gandhi

miniature cake tutorial

http://www.youtube.com/user/MyNewSneakers?feature=mhsn
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post #4 of 45
9/3/06 at 11:34am
By the way - the cakes are really pretty! I bet they tasted great too! Who knows, maybe you'll get a referal out of it!
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post #5 of 45
9/3/06 at 11:47am
The cakes turned out gorgeous. People have some nerve. It always amazes me that everything else gets paid for, and they just figure they will take care of the cake later. Rude.

Honestly, though, I don't know about getting mad at the groom so much. I would only call the person that was responsible for ordering the cake. They are the ones that I would be expecting to get paid from.
Angie
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post #6 of 45
9/3/06 at 11:47am
I was getting mad just reading about. People just don't know how much hard work goes into making wedding cakes. Well your cakes are beautiful and I quess we all learn from our experiences. Hope you have a great day.
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post #7 of 45
9/3/06 at 12:53pm
Wow, that stinks.

Remember that you can always say NO. And that if your daughter wants you to bake, she can pay your expenses.
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post #8 of 45
9/3/06 at 12:59pm
AAARrrrrgggghh!! I'm sorry you had to deal with all that AND the hurricane warnings in your neck of the woods! I checked out your gallery and you really do beautiful work.
Danielle
Proud Sergeant's Wife and
Mom of 2 Beautiful Boys
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Danielle
Proud Sergeant's Wife and
Mom of 2 Beautiful Boys
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post #9 of 45
9/3/06 at 3:45pm
WOW, I cannot believe they had the nerve to do this !!!! You should have kept on loading up the cakes unless they came up with the balance that was due. I would have donated them to a local charity or food bank. It wouldn't get you paid, but atleast you probably feel better knowing that they went somewhere that appreciates it more. I guess this is good exaple of why wedding cakes should be paid in full before delivery[/u]
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post #10 of 45
9/3/06 at 4:00pm
After the sob story of losing her job and house...then the talk of the purchase of cute little boxes with engraving to send home with the guests...I kind of figured she was just trying to get a deal. I'm sorry! Esepecially because your daughter was friends with the bride-it had to put you in a really tough position. It's sad that she would take advantage of your good heart, knowing that your daughters were friends.
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post #11 of 45
9/3/06 at 4:15pm
Yikes! You were put in a terrible position, and then to be treated with disrespect after you put yourself out for these people.
All I can say is Shame of Them!
The cakes are beautiful !! I wonder if the flowers didn't arrive due to nonpayment. hmmmm.... icon_rolleyes.gif
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post #12 of 45
9/3/06 at 4:31pm
Sorry you had a bad time. Your cakes are beautiful,try to look at it this way-you did this for your daughter she probably wanted the best cake for her friend. you did a great job. For every cheap skate or po-joe you'll have a customer that will pay on time.
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post #13 of 45
9/3/06 at 5:11pm
Wow! Sounds to me like they got in over their heads. (and not just with the cake, with the reception as well) That's a shame, though. I feel badly for the MOB and the bride not being able to pay for the reception (or at least that's what it sounds like to me) Hopefully, they weren't just being cheapskates (although I know it does happen)
Sorry you were put on the spot like that.


Your cakes are beautiful, btw.
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post #14 of 45
9/3/06 at 5:56pm
That really stinks... icon_sad.gif

That "Friend of a friend" thing is rough, I recently had someone who called saying they were related to someone in my church, and heard about my cakes, and said that a friend who was going to make her cake decided he could not do it so she was interested in me doing it... and then when I told her they started at $2/serving (which I have since upped slightly) she really backed off. I am not sure where she thought she was going to go to get a "cheap" wedding cake! I guess she assumed since she was related to somebody from church that I would give her a deal. I have gotten to where if anybody I know asks me to make a cake I wince.... and I usually either volunteer to do it as a gift if its a good friend, or I charge full price and hope they don't get mad.

I'd be teaching your daughter how to decorate real quick so she can help out next time she has such a bleeding heart. haha... She sounds like a real sweetie! I'm sure you are very proud of her.
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post #15 of 45
9/4/06 at 11:54pm
Wow. I'm guessing you had a good long talk w/ your daughter. icon_confused.gif Pleading eyes or not, your daughter should respect your talent, and realize that aside from the fact that you can decorate beautiful cakes, you are no different from a professional baker. When you've done a job, and have done your best, it's wrong for someone to underpay. Have you suggested perhaps your daughter should chip in and absorb some of your financial loss, since she was the referring source of all that trouble?
I can't stand people who automatically assume b/c they know someone w/ a talent, that they should be given a discount. If you want to discount fine, but it should be a choice -not made to feel like you OWE them a discount.
Just a thought -perhaps next time (should it happen -hopefully it won't) if you have a customer that claims to be in a financial hurt, perhaps you could divide your portfolio into sections that range from affordable to extravagant? Perhaps put little codes like $ to $$$$ -perhaps it would help your customers manage their budget (and keep you from being ripped off).
God must have loved calories....He made SO many of them!

The Air Force may have my husband...but I have his heart.

I'm the original Red Velvet Snob...
buh bye cream cheese frosting.
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God must have loved calories....He made SO many of them!

The Air Force may have my husband...but I have his heart.

I'm the original Red Velvet Snob...
buh bye cream cheese frosting.
Reply
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