I had just over the weekend a lady who was from a referral from another lady whose wedding cake I did about 1 1/2 years ago.
This is what happened:

During the telephone conversation she was so adamant about me doing her wedding cake for her sister who was getting married in about 2 weeks. Talk about a time crunch. I had explained to her based on what she wanted that there was not enough time to do such a cake of what she wanted, etc.. But she kept begging for me to do the wedding cake. So, then we get down to the price and deposit. Then she tells me that I "gave her friend who referred her to me" a LARGE discount price. (Of which that never happened from the first bride).

So, this lady agrees to my price and deposit. I made sure I didn't have any other cakes or a wedding cake that particular weekend.
So, then we set up a final consultation because of the time crunch.. I set the appt, etc...
15 minutes before I leave to meet this "nut" and her sister, she calls to "re-schedule" the final consult. WHAT??!! I called her back and told her that I thought I was clear on the final consultation due to the extremely short notice and her begging me to do this cake. She was still fine with it and she kept telling me..she wanted me to do the cake....

THEN, she tells me she would have to "call me back" the next day to re-schedule...... I told my hubby that I had a "funny feeling" about this order.....and boy o' boy was I right.... She never called back. And I most definitely was not "going to chase her down" over a phone call and myself come across like I "NEED" her order........

So, now I am left with the feeling that when the first bride who referred her to me, will be asking her if she ever called me and this lady will probably tell her that I never called her back etc.......you know make me look bad...AND I am also wondering if and when her sister's wedding arrives and possibly there will be NO cake at all will she call me and give me a "what fer".......
I even remember telling her that "I sincerely didn't think there would be anyone who would do a wedding cake of what she wanted in such a short amount of time"...she even told me she was having a hard time finding someone... hmmm

Oh well, just wanted to share my story.....

Thanks for sharing your story. I couldn't believe this person. It's sad to think there are those out there who don't have the decency to respect all the time that you invested in the consultation.

she sounds like a real nut. At least you did not start making decorations for the cake yet.

Hate that kind of people.

Looks like you have had a lucky escape. From the sounds of it, she would have given you a lot of grief over this cake.

Do you have her email address? What about emailing her with the scenario and having a resolution to this fiasco in writing? Perhaps that would either 1. get her to respond with an actual final appt or 2. help her understand you are canceling the order. Either way, it might not be a good idea to leave it alone. I would try to find a resolution and fast. Either an immediate consult or a cancellation in writing (I would probably do the latter). It could get messy if she's as nutty as she sounds.

I agree, come to some sort of resolution with this. Just a couple of weeks ago, I had a (my last) third party order. And was left with a "I'll get back to you" and never heard back. She was getting back to me over a price issue. So I assumed no return call, must have been to expensive. Then the day of, the lady who the cake was for, who I hadn't even spoken with called (like 3 hours before the party) to see about picking up the cake. I was mortified! Apologized, but did not assume responsibility, whipped out a plain ol' cake for her quick as can be. Then got chewed by the lady who was supposed to let me know if she wanted the cake. Now I worry about what they might say to others about me.

At minimum I would email or leave a message or both that if you haven't heard from them by such and such day and time, that you will then assume the cake is not needed anymore and the order will be cancelled. I'd hate to see someone think they were getting something and then not, even though I TOTALLY wouldn't feel you were in the wrong for it.

Don't stress.

If it gets to within 10 days of the date for the proposed cake and she hasn't gotten back to you (read: PAID for the cake in FULL)--call her, email her, send a carrier pigeon, or whatever, and say something to the effect of:

"Due to the short notice of your recent inquiry (notice the lack of the word "order"--she hasn't ordered this yet) for a cake, without consult and full payment received, and with the current date being XXX, unfortunately I will no longer have that date available. May I recommend you call XXX Bakery or Walmart? Thanks, and have a great day"...
*insert your name here*

Geez, car dealers would love you guys.... People are always telling them, "Give me your card and I'll get back to you" but of course, rarely do.

Also, can you chat up the staff at Wal-Mart about different cakes, etc. without leaving money; come back weeks later and say "Where's my custom cake."

And I wonder how many people call Duff at Charm City Cakes to get design consult and prices, but never follow-up.....(when they find out the cakes start at $500.00)

How to make orders "official" thread:

http://forum.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-416813-.html

Say " The cake order was never finalized, I'm pleased that you found someone else willing to do your cake at such a late hour."

Do NOT say "I WILL cancel the order", say it WAS NEVER officially ordered...

I have never done a "payment" cake yet, but I see alot of people on here complain about this. May I ask why in the world you would bend over backwards for people who obviously never "ordered" in the first place?

Because we want to be liked?
Because we hate scenes?
Because we were taught to be people-pleasers?

Ok,,, I called her and like I figured I would get her voicemail... so I was very pleasant and told her that since I had not heard back from her and the wedding was soon, I could no longer hold "that date" for her. I expressed that I hoped she was able to find someone else. And left it at that.....


So, here it is..... she called me back and told me, "Oh, I see, you just did not want to do the cake".... WHAT??!!!
So, I then went as far to as to tell her,,, looky here, you never did a final consult and confirmation(is that the same thing?) on this wedding cake, not even cake flavors, icing type, etc.... so THERE WAS NO ACTUAL CAKE ORDER! I then said for her to have a nice day and that I was ending the call, and I hung up....

Man o Man,, where is there an extra piece of cake to "let her have it with"?!

OMG! The nerve of her!

You did GREAT! I am soo pleased with how you handled her! I wish I could've of told her where to go! LOL

Some people's kids!!! I swear some days I'm the "Cake Nazi - NO CAKE FOR YOU!" .. Whenever I get last minute orders (anything less than 3-weeks), I basically tell people that the cake is on MY terms!

Sounds like this person doesn't understand the realities of a wedding cake and is best to just get her out of your hair. I guess I've had a couple of the parents who are doing the calling because they don't believe that the cakes cost as much as they do only to find out their kid really was going to get a good deal on it. Oh well. Times like this remind us to tell ourselves "Oh well, THEIR loss!"..

Give her this!

What an ordeal! But I'm glad you got it resolved. This way there will be no, "I thought you were doing the cake!" Which obviously she was still planning on that or she wouldn't have called you back and been so nasty about it. I agree, their loss. They can call Wal Mart or a grocery and get it now.