Opps! Wrong Event - Smash Cake Delivered To Wedding

Well, after 16 months into my own cake decorating business, I've experienced my first major disaster. I was to deliver a 3 tier, stacked wedding cake in Gatlinburg this evening by 5:30. Well normally, its a 20 30 minute drive from my house. I leave at 4:00 to give myself extra time. Well, thank goodness I did! This just so happens to be the first weekend folks from all over are coming into our neck of the woods to drive thru the Great Smoky Mountains to see the changing of the leaves. Being its Thursday, not a weekend, I figured traffic shouldnt be all that bad WRONG! I didnt get there till 6:45, so I was 15 minutes late. Well, if that wasnt bad enough I get within 10 feet of where Im to set the cake and SPLAT Down I went!!! I fell with cake in hand. I tried my best to save the cake at all costs, but couldnt. The cake was totaled. All I could do was cry. About 10 minutes later the bride came out with smile on her face and just said, oh sweetie, dont worry, just dont worry about it, are you alright? I told her I would go to the grocery store and try to get her another cake. She told me not to worry about it, it was fine. I felt so bad, I feel like I ruined her whole wedding. I told her again, I would go to the grocery store and buy her a cake and pay for it myself. So off I went. I knew I hurt my back, but was upset about ruining her wedding, I couldnt even think about myself yet. I get to Food City, the only grocery store in town and all they have is 2 little 8, single layer yellow cakes. I got them and heading back to the wedding party. It was all I could do, but came nowhere close to be able to serve the 50 people her ruined wedding cake was to serve. I was devastated, but what could I do? I told the bride I would provide her with a cake for her next event free of charge and I would also provide her with an anniversary cake free of charge for her first anniversary. I also plan on getting a gift certificate for dinner for two from one of the nicer restaurants there in Gatlinburg and just mailing it to her with an apology. I just dont know how else to make it up to her. Hubby drove me and was out in the car when I fell, so he didnt know anything about it till after the fact, but in his sweet, loving, supportive way of trying to cheer me up on the way home, he says, Well honey, you can officially say youve provided your first BIG smash cake. All I could do was laugh! In the meantime, I need to get to the doc in the morning, my back is killing me. But I just thought Id come share my disaster with some understanding friends. I guess its not all as bad as it could be; its my first disaster in 16 months. I think, no I KNOW I felt worse than the bride. But my fellow sisters, if this happens to you, just hold your head high, and keep pressing on. Accidents happen, Im just so very thankful I had a forgiving, gracious bride.

WOW, your not kidding! I just discovered that show - Bridezillas, and watched it last night, half the night. On cable, they just show one episode after another all night. I was shocked at how some of those brides really are and was thanking God I never ran across one of those bridezillas. Sure counting my blessings even more now that you mentioned that! Thank you!

Thank you everyone for all the support. I really am feeling some better about things now. My back is still a mess, but it doesn't hurt near as bad as my feelings. Thanks again everyone, ya'll are just great!

Thank you. I told my hubby that if she was one of them brides, I would have probably been ruined. I think it would have probably scared me away from ever doing a wedding or any other special cake ever again. But maybe that's the lesson here, maybe I'm to understand first hand that there really isn't anything you can say to help the matter, there really isn't anything you can do. Accident's happen and that's all there is to it. All I can do that I know of at this point it to do as I have, offer her a free cake for her next event, provide her a freshly made anniversary cake next year and send her a gift card for dinner for two at one of the nicer restruants there in Gatlinburg. Hey, maybe at the restruant there where she was having her reception. Then at least it's a place I know she likes, and it's a pretty fancy, uptown place. May cost me $80.00 or more for dinner for two there, but it's worth it if she's pleased. Then I won't feel bad, I think at that point, I've gone overboard. What do ya'll think?

Thank you SO MUCH Califdreamer. That was so sweet. I sure wish you were the bride. I'll know more this evening how she feels as I will be calling her this evening to talk to her again. She was drinking at the wedding and I'm not sure if she even knows what I told her, but I did tell her I would call her this week when she returned from their weekend honeymoon and talk to her. I'm praying she'll be as gracious and forgiving as she was Thursday night, and have the same feelings as you do. I will post this evening after speaking with her and let ya'll know how she feels about things now. Thank you again everyone for all the support you've been to me thru this. This was probably my worse nightmare come true.