About a month ago I received an email from someone looking for a wedding cake for Dec. 22 (maybe she knows it's short notice, so she can't be picky!!). We went back and forth by email, and I recommended a taste test and consultation, but she said based on my quick and professional responses, and what she saw on my website, she trusted me. I sent her some pictures to get a feel for what she wanted--she said "surprise me"!!!

I just got my signed contract back in the mail with payment in full.

Granted, it's only a small wedding--~60 people, but it's my first wedding cake (have some orders for next spring and summer, but this will be the first done).

She's obviously not a control freak, like I am!!! Just seems strange to have an order w/o ever meeting with or talking to the bride, doesn't it?? I love email!!!

Most of my business runs like this - people email and I send them email photos of designs and ideas and we work it out from there. I've done a few cakes where I have delivered the cake prior to the event and NEVER ever met the people I'm doing the cake for. I LOVE it this way if I'm honest as it means I get much more control over the design. However it does mean you don't get to see their faces when you deliver the cake.

I have a few brides I have only chatted with online and through email. I think it is fun. I love getting to truly design something for them. It is exciting to know you have no limits.
Have fun!! Happy Baking.

congrats on doing your first wedding cake! That's preety neat that you've never even met her.

I've had a few of these orders as well - they are great because you know the person has complete confidence in your abilities!

You'll do great!

i have had orders like that several times nice and easy that way.

I do this a lot too! It's so easy. Send them to your website, email pictures, get a check in the mail (or PayPal), and you are done! Love it!

With my ad on The Knot, I get a lot of inquiries from out of state brides. My longest-distance bride was in Japan. We did the whole thing via email.

Had one wedding where the out-of-state bride sent a group of 3 friends over to do the sampling. They gave their stamp of approval and i got the wedding. They were a really neat group!

Jenn123: Oh, I guess that was confusing the way I told the story, huh?

The bride and groom were both Navy, stationed in Japan. They were coming home to Indy for the wedding. When dealing with my out of state brides, they are out of state due to school, jobs, military or a number of other reasons, but they are "coming home" to Indiana to have the wedding. So they check The Knot, Respond, and the various other wedding websites to find vendors in the area where the wedding will take place and make the arrangements via email. Sometimes I have a relative that I will eventually meet face to face, but usually the bride/groom contact me to let me know what time period they will be up here so we can set an appt to get together.

No, I wouldn't trust any delivery service to ship a wedding cake to Japan!