So this lady called me on Friday and I returned her called today (I didn't want to call over the holiday weekend). Anyway, I call and she totally doesn't even know who I am (um, excuse me you called me!). Then as I try to start to tell her the process of a wedding cake order (meeting, tasting, etc...) she CONSTANTLY is interrupting me. Then when I tell her that I need to meet with the bride AND groom she -interrupts yet again - and says, oh, I think it'll just be us and maybe his mom.
Anyway, then she still asks my name like 2 more times and when I say my last name she goes oh, and pronounces it another way (not wrong - just w/a different accent).
Well, she said she would call me back, so who knows. She said the wedding is for 200-225 in January 2009, so that would be cool, but we'll see.

sorry this is long!

Whew! She DOES sound a little controlling, doesn't she? LOL

Very controlling! And how come the bride has no say in cake design? I'd be nervouse taking this order.

yeah, she seemed VERY CONTROLLING!

When I said I need to meet with her and discuss other design options, she was kind-of defensive. I really hope that the daughter/bride isn't like this.
REally, if she calls back, I'll make the tasting appointment, see what kind-of vibe I get and go from there.

I *SO* believe in gut feelings! If it sounds like a controlling duck ...... !

Maybe if she is a "controlling duck", I would be conveniently booked!

LOL this is funny..

not 2 weeks ago I got a call from a mother... she wants to order 3 cakes different occasions..

1st cake.. graduation cake.. BUT NO CARVING PLEASE

2nd cake: Baby cake.. to the T how I want it please

3rd cake: Wedding cake.. no consult (Where did this come from?) just my wasc with bc filling do what I want for 75 ppl... BUT... here is what she says..

"I don't care what the wedding cake looks like.. it's for my DD "

"I want a 100 tuxedo/dress strawberries NOT on a cake.. and need to know the price NOW"

My answer... I'll do the grad cake..

I can't do the baby shower SORRY

I will ONLYdo the wedding cake if the BRIDE picks out what she wants.. Mrs. XXXX .. would you want your mom to pick out your cake? AND She NEEDS to come in for a tasting.. Sorry.. Oh BTW.. here is what I, MYSELF need from you.... a definate date....1/2 cash in hand.. and NO you can't have a price on the strawberries.. it will be a seperate bill.. Strawberries in Aug. can be really hard to find... we can talk more about that a week before...

So the harder she was to deal with .. I WAS harder to deal with...

Controlling.. mean nasty woman is what she sounded like..

Ah, Christi!!! You're on my hero list!!

There is also the possibility she may be on medication and was having trouble processing information.
Just a thought...

it's weird....this must be the thing nowadays to allow someone else to design YOUR wedding cake.......I have a bride right now that has her soon to be hubby's aunt choosing the cake design for them!!! The aunt is paying for it and she has total say on design and colors...they had a tasting with me and picked the flavor. They're totally cool with her choosing their cake for them! Their colors are red and white and I said "So is that what she'll choose most likely?" and they were like...." we dunno.....but she knows us so I'm sure it'll be fabulous" they could've cared less!!! Hey, fine by me.....seems like they'll be easy to please.........I couldn't imagine letting someone else pick out my wedding cake.......not even my DH!! LOL

I agree, you need the bride and groom's input on the cake...Momzilla is right!

When I was getting married, I went to the florist by myself. My hubby (to be) and I were paying for our wedding ourselves so I was in complete control. The florist was great and while we were chatting, he was talking about how at times, the bride's mother would come in and take over. He said that he would ignore the mom, look at the bride and say "What do YOU want?". I loved it!

Momzilla is right! jeez this woman sounds like a nightmare in the making, use your gut instinct on this one and watch your self if you do take it on.
Good luck

Yeah, that just doesn't sit right. Ok, so she is controlling, a lot of moms are controlling when it comes to their DD's wedding bc the want it to be the dream wedding. That I can understand (sorta). The fact that she 1. Kept interrupting while you were trying to explain the process to her and make it easier on her is RUDE! 2. She couldn't get your name right - EVEN AFTER YOU SAID IT MORE THAN ONCE! 3. Finally, she isn't letting the bride have a say iin her own wedding cake design. When DH and I got married I was involved in everything (my parents paid 1/2 and we paid the other 1/2) and I informed all involved (not the vendors) that I appreciate their opinions, but Satan would be throwing snowballs in h*** before I let anyone take over and me not have a say.

Yeah, this lady sounds crazy.

Happy Caking,
Em

Meet with them and see what happens. Maybe is a sweet lady on medications or a momzilla.

Either way, put your foot down. "You want me to do this cake... this is what I need from YOU in order to fulfill this order."

If she is willing to comply... good, if not... good bye.

My first thought was that she's called a LOT of bakers to get quotes, etc, and couldn't keep them straight I'll save this thread so I can follow the story Good luck!!

yeah i want to hear how the cake turns too...i'd atleast meet with them (momzilla and dd plus whoever else) maybe you'll get a better idea-her head could be just swimming with names, quotes, flavours ect (still after you've told her your name you'd think she'd remember) maybe as you're talking and discussing with the DD and the mom puts her 2cents in the dd with take more control or you can guide it to the dd (and dh to be). i wouldn't dismiss them yet but be sure after a face to face that you want to deal with them or momzilla

Just an FYI - that whole interrupting thing to ask questions... yeah, I do that too.

Not because I'm a b*tch, but because I have chronic migraines - and I have a VERY short attention span and poor short term memory. I can only process so much information at a time because of the constant buzzing in my head. If someone gives me more information than I need, I'm totally lost and end up remembering nothing or totally confused which makes the headache worse.

It's like when someone gives me directions. I just need to know the basics (Right on Main, Left on Maple, Right on Front, Blue house on the left)... if someone starts telling me "go 3 miles past the Shell station and you'll come to a broken down Honda on the side of the road, but go past that 2 blocks and then make a Right..." ACK!!! It's those irrelevant details that stick in my head and confuse me - "Do WHAT at the Shell station? Was I supposed to turn Right AT the Honda, or after?"

As frustrating as it may be to deal with someone like this, it's also frustrating to be on the other end of it where people don't understand it's a medical condition.

Give her the benefit of the doubt... and be glad you don't have ME calling you with questions.

As for it just being her coming for the consult - I don't see how that's a problem if she's the one paying for the cake. If she's placing the order, and she's paying for the cake - then SHE is the customer. Perhaps it's a gift to the bride, or perhaps the bride has no interest in doing it herself. If the bride wants to be more involved - then that is HER battle, not yours. Your job would be to please the customer, which in this case, is the mom.

When I take birthday cake orders, I don't insist the birthday boy/girl be there to design the cake...

Anyway, good luck if you take the order.

Some people just aren't worth the hassle! I took an order for $1k dummy cake last year thinking it would be a snap...it's a dummy that I have 3 months to work on....yea right. If I charged customers per phone call that chick would have owed me about $5k! Then when it wasn't exactly what she wanted...even though she gave me free reign...she wanted to b*tch me out! That was the last time I took a free reign cake!

And you know, a bridal cake is far different from any other type of cake that comes out of a bakery. I agree....the bride should definately be there for the tasting and design. If she has actually given up total control to her mom or MIL then I would want her to tell me that herself. Even though whoever pays for the cake is the customer, since they are in my shop they have to play by my rules or I don't play. JMO.

UPDATE:

So the Mom called me last week for a tasting this week. Cool.

Had the tasting last night and I so left wanting to laugh!!! Remember how she said the groom didn't have to be there - guess who had the final say on teh cake? Yup, the groom. As a matter of fact as soon as I got there, the bride was totally laidback and said the groom was probably going to be deciding everything because he is more picky - but he was so not a 'groomzilla'. Well, when the MOB AND FOB got there, the MOB was the same way - interrupting and trying to tell me want they wanted, when in reality she was wrong. I think at one point she even tried to get a hold of my sketch book. But everytime the mom started to act controlling the bride/daughter would tell her - in a very polite/pleasant manner - to stop and calm down that I knew what I was doing. It was pretty funny.

So, they went with me - 215 ppl at one of the biggest venues in town! (the venue part is more intimidating than the qty. of ppl part)

Oh, and yes, the parents of the bride are paying for it but I made it VERY clear that I would be sending all the contract info to the BRIDE and GROOM and that she had to sign it.
Okay, sorry it was long, but I had to give the update!!!

Good for you! Sounds like you handled yourself in a very business-like mannner!

Congrats, can't wait to see the cake!

Sounds like it just might work out. The bride obviously can control her mom and knows what she's doing.