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Wedding Cake....for 1??? SO SAD!

post #1 of 131
6/4/08 at 6:35am
Thread Starter 
Help, HELP! help??? I am givin up I lay down at the sweet feet of you all and beg for help (try not to hate me after you read this, because I am starting to hate myself!)

Ok...here it goes. Back at lovely Christmas time I met a bride and groom-very handsome couple having a very high end wedding-I had dollar signs in my eye balls when I heard them describe their cake, a gorgeous cake-and they had a photo. There affair was to be GRAND, hot location, hot florist and a really hot couple! The bride hands me her American Express and pays for the cake, before one bite of cake even goes in her mouth. THey are now officially BOOKED for my most popular date of "06-07-08" Awesome right?

Well...they email me questions (groom only) and I lovingly think of him as my fussy groom. No trouble, his questions are valid and he's not calling me everyday...just shoots me an email when he thinks of it.

Fast forward to Monday (6/2/0icon_cool.gif I call the florist, like I always do the monday before, does she need the cake picture to see the amount of floral I need, or anything like that-they are the best florist in our area HIGHLY reputable, I never doubt they will get the couple and me the best flowers they can for the wedding and cake...I just like to make sure when they are dropping it off, etc. My contact there proceeds to ask, "What the HE-- is going on with this wedding" (Oh no, I start to instantly perspire... this paid my trip to the ICES convention and ICES refunds where cut off on 6/1/08-one day prior!) I sweetly ask, "Whatever do you mean?" She proceeds to explain that the bride came in that day demanding a refund wanted to see what I had heard. Now this is probably my busiest week of the year...I tell her when she hears anything to call me, I get out the Tequila and hit the hammock with my Margarita (a ten minute break to avoid a coronary...come on give me that!) My husband gets home and says I am overreating, for starters I have gotten no calls from them, and secondly it is not even 5:00 I should not be drinking Tequila for another 20 minutes (he's home early to get ready to go pay golf-I am hardly sympathetic!) and "shouldn't I be in the kitchen baking for me busiest week ever? I do have cakes every day this week and two big weddings so I get baking...

Monday night I put my son to bed, hop on the laptop...guess whats in my Inbox?? THE email... I am cutting and pasting here....
Melissa,
I have some bad news. I have been in and out of the hospital with some health issues. I am going to be fine but we are going to postpone the wedding until we can enjoy it. I realize it is way past the point of cancellation. What are my options? I don't feel like looking at a wedding cake when I'm not getting married - I'll be depressed. Is any of the money refundable? And if not or of the remaining money - can we turn it into a regular cake, cupcakes, or a credit? Whatever we decide, I'd like to pick up the cake to save on the delivery charge. I am very sorry for the inconvenience. Please let me know my options. Again, I am very sorry.

Email is the best way to contact me but you can reach me at xxx-xxx-xxxx.

Thanks,
xxx xxxxxx

Honestly, I came back at him with a very kind and upfront email...it is the hottest date of the summer I turned down about 10 dates an 2 other weddings, purchased all of the supplies and contractually, THIS IS A DEAL. I was nice and did offer to postpone to a later date, and alot of people might have refunded half, but I can't give him half of an ICES trip, for petes sake! He replied this morning and now I feel bad... The florist had mentioned the bride was "moving back home" as she was from Wisconsin...here is his reply...AND BEAR IN MIND I FEEL LIKE CRYING AFTER READING THIS!

Melissa,

I completely understand your position. I realize you gave up the date for us and I think it is only right to compensate you accordingly. If everything is ready to go - then go ahead and make the cake. I just thought you could turn it into something other than a wedding cake but if you can not it is no big deal. I can not answer the rescheduling question because there are too many variables at the moment but I certainly hope we reschedule. Do whatever you want with the cake - I promise you - I will eat it. I might just have to freeze a couple layers as I make my way through it. Don't feel the need to make it look perfect - do what you want - surprise me. As long as it taste good - that is all I care about.

Thanks,
xxx

HELP!?!?!?! Cake Ideas...Tell me I am not scu of the earth! PLEASE! I have a picture in my mind of this groom in a hospital gown, wearing and ID bracelet hooked up to machines with a 4 tier wedding cake and fork in hand...WHAAAA! HELP!
Melissa Thompson Earl
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Melissa Thompson Earl
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post #2 of 131
6/4/08 at 6:52am
Perhaps if you decided to do it as a credit (as the groom mentioned) and save the date, perhaps you could just make him something small and deduct that from the "credit". You could make it a running credit... Whenever he needs a birthday cake etc. just deduct the cost from his credit. Then if they do reschedule, you could apply the remaining balance to a future cake. It might be a bit complicated, but that really is a pretty sad scenario. Good luck figuring it out... And don't feel guilty, you did what you needed to do, you had to buy your supplies for the cake, so spending that was justified, as for the profit? Who knew the wedding would be cancelled? Perhaps in the future, though, you might want to outline/think of a cancellation and refunds policy to add to your contracts.
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post #3 of 131
6/4/08 at 6:58am
That stinks.....for them and for you. I am always afraid of something like this because I have NO money, but I always try try try NOT to spend any money from a wedding cake until after the wedding just in case. I realize that you must have a policy that if they don't cancel by a certain time then they lose their money. I think you should use whatever supplies you have bought (what exactlly have you bought??? Have you baked the cakes?? what sizes are they??) Maybe you could make a super nice sheet cake.....or make the same amount of money's worth of a 3-D cake of a guy in a hospital bed with a big "get well" on it! This is a toughy!!
God's Word will either keep you from sin;
or sin will keep you from God's Word.
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God's Word will either keep you from sin;
or sin will keep you from God's Word.
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post #4 of 131
6/4/08 at 7:06am
very sad situation for him, you and the bride.
"Let your legacy not be the stupid forgettable dandruff of life but that you LIVED. That you were here and that people remember YOU in all your wonderfulness. Not your stuff. Because stuff is forgettable." - - Jackie (a blog writer from Canada)
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"Let your legacy not be the stupid forgettable dandruff of life but that you LIVED. That you were here and that people remember YOU in all your wonderfulness. Not your stuff. Because stuff is forgettable." - - Jackie (a blog writer from Canada)
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post #5 of 131
6/4/08 at 7:08am
I love the idea of letting him order birthday cakes etc. until his balance runs out. Is that something you can consider?
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post #6 of 131
6/4/08 at 7:10am
OK, I only do cakes for funnsies, not as a business, so I do not know if it is feasable to do what I am going to suggest. Can you return the supplies you bought? I realize if it was mail order it may not be worth it, but if you got it at the grocery store it might.
Mary
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post #7 of 131
6/4/08 at 7:12am
Quote:
Originally Posted by T-Bird

Perhaps if you decided to do it as a credit (as the groom mentioned) and save the date, perhaps you could just make him something small and deduct that from the "credit". You could make it a running credit... Whenever he needs a birthday cake etc. just deduct the cost from his credit. Then if they do reschedule, you could apply the remaining balance to a future cake. It might be a bit complicated, but that really is a pretty sad scenario. Good luck figuring it out... And don't feel guilty, you did what you needed to do, you had to buy your supplies for the cake, so spending that was justified, as for the profit? Who knew the wedding would be cancelled? Perhaps in the future, though, you might want to outline/think of a cancellation and refunds policy to add to your contracts.



As a bride who has called off a wedding or two in my day (long story!) I think that this is way above and beyond,and shows a tonne of class. He can have celebration cakes whenever he wants to the cost of what they paid. I feel for you, but now you have the cash in hand, ICES, AND you will be a bit slower on your busiest day! And the guy will be so happy that he has a running tab with you, and he probably will never use the whole amount.

Hugs to you, and my best to the groom.
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Eat Smart... Eat Cake!!!
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post #8 of 131
6/4/08 at 7:14am
If you feel bad make him a small cake. Credit the rest. You could make several more on your slow times.
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post #9 of 131
6/4/08 at 7:15am
If the money is not available to give back I would do a credit. Or a half and half...

He seems to be a great guy!! Customers like him should be cloned.

I just had a thought, would he be up to a cake donated in his name?? Maybe a homeless shelter or a assisted living center? Not sure if there are restrictions about that.
Always the newbie!
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Always the newbie!
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post #10 of 131
6/4/08 at 7:16am
That whole situations sucks. I'm sorry you are having to deal with it and I feel bad for the couple, especially the groom.
I like T Birds idea of a running total, it would been a bit more paperwork for you with keeping a running "tab" but since it sounds like the big cake would be a waste and probably the majority of it would be thrown out he/she (who paid, who's credit card was it?) could order cakes/cupcakes whenever they needed and IF there is any money left on their tab when they do get married they could use that as the deposit for their wedding cake.

Good Luck
Amy
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post #11 of 131
6/4/08 at 7:16am
Wow. I feel bad for you, but. That is one decent guy. As decent, and as understanding as the guy is, and since it is past the refund date. I would be totally honest with the guy. See what can be worked out. I mean guy just had his life turned upside down, and he's being that nice about it.

Mike
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post #12 of 131
6/4/08 at 7:16am
That's sad.

Hopefully I don't get flamed for saying this, but my first thought was maybe the bride cancelled the wedding and he feels too embarrassed to say so. And maybe he has been in/out of the hospital due to the stress of it all, so he wouldn't actually be telling a lie. If the bride came in to the florist "demanding" a refund, it seems if they had planned to postpone because of her fiance's "illness" then she would have mentioned that to the florist. And she's moving back home. Who would leave the person they love while they are sick and need them the most? It's a sad story regardless. But it is less than a week until the cake was due and I probably wouldn't want to refund either, especially seeing that it's already spent. Do you have a refund/cancellation policy in your contract? I like T-Bird's suggestion in offering a line of "credit" towards future cakes. Maybe offer him that and see if he accepts.


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~Stephanie, mommy to 6 girls
A daughter is the happy memories of the past, the joyful moments of the present, and the hope and promise of the future.
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~Stephanie, mommy to 6 girls
A daughter is the happy memories of the past, the joyful moments of the present, and the hope and promise of the future.
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post #13 of 131
6/4/08 at 7:17am
I also think you should do something like a 'running credit'.

It's a sad situation but you did turn down business for them.

BTW I don't offer cash refunds and it's outlined in my contract. If a client cancels or something and gives me a 2 week notice I will apply whatever they have paid to another order. I make sure my clients are aware of this and have them inital that statement on my contract. And I make SURE they understand what they are signing (NO CASH REFUNDS). So far no one has complained about the policy. I've had a few cancel their weddings and they just cashed the money in for a birthday cake at a later date.
Stephanie
"Faith is not believing that God can BUT knowing that God will"
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Stephanie
"Faith is not believing that God can BUT knowing that God will"
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post #14 of 131
6/4/08 at 7:17am
Wow! What a toughy.

Part of me says, somebody could've contacted you prior to now (while he was in the hospital) to give you advance notice. The other part says just how horrible was this illness?

I'm leaning toward a partial refund, no more than 50%. For the remainder, allow him a running credit.


You are losing $$ but at the same time why punish him because he got very ill?
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post #15 of 131
6/4/08 at 7:19am
Wow, this one is tough. I think in this situation I would also let him/them order other cakes for events until the balance runs out.

Not sure what else to do.
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Whatever your heart desires and your mind can dream you can find it here and it's one of THE SWEETEST THINGS.

www.thesweetestcake.com
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