I don't think there is a way to attach a cc to these--what I've done before is cut off the styrofoam until almost flat--or totally flat and then add the cupcakes--usually small ones--they look great!! Good luck!

When I made the cupcake bouquet in my photos, I made them with the mini cupcakes, and stuck each one on with toothpicks. The ones around the edges and towards the bottom all had at least 2 toothpicks in them (some even had 3!), and they were at different angles, some straight on, some angled upward or downward. HTH, and good luck!

I really love how it turned out, and would not offer any type of refund upfront. wait to see if they like it. I think the second is more elegant and beautiful than the first. are you having them all displayed the same on crystal stands?

If you wanted to use the first version in the future, what about cutting the ball in half and then sticking the cupcakes on the ball that way, it should still look very round with the cupcakes on it.

I love the flower icing on your cupcakes, how did you do that?!

I have never made one of these, but I am wondering...why can you attache the 5 oz cups to the styrofoam itself with hot glue and maybe a T pin and then put the cupcake in that and make the rose big enough to hide the reim of the cup? Wouldn't that do the trick? Or am I way off base.

Well, she came, she saw, she liked....BUT, it's not what she thought whe would be getting. She's been telling everyone how she'll be having these bouquets in vases and aparently the bride (her daughter) is beyond excited. So, She said that if I could put the centerpieces on top of a flowerpot to make it look more like what she ordered, she would be happy. So off to Walmart I go when dh gets home to find 4 identical pots. She was quite reasonable and flexible and I feel so bad that I couldn't give her what she wanted.

I don't think I'll ever be offering these again as an option for someone. WAY to stressful! I do plan on refunding her some of her $, just not sure how much. I believe customer service is more important than anything else. And i hate to say it, but it'll make me feel a little better.

On another note, I think I'm gonna take a break from decorating for a bit. I haven't been doing anything but decorating for 4 months and I'm exhausted. I haven't had time for my family, my house, or myself for that matter and I'm constantly feeling stressed out. I'm such a perfectionist. I can't stand to see something go out my door that I'm not happy with. What's worse is knowing that my customer isn't entirely happy either. I don't know how everyone handles the stress of it all...but I've just about had enough.
I haven't eaten one ounce of anything all day because of this, and I don't think I've had anything to drink either. Maybe I'm just being irrational, but right now I can't think of anything better than sitting around not thinking or worrying about my next cake...or cupcakes.

I just want to say you guys are so cool for helping her out the way you did I want to say Thank You!

Molly2

I know you are totally beat by this project, but I definitely think you're right to not want to charge $180 after all is said and done. I'd charge $1.59 to $2.00 per cupcake if I were you, and I don't think I'd charge for the flower pots since they're needed to fix the messed up order. I'm sure she'll be very pleased and will call on you again in the future (talk nice to everyone about you too!).

I'm so glad that you could save these, I like choice #2 better also. Did you get to find 4 identical pots?
I make these sometimes and can tell you that you just have too much of the styrofoam sticking out. Toothpicks hold the mini-ones ok but I prefer skewers for the larger cupcakes. I've heard of some people putting chocolate on the end of the skewer near the cupcake liner so when it dries it kind of connects the two so they are less likely to fall off.

Go ahead and take a much deserved break. We all get burned out at times and when you have a family it's hard to balance everything. Just make sure you don't take a break for too long Your work is too good not to share with the world.

Me, on the other hand, I think you should charge the full amount. Understating this I'd say that you had to work harder to pull this off. Since it wouldn't be right to charge appropriately at least charge the same. I mean just because you couldn't defy gravity for a cake order, you should still get a good paycheck for an extremely valiant effort.

I mean the stress waves are radiating off this thread like heat waves off the dessert y'know??!!

Take the money! And man those are totally beautiful. You completely delivered for her. You earned that money, nothing doubting.

Medicate yourself with some chocolate and feel better soon, Cake-Buddy.

Oh my gosh...you all are great! You made me laugh after a long, long...long hard day!

Indy: You crack me up! You're right about Duff. I'm sorry for the weak moment. I could feel your "mom" look all night!

I too think there was too much of the styrofoam ball sticking out. I went back and looked at my successful bouquet in my pics and the ball nestled nicely in the pot. Lesson learned!

I ended up finding 4 identcal ...I don't know what you call them. But they're really nice. Really nice and expensive! They were $10 a piece, but I didn't care. It was all I could find. Here's a pic:

I want to thank everyone for helping me get through another crisis! I'll be delivering them tomorrow morning at 10, so I let you all know her final word. She better not be a pain in the a$$!! She told me how much her and her husband have spent on their "high Maintenance" daughter! Ok, you ready for this?....$250,000 for this wedding! I just about fell on the floor! Apparently daddy offered her $20,000 if she would elope in Las Vegas---and she refused! I guess her father knew he was gonna be taken for a long bumpy ride!!

They are beautiful!!! I am sure she will LOVE them!! Glad you are feeling better ! $250,000.00!!!!!! That is nuts!!!! You should have charged $3000.00 like Indy referred to!!! WOW!! My house didn't even cost that much!! Anyway, I love your cupcakes!!

I sure hope they have put forth as much effort planning their marriage as they have in planning their wedding. That kind of $$ just baffles me.

It is absolutely gorgeous!!!

I wanted to make a cupcake boquet once, but I couldn't get the roses to look right on top of the cupcake.

You make it look easy! I know this one was a rough one, but your final picture is simply amazing!!

Great Job!

Yes, I think you figured it out, but the styrofoam is not far enough into the "pot". The bottom layer of cupcakes should be resting on the top lip of the pot. I hope this makes sense! This would help support them as well as a bit of icing "glue" on the bottom.

I hope all of this works out wonderful for you after all that stress!

well I'm joining this post a little late, but I have to tell you that your final pic is AMAZING! See, through the rain came the rainbow - and a beautiful centerpiece for this high maintenance lady.

I would still charge full price, especially with the fact that they provided the centerpieces for you to attach your cupcakes too. It's not your fault that it was so round and tough for you to attach the cupcakes too. On the grand scheme of $250,000 - your $180 is really a drop in the bucket.

Granted it's not exactly what she ordered, but it's definitely much better.

Don't forget to post to let us know what happens!

Do they need another daughter?? I am sooo low maintenance it would be a nice break for them!!!

Wow, they turned out beautiful!! I love them! I hope she liked them as much as we all did! Keep us posted...

Well it's late (1:05am) and I am late in posting to this thread. I really wish I had seen it earlier!

You had too much of the ball sticking out, that was the first issue (I've had it happen, pain in the arse too!). To support your cupcakes go to the dollar store and get their cheapy thick wooden tooth picks they also have wooden appetizer sticks that are two pronged. I have noticed that has the weather has gotten warmer the cupcake bouquets are harder to do. That could be why Cambo has on her website that her's are offered only during certain times of the year! I line up where I want the cupcake to go on the ball. I first place a support stick underneath where the cupcake will be so it has a tiny "ledge" to lean on then I stick in the center pick. I have found that you can have it where the stick actually meets with the top of the cupcake. No one is going to know because it will be hidden by the icing. This combination is certain to help guarantee a sturdy bouquet. I have also had the problem with as the weather got warmer (humidity) the icing started sliding off. I had hear others talk about it but never fully understood what they mean until I had it happen to me. The way I found to get around that is take some icing, color it green and put a thin base layer on the entire cupcake, then do your flower. Have had a problem since I started doing that. If you look at my picks you will see a large bouquet that was in an 8 inch pot with 24 "flowers"

. . . your final product is a brilliant save . . . far and away better than the original plan in my humble opinion . . . worth every penny of your $180 (and as mentioned above, a drop in the bucket for this client) . . . your bride should be more than happy with your solution . . . she should be thrilled

HOLY COW yummymummy! Thoese are FABULOUS!!!!! I hope to God that you do not give her one dime back! You did so much for these (and they can afford them....). Good save!

do you have to use skewers/dowels? maybe use the pot, put a have circle of styrofoam, cover it in RI and put the cupcakes directly onto the styrofoam. Maybe someone already said this, b/c I dinn't feel like reading through all the pages, but i hope this helps.

Ok, should have atleast read the last page. They looked beautiful I love the colors. Great job saving it.

$250,000!!! Geez!


Can't wait for the update. I LOVE the last arrangement. If I didn't know any better, I wouldn't know there are cupcakes in there. It looks amazing!

Please keep us updated!

The final product looks amazing! She had better love them!!

Now that I've read this entire thread, the subject line cracks me up...what should I tell this POOR woman! GEEZ. I can't imagine spending $250K for a wedding. I think you did a fabulous job. You should NOT give her a refund. It was a huge amount of time for you and they look beautiful. Take a much needed break and give some of your attention to your hubby. I'm sure he would take more value in it than your customers will.

I too hope you did NOT give any refund. It looks great and I can't wait to hear what she thought about them. As for the price of the wedding....WOW!!! I'm sorry, that's just ridiculous!!!! With all the needs in the world, it seems like an awful lot of money to waste on one spoiled little girl....JMHO!