I did a tasting 6 weeks ago for a couple - the prospective groom works with my husband. We had brief contact after the tasting but I never heard anything back from them so I assumed they went with another cake artist. Yesterday my husband calls me from work to say that the groom dropped off a piece of ribbon that I'm suppose to be matching the color of! And the wedding is October 4 (one week from today)!!!!!

I do not have any details such as design for groom's cake, number of guests, cake stand desired, etc. I know that the bride's cake is relatively simple so I am confident that I can do it....but......I'm just a little annoyed at how this is happening. I received and email saying "the wedding is getting close" and that she's trying to finalize the groom's cake design, but I haven't responded yet.

::sigh::

I know iti s a co worker of your husband's but I would think about charging a rush fee of some sort. Since they didn't bother to contact you to confirm details, I would be upset too

I was considering doing that. In my real job (belly dancer) I charge for last minute performances.....has anyone done that with cakes??

Without a contract and deposit I wouldn't do a thing... and at this close date they really need to pay you in full up front-that is if you are even still available! After the tasting, how was it left? Did you advise them they needed to sign a contract or give you a deposit? Did you give them a deadline for head count/payment? I would definitely charge a premium at this late date.

One of the last things I told them leaving the tasting was how to secure my services - including the deposit I required, etc. I am available but only because that's my birthday so I didn't schedule any cakes or dance performances.

Zahrah, too bad you're married, I would ask you to marry me! haha A belly dancing cake designer. Wow!

Okay, I will admit that I'm already married and also pregnant (therefore, yeah, I'm a GIRL) but I can fantasize......... haha

If you can make the cake and it doesn't cause you any headaches then I'd go ahead for two reasons. Firstly it won't cause any issues with him and your husband at work and also you can charge abit more! Bt make sure they pay up front and in full!

Hope all goes well......let me know how it turns out!

Sounds like you've got a real ditzy pair on your hands here..........

I'd call them today, tell them that they must pay, IN FULL AND IN CASH, by noon tomorrow--beg, borrow, steal it, but it must be done---no exceptions, no checks. If they balk--bye-bye.

Get all details before setting the final price and tell them that under no circumstances can there be any changes.

Any resistance and they can go somewhere else. If they didn't follow directions the first time when they had plenty of time, if you give them an inch now, they'll want a mile.

Either you're in control now, or there's no cake. They closed the window on options--that is, unless they really want a WalMart cake......

Rae

I would email her back and say its a good thing SHE emailed you because SHE did not let you know that SHE wanted to go with you. Tell her that everything needs to be finalized and you need head count final design, and payment in FULL plus $100 for a "rush."

I know brides have a lot goign on.. but I always told them to call 2 weeks ahead to check on vendors.

I would then use the $100 to go out for your birthday.

You can either say something like, its a good thing I wasn't booked up and will be able to rearrange my schedule to fit you in... or say something like and I thought as of (insert date when you did tasting) I was going to have my birthday off.

I know her feeling guilty seems harsh, but come on.. you know your wedding is coming and you know you need cake!

While you won't exactly have to "rush" the cake... it did take time and effort to worry about this little hiccup.

Also because this is your husbands "Coworker" Not friend I wouldn't worry about the rush charge or late booking charge.

A screw up on her part does not mean an emergancy on your part.

Of course I would do all this professionally.... but in my experiences no matter how you say it she is not goign to realize how much of a pain it was to you. So by at least you telling her its an inconvience that she booked late (of course not the making of the cake.. just that she was late) will leave you with no regrets.

In the end if she is not happy with the rush charge she is more than welcome to find a baker who will make it for her with less than one week to go.

You are excited to make the cake of her dreams... just not excited with the delayed response.

good luck.

There definitely needs to be a rush fee and she has to pay you in full in cash for all of it like "yesterday". If you don't mind baking/decorating all day on your bday and want the extra cash, go for it. But don't feel bad if you decide to turn it down, either. Do you have a contract by the way?

Yep, I think a rush fee is the way to go too. I'm a costumer and I need a contract in before we consider it an order. Any order in less than two weeks before they open is a rush job. (We can have up to 70 shows in one week open, so 4-6 weeks lead time is normal for this business).

We only charge 15% for a rush fee--but I think a cake would or should or could be more. Good grief, all the work that goes into it and the supplies you have to get ready. Yeah, a little more organization on their part would be really helpful.

If you really want to do it, and you aren't busy that particular day I would add the rush fee.

If it were me, I would say "sorry, you didn't state whether or not you wanted me to do your cake and unfortunately I am booked solid for that date."

Unless they signed a contract, or absent that, you entered into a verbal agreement, you are under no obligation to do this cake.

Good luck with your decision, it's a tough call, but the ball is in your court and you can do what you wish. If you don't want to do it, call them immediately. It's going to be difficult, if not impossible to find someone else at this late date.

Best,
Karen

Oh - this reminds me that last week, someone called me after having emailed me the week prior and never getting back to me, anyway she called and wanted 30 mini cakes for a Friday afternoon wedding - and it was Wednesday afternoon when I got the call. I told her I would consider it (I'm a dummy) if she paid in full that day and gave me $40 rush. I should've charged more, but $40 is my usual rush fee. She never called back. I wonder what she ended up doing?...

mini cakes and you only charged $40 rush? Gosh!

that is less than 2 day turn around... but still obviously she didn't value you. I mean to say you would do it.. and get her out of the woods... for a mere 40 bux.. is nothing. I hope you were charging at least 15-20 per mini cake.....

The very nerve of some people. Or maybe that is the problem. The brain is the main part of the nervous system and theirs is obviously impaired. I simply can't imagine doing their cake for any amount of money. I think the only thing that might make me go along with this incredible stupidity is the fact that your husband works with the guy. If my hubby was his boss I wouldn't even consider it. Outside of that I say charge them through the proverbial nose. Money seems to be the only way dumb people get the message sometimes.
Blessings, Debra

Excellent advice all the way thru this thread!

"Hello ditzy bride? I have a message from my husband that the groom has some ribbon to give me for your cake. My question to you is ..... WHAT cake? I have nothing on file that shows you signed a contract, gave me a deposit, told me what design you wanted, or anything. If you are under the impression I'm doing this cake, we need to meet TODAY. I will need payment in full, all details, plus a $100 rush fee as I will need to rearrange my entire baking schedule to fit you in. I've available at 4:30 or 6:00 p.m. Which works best for you?"

Hey, Zahrah, that's my birthday, too! Let us know what happens with this one, it's always interesting to see what idiots decide to do when their feet are held to the fire...

Heck I'm going to print it out and keep it handy (the indydebi statement) so I won't even have to think ....just read it off to the dumb a***s . Some days I just have no grace for people but even on a really good day that is the best line I've ever heard. Assertive, polite, to the point and down right fair if you ask me. Go INDYDEBI...

Debra

Excellent advice - exactly what I was thinking, guess I just needed the nod from my fellow cake artists! I emailed her letting her know that I was under the impression from her silence that she had gone with another baker. But I needed final details for the grooms cake, then proceeded to give her the laundry list of other details I needed. When I receive a reply )(I expect it tomorrow), I will set a final price including the rush fee and demand payment in cash to my husband on Monday (We live in 2 different counties so the exchange of cash to my husband would be easiest).

I'll keep everyone updated. And I give lessons, SugaredUp & Lorimoms! And with a name like CostumeCzar I would expect you to be into something like belly dance too! Costumes are one of the main reasons I dance. So I can have a legitimate reason to be in public dressed that way and to be able to say, "Why yes, Officer. There's a perfectly good explanation why I have a sword in my back seat..."

Props to indydebi!!!

You said it so much better than I.. lol.

If the cake was that important to her... you think she would have done something about it earlier.....

ALSO, it is a cop out to give the ribbon to the fiance... I hated when wifes would send their husbands to pick up a cake that the husband said it looks great and went on his way.. only to have an upset wife calling the store saying something was (usually something that she never told us she wanted.. or soemthing was off --like a shade of pastel pink.... ) wrong. ugh.

The inoccent husband has no idea!

My husband would probably be psyched if I got into belly dancing, but I think I have too much belly for it! Although I went to Morocco a long time ago and the belly dancers there aren't anorexics by any means.

I used to do costuming in college and afterward for a while. The freshman called me the costumeczar because they thought I was like the costume nazi with them, not letting them take parts of their costumes back to the dorms to show their stupid friends, etc. I just thought it was a funny name to use here. I'm excited when Halloween comes up, I get to make really cool costumes for my kids if they'll let me. The worst was the year my daughter insisted on getting one of those stupid $10 costumes from Party City...I couldn't do anything cool that year.

The sword in your backseat kind of scares me...

Good Gosh!!! Is that you???

That's me!

wow, Zahrah, maybe I should try bellydancing. If my body could look like that after "testing" my cakes all day, this may be the solution for me!