during heavy wedding season, when I have a cake that just needs to be placed on the table, photo takened and thats it, my DH usually handles those so I can do the cakes that need flowers, etc. Well, I had a cake this weekend where the bride NEVER mentioned flowers on the cake. As a matter of fact, we spent al ot of time on the design of this cake, and she paid extra for a gum paste bow topper! I had provided her with complete drawings which she approved and we even emailed each other a week ago that we were all set! I do have in my contract that I am not responsible for anyone screwing up the cake after we set it up (either the caterer moving it, someone knocking it over and if you choose your florist to place the flowers, etc) Well, my DH brings this cake in, has it all set up and this florist approaches him and said Oh, there is a cake topper for the cake. (which already has a bow) He looked at his orders and said no, no mention of flowers. She calls into her boss and the boss said I dont care, she ordered flowers for the cake, put flowers on the cake. So to my DH's horror, this florist, who acts like she never put flowers on a cake before (he has seen me do it hundreds of times and has learned a few things and kept telling her No, that would look bad as she tried to put HUGE roses on this cake) Anyway, he felt satisfied with the couple of flowers she put on it, and turned away to gather his stuff and take photos, and turns around and could not stop her before she stood there with a bag of petals and litterly starting THROWING them at the cake (Do you know how many hours it took to get that buttercream smooth?)

Now I feel the cake is OUR cake, not the florist! He had tried to stop her putting any flowers on the cake as it was not in our orders...what do we do in the furture when this happens? I am not for calling the bride two hours before her wedding. I know if this bride complains to me I am going to send her to the florist..Luckilly the groom was there having his photos taken so he saw the cake before the florist got a hold of it, so I will bring that up too. Who knows she may have loved this look, but it was so sad seeing the design simply ruined on this cake.

I've had that happen too, the florist brought me flowers to put on the cake, said the bride ordered them...but it wasn't in the agreement I had with the bride so I trimmed them short and used them as flowers to decorate the table. I think thats where the confusion may come from, the bride orders flowers for the cake table, they can be in a little vase or just scattered on the table. Its now in my list of questions for the bride. Is she having flowers on the cake table, and I usually ask for the florist's name and number and call to coordinate with them before the big day too, so if we're working together to put flowers on it, that we are there at the same time.

You know, I think in this case it wouldn't hurt to be proactive and send the bride an email - congratulating her on the wedding and then saying you just wanted to follow-up and make sure she was happy with the cake as your delivery person ran into a problem when the florist started putting flowers on the cake even though he tried to stop her. See what she says. No need to be negative or nasty towards her or even the florist. But at least this way she knows that you guys tried to stop the florist and that addition of flowers is the fault of the florist, not yours.

Is it just me? I dont really see a problem with the flowers or petals.

I have it in our wedding cake agreement that nobody touches my cake but me. Well, it's worded a little nicer than that. Basically it says that flowers should be delivered to ME and we will place them on the cake, or we aren't responsible for any food bourne illness or cake damage.

The cake looks nice. I would like it better without flowers but it is not ruined. I am sorry this happened to you. Really glad they did not try to add a bunch of roses in with the bow topper. You did a great job.

I understand that too, and I can see how with the design, maybe they took away from the cake. Flags and flowers - maybe not. But I didnt think it was ruined. I thought it was nice. It actually looks like how I often add flowers to my cakes. lol I guess I suck. The OP made a very nice cake.

Can you call the bride and ask her if that was her intention for the flowers?

LorieMoms,

You cake is very beautiful. I would call the bride if she has not already left for her honeymoon to find out how she liked it.

It looks nice with the petals. But those two HUGE flowers can go! Those are hideous!

well the bride is suppose to come by and bring back her plateau sometime next week and I will see what she says then. At least I am covered in the contract if she is unhappy. Beleive it or not, i have lots of brides who come to me and say they hate flowers on cakes, and hopefully this won't be one of them.

The cake was very pretty and elegant and not so crowded before the florist put those huge flowers on them. I personally am not even sure I will put it in my book to show future brides. And I hate rose petals all over a cake..it looks sloppy. Maybe around the cake, but never all over it. Its so well, 70s!!

Sounds like the person the florist sent wasn't very experienced...maybe they had the wrong venue/room?

Maybe there's another bride out there somewhere with a "naked" cake?

Edited to add:
p.s. Your cake was lovely...I agree the big flowers were ick!

I also have a clause that says I am the only person to touch the cake table. I sell this as a "complimentary service" by offering to set up all the decorations as long as they are there and everything is ready to go (ex: everything must be put together and removed from packaging, flowers must be cut and ready to place)

I take me about 20 minutes, then get a photo and leave. Any damage after that is because someone touched/moved someting and I am not responsible.

The cake is beautiful. I agree that the large roses and the randomly thrown petals are wrong, but the petals surrounding the cake look ok. I don't blame you for being upset because even if it looked fantastic, it's not what you designed or created.

Your cake is beautiful! That florist needs to learn how to be a florist apparently. They are supposed to be good at arranging flowers for pete's sake! And if the bride says anything to you, I would ask her why she didn't mention the fact that she was going to have fresh flowers on her cake.

I don't see what the big deal is???

I think it looks fine, personally. I'd rather have the roses than the flags, but it's not my wedding cake!

I wouldn't get into a pother about it, personally. I WOULD have it in my contract that no one else touches the cake, but I'd also have it in my contract that once I set it up, I have no responsibility...

I'd instruct DH that if that happens again, he's to set up the cake, take a picture and then leave. Let the florist take the heat...

I think the cake looks beautiful and would look beautiful with or without the flowers. I don't see the flowers hurting the cake a bit but I would still talk to the bride about it like someone suggested.

I was just reading the thread about late payments, and I thought the idea of telling them the contract is CANCELLED and there will be a $100 charge to reinstate it would be most effective, because it isn't just inconvenienceing you, it is money out of their pocket. So I'm thinking that maybe something like this would have stopped the florist: "The design for this cake was approved by the bride and it did NOT include any flowers. Fancy Cakes is not responsible for any damage you cause to the cake. There will be a charge of $100 plus mileage plus time if we come back to remove the flowers and repair the damage to the cake." I know if I was just a delivery flunky, the fee and the words "damage" and "repair" would have made me think twice.

I've had something similar to this happen to me. I had to stand in front of the cake and firmly ask the florist to simply leave the flowers with me and I will take care of them....they can leave now.

The problem is that the bride didn't ask for flowers on her cake as far as the OP knows so having them on there could cause an issue with an unhappy bride.

I also have it in my contract that I am the only one who touches my cakes. I HATE putting fresh flowers on cakes... especially roses. They are aways way too friggin' big. If I have a bride who wants fresh flowers I always get the number and contact for the florist and I talk with them before the event. I ask for them to place the flowers in water and place them near the cake table for me to deal with. Most are happy to leave it to me. If it's roses I ask for the smaller roses to be left for the cake and if it's a flower like a sunflower I ask them to order mini blooms special for the cake. But I really do hate using fresh flowers... all the issues with them having to be wrapped and picked and keeping the pollen off the cake... blah... just order the freakin' gumpaste flowers already.

LOL...I have a sore spot here as well. I did a wedding in L.A. at the Ritz-Carlton Marina Del Rey. Very upscale. For Bobbi Sue Luther-Robert Hall..she is an actress model and he owns Almost Human Special FX. Big deal for me. They are not flowery people. They SPECIFICALLY wanted the cake with clean lines. Square..three tier. Silver fondant ribbon against white fondant. two metallic SILVER GP roses as the ONLY adornment they wanted. They used a bloody bride demon groom...topper they were EXPLICIT as to how they wanted every detail. When got there ( I delivered early but only an hours or so)... someone stuck the cake in a walk in freezer when I walked out for a minute! I rescued it but it did make my fondant a bit sweaty...then when I got it PERFECTLY arranged on the table...left the room again and the crazy florist ...COVERED it in HUGE leafy flowers! You couldnt even SEE the cake!. I plucked them off and found my emergency kit and smoother and did the best I could then later sent a pic of the cake BEFORE the others touched it. They were happy anyway..but I was mortified! So I feel your pain!