Two weeks before the wedding date I was begged into handling the cake. My manager of my shop explained I really could not take on another cake. We had 4 other events scheduled; my second head baker decorator was scheduled to be off during this time. Well, we accepted this order (1st mistake). I did the consultation and was feeling pretty good about the order.

As the day approached my second head baker (also my second decorator), baked the cakes and we were still in pretty good standing. We had three 3 tier cakes, 144 breakfast bars, 4 1/2 sheet cakes, 3 dozen cookies,and a 1/4 sheet cake order needed for the same time. We had everything baked and frostings made.

Yet I'm left to frost and decorate the three tiers, and 4 sheet cakes. No problem, I'll call in aback up decorator (2nd and WORST mistake). She ruined the whole tier cake for my last minute bride. So I rebaked and scraped where I could and called in my decorating teacher. I finally manage to get the cakes done and began deliveries.

Well, last minute cake fell and was destroyed going up the clients driveway. So I called around and found a cheap store bought sheet cake, decorated it as fast as I could, gave them a full refund plus 10%, apologized as much as I could and left as fast as I could. OMG I have a wedding consultation scheduled for today and I'm so not ready to have this experience repeated. I will not EVER call in a back up decorator.

So please, am I just stupid or what! I posted the picture of the cake. It is the daisy cake on my profile should have been called Daisy Disaster!

Overwrought!
Gavi

First of all, let up on yourself. This was a lesson that had to be learned and now it's been learned. Know that you need to make sure you are not over booked. We all have had to learn it and yes, most of us the hard way. As for the delivery issue..those happen too and not always can be avoided. But there are ways to avoid it sometimes...examine how it was delivered and make adjustments to get the future cakes there in one piece (you may need to deliver in seperate pieces and assemble at the site, use SPS or a Cake Safe but you can make adjustments to try to get them safely to the venue) Just learn what lessons you can and move on...and the most important lesson of them all...Crap Happens...and you can't always avoid it.

(((HUGS)))

Cat

just look back at all the lovely cakes you have done and all the pleasure you have brought to people as well as as yourself (pat on the back ) this is just a little blip you will do many more great cakes

None of live in Perfectville...too bad we don't. Bad stuff happens to good people who are just trying to do good by someone. When you try to take on more than you plateful you are asking for trouble...I am speaking from experience. I know it is hard to turn people down, but you have to remember that you are only one person...and there are only so many hours in the day. You learned a rough lesson, but I'm sure that you have provided more smiles to people then frowns. Lighten up on yourself...it is ok to have a bad day (you are human you know). SMILE! and make more people happy.

So sorry this happened! I can relate, as I am one person show and also do cookies, breads and other desserts in addition to decorated cakes. I almost killed myself one time by overbooking and after being sick in bed for 3 days afterwards I vowed never to do it again.

Just wipe the slate clean, today is a new day with a new consultation and another excited bride. Look forward to making her a beautiful cake, but please just make sure to schedule plenty of time! LOL