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When is late notice too late?

post #1 of 15
8/28/12 at 9:19am
Thread Starter 
I just got a call from someone who wanted a 4tier wedding cake, the hitch is it 5pm on Tuesday and they want it for Friday, THIS Friday.

Even though I'm not busy I said no, that's right isn't it? I would be setting myself up for major stress and headache wouldn't I?
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post #2 of 15
8/28/12 at 9:54am
Why would this cake be more stress than any other wedding cake? You have the time? Why not. You wouldnt start baking any earlier. Do they know what they want, flavors and design wise? I would have had them pay everything today then prepared mentally to start baking tomorrow. Not to do it because of the notice and you have the space to fit them in.....a loss of over 500.00. If I didnt have two weddings this weekend I would have had you send them my way. icon_smile.gif
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post #3 of 15
8/28/12 at 10:02am
Are they at your door with cash in hand?
Picture of the cake?
Flavours all set?
No gumpaste flowers?
No special order equipment required?

Charge them a reasonable bonus if they want something reasonable for this short notice.
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post #4 of 15
8/28/12 at 10:04am
It's up to you. We don't know how prepared you are, how comfortable you are, and how experienced you are to make it happen on short notice without causing stress.

If they paid in full Wednesday morning, you could bake Wednesday, ice and decorate Thursday, and deliver on Friday. It's definitely doable, if you're used to making wedding cakes. If you had more notice, you probably wouldn't stretch out your time-frame over more days anyway.
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post #5 of 15
8/28/12 at 10:09am
If you have the time AND they've paid you in advance (cash...no checks), then why not? But this sounds a bit suspicious to me. They need a 4-tier cake at the last minute? Hmmmmm. Anyway, I wouldn't turn my oven on until the cake was paid for in entirety. NO excuses.

It is entirely up to the individual baker as to what constitutes too little time to do a rush order. The only fast and hard rule would be the advance payment.
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post #6 of 15
8/28/12 at 11:45am
The last time I did a last minute wedding cake, it wound up being a headache. In this case, the bride ordered the cake about 1 1/2 weeks out and it was simple, but... she paid right away, but didn't sign the contract until the last possible minute, got testy when I sent a reminder email. It wasn't a nightmare, but it was aggravation and had I known I wouldn't have taken the order.

I've come to realize, that in most cases if someone is that last minute about their wedding cake, they also are not going to be organized with the remainder of the process. I will no longer take any orders for wedding cakes less than 21 days (my payment in full deadline) prior. Just not worth it.

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post #7 of 15
8/28/12 at 12:44pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by carmijok

If you have the time AND they've paid you in advance (cash...no checks), then why not? But this sounds a bit suspicious to me. They need a 4-tier cake at the last minute? Hmmmmm. Anyway, I wouldn't turn my oven on until the cake was paid for in entirety. NO excuses.

It is entirely up to the individual baker as to what constitutes too little time to do a rush order. The only fast and hard rule would be the advance payment.



That's what I'm thinking too. I wouldn't take the job even if I was completely clear for that day if it was that short a notice. Why did she wait that long to find a cake? I think taking that job would be asking for trouble.
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post #8 of 15
8/28/12 at 12:55pm
There's also the possibility that she just found out her cake was cancelled: because a home baker was sick (or had an emergency) and had no back-up. That's been a thread on here.
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post #9 of 15
8/28/12 at 12:59pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by MimiFix

There's also the possibility that she just found out her cake was cancelled: because a home baker was sick (or had an emergency) and had no back-up. That's been a thread on here.



If that is the case, I would do my best to accept the order if there was anyway I possibly could but I would think they would mention that as their reason.

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post #10 of 15
8/28/12 at 1:01pm
I TRY my hardest to never assume the circumstances. Yup, she could be coming off of some terrible drama about another cake. She could have had second thoughts about getting cheap cake. Maybe a family member was set to make it and caved last minute. Who knows. So, if the bride has cash & is ready to sign any contract/disclaimer you have...and has a SIMPLE design - I'd take it.

That is only if a 4 tier doesn't freak you out. I am NOT confident in stacking yet...so I'd probably come up with a compromise. A 3 tier and a kitchen cake. But, that's MY level of comfort.

If you can arrive at a level of comfort with a simple cake and a wad of cash (plus a late notice fee) I'd say why not as well....
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post #11 of 15
8/28/12 at 2:33pm
.....Even though I'm not busy I said no, that's right isn't it? I would be setting myself up for major stress and headache wouldn't I?..........
......It's up to you. We don't know how prepared you are, comfortable you are, and experienced you are to make it happen on short notice without causing stress.....
......It is entirely up to the individual baker as to what constitutes too little time to do a rush order. The only fast and hard rule would be the advance payment.......

The above replies are right on. there could be any number of reasons for the late order......
I don't agree that you would be setting yourself up for stress.... but then each person must make such decissions for themselves.
I once took an order around 9 a.m for a 3 p.m. delivery - yes of a wedding cake! And this was when I was 1st decorating out of my home icon_smile.gif As I remember I didn't have *anything* ready in advance....no icing made, no cake baked etc. And there have been other short time orders over the 30+ yrs that I have filled icon_smile.gif
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post #12 of 15
8/28/12 at 3:30pm
She could have a legitimate reason for needing the cake at the last minute. I had a bride's father call me a week before his daughter's wedding to do the wedding cake, just as I was about to turn it down, he told me his wife who come to find out was a fellow decorator had just found out that she had breast cancer and could not do the cake. Needless to say I did the cake, and was glad to do it!!! So sometimes you never know!!
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post #13 of 15
8/28/12 at 5:43pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by costumeczar

Quote:
Originally Posted by carmijok

If you have the time AND they've paid you in advance (cash...no checks), then why not? But this sounds a bit suspicious to me. They need a 4-tier cake at the last minute? Hmmmmm. Anyway, I wouldn't turn my oven on until the cake was paid for in entirety. NO excuses.

It is entirely up to the individual baker as to what constitutes too little time to do a rush order. The only fast and hard rule would be the advance payment.



That's what I'm thinking too. I wouldn't take the job even if I was completely clear for that day if it was that short a notice. Why did she wait that long to find a cake? I think taking that job would be asking for trouble.

In my experience late notice orders are usually trouble. While they're begging you to do the order, they are all cooperative and easy to deal with then after they pay, the trouble starts. Rare is the person who's appreciative and understands that there won't be time for her to have the choices she would have otherwise.

And they always have a story, but it's not always true.
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post #14 of 15
8/28/12 at 6:26pm
There's always the possibility that the other baker told her to hit the road because payment in full wasn't forthcoming. If you feel in your heart that this type of rush job isn't for you.......trust your gut.
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post #15 of 15
9/9/12 at 11:28am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by howsweet

Quote:
Originally Posted by costumeczar

Quote:
Originally Posted by carmijok

If you have the time AND they've paid you in advance (cash...no checks), then why not? But this sounds a bit suspicious to me. They need a 4-tier cake at the last minute? Hmmmmm. Anyway, I wouldn't turn my oven on until the cake was paid for in entirety. NO excuses.

It is entirely up to the individual baker as to what constitutes too little time to do a rush order. The only fast and hard rule would be the advance payment.



That's what I'm thinking too. I wouldn't take the job even if I was completely clear for that day if it was that short a notice. Why did she wait that long to find a cake? I think taking that job would be asking for trouble.

In my experience late notice orders are usually trouble. While they're begging you to do the order, they are all cooperative and easy to deal with then after they pay, the trouble starts. Rare is the person who's appreciative and understands that there won't be time for her to have the choices she would have otherwise.

And they always have a story, but it's not always true.



That's the exact reason that I didn't take it, not the lack of making time, as there was time for me to do it, I've been a professional cake maker for 10 years, just experience tells me it would be a headache.
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