How to tell a bride she's too difficult to work with - Page 3

Since you are now fully aware of your mistakes, take the time BEFORE you present her with the 2nd mock-up to write out a script of what you must say.  Don't beat yourself up, treat this as an important business lesson.

Script:  Type it out, print it, memorize it.  Do not deviate from your "script".   Prepare a statement of release from your contract and a return of the deposit (have the paperwork and a check nearby) if the customer does not follow your procedures.

The good news is that there will be no "next time", because you will review your contract, your procedures, and your profit.  You have already lost xxx hours by accommodating not one, but two, dummy cake tiers.  Although I do not sell cakes, I read a lot and have never heard of any decorator offering anything but a sketch.  Many decorators will not release the sketch to a potential customer until they receive a deposit.  [They do not want the potential customer to show their sketch to other bakers while shopping for a lower price.]   If you are paying yourself $15 an hour and have spent 4-5 hours on the dummy and meetings with the client, you have already lost $60-$75 profit dollars.

Once you approach this with a plan, you will be fine. 

I had that same situation kinda happen to me. I've been baking for years and I had this bride call me 4 times about this and that. To put her and myself out our misery. I told her I wouldnt be able to do your cake. You are being to difficult and I believe that you should  hire someone else for your event.

I know that I am good in what I do. Im confident that she will not find a better deal then me if so she wouldnt came to me just as well the lady wouldnt come to you. You are doing a mock cake for her after the first event  that would have been it. Im would not do another mock up for her. Start charging her for ever consultation and see if she ask for another mock being as it so close to the date you have one time only to tell me what you want because I have to keep putting order for this cake and  just for you to tell me you want something else now im stuck with things that i probably wouldnt use until i do another cake hoping that someone using the same color but you dont want to deal with someone who change their periodic or you will be doing mock cakes all month. But one you are very nice because some bakery doesnt even do mock cakes without charging or doing them at all and foremost never do anyone work because she will never be satisfy she will find every detail of whats wrong with it, no matter what you do its not going to look exactly like the picture its someone else work and you are unique you dont want do it to the exact anyway. It wouldnt be yours so if you have to break up your date then you have every right to but if you think you can handle it GOOD LUCK! You probably be glad you didnt do it you dont want to be walking on eggshell the day of their wedding and she say the one thing It dont look like the pic or maybe two or threethings ;) this wasnt the design I pic nor this was the color :)

I had a bride that wasn't satisfied from just our (many) discussions on the phone. She wanted a 7 tier cake for 100 people and kept insisting that it be taller... taller... taller. When she started complaining about the price, I cut her loose. The money was not worth the aggravation to me. I told her I didn't think I could satisfy her and that it would be best if she found someone else to make the cake. She did. It looked good but guests at the wedding said it tasted awful and dry. The cake was enormous and complicated! I hope she was happy. I was!
 

I charge $20 for a normal consultation with a few samples and photos. I only offer ONE meeting! I would charge full price for a mock-up.

Clearly she has you by the cake balls.

Can you simply put the onus on her by saying "It is evident you do not like what I have come up with with two design reviews. I would encourage you to find another cake decorator. Here is your deposit back and we'll call your contract null and void." If she dares ask for any more special treatment, refer to that first statement. Either way, ie is she settles on one design and keep with your contract, or back out completely, you will have minimised any further inconvenience.

And yeah, I agree with all above - no dummies, no mock-ups, and ensure she has paid in full at least three weeks before her wedding (with no revisions allowed after that time).

Go with your gut instinct I reckon.

She's out of her mind.  Keep your cool and if you truly feel like she won't be happy with what you do not matter what, tell her so.  It makes me sad that brides are so focused on having everything perfect when 50% of marriages end in divorce.   good luck to her groom!

Oh...I can't wait to read how this turns out...please keep informed!  I can't believe you actually did a complete mock up for free!  Wow...the nerve to even ask someone to do that!   Can you imagine what she's putting her other vendors through?  Lesson learned though, right?

Wow. Glad I read this thread. I had this same problem with a bridezilla recently. She didn't trust anyone. Not even her wedding planner and decorator who she hired. Just like you she asked for a mock up of a cake with avocado fondant and brush embroidery because she said she had never seen anyone do that style cake before here and wanted to make sure I could do it. In the end, her wedding planner dished up on her 3 weeks before her wedding complaining that she was too difficult to work with and he couldn't work with a bride who didn't trust him or his vendors. I was most happy I didn't do her cake. She would have found the slightest problem to broadcast on Facebook, BBM and Twitter.