Hi everybody!
Well, today I have my first interview with a bride and a taste testing.

I made two 4" cakes and iced one with Crisco BC and the other with my first ever attempt at IMBC. I am kind of nervous as I have only done birthday cakes and always felt really comfortable with my trusty ol CBC. However, I have had some trouble lately with it cracking and don't want that to happen with this wedding cake, so I thought i would try my hand at IMBC. I am also nervous that the MBC didn't turn out like it was supposed to and I am not sure as to how it is supposed to taste. It is a more smooth tasting, but not sugary sweet icing. I find it is like a real sweet creamy butter. It was soooo easy to ice with, however, it is very gentle and delicate and i accidentally bumped my wrist into it, BUT it was easy to fix that. I like working with it, but not sure if I would feel safe putting heavy CBC adornments on it, feeling that it would sink through. Also, is it supposed to be refrigerated until delivery time? I read that Antonia_74 has kept hers unrefrigerated as long as 10 hours. I have the sample in the fridge and am meeting with the bride at 10am. I don't know whether I hope she picks the CBC or the IMBC. I am undecided. I just hope she likes one of them. LOL

Well, girls and guys...wish me luck!

Have a great Monday!!!
Leslie

Good Luck You will do great your cakes on here are beautiful. I have yet to attempt to even practice a wedding cake. I took my first steps and bought dummies so I can do a practice with.

Don't worry! I'm sure that she will love both of the icings. I can understand being nervous about the IMBC since you never made that one before, but You say it tastes good, so everything should be ok. Good luck and let us know the outcome of your meeting.

Calm down. Everything will be fine. You can do it. Just let us know what happened. GOOD LUCK ((((((HUGS))))))

I think you will do fine.... your cakes are beautiful. You can do it.

Question: what is IMBC?

Calm down, take a deep breath...you will be fine.

Please let us know how you made out.

We all have confidence in you .....if you need more help along the way were here

Well........ How did it go?
Judy

Hi everybody!
Well it went very well! Yippeeee....
She preferred my Crisco buttercream, but I think it was because I didn't flavor my IMBC other than the vanilla and it was still cold from being in the fridge. Pastry diva suggested that next time I could add some flavoring to it and set it out of the fridge to let the flavor mellow out. THANK YOU PastryDiva!!!

She had two good size cakes to test with and is going to let her husband try them too.

She told me it was up to me what I did, the only think she was concerned about was if it tasted good and that she wants Raspberry filling. Although we did already agree that it would be rather simple...just swiss dots and a simple shell border. But the shape and height of the cake is my choice. She really didn't want to go round, because she said everyone has round, but she said I could if I wanted to. Also, one of the test cakes was ivory and the other was white. So she could choose. She chose white, but I need to ask her what her colors are, because if she is going with a fall theme, then I think ivory would look nicer. (There are so many things I forgot to ask....)

I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL Y'ALLS SUPPORT!!!! You are all the BOMB!!!! I think I would go crazy if it weren't for everyone on this EXTRAORDINARY site. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!

I will keep you guys updated. And will post pictures when I am done.
I am sooo excited!!!!

Leslie

Congratulations on your order, how exciting!!!

You will do wonderfully! Your cakes are lovely and we got your back! Sounds like your bride is an easy one to work with as well...so you got it made!

Congrats to you.....we are all so excited for you!!

You have such lovely cakes. With your attention to detail, I am sure she will be thrilled with whatever you create. Congrats and good luck!

It's easy now, but wait till she turns into BRIDEZILLA!

God forbid!

lol

For me these are the worst brides to work with, they are all like.."whatever you do is fine with me...."..

Then the daily calls start to come in.....

Then there's the days when they call several times a day...

and don't even talk about the brides that need your after hours number because they are too busy to deal with you during YOUR regular business hours..lol

Hey pastrydiva...shhhh! ...just kidding!

Thanks y'all for the added support!

And PastryDiva now I am nervous again. LOL Just kidding!

Ok...I had printed out the 4 page contract that Cali4Dawn sent me, and am wondering if I should fill it out and mail it to her for her to sign and send back. Just so she knows what I am doing and that I know what she is wanting.

However, she is the mother of a friend and I don't want her to feel insulted, as if I don't have faith in our agreements. I just don't want to get there with the cake and her say...."That isn't what we talked about." I know it wouldn't happen, but I just want to be safe, cause I witnessed that happen to my dad with his architecture over the years.

Thank you all for your wonderful compliments and words of encouragement!!!
Leslie

Thank you so much Pastry Diva!!!!!

Another concern....
(sorry....this is my first one and I know I am gonna be posting alot about it, so I hope you all can kind of bear with me.)

I think it may have been a little too sweet. I made a double batch of bc and here is the flavor combination I used....1/4 tsp butter flavor, 1/2 tsp real vanilla extract, 1 tsp creme bouquet. This is the icing I put on one of the sample cakes I took to my bride. She didn't say it was too sweet, but my teachers tonight in class said it was. Should I call my bride and ask her if she thought it was too sweet? I usually use the clear vanilla extract...could the real vanilla extract have increased the sweetness? Now I am really worried.....Would that seem too unprofessional to call and ask her this? I have been tasting it for two days now and yesterday I thought it was fine, but tonight after my teachers said that...I think it may be a little too sweet. If I cut down the Creme bouquet would that help?

Thank you again!
Leslie

Yes I would send her a contract. You are a business woman so act professional and use one.

I wouldn't worry about the taste of the icing. She has tasted it and liked it. Different people have different tastes and what is too sweet to one person tastes wonderful to another. You will never please everybody no matter how hard you try. If she has tasted your icing and given you the order she is obviously happy with it.

Congratulations to you. I am sure you will do well. I agree with everyone you should have everything in writing, just in case there is some "miscommunication". That way when the "bride" becomes "bridezilla" you can defend yourself. I agree with PastryDiva anyone who says "Whatever you do is fine" really has something else in mind.

Thank you MissBaritone and kalikw!!!

So, do I send two copies? One for her and one for her to sign and send back to me?

I hate that I am being so paranoid about everything....usually I stay decently calm, unless I have a disaster. LOL I know everyone is nervous on their first wedding cake.

I know the closer it gets, the less I am going to be able to breathe. LOL!!!!

But, I know I can come here and get loads of support. I just love everyone here!!! I feel like we are all a big family!

Thank you both again!!!
Leslie

I would just send one copy for her to fill out with exactly what she wants and to sign. Then when you get it back make a copy of it for her. You keep the original. I think that if you send 2 then she may fill them both out, but maybe add something extra to her copy. Then later she says "oh, I thought I wrote that on the one I sent to you, too." No need to take a chance. The one copy will insure that you both have one that looks exactly the same. I might even send her copy of the original back by certified mail-she has to sign for that. Then there is no way she could deny ever getting it. Gosh, do I sound paranoid?? Sorry, if I do.

HTH,
Tanya

Congratulations Leslie. That's so exciting!!!

Leslie,
Woooo Hoooo Chickie! I am so PROUD for you on your first wedding cake order! Wow.. go away and get sick for 5 days and miss out on a Bunch! hahaha.. But Anyway,, Back to the Cake & Contract,
If I were you I would Use a Blue Ink Pen, then Write the contract up make a copy and give to her, if she tries to Add to the Contract you will be able to tell that it was altered even if she uses black, the copy ink is different. If you have to alter it for any reason you need to make a * altered on 11/1/05 etc*

Second off, Joyce and Janet both use that PreMaid Icing in a Bucket, with the really Strong Almond Flavoring, So I think it will be fine, and if the Mom of the bride Loved it, Then its a Good to Go thing.Not to mention you are using a filling that is a fruit, I think it will even out and be just Perfect!

But I would Run the Shape that you decide on past the Bride and the Mother. and have them Sign that on the Contract as well.. because if she said Do what you want but I really didnt want round, I would be Sure to let her know what your ideas are, ask her if she has anything she would like to Add or Take away. this way you can say,, "I asked"
I can't wait to see it. I just know it will be as beautiful as the rest of your cakes.

~Sweet~

Thank you so much Daniela and Sweet!

I am sending the contract to her.

Everybody please help....when I called her today, her fiance kept making snide remarks in the background.
I asked her if she thought it was too sweet and she asked her fiance and he said "Did she get it from the grocery store"....Then, he asked her if I would come off on the price and then he said that if they get it and it tastes like shit(his words)....they would send it back.

Let me tell you the wonders this did for my ego. I don't have a bridezilla, I have a groomzilla!!!! This makes me not even want to do this anymore.

And I did not agree to come down on my price because, they live in a MANSION!!! I think he is just trying to get something for nothing. I didn't know how well off they were, when I quoted her the price, so I am not gouginig them, but I think HE is a man and doesn't realize how much cakes are. Let alone, they just called me last week and the cake is needed in two weeks. Kinda last minute. So, I think he is just trying to see what I would have said. I don't know.....

This price issue is really a touchy subject. He wouldn't have said that to a professional bakery, why do they do that to us?

Thank you again for your encouraging remarks!
Leslie

Omg! Leslie,
What A Jerk !!! Makes me wanna give him owies and a Weggie too. what did the Bride to be Say?
I can't believe People. Like I told someone else some people are real big Butt Heads and some days we see FULL MOONS a SHINNING in Broad DayLight and right on top of their Heads. Grrrrrrrrrr.
I am so so SORRY. I wouldn't come down on the Price. No WAY. Tell him to find a cake that is going to be as beautiful and taste as good for the money somewhere else. I bet he Couldn't do it. Don't let it get you down Chickie. grrr.. makes ya wanna Hurt someone. huh?
~Sweet~

Thank you Sweet!

I just don't know what to do. Now my confidence level is way low again.
She said he scarfed down the samples I took and she said they were good, especially the cake part. She said she isn't much of an icing person, but that it was good. The grocery comment didn't bother me as much as the cursing comment. I asked my dh what I should do and he said that if I get there and they don't like it and don't want to pay me that I should just bring it home and he would take it to work. LOL
Maybe the groom was just kidding. Oh I don't know....
He said alot of things in the background...he asked if I would include some chocolate eclairs...and would I bring some hors deurves (sp?).

She said she had no problem with me sending the contract. So, at least that part went well.

Another thing...my friend..who is the bride's daughter was there with them witnessing the whole thing. If I had been her and she was me, I would have told my step dad to be quiet. LOL My friend is the one who recommended me to her mom in the first place. She is super sweet and the mom is too. Also, they have an Escalade.....they obviously have no problem paying $75 to fill up there gas tank (and I think that is just her car...no telling what he has)...but they don't want to pay a reasonable price for a wedding cake.

MY wedding cake cost me $800 and I didn't blink an eye when the bakery told me the price. And I am not charging ANYWHERE near that for them.

Oh well....I will just have to pray about it and hope that this is the worst part.

Thanks again for the support...do you want to go with me to deliver it? LOL

Leslie

Leslie,

Don't let his comments discourage you. I know your work is amazing and you put so much time and thought and LOVE into every cake you make. I wouldnt worry about it. & Yes Hubby is right, Can always Bring it home and feed the guys at work.. haha. But. I am sure that isn't going to be an issue. I think the guy may have just had a Strange sense of Humor.. at least that is what I am hoping for anyway.
I sure will ride with you to deliver it! Would be No Problem to Load that Baby Back up in the truck! don't you think that would blow his mind.. hahaha.. the bride to be would be really Ticked if he made you take her CAKE.. hahahah.. She wouldn't let it happen.
don't worry and don't let this guy set you back. hes not worth it.

Just do your Thang!

~Sweet~