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CranberryClo
Frequent Member
Joined: Sep 28, 2005
Posts: 329
Location: Florida
Birthday: Nov 07
Gallery Supporter Member
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 Posted:
Fri Sep 07, 2007 3:03 pm |
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Hell no!
I'd direct her to a shop in town where she can find gumpaste flowers and petal dust and let her work her magic.
It does stink for her that the previous baker cancelled, however, you need to protect yourself. Sodden cake just sounds like a breeding ground for bacteria if it hasn't been properly stored. |
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Cakelover763
Junior Member
Joined: Mar 29, 2007
Posts: 28
Location: Charlotte,NC
Birthday: Jul 31
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Fri Sep 07, 2007 3:05 pm |
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If you feel you must do this, you should charge full price plus an extra charge for the last minute thing. As many others have mentioned, you don't know the safeness of this cake. It may not be a bad idea to draw up a release form for you and her both to sign releasing you from any lability from the cake. Also let her know that at such a short notice the decorations will be simple. Think of your self first. Good luck.  |
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lsawyer
Forum Fanatic
Joined: Mar 01, 2006
Posts: 1161
Location: San Diego, CA
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Fri Sep 07, 2007 3:05 pm |
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Oh...just have to add:
Next time you go to a restaurant, bring your pre-cooked steak and ask the chef to decorate it for you. You know......mushroom sauce or whatever. Same thing as this cake deal. |
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teamsterbabe
Junior Member
Joined: Aug 07, 2007
Posts: 51
Location: Republic of the Left Coast
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Fri Sep 07, 2007 3:08 pm |
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 Pre cooked steak!!! hella funny!! |
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step0nmi
Forum SuperStar!
Joined: Oct 02, 2006
Posts: 2881
Location: WI
Birthday: Feb 02
Gallery Supporter Member
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Fri Sep 07, 2007 3:09 pm |
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There are many ifs, ands, or butts about this one! I think you really need to see ALL the cakes that are baked to make sure they are good and in tact. Then you would need to go from there.
IMO it already sounds like you have doubts about this or you wouldn't be asking us. It sounds like you have a lot on your plate already! It may be that you have too much going on and you are going to be staying up late hours to finish this cake for this person. I wouldn't do it! Too much stress for too short a time.
IF you do do it I would charge $4 per serving still for the time and short notice. |
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apwagner
Junior Member
Joined: Apr 13, 2007
Posts: 66
Location: Cincinnati Ohio
Birthday: May 29
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Fri Sep 07, 2007 3:10 pm |
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I wouldn't do it, unless...
You ice her cakes but don't decorate them, it sounds like thats asking for trouble. You can do a dummy cake but I would charge full price plus rush fees PLUS charge for icing and transporting her cakes.
That will probably throw her off. |
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daltonam
Forum SuperStar!
Joined: May 14, 2006
Posts: 3231
Location: FLORIDA GATOR COUNTRY
Birthday: Dec 17
Gallery Supporter Member
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Fri Sep 07, 2007 3:24 pm |
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| cherim1000 wrote: | OK I haven't a clue what to do. I haven't charged for a wedding cake in years. I found out today that something happened and my boss' brother's baker won't be doing their wedding cake next weekened, so guess who will be doing it!?! I teach cake decorating and do tons of decorating, so I know what I'm doing, I just don't have a cake decorating business. Anyway, the kicker is that she has already baked the cake, it's a Jamaican black cake, 5 tiers - yes, FIVE TIERS! 6", 8", 10", 12", 14" all 4" high. It is traditional to ice this cake with royal icing... which is strange enough - the cake is also soaking wet with port wine - but I think that she also wants fondant. I also believe that she wants an arrangement of gum paste flowers on top with smaller bundles of flowers here and there on the cake. I say, "I think" and "I believe" because she's really not sure what she wants. We just spoke on the phone today and I am going to meet with her tomorrow for the 1st time... and the wedding is next weekend... and I work full time PLUS teach cake decorating 3 nights a week! Just shoot me. Anyway, any ideas as to how much I should charge for this mess? Just a ballpark. I live in NJ if that helps. I will probably do some roses, callas, stephanotis and a few orchids for the flowers. Her theme is "shades of green". I don't know what that means yet or how it will fit into the cake that she wants. I'm also unsure of what kind of green flowers I can make but I know that she wants flowers. She said that she has green ribbon to wrap around the tiers.
Thanks for any help!
Cheri  |
first things first--are you going to do this cake?? or is it a matter of if they like your price?
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alittlesliceofhaven
Regular Member
Joined: Apr 09, 2007
Posts: 174
Location: Southern California
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Fri Sep 07, 2007 3:27 pm |
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My questions are - why did her baker cancel? How long ago did this happen? Did she have the agreement with the original baker that she was going to make her own cakes? That just sounds odd to me that she has the cakes made and is now trying to find someone to decorate them a week before the wedding. And a week before the wedding she isn't sure what type of decorations she wants. Maybe all this is why the original baker cancelled!
You haven't committed to this -right??? I would be asking her a lot of questions. Don't put your good name on the line for a bridezilla (if that is where this situation is leading to). You may not have a legit business, but if someone gets sick (as menitoned in other posts) they can still come after you personally. Not a good situation to be in. After meeting with her, you could polietly tell her your concerns (lack of time to do a job like you want, you didn't bake the cakes, unsure how any icing with stick to the cake...) You wish her the best of luck...
I don't think I would touch this with a ten foot pole!
Good Luck!
editted to add: By the way - WELCOME to CC - it is the best place to be, I look forward to reading your advice on techniques new or old. The ladies here shoot straight and are very nice. |
Last edited by alittlesliceofhaven on Fri Sep 07, 2007 3:53 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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wolfley29
Frequent Member
Joined: Mar 20, 2006
Posts: 388
Location: Columbus, GA
Birthday: Oct 29
Gallery Supporter Member
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Fri Sep 07, 2007 3:30 pm |
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Okay, after reading these other posts, I am totally rethinkning my first comment and say "RUN AWAY, DON"T DO IT!!!!"
I didn't think it through first and would be scared of serving a bad (as in health wise) cake with your name on it. |
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teamsterbabe
Junior Member
Joined: Aug 07, 2007
Posts: 51
Location: Republic of the Left Coast
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Fri Sep 07, 2007 3:41 pm |
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Cherim you need to pull out
"Shades of Green" takes on a whole new meaning in this discussion and these ladies know what they are talking about.
Heed their advice, kiddo!!
Good luck
Ronni |
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kakeladi
Forum SuperStar!
Joined: May 26, 2004
Posts: 3106
Location: traveling the U.S. in my R.V.
Birthday: Nov 08
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Fri Sep 07, 2007 3:50 pm |
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Boy this is a real can of worms:(
Years ago a lady catered a wedding (including the cake). Some family member of the bridal couple brought in a dish of potatoe salad (as I remember). It was a *very* hot weekend. The food was left unrefrigerated for many hours. After the affair ended, the clean up guy took the left-over potato salad home; his family got sick. Apparently others then said they also got sick from eating at the reception.
Guess who ended up being considered at fault? The lady who catered the affair! She was 'in charge'  She did the catering out of her home with no insurance, license etc. She LOST EVERYTHING: Her home, her 'business', her life.
*IF* anything were to go wrong and someone get sick you could be held responsible |
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becky27
Forum Addict
Joined: Jan 30, 2007
Posts: 561
Location: california
Birthday: Mar 27
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Fri Sep 07, 2007 3:54 pm |
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yes...sometimes we feel sorry for people in binds...and without hesitation we say i can help out....without thinking of down sides....it does sound kinda fishy and i too would heed the warnings of all the girls on here!!!! good luck!!!!!! |
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melysa
Forum SuperStar!
Joined: Sep 17, 2006
Posts: 3295
Birthday: Nov 11
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Fri Sep 07, 2007 3:54 pm |
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| CranberryClo wrote: | Hell no!
I'd direct her to a shop in town where she can find gumpaste flowers and petal dust and let her work her magic.
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good idea. then instead of selling your services, sell her a kick-butt good frosting recipe and show her how to use the back of a spoon. a little glitter, her green ribbon, and viola.
she can take the credit. |
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Cakelover763
Junior Member
Joined: Mar 29, 2007
Posts: 28
Location: Charlotte,NC
Birthday: Jul 31
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Fri Sep 07, 2007 4:01 pm |
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Okay, after reading these other posts, I am totally rethinkning my first comment and say "RUN AWAY, DON"T DO IT!!!!"
JUST SAY "NO"  |
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teamsterbabe
Junior Member
Joined: Aug 07, 2007
Posts: 51
Location: Republic of the Left Coast
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Fri Sep 07, 2007 4:35 pm |
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Kakeladi said:
| Quote: | Years ago a lady catered a wedding (including the cake). Some family member of the bridal couple brought in a dish of potatoe salad (as I remember)....
She did the catering out of her home with no insurance, license etc. She LOST EVERYTHING: Her home, her 'business', her life. |
Kakeladi
Those people sued the cater lady and she lost everything?!!!!!! How horrible. What a horrid thing! And the Bridal couple didn't come to her defense or the creep that made the salad???
What is wrong with folks?  |
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