Joined: Jun 27, 2006
Posts: 794
Location: Down in South Louisiana
Birthday: Sep 21 Gallery Supporter Member
Posted:
Wed Aug 27, 2008 7:50 am
Okay ladies. I need you advice on this one....
I've been dealing with a bride, could tell from the get go that she had the potential to be difficult. She's been extremely indecisive about what she wants to do for her wedding and grooms cakes. Originally she sent me a picture of a wedding cake, 4 tiers, pretty cake but your basic diamonds and polkas and strips with a few other details like the monogram oval. She wanted to do it in squares instead of rounds and have them twisted. And for the grooms cake she had almost immediately wanted the LSU stadium cake. So we met a few weeks ago to discuss the cakes, at which time she quickly becomes undecided about what she wants. She's only expecting 100 people, which I explained the LSU cake was almost that many. I also explained that to do the squares twisted with a nice effect, I needed a certain amount of space between each tier. This meant she would probably have a lot more cake than she needed. So we discuss options, including mini tiered cakes for both of them, which she liked, because she didn't want to have almost twice as much cake as she needed, though she still continued to say she wanted it to be big. I explained we could to a great sized cake with pretty decorations that would not overload her, but still make a great presentation. We discuss doing a three tiered cake incorporating LSU, the Hornets, and the Saints on it for his cake. Then she starts looking at my Kerry Vincent book....did I mention from our conversations, it seems like she is on a little bit of a budget??? She sees the cake done in all fondant with the middle tier beveled, with a large amount of work and painted gold on it. By this time her fiance (who's been napping on my couch with their baby) is ready to leave. So she says she'll get back in touch with me and come by one day just herself so we can work it all out. Last week she contacted me about meeting today. I agree and make the plans. Now over the weekend, I do a three tiered square cake incorporating LSU, Hornets, and Saints for a honey do shower. This cake was booked with me over two months ago by my neighbors daughter in law, who's a great client. She had first questioned doing three separate cakes, but I had recommended doing the tiered cake instead with each of the elements on it. She questioned if it would look okay, and I assured her it would be great...which it was. So I posted the pics on myspace, as I do every week with new cakes and get this message from my bride...
Hey I won't be able to come over Wednesday, something came up I have to go across the lake. Hopefully we can do something another week. Is that new sports cake under ur albums the one I thought about?? I'm kinda bummed now cause someone else had it.
To which I responded:
That's okay. Just let me know when you're available. And actually I had discussed that cake with her a while back. I wanted you to see it so you could see a good example of what we can do for yours. We can change it up some though.
To which she replied:
Okay I found it ironic that someone had the same exact idea I did for the cake. I'll probably change it alot now because I don't want someone else to have my cake before we have it. Please don't share my ideas with someone else before we get married and if we come across any more ideas that you have discussed with other people just let me know because I don't want to do the same thing as someone else. I'm not sure if every wednesday is good for you but as for me I'm usually off every wednesday so I should be good to come by two wednesdays from now if thats okay. Thanks
Let me add in here that we had no cemented ANY ideas for either of her cakes. And call me snobbish, but I am sorry, I am way to busy and in demand to deal with someone who is gonna be so rude and accuse me of giving away her "ideas". Because incorporating the popular Louisiana sports into one cake is extremely original...right? I've done it before! And let us not forget the exceptionally original first cake idea of polkas, diamonds and stripes...lets look at my pics and see how many of THOSE I've done. I have not received a deposit yet. Typically I ask for a 50% deposit. I told her originally she could take care of that when we met. And then in a email not long after we met, she had asked what I wanted to do about the deposit, I told her to go ahead and do $150 for now, and then we could adjust as needed when we met to make the final decisions on the cake. The wedding is in December, and I'm thinking about turning down the order.
What would you do?
sarahnichole975 Forum Addict
Joined: Jun 27, 2006
Posts: 794
Location: Down in South Louisiana
Birthday: Sep 21 Gallery Supporter Member
Posted:
Wed Aug 27, 2008 7:55 am
I wanted to add that the cake in question is in my pictures...
k8memphis Forum Fanatic
Joined: Mar 21, 2005
Posts: 1302
Location: Memphis 10 C
Posted:
Wed Aug 27, 2008 8:08 am
Well, I'm not seeing the rudeness as a certainty. She said she found it ironic so that leaves the door open there. I mean you suggested that idea to her. It's reasonable that maybe you did not detect that her big deal is an original cake. Then from that she forms her request that you not share any of her ideas because her big thing is the one of a kind thing. She's in the valley of decision.
She wants custom and you can charge handsomely for custom so decide if you wanna deal with her. You don't mean the Kerry cake with the crown do yah? Ten dollars or more a serving is worth a little pia huh?
So far, for me, from what you said I'd still bite on this one.
Once she finds out how much custom costs this is gonna be a whole different ball game. Either she presses someone for more moolah or we go to the diamonds and pearls.
But on my order form they can do three payments and there's no changes after the second payment is made. So just keep her ideas on hold mentally until you reach your point of no return with her. Maybe something like that?
Lady_Phoenix Regular Member
Joined: Mar 07, 2008
Posts: 194
Location: Charlestown, Indiana
Birthday: Nov 21
Posted:
Wed Aug 27, 2008 8:08 am
Two meetings, no deposit and shes totally indecisive? Accusing you of giving HER ideas away? Sounds like bridezilla in the making. I would run.
RRGibson Forum Addict
Joined: Jun 28, 2007
Posts: 704
Location: Richmond, Virginia
Birthday: Jun 16
Posted:
Wed Aug 27, 2008 8:10 am
I have learned my lesson...listen to the little voice inside your head! If you feel they're going to be difficult, go with it. You guys haven't set anything in stone, there is no contract, she does not have control over your ideas. And if she's looking at something in a book anyway, someboidy has had it before her! I would be booked the day of her wedding. If you feel you should run, do it!
Aliwis000 Frequent Member
Joined: Jan 30, 2007
Posts: 371
Location: Tomball, Texas
Birthday: Jan 11
Posted:
Wed Aug 27, 2008 8:10 am
Wow...so you have to come up with a cake that has absolutly nothing that has ever been done before?
Alicia
2sdae Forum SuperStar!
Joined: Nov 08, 2006
Posts: 2945
Location: lou, ky
Birthday: Feb 14
Posted:
Wed Aug 27, 2008 8:10 am
RUN!
This chick sounds nuts...sorry darlin but almost any cake you can come up with someone else has done. <to chick in question.
How original can an lsu cake be? They have been around forever and loads of people have done it to death...but oh, those strips and polka-dots and diamonds....never seen that one though!
Sorry chicky but no pitas in this bakery...strict rules...no animals and no pitas....state regs and all.
txcupcake Regular Member
Joined: Jul 15, 2008
Posts: 173
Location: DFW, TX
Posted:
Wed Aug 27, 2008 8:10 am
If your intuition is telling you to run, then run girl! Don't ignore your gut.
lynda-bob Forum Addict
Joined: Apr 19, 2007
Posts: 725
Location: San Antonio, Tx
Birthday: Jan 14 Gallery Supporter Member
Posted:
Wed Aug 27, 2008 8:12 am
I'd run, too! I think I'd suddenly just become booked or unavailable; she hasn't put a deposit down, right? What's her hold up? Nope, sounds like a pain to me...
Cool cake by the way
playingwithsugar Forum SuperStar!
Joined: Aug 31, 2005
Posts: 4920
Location: Carrot Cake Should Count As A Vegetable!
Birthday: Nov 20
Posted:
Wed Aug 27, 2008 8:17 am
No money? Do you have a contract on this cake yet? If you have no contract, then please remember that you still have the option to turn down the job.
Theresa
sarahnichole975 Forum Addict
Joined: Jun 27, 2006
Posts: 794
Location: Down in South Louisiana
Birthday: Sep 21 Gallery Supporter Member
Posted:
Wed Aug 27, 2008 8:32 am
k8memphis...yes, it is the Kerry cake with the crown, though I can tell you she is in no way going to pay $10 per serving. For a $10/serving client, I will deal with almost anything, this is not that client.
And of course, I realize that even if I never looked at any one else's work EVER, ideas that I would come up with would only be partially original. (Of course that would mean not visiting CC...NOT and option). Obviously, since this is not what she does, she doesn't get that. DH said "screw her!" But my SIL said I should send her another email and give her another chance, but not to back down and take any abuse. (She's a realtor/appraisor so she understands.)
I shall continue to mull this one over...
sarahnichole975 Forum Addict
Joined: Jun 27, 2006
Posts: 794
Location: Down in South Louisiana
Birthday: Sep 21 Gallery Supporter Member
Posted:
Wed Aug 27, 2008 8:36 am
playingwithsugar wrote:
No money? Do you have a contract on this cake yet? If you have no contract, then please remember that you still have the option to turn down the job.
Theresa
Nope, nothing!
twooten173 Forum Addict
Joined: Apr 12, 2007
Posts: 520
Location: Steeler Country
Birthday: May 06
Posted:
Wed Aug 27, 2008 8:43 am
Forgot you ever met her!
playingwithsugar Forum SuperStar!
Joined: Aug 31, 2005
Posts: 4920
Location: Carrot Cake Should Count As A Vegetable!
Birthday: Nov 20
Posted:
Wed Aug 27, 2008 8:46 am
I look at your photo, and I think to myself, this gal is a real sweetheart - couldn't hurt a fly. So I'm going to give you a Bi--- lesson.
First, there's no reason for you to continue torturing yourself with this. My theory about all you pros is that if you have to ask if you should run, then darn it, get those Nikes on and go!
Second - that was your design, not hers. If she questions your ethics further, then offer to show her the contract for the other cake, which will prove that the design was made for someone else on their first-come, first-serve order.
Third - you have to grow a stiffer backbone and start giving her ultimatums. First, she has to come with deposit and pen in hand. No deposit, not contract, no more conversation on cake.
Last - If she wants to contract with you, then she has to contract with you for what you can offer her in her price range - no more of this custom couture cake at supermarket prices. Have a selection of designs that you will do for her price range; cakes which can be altered a bit here and there to make them hers.
Theresa
RRGibson Forum Addict
Joined: Jun 28, 2007
Posts: 704
Location: Richmond, Virginia
Birthday: Jun 16
Posted:
Wed Aug 27, 2008 8:51 am
Playingwithsugar---AMEN, I couldn't have said it better!
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