I have had the day from Hades. Seriously. It's been THAT bad. I was contacted two weeks ago this past Friday for a wedding that I did TODAY. Yep, two weeks ago! So, my sister and I go to deliver this cake today...in the middle of Timbucktu, only to be criticized and belittled my one of the family members as we're setting the cake up. First off, this "stacked" cake was supposed to be on pillars with two separations. We arrive to set the cake up...in the backyard of a, let's just say, not the tidiest home...there is a rented tent out back where the reception is to take place. When I pull the "door" back on the tent, there is alcohol as far as the eye can see. Okay, so I shouldn't have been taken a back by that. To each his own, right? Needless to say, the problem with having alcohol around is that people DRINK it!!! LOL. As we being setting the cake up, I note that the cake table is unlevel, and discuss with my sister our options for setup. I had NOTHING to level the table with, and quite honestly, I was worried sick that if I did separate each tier with pillars, that it would be spread out across the floor before the couple had a chance to cut it. Well, this "aunt" aka "Miss I need an exorcism"...decides to tell me how UNlevel my cake is, and that it's "severely" leaning. Um, I LEVEL my cakes before I even take them out of my pans, so it ain't my cake that's unlevel, lady. NO, I didn't say that, but I sure as heck wanted to! LOL. The aunt INSISTS...LOUDLY...that I move the middle layer towards the front to LEVEL my cake. I KNEW it wasn't my cake that was unlevel. I may have been UNSTABLE, but my cake wasn't UNLEVEL. LOL. So, she continues to belittle me, my decorating abilities, my leveling abilities, etc. I get it set up, touched up, and it looks as good as can be. I forgot to take pics, so when I go back, the AUNT is turning my cake around to the ONE "imperfect" side of my four sides!!! I was furious!!! She is determined that I not touch the cake, and that THIS is the side SHE wants to show. Ugh! Anyway, I snap my stupid pictures...to burn later...and get out of Dodge. Oh, did I mention that this cake is so obviously PLAIN due to the fact that this same aunt INSISTED that SHE place the flowers around the layers and the table...and place the topper??? I will call the bride tomorrow, but today...I just can't talk about it anymore. I'm sick over it!!! Just had to get that off of my chest. Now, I'm off to ball my eyes out. I sure as heck won't get any referrals from THIS cake.

I am so sorry that you had this terrible experience. You probably don't WANT any referrals from these people! I'm sure that when you are able to speak to the bride, she will be happy.

Bummer! That must have been like setting up a cake in the middle of a COPs white trash episode, while aunt Romena is slugging down a warm six pack of billy beer.......

I saw the picture of your cake, and I think it's very pretty without flowers on it!
I've not done a wedding cake yet and your story makes me smile. Not about the rough time you had, but how you told it!
I've made 2 or more cakes a week since April and was just told by a girl that has ordered 3 from me that the cake part is dry?! I felt just as you did! Are other people just being nice and not telling me my cakes are dry? Another co-worker has ordered (and paid for against my wishes) 4 cakes from me and loved them. I had my mom call a friend of hers (who is also a cake decorator) who ordered a cake of mine for her daughter (whoa - that was some pressure) and she told mom my cake was absolutely perfect not to change the recipe!
Your experience with this cake must be what my mom's friend told her, "Must have been a very picky client"!!
I love the swirl-effects on the cake!

ugh! that is a nightmare! I hate to say it but, everyone of us has a similiar story to share! Be confident in YOURSELF that YOU did your job. Let Aunty be held responsible for whatever the cake does or doesnt do. Call the bride tomorrow and tell her you were concerned about the cake table being so unlevel and that her aunt stepped in to "help" and bascially took it over. It's delivered so it's over from here and the fact that you THINK you wont get any business from this (probably isnt true BUT...) do yu really WANT it from the crazy Aunt People???
I have a cake sampling this week from a Bride that I have a feeling is going to be HIGH maintenance for me. SHe wants the worlds most beautiful and perfect cake for next to nothing.... oy. the nature of the beast! dont let this one crazy get you down. chin up!

Oh my goodness,

I am so sorry to hear hat you had such a terrible experience today. I know you must have put so much time and effort into your cake some people just don't get it.I am sure your cake was gorgeous.Please don't let some woman make you cry anymore.Don't worry about the refferal asspect of this cake as I am sure most of the people at that wedding aren't worth your time and energy.I would hate for you to have to deal with more of her type ungratefull and clueless.Now sit back have a cup of tea and don't waste any more tears on her

I agree . . . you probably wouldn't want referrals anyway if this group is that difficult to deal with. Your cake is very pretty . . . I also love the swirls (are they free hand?) and think that this cake is simply elegant . . . probably the most elegant part of the whole reception given your description! This cake is done, put it behind you and move on to kinder, more polite clients!

Listen I saw your mistake and could care less. The cake was beautiful and the detail was amazing. I agree that flowers would have made the cake even more amazing and taken attention away from any imperfections but so what. You would have if you could have and I would explain that to the bride.

At a wedding the last thing you want to do is fight off drunk relatives. You definately did the right thing by getting out of there as soon as possible but I think I would have told that pushy !@#$ to mind her business as I took my photos and there is no way in hell that she would have touched my cake until I was finished with it and out the door. I would have explained that as soon as I was done she could do whatever she wanted but until then I needed to take my photos and I needed to make sure the bride received the cake she paid for and since she paid for flowers she was gonna get flowers so back the #$%& up. UUUUUUUUUGH. I was so annoyed reading your post.

I am really glad that you remembered to take pictures. When you drop off and you have someone acting that way no telling what might go on. You ABSOLUTELY have to remember to take pictures they are your only defense.

Shake it off no need to cry your cake was beautiful.

Ya'll are all so sweet. Even though I still feel like a slug over this, and from the angle of Auntie's chosen side of the cake...the world's worst cake decorating imposter...it helps to be reassured that my cake wasn't butt ugly. LOL. BTW, it's the UNLEVEL (hah!) square wedding cake with nothing on it but swirls. LOL. At least I can crack a joke now, right? Funny one of you should mention, "Cops." I kept telling my sis that people like this is WHY Cops continues to run full steam ahead, and quite honestly, had that blamed aunt told me one more time that my cake was unlevel, I would've decked her. How would I have explained Mommy going to jail to my children??? LOL. Thanks again, ladies! I appreciate the pick-me-up. I knew that you'd all understand. Thank God, clients like this one aren't my norm...

Amy

Amy, you have a great sense of humor

Thanks, Hails! I've always enjoyed a good laugh, and laughing in the face of bad times...but geesh...LOL. I get my sense of humor from my Daddy.

Have a great evening!!!
Amy

awwwwww....i HATE stuff like that! (((((you))))

looks level too me...plus i think sqyare cakes are like at least twice as hard to get straight.

mean ole auntie...i bet she must be miserable to have to want to make someone else miserable too.

i see from your stats you've lost 51 pounds in 5 months?????

geeze after that everything else is gravy!!

sorry to hear.....lets hope that people will like it none the less. the refferal isnt only in how it looks...the taste too. ;0)

Amy,

I just looked at all your cakes including the new wedding cake, you are brilliant great cakes.I loooooove them, I think perhaps aunt grumps is grumpy because she wanted to be the bride if you know what I mean........lol once again, great cakes

I would get the ladies address and send her a " Thank You " card and tell
her that she won a free cake for the help and expert advice on setting
up the wedding cake. My only problem would be what kind of icing i
would put on the "mud cake". ..What would you all use fondant
or buttercream