Hi!
I have a wedding cake due next week. I had the bride (mother of the bride) sign a contract stating that 1/2 of the cake was due to reserve the date- I got that half 4 months ago when it was ordered.
The other half (according to the contract) was due last week and has not come yet.
I know that this isn't on purpose- I know this (the week before the wedding) they have a lot going on- but how should I "kindly" remind the mother that I need the other 1/2 of the money?
I can't buy any of the other supplies unitl I get it!!
Thanks!!
Ivy

" but how should I "kindly" remind the mother that I need the other 1/2 of the money?
I can't buy any of the other supplies unitl I get it!!
Thanks!! "

Just like that.....

"I know you must be extremely busy this week but your final payment for the wedding cake was due last week. I can't proceed with your order until it is received. Please let me know if you still want me to make this cake for you."

Yikes!
It's getting too close to time to send a letter, maybe you should call to remind them! Maybe just casually say that if they are still interested in having a wedding cake for that date, that the payment needs to be received now, in order for you to purchase their ingredients. (Maybe you don't need too much detail....maybe they'll just say....oh gosh, I'm sorry I spaced it off....I'll get that to you right away! )

Oh goodness, I hate situations like this. Sometimes when I have reminded someone they STILL don't get the money to me! I might say something like this. "I just wanted to remind you that I need to collect the balance for the wedding cake. I need to pick up some final ingredients. Can you bring it by today or can I stop and get it?" My husband is like "No money, no cake." Wouldn't that blow some minds!!

I agree with everyone. Let them know that you can't proceed without payment. Situations such as this are why I state in my contracts that the entire balance is due 30 days prior to the wedding.

Good luck!!!
Amy

Thanks guys for all the quick responses. The mother has emailed me about 4 times over the last few weeks to "check" how things are going. So I just responded to one I got last night and included a line " Just a reminder... your final payment was due for this cake." I hope get it on Monday.
I always get weird looks and responses when I let people know that I need payment BEFORE they get their cake. Does anyone else deal with this? And if so, what is your response?

Thanks agian!!!

[quote="luvscakes"]
I always get weird looks and responses when I let people know that I need payment BEFORE they get their cake. Does anyone else deal with this? And if so, what is your response?

Just let it be known right up front that payment is due by xx number of days prior to the event date. (My personal policy is 30 days prior for weddings and 14 days prior for any order over $100.) I have only had one problem in almost 2 years of being in business, and that is exactly why I instated this policy. No one has had any problem with it at all. Another way that I *remind* customers of balances due is to include that with my schedule on my home page. Many have commented on how helpful it is, so I keep it updated daily. It's a great tool.

If you don't get payment by Monday, I think that I'd wash my hands of it all. If you have it stated in a contract that payment is past due, you have your end covered and can't be held liable, since they didn't keep their portion of the deal.

Good luck!
Amy

Good job! Stay strong, upfront and forward about the situation! I guess if she does not pay...she doesn't get the cake! AAAAHHH!

***I do like the 30 days in advance....then they can't try to slide by with the I forgot or can I pay later?......There really is so much to do during the last few weeks of the wedding! But come on, gotta have that cake! Wouldn't it be hard to forget about that?

I always mail out a invoice to them two weeks before the due date reminding them of the balance unpaid. Then if you dont get it the week before then they get a reminder call and "did you get the invoice" call. If they dont pay, they dont get a cake. Its as simple as that. My father always called these type of people "dead beats", people that think they can get away with not paying people. Even some of his customer that he trusted that he let have a charge account left him high and dry when he sold the business. Get the money upfront to avoid it, simple as that. Thats what he taught me and its words of wisdom!

I'm with these guys. My brides have been really good about getting their cakes paid early, but if they don't, I send an invoice a few days before the due date, usually via email, that says "Your invoice is attached, reflecting your balance due. Please remit in full by xx/xx/xx."

The contract they signed clearly says that if the entire balance isn't paid in full by the due date (14 days prior), NO cake will be made and their order may be canceled at my discretion.

I have one straggler I'm dealing with myself right now. Bride got contract, MOB is paying and didn't see the date or the address to send the check to, so I had to call and email them a reminder, and she *said* she was mailing it a few days ago. If it's not in my mailbox on Monday, I'll have to shake her like a chicken.

Usually, if they want to mail a check after the 14 day due date, I ask them to pay by cash or visa, because a check can bounce in a week and I'd have already made the cake before I realized it. This one is my last one this fall and a smaller cake, so I'm being lazier about it. Hope they get it paid for; it's getting late for them to, ahem, have no cake...

what to say to those who give you weird looks when you ask for money in advance.

"I have to buy the ingredients and supplies. Your cake is a custom creation made with fresh ingredients. If you want to pay at pick up then you need to order from a place that just have cakes lying around."

mommachris

My contract states that the order must be paid for 2 weeks in advance (deposit at time of booking though). I have so many Brides that "push" that deadline. I really don't think that it is on purpose. It's just crazy the couple of weeks before their wedding. So, I've sent "email reminders" when it is coming due. They have always paid ~ though some a few days late. (Waiting for one that is a couple days late right now...)
So, I think that I am going to change my policy to new customers that final payment is due 30 days before. That gives me plenty of time, even if they are a few days late, to make sure their check will clear and to order any supplies I need. Waiting to order things and for a check to clear all in 2 weeks (less if they are late) is too much of a rush. My policy is going to be changing.

If you received the first 1/2 of the money when the order was placed, why can't you buy supplies with that? Not trying to be mean, just curious.

Do a courtesy call!

Thanks guys!
I have now emailed her (last weekend) and called since on Wed I hadn't recieved a payment yet. She said she mailed it on Momday.. mail must be really slow since she lives less then 20 miles away!
Shortcakesweets- I did already use the money she paid for supplies. The venue was not providing a plateau, so I had to purchase one (as you know those are VERY expensive- I got mine for $120) then I also had to purchase the special swiss chocolate dairy-free ganache the bride wants on her cake, which was also over $100.
I had to purchase all the other things and since the check still hasn't cme I had to use our personal account- my hubby hates when I do that! But that's life sometimes. At least I have a nice plateau!

I try not to buy any supplies until I receive final payment. On the off chance that they back out ~ that deposit is the only money that I will see for ALL the time I spent with consultations, tastings, preparing sketches, contracts and following up with them. I definitely earned that money ~ especially when you consider that I potentially passed up another Wedding because I booked their date with them.
If they back out after all the time I spent on them, I don't think I'd need the extra dowel rods and cake plates as bad as I would want a drink and a nice dinner out! I definitely worked for it!

when i do a wedding I always have a deposit ..In my contract it states that the deposit is lost if they don't pay for the wedding..The wedding has to be paid 2 weeks before the scheduled date..If she doesn't comply..the wedding can be canceled and she loses the deposit..

I send out regular invoices. Not only to those late, but monthly to remind them of their payment with a due date.

I agree with a lot of these posts, that it's too late to do anything but call her and remind her - I'll bet she just forgot being so busy with everything else! Personally, I have my payment schedule on the contract they sign with me (as well as my website). It also states that if payment is not received by the due date then the contract is cancelled and all prior payments are forfeited. That way, you can call to remind her, and if there is still no payment within 24-48 hours, you have EVERY right to not deliver a cake! It sounds harsh initially, but you have to cover your in this business, and protect yourself!

Good luck!

I've only just begun doing wedding cakes, but I have been reading threads like this for a good while. As a result, I have used a lot of suggestions CCers have made regarding my contract. Here is a copy of my Payment schedule:

I am so grateful to the members here who have shared their experiences and their resulting contract adjustments.

The reminder schedule helps and protects both the bride and me. I know it seems like I am being redundant by saying the same thing 3 times, but I bet there will be no misunderstanding. No money means no cake. Period.

When I was an ER nurse, we gave verbal instructions twice to each patient, and once again to any family member, along with written instructions. And they initialed their chart to acknowledge they had received the instructions. Brides are just as stressed out as any ER patient. Maybe more! So help her out by writing everything down and requiring that she initial that they received the instructions. We called that CYA in the ER. That means "Cover Your A$$" to have proof in case any problems occur and people deny that we did what we said we did. That... and people lie...a lot.