Ok, well I have been praying and working on getting my business started, I have been working on my website, and so on. Lets start with Monday coming home to my home filled with water on the floors everywhere. go to the kitchen and the dishwasher is spewing water out the bottom like crazy. Hubby turned on the dishwasher at 7 am and we left, so when we I came in at noon we had quite a situation on our hands. We call ins. company and we are covered so I breathe a small sigh of relief!!! Serv-Pro comes out and sets up 20 fans, dehumidifiers and works on getting all the water cleaned up. Then we are informed we should not stay in our home, and the ins co. will put us in a hotel.

Weds comes I listen to my voicemail messages and I have a message from a lady who is getting married in oct but would like to have a cake testing now!! I don't know where to have the cake tasting which i had planned on doing at my home but cannot right now. I think to myself of alllll times for this to happen, so I cannot figure out what to do I don't want to pass up the opportunity to do this cake but I am so stressed trying to figure out what to do. The lady found me online on a wedding website I posted my info on a while back.

Well it has now been 4 days and our home is a disaster area, the liv rm, fam rm, kitchen, and master bedrms flooring and carpeting has been removed and we are told they will need to remove all the duct work due to mold growth from all the water sitting in the ducts for days now. It is just keeps getting bigger and bigger!! The bright side is when all is said and done I will have new carpeting in the liv rm, fam rm, master bed rm. And new cabinets and countertops as well as kitchen flooring. We are stuck in a hotel because we are unable to live in the house at this time and they are saying it could be at least a month. So any advise all you professionals could offer me would just be soooooo appreciated right now, my mind it so gone trying to deal with everything and then the cake stuff. Thanks in advance for all your help!!

Donna

Just tell her briefly, about your situation, and schedule a tasting for later.

OR, borrow a kitchen for the making the tasting cake and meet somewhere else. A friend may have a space, a coffee shop (one that doesn't serve cake).

I would think ANY potential bride would understand something like this happening and would be willing to make an appt 3-4 weeks out (or setting it up that you would call her when you're ready). Explain what happened, she has plenty of time before her Oct wedding.... I'll bet she'll be understanding.

Bless your heart! I'm sorry you're having to deal with the flood situation, but I'm glad you're getting some home updates. At least your cloud has a silver lining!

As far as the cake tasting goes, I would just be honest with the bride and tell her that you had some flooding and are working to get your kitchen back in order as soon as possible. If you are baking from another kitchen while you're out of your home, you could always set up a cake tasting in her home (if you feel comfortable with that) or in a public place. You might even pack her up a cake-tasting-to-go box with all the necessary stuff in it for her to take home and try out on her own. If you're completely out of commission until you get back in your house, just tell her that you would love to meet with her for a tasting as soon as possible but can't just yet due to your current situation. Since her wedding isn't until October, I would tend to think that if she's not understanding of your situation and willing to wait a few weeks for a tasting with you, then she probably would've been a bridezilla that you wouldn't have wanted to work with anyway.

I'm sorry to hear about your disaster! I'd explain to the bride exactly what is going on and let her know that you can meet with her as soon as the ordeal is overwith or if you have somewhere where you can make a cake for the testing ask her if you can meet her somewhere or do it at her house because of the situation.

On another note - it sounds like Serv-Pro didn't do their job correctly when the first responded! I used to be in that exact business and if they had done their job correctly in the first place you wouldn't be having some of the problems you are now. But, like you said - at least you'll be getting new everything when they're done!

Good Luck!
Debbie

I think Laura's idea is a good one. I know there are some on here that do the taste testing in the person's home b/c that person feels more comfortable.

I just did a tasting this morning in my client's own home - it was lovely. 100% stress-free for me because I didn't have to worry about having a spotless house (and with 8 cakes due between today and Tuesday, spotless is the last thing my house it right now lol!), and getting rid of OH and kids. I'm going to suggest this from now on to tasting clients, or I will meet them in a cafe and give them samples to take home and try.

Hang in there! Your posting made me realize that EVERYONE faces difficult circumstances at one point or another. When it happens to me I often think it's just MY luck. We are lucky to have this forum to share our "disaster" stories. It just goes to show you that there are really nice, caring people out there who are quick with advice and kind words to make us feel better. Good luck with the rest of the cakes you have this week and best of luck with your business.

Oh I hope they get everything cleared up for you.

I go to homes of soon to be brides (because I rent kitchen space) I have found the client feels more comfortable and are appreciative that I 'go that extra mile' for them.

Good luck.

Definitively she would feel special if you go to her house...But if she doesnt like that idea explain the situation and maybe you can meet her in a nice coffee shop.
Edna

O.K. Just tell her your situation. She might understand. Don't they have condo type hotels that you could rent. That would make it so that you would have a small kitchen.
Edited cause I can't read.

I also due a lot of my tastings at the food court of a mall that is a halfway point. People appreciate me meeting them halfway since i live way out in the boonies and they feel more comfortable in a public setting. I bring my plates, napkins, forks, bottled water, books and set right up on a couple of tables. And I get a lot of gaukers so you can give them your card if they ask or you can set extra nibbles out if you want. But it works out really well!

Oh my gosh you guys are great thank you soooo much for your kind words and the ideas, I never thought of going to their place thats a great Idea and one I will suggest and if that does not work then I will see if she would like to meet at the mall I think the food court is a great idea, why didn't I think of that. I am soo grateful to have a place to come to when I cannot think for myself due to overload.

As far as the company serv pro not doing their job Debbie, your right we would not be dealing with all the issues that we are but nothig can be done about that now!! Thanks for everything.

Donna

dlane626.. I hope everything works out for you ! Your work is just beautiful !Very Creative .