OK so I'm new to this cake thing as a busines. I ve done a few birthday cakes and a couple of weddings for $. Word is getting around a little bit and a few people have called anyway... this bride called me 10 days ago. She is getting married in 2 weeks and doesn't have cake yet could I do a tasting for her etc... I say ok and bake up some stuff for her to taste ( she asked for van and choc and fillings to go with both). On the day of the tasting she calls me to tell me she forgot a prior engagement and would like to reschedule ( grr#1).

So now it's the day of the resceduled tasting, and she decides on her way to the tasting that she doesn't want to be "like everyone else" with a choc or van cake blah blah. So now I have baked all of this for nothing. (grr#2)I tell her other flavors that i do and what people seem to like. she picks the flavors and design and I get my deposit , in cash.( she is paying $360 for a fondant cake for 60 ppl)

Yesterday I went shopping for everything to do the cake, for this Saturday. then this morning my phone rings. Guess who...? anyone? Bingo the bride calls to tell me she is postponing the wedding for 3 weeks. ( grr#3!) Now I have all this stuff sitting in my fridge. some of it will expire before I need to use it.My DH says to charge her to replace the perishable items. I don't know what to do. Has this happened to anyone else? and How did you handle it?

Ugh! never had this happen, but if you just bought your supplies yesterday can't you just return it?
I do know that's not the point the bride is a PITA and gas isnt free but returning would be better than having stuff in your fridge you don't need.
I hope for your sake this bride isn't just jerking you around.
Good luck

if she is postponing three weeks, I'd address it with her . . . your contract was for a specific day. and who postpones a wedding by three weeks?

i agree with ur DH you tell her that to change the date, you ned to charge her extra (my contract says $25)...that covers my perishables!

I would tell her that you are booked and that her deposit is non-refundable.

You have allowed her to tell you how you run your business. She sees you as someone she can push around. You need to tell her no and soon. The first thing is the tasting is not an opportunity for them to taste everything they want. It is a showcase of your baking ability. If they like your chocolate and vanilla cake then they know you know how to bake a cake. You need to charge for the tasting.. people who have invested in something are less apt to flake on it.

You need to take the reigns girl! If you keep bending over to her every need and change.. she's going to keep treating you like crap.

i agree with ur DH you tell her that to change the date, you ned to charge her extra (my contract says $25)...that covers my perishables!

thats horrible i cant believe someone would do that i woud tell her that if there are going to be any more date changes that she should expect to be charged for wasted items.

sounds like a major PITA. I would consider running! I just finished a PITA's cake for this past weekend and man, sometimes it is just not worth it!
But,.....You don't want to get a bad name so soon in....I feel for you.
Good luck...maybe it will turn out just fine, stay positive.

I don't know of any grocery store that would take back perishable items unless they were sold after their sell by dates, etc.

I agree iwth everyone else. She booked a specific date, so now she has to book another date with another deposit, or at least another deposit to cover what you have to replace.

return the stuff...stores will take anything back these days.

time to go cake nazi on bridezilla....no cake for her...i'd br booked that weekend, no one deserves to be treated like this.

You need to stand up for yourself! I don't charge for tastings, but if a bride ever stood me up for one, she would be paying for the subsequent ones BEFORE we met. Meaning, tell her that her first tasting (ie the one you already baked for) was free, and since she missed that one, all further tastings will be $XX and due at the time of booking the appointment.
And, she already picked the flavors to taste. She will taste what you have on hand, or pay an additional amount for tasting premium flavors.
What is wrong with people?

thanks to all for the advice. Man I'm really gonna have to grow a bigger set if I'm really gonna make a business out of this.

do you know WHY she postponed the wedding?

I see that you are from FL too - was it b/c of the weather. That would be the only thing that I can think that would make sense to me! you don't just postpone a wedding! Besides the hurricane should be pasted by the weekend.

I just don't get it at all - she is a witch!

This girl had trouble written all over her from the very beginning! Last minute orders usually are, though there are some exceptions. I think I would have dumped her after she cancelled the first tasting. IF I agree to take a last minute order, they have to get here within a couple of days to sign the contract and pay in full, and they would taste whatever I had on hand.

But all that aside, with the current situtation, unless she has a VERY good reason for postponing the wedding (and how can you postpone for only 3 weeks?? Everything will be booked up!), I would take the opportunity to get rid of her, and fast. I would simply say that you're sorry, but you are completely booked or out-of-town that weekend and can't possibly do it and the deposit is forfeited to cover the time and expense you have already put into her order with the two tastings, and already started on the cake. I'm guessing most likely this wedding will never happen, though.

IF she has a really good reason for postponing and you really want to go ahead with it, I would charge her a minimum of $50, more if needed, to cover the expense of the perishables you already purchased, and the PITA factor. I have had a few people postpone after ordering, but it was never last minute, so I had not purchased anything and had plenty of time to re-book the date, so I let them tansfer their deposit to a new date if I was available with no penalty. But if I was already booked up for the new date, they were out of luck. Incidentally, out of those weddings that have postponed, only 1 ended up actually happening after all.