I just had a woman cancel her meeting with me for her wedding cake, we have already had two meetings one for getting the idea of her cake together and then for 2 tastings. And we are suppose to have met this saturday for her payment.

Well I get a email from her telling me that she cannot get the beautiful cake she was wanting from me . That she hopes to get a smaller cake but isnt sure about anything at the moment. Well apparently she isnt getting a smaller one from me and her wedding is in less than a month.

http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1247858
This is a pic of what the top tier would have looked like.

Her loss! I think you may have had a lucky escape.

If she does decide she wants a cake and you decide you want to do it, I'd get paid in cash BEFORE you bake or buy a thing.

Oh, I get paid 1st with all my cakes before I go buy anything. ButI give two free tastings with wedding cakes, and now I think Im gonna charge for all tastings and if they buy from me then take it off the price of the wedding cake. Do you think that would be a good idea?

I posted about charging consultation fees a couple of weeks ago. A few people do, several people (myself included) would like to, but don't think it would fly in our areas, and a few were adamantly against charging any kind of consultation fee.

I think two free tastings is definitely too much; one should be more than enough, especially if they haven't put any money down yet. While I decided consultation fees just wouldn't work for me, they only get 1 free appointment. After that, they'd better have a deposit check in hand if they come back. One visit/tasting should give them all the info they ned to decide if they want you. If they're ready to pay the deposit, then you can do a follow-up visit to work out the specifics of their cake.

That's what I do.. charge for tasting and if they book it comes off the top of their bill.

One tasting is more than enough. The point of the tasting isn't for them to sample every flavor until they find what they like, but to get an idea of you as a baker. If they like what they tasted.. they can trust you to perform.

ditto. There is absolutely no reason to do two tastings or meet with them that much. After the contract is signed I switch to email contact.

I agree.

Thank you all for your imput I really appreciate it!

It was definately the bride's loss. This mini cake is great!

I was wondering about the edible barbed wire you were going to do on the big cake. Were you going to do it out of fondant or use some other technique. My son's have a fence building business and the middle one is having his 18th bd soon. I would love to put some of the fence on it if you would be willing to share your technique.

Thanks in advance

Yep, I think two meetings is too much. Whenever I get a call, I tell each bride that they get ONE free consultation & tasting session. I also tell them that each consultation is one hour long & the samples (mini cakes) will cut into enough for 4 people if they would like to bring anyone else. That way, I don't end up baking more than I normally would if she decides to bring the whole family. If they would like to bring more people, additional samples are $10.00. I do this because I've found that too many people want to come in over & over for free cake & ideas, because it's a "fun" thing to do with mom, or the girls.

I also have gotten a few brides that come in & then want to make another appointment for them to come in with the groom. I don't understand why they don't just come in together. Now that I explain ahead of time that they get ONE free session, I have a lot more couples coming in together now. In case they still can't make it, I have little plastic carry-out containers for them to take home any leftover samples to the groom if they like. If they want me to bake everything over again though, they have to pay for it.

Thanks for the help. Sounds like a great idea and I can't wait to try it.

Are you saying that you met with these people FOUR times and the were arranging a fifth meeting with them?

I'd go bankrupt if I spent that much time dorking around with every order.

They get one consultation with samples (enough cake for two people, and I only have two seats). I count on about 1-1½ hours. I don't charge for a consultation IF they order a cake for more than XX amount of servings. Under XX amount, I charge $65 (NOT deducted from their final order).

I think I worded it wrong at the top. i talked online with her a few times, then we met once for going over the design of the cake then for her to taste two samples.the last meeting was going to be for payment and to make sure everything was still the same and the bride had nt changed her mind about anything. and then right before she canceled. sorry for wording it wrong

We would have met 3 times but really only met twice. But I wont be doing that anymore.