I need some advice, perhaps the best way to handle this, if anyone has had a similar experience please let me know. I delivered this cake back in May now in July I receive a very formal looking letter from the bride asking for a refund. After posting a rave review on my site. I called her immediately and asked why. She says, and I quote,... "your cake ruined my cake photos..." I was at a loss for words and just kept listening to her. She went on about how expensive her photos where, how everything looked perfect except my cake. I'm at a complete loss here. She continues to tell me how I call myself a professional when I deliver such product. Still silent due to shock. She tells me that in all her photos she could see that there where broken blooms, now this is true a few flowers broke in transport and I tried to fix them the best I could, cover them with the others but she wants her money back. Tells me she didn't notice at her wedding due to her excitement. Someone please tell me what direction should I take this... still sort of out of it!!!! Not sure is the link works, but it's the cherry blossom cake in my profile...
Thank you in advance for your help
B
http://cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1691198
The cake is stunning. It's really, really beautiful. Even if a few flowers broke, I can't imagine the cake looking horrible in her photos.
I think all of the wedding bills are catching up with her now and she's looking to find some way not to have spent everything that she did.
Do you have a photo of the cake set up at her reception? It's possible that after you set up and left, people were poking and prodding at the cake (they do that sometimes) and broke a few more flowers, which you certainly wouldn't be responsible for. If you've got a photo of the cake at the wedding and you've got her good review, I wouldn't offer her any kind of refund.
Does she have her wedding photos online? So many people do now, maybe you could see the cake in her photos and see what she was talking about, how it actually looks, etc...
Holy Cow!!!! You have got to be kidding me!!!! I actually remeber that cake when it was posted. I commented that It was and still is the prettiest version of a cherry blossom cake that I have ever seen.
Im afraid I will defer to more experienced decorators for advice on how to handle this but I wanted to tell you not to get down on yourself in any way.... this is absolutly NOT YOUR CAKE!!!!!!
That cake is gorgeous! I did notice some broken blooms--because I was looking for them! I would not have known otherwise. And don't real flowers sometimes have their petals missing, little ragged edges instead of perfectly smooth? You were just trying to copy mother nature in true form, right? 
OK seriously, your cake did not ruin her pictures. I think if she gave you a glowing review earlier, you can consider her satisfied. I say at this late date, no refund. If she was truly unhappy with the cake, she should have said so right away.
oh HEEEEEEELLLLZ no! She was totally satisfied at the beginning...now has buyers remorse and her keywords were " She went on about how expensive her photos where". trying to get something for nothin!
if you're feeling nice tell her because she ate the cake she cannot give her a refund but you'll give her pictures of the photos you took...cuz it looks lovely! 
The bride is just being so unfair, I never sold any cake and have no idea how to interact with such unreasonable customer, but I just want to say: "As of now your cake is a favorite of 240 people. This means your cake is stunning."
I was and still am at a loss for words, I was totally proud of that cake...
I thought since she ate the product how can I give her a refund. I haven't responded to her I just told her I would call her back, because I was trying to still process what was going on. I do have pics of the cake at the venue nothing really up close but its the pics under tent. I started thinking what if the tent's veil somehow caught on the flowers and broken some it was a bit windy that day. It will be her word against mine. Do I offer to make her a cake, but then I have read why would someone offer a cake when they are not satisfied with your product. I just can't process returning her money back after this much time. I know she is probably having buyers remorse but even with a car you only have five days, not two months. Wow still processing and my brain is spinning... 
I'd be tempted to tell her if she has a problem with her photos to take it up with her photographer!
Seriously tho, you could ask to see her pictures so you can ascertain if any damage was done after you delivered the cake but that would open you up to further discussion - I would try and shut her down now with a simple, "it was good enough on the day, you are not going to refund her money after all this time".
WOW your cake is absoulately gorgeous. Is that bride insane? Sounds to me like she spend more then she can now afford and you probably aren't the only vedor she is trying to get money back from. I would tell her sorry, but NO WAY! 2mnths later she's talking about refund, I could tell you what she could refund but I'm not gonna use those kind of words YOU should be proud of that cake! Tell her if it's the photos she doesn't like.....she can as the photographer for a refund. They ate the cake.....NO REFUND!!!! sorry didn't mean to yell.
as a gesture of good will, as she was initially very happy with the cake, and now so much time has passed, you are glad to offer them an 8 inch round, to be collected/ ordered by the end of X month, dependant of availability. due to the length of time that has passed, you are unable to offer a monetary refund. (did you have someone sign for the cake on delivery? if so, use that as your reason for no refund! if not, try and do that next time)
true, you dont want to actually work with her again, and hopefully the use by date will come and go - if not, its only the one, simple cake (specify value too). it is a guesture of good will, makes you look better to anyone else, but doesnt actually cost too much to do.
with her being so happy at the time, and it taking so long to get back to you, i dont think you can justify giving her money. although if she is only just getting the photos, which will be better quality than the family ones, maybe the wait is justified. thats why these conflicts are so annoying!
although how many flowers did break? without a picture of when you set up the cake (or was that picture once it was set up?), you cant prove whether it was you/ transport or some other occurence that did it.
and, superglue is a must for sugar flower emergencies!
xx
I agree with "buyers remorse". Your cake was stunning. If she has a problem with the way it photographed, then she needs to take that up with the photographer. If she's that insistant on perfect flowers, she should ask the photog to edit the photo. I would not offer her a refund, a cake or anything else for that matter.
No No No No No No No do NOT refund ANY money! She has no right to demand a refund for something like this. You are not responsible for what happens to a cake after it's delivered NOR how she think it photographs! I suppose if she looked fat in her pictures she'd demand her money back on her dress?
Please don't get suckered into something like this. I'm assuming you have a contract...and in that contract it should state the very fact that once the cake is delivered and set up, you are not responsible for what happens to it.
Anyway, I would reply to her something like this (in an e-mail....always helps to have a paper trail):
Dear Bridezilla (well you edit that),
After receiving a rave review from you on your wedding cake several months ago, needless to say I was very surprised and saddened to hear that you are now unhappy and requesting a refund. I'm sorry you don't think the cake photographed well, but that is really not my responsibility. The cake was designed to your specifications, delivered, set up --AND I assume eaten. Any damage that occurs after delivery is out of my hands. The money you paid me has long ago been spent on bills--including the cost of making your cake. I regret that you are unhappy and while I will not be issuing a refund, because I appreciate your business I hope that you allow me to make your 1st anniversary top tier at no charge.
Sincerely...yada yada yada.
By offering something like her top tier, at least you're being gracious. Which is more than she is! Above all, do NOT cave! I wouldn't go back to a restaurant after several months and tell them my steak was tough and I want my money back! Please! That cake is GORGEOUS! And any photographer worth his salt can work wonders post production if there are any flaws. You might tell Bridezilla that too.
Good luck! 
Tell her it's your policy not to refund after 30 days. I mean really is it the beauticians fault if she smudged her lipstick and the photographer took an unflattering photo??
this is the cake at delivery site... the picture you seen first was inside the clubhouse I took those pics with my camera inside against this black wall was a nice spot, then I took it to the cake table. I do have a contract which states upon receipt of delivery my liability ends and the party's begins. I have a signature upon delivery on the last page of the contract for this very reason. I also have a clause that state they must bring up any problems within 12 hours of delivery. I have NEVER had this situation before so I was shocked to say the least.
Uhhh. KOO KOO
"ruined her photos"? Is the cake in EVERY single picture? Wouldn't the focus be on the bride and groom in the pictures? Reguardless, if she saw the cake after you set it up an was pleased with it, which obviously she was, hence the review, then you are NOT responsible for refunding her. I wouldn't even offer to make her a cake. Especially after she gave you the rave reviews. Why should you have to put extra into it so she can get something for nothing? IF I was not happy with my wedding cake, you better believe I would have called with in a week to complain. I probably would have said something when the cake was delievered.
Two months is too long. You wouldn't call up your restaurant two months later and say "I had a spaghetti marinara two months ago at your restaurant and had tummy troubles the following day. I want a refund". Granted she could've been way excited/overwhelmed on the wedding day, but should've said something within a few days.
There you go.....you just answered your own question. Send her a copy of that contract.....that's it. End of story.
Wow... wonder if the bride is calling up her Aunties, demanding compensation, because they wore unattractive dresses?
BTW, what a lovely looking cake!
You make me so proud !!! YEAH FOR YOU FOR HAVING A CONTRACT!!! Tell her sorry, but it states in the contract, that she signed, that she had 12 hours to bring up any problems with the cake, and then offer her a copy of the contract. !!!
You got a contract !!! I am just so damned proud of you !!! 
Beautiful cake! No refund! I bet if it was windy that veil would have blown all over the cake in return breaking additional flowers. And yes.. GOOD for you on having a contract!
Gorgeous cake!
You have the contract, the delivery-siganture and the pictures. She does have absolutely nothing. (Not even any money anymore ist seems )
I would not offer her anything. Offering a gift certificate or anniversary tier will be treated as an admission of guilt from someone like that.
A nice, short and firm reply, attaching the signed contract and delivery sheet should be all that you need to give to her!
I wouldn't give her anything. Don't be rude to her, but I would re-explain the contract to her. Also mention you have pictures of the cake after delivery and the cake is in excellent condition in those pictures. So if something happened to the cake later in the day by the time the pictures where taken, you are not responsible for that.
She's trying to find a way to pay for those expensive wedding pictures!!!! She's got nothing!! That cake is beautiful and she's on crack!!
Seriously, I think the public in general has gone nuts.
If you are unhappy with a service, there has to be some sort of limit on time to complain accompanied by a legitimate complaint! Even if she had called you within 12 hours afterward and complained, I still would not offer her a full refund! A few broken flowers could not and did not "ruin her photos". The cake was perfectly presentable, beautiful and what she ordered.
A "I am sorry you feel this has ruined your photos but the cake was as you ordered it" should suffice. I would offer her an anniversary tier as a gesture of goodwill and leave it at that. I would make sure to tell her it is a gesture of goodwill, as you want her to be happy.
I think after a wedding brides are left with a wedding planning hangover where they are let down after the excitement has worn off. When they start to think and obsess about the wedding, they fixate on something they found wrong and they complain.
I am sorry this happened to you. When doing this kind of work, you work so hard to please people and are so distressed when you find someone is disappointed! No refund.
She's being ridiculous! Too bad she didn't use real flowers.... then she could have sued God. Your cake is absolutely amazing. If it had been at one of my childrens' weddings, I would have been thrilled and given you a bonus. The photographer must have taken a closeup shot of your gorgeous flowers and a flaw showed up in the photo. I know from taking my own photos that even a speckle of powdered sugar that I can't see shows up on the photo.
In any case, you've covered your legal liability extremely well. I vote for "do nothing", because if you do anything it admits liability where there is currently, and legally, none.
I'm so sorry that this happened to you. You have every right to be very, very proud of this amazing, stunning cake!
I would do a little investigating. See if any one else she used that day, caterers, venue, photographer..., have had any problems with her. Then you will find out her true intent. You never know she might have been one of these people who bought the dress and tried to return it later for a refund, lol. I would guess since you have a contract, that she signed, there is nothing she can do. The only thing she can do is not do business with you and possibly bad mouth you which then she is wrong.
~Kim
Your cake was beautiful and you should be proud. Don't let her take that from you. It sounds like you have your bases covered with your contract.
Highlight the areas in your contract that pertain to her complaint and email it back to her. Don't apologize and don't offer anything conciliatory. Let her know if she has anything further to say on the matter to take it up with your attorney.
I've been in this business along time and if a complaint came in 2 months post delivery I would have a hard time taking it seriously.
Minette
Quote by @%username% on %date%
%body%