I made a 4 tiered wedding cake a few weeks ago, each tier separated with pillars. I set the cake up on my work bench to place the fresh flowers and make sure everything was ok - it was sitting on the bench for at least an hour. Once at the venue I started to set the cake up (on a wine barrel) when I placed the second tier I didn't feel confident about the stability of the barrel, so called someone from the venue for an alternative.
I was directed to put a table top on the barrel, which I did, and then when I set the cake up it collapsed!! I spoke to the organiser, and took the top and bottom tiers away to repair them (an hours drive each way) on return I set the cake up again (with an audience of the guests) on the same table (in hindsight perhaps not the brightest idea) I took photos, and went to collect the boxes etc to leave, when it fell again!! (the only reason I can think of is that the table was bumped) I was absolutely mortified and did my best to repair the cake on site to a presentable standard (removing the pillars and putting the car on a bar)
I made contact on the Monday following the wedding and asked for a meeting to discuss the disaster. I have only just heard back from them (via e-mail) and they want me to come up with a suitable compensation.
My question is - what should I do? I can take some responsiblity, but given that the cake was stable when I tested it at my shop, and the table provided was not - how much compensation should I be offering? any advice appreciated!

I would say that since you knew the barrel was not stable before you assembled it, yet you still assembled the cake on it, not once, but twice, even after it collapsed the first time, this makes the collapses your responsibility. You should have refused to assemble the cake on the barrel and demanded a stable table.

I'm sorry to say I agree with the above posts. Sometimes its hard to think under stress (and when a cake topples, that kinda stressful!), but i also attribute this to (my frequent rant about) how women are taught, as little girls, to be "nice", and to not make waves, and to "all get along", so when presented with a barrel, instead of saying "Are you freakin' kidding me!!!!????", many women tend to shyly say, "well, ok lets see how I can be super nice and not complain and make it work...."

Kudos to you for going to someone when you got that gut feeling the first time, so please walk away with this as a life-cake-lesson on how we need to go with our gut on stuff like this. When it comes to cake assembly, our policy should be "no compromise!" A bride might WANT a bowling ball on top of her cake, but as the cake expert, we'd be compelled to say "Are you freakin' kidding me?" and then explain why that won't work.

Remember ... after you have your first disaster, you never have to face another "first" disaster! You're now experienced!

Good for you Indy! You should give lessons to all us "nice girls"!

DianaJJ

Can we see the photos of the cake and barrel?

-Debbie B.

I'm unclear on what actually collapsed. The barrel or the cake? Or the barrel went down and took the cake with it?

I have had two different incidences where the cake table was unstable. I put up a heck of a stink until it was stable in one case and in the other I put a shim under one of the legs (outdoor reception). If the table is unstable then you make everyone's life miserable until it's fixed. I would like to see the way you set it up. If I know it's going to be "tippy" I super glue the pillars to the plates for added insurance.

Sorry to say, but I would say full refund. We are talking the very most important day in this couple life. Their day to remember. To remember without the cake you were supposed to provide. If it were me, in all good conscience, I would probably give them a full refund and offer to make them their first anniversary cake for free. I know that is probably not what you wanted to hear, but hey, that is just my opinion.