Groom Called Off Wedding 4 Days Before The Date, Now What
Business By momma28 Updated 7 Mar 2012 , 10:55pm by BuffytheBakingSlayer
A few years ago the same thing happened to a friend of mine. The groom backed out two weeks before the wedding. Everything was already paid for (reception hall, food, cake, band, etc), so the bride-to-be went ahead with the reception. Everyone had a great time including the bride-to-be who met her future husband. They are expecting their second child, and the run-away-groom is in jail for his fourth DWI. Lucky escape for my friend.
Wow talk about dodging a bullet. I'm happy for your friend that it turned out in her favor. Fate.
There was a "dodged the bullet" type cake on the episode of that was on the other day (I have no idea if it was a new one or not). It was def pretty full with the groom tossed off the side along with all of his stuff. They even made him look like he'd been roughed up a little bit.
I wasnt really wanting the episode so i didnt catch the story on if he called off the wedding or what but it was definitly a funny idea.
Sorry didnt get through reading all the posts before typing this, so not sure if someone else already answered it, but it was a cake in celebration of her divorce 
I honestly think that you can offer a gift certificate for a cake of similar value at a later date, subject to availabilty. They have already paid for the cake and your time. It would be considered a kindness on your part and you're not out any money.
The customers cancelled the order. Doesn't your contract state that if the customer cancels the order, for any reason, no monies or services are due? The customers could have still had the cake completed if they wanted it, but they didn't. Yes the situations is sad but this is why bakers have contracts.
Haven't had a chance to read all pages but, from what I did read, I agree with those saying you are not obligated to refund anything. If they want the cake for the date they booked it, then make it.
I know that I am a very sappy person and, often have such a hard time separating my personal feelings with good business sense but, you have to. You don't know the full story and, probably never will. Maybe the bride got caught cheating and, that's why the groom called off the wedding 4 days before. You probably wouldn't feel as sorry for her if that was the case! LOL
............... Maybe the bride got caught cheating and, that's why the groom called off the wedding 4 days before. You probably wouldn't feel as sorry for her if that was the case! LOL
TRUE!
This is sad, but I definately would not refund anything. I'd offer to make a cake anyway. If they said no then well, you tried.
Legally, you do NOT owe them anything if they turn down your offer of a cake THIS WEEKEND. I dont know why some people are saying otherwise. The contract has been cancelled by the client. End of story.
I think its a very nice gesture to donate a cake to charity though. Maybe ask the bride or MOB if theres a specific charity they support. (If they don't want a cake THIS WEEKEND of course)
Similar thing happened to me last week. I was in the process of torting and filling the cakes when I got a phone call from the MOH letting me know that the groom gotdrunk the night before, was arrested and in jail, and the wedding was off. She asked if I could just make a cake forthem atsome later time.... um, no. The cakes were In Process.
I delivered the simply crumb-coated, undecorated cakes in individual boxes to the MOH the next day, along with instructions on how to freeze.
If I hadnt have already had the cakes cooked, I still wouldnt have refunded anything. It was a booked date, and I'd turned down other orders.
I feel personally close to every customer, just based on the fact that I'm involved in their biggest life events, but I have a contract in place to cover these kinds of situations. My contract keeps ME from letting my emotions get in the way.
Oh, and I didn't feel too bad about delivering boxes of undecorated cakes when they'd paid in full for a full wedding cake. I figure, I may have the money, but I DON'T have a completed cake to add to my portfolio, thanks to their cancelled wedding (and bozo of a groom). This particular cake had to be assembled on-site so I couldn't have put it together, taken a photo and then broken it back down to put into indivudual boxes for them to freeze. I see the loss of that addition to my portfolio as lost future sales.
No refund. And I have done the "I feel bad for you, let me give you a make-up cake at a later date" thing. What happened was this person figured she had me on the hook fora free cake at her whim. I resented the lost money from that weekend when I was doing a cake I wasn't going to getany reimbursement from...
I agree about not giving her her money back.
But you could offer to make her the cake anyway ( for that day , not some time in the future ).
She could donate it, enjoy it with her family, ...
I'd love to see it decorated like a divorce cake! With the groon topper laying in a puddle of blood and its neck broken!
Wow, that's harsh. Bitter, table for one?
Well the concept is fun, I've seen some hilarious divorce cakes, but I would be willing to be that groom called the wedding off because fo something the bride did!
The term "hilarious divorce cakes" is a very sad one indeed. There is nothing hilarious about divorce. To the op I wish you the best of luck!! Thats a tough one!
Sue the Groom; Breach of contract!
it use to be done way back in the day!
Do you mean the bride should sue? Not on breach of contract, she cannot (no fully formed contract yet). BUT I think she (or her parents it sounds like) should sue him for the unrecoverable costs. Depending on where they are it may be successful.
While we are on the subject of breaches, you should maybe view your cake contract and your thoughts of breaking it from a future liability standpoint. What if you allowed this women to break your contract (giving her a refund)? So what happens in the future if you refuse someone else for this reason or a far more stupid one. They get the right court, that is willing to go beyond the 4 corners of the contract, you could be screwed, b/c you set the precedent for allowing nonstandard outs to you contract.
Not saying that WOULD happen, but it is in the realm of possibility (as everything seems to be in the legal world now). And even if it is not a winning argument, it is one that could tie you up in court (and potentially with legal bills).
That being said, I think there could be extraordinary circumstances. Years ago, I heard a story on the radio with a consumer advocate. A mother was calling about wedding refunds. Her daughter had been killed in a horrific car accident about 8 weeks before the wedding. Nearly every vendor refunded some or all of the costs. But the flower vendor refused to give any money back (even though it was too far out for them to have purchased the flowers). Not even calls from the CA would get them to do so. Even all these years later, I remember the name of that place and would never use them.
That is an extremely extraordinary circumstance. One of the to-be-weds getting cold feet is not.
And why is the mother so distraught? She wasn't the one left at the alter. She had way too much invested in this wedding (beyond money).
P.S. I don't think MS would be so genteel. Read "Just Desserts".. Sher is more than willing to put the boot to the neck of anyone for anything. 
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