I have a customer who wanted a wedding topper tier and cupcakes.  I quoted her a price, then she came back and said she just wanted the wedding topper and that she would serve "other" cupcakes.

I've had this request before and I'm sure I will get it again.  Just curious if any of you have had this request and how did you handle it?  Did you tell them "heck no you aren't serving my cake with cupcakes store bought, homemade or otherwise?

Thanks, this is a wonderful community of support and collaboration.

Well, I would tell her that the price includes the whole package, and if you were going to sell the cake individually it would be more expensive. Or if you don't want to do that just tell her that you don't sell cakes to be servd with otehr cupcakes since you can't control for the quality of those cupcakes (that's what I do.)

You'll get people saying that you can have it in your contract that you won't deliver a cake if other cakes are also going to be there, but if you're not willing to turn around and walk out with the cake then that's pretty much unenforceable. If you deliver a cake and leave, then they bring otu the Costco sheet cakes, you have no control over that.

I just don't do groom's cakes if I don't do the wedding cake anymore, which is what I came up against most often. They'd get a cheap wedding cake baker then try to get me to do a complicated groom's cake, and I won't do that. Because this happened to me: https://www.facebook.com/#!/acaketoremember/posts/10151788360048671

A really "good", truthful and honest reply would be to say that you can't take her order because the OTHER cupcakes might be made in an unlicensed kitchen, could taste like sawdust, might contain foreign objects like dog or cat hair or, look like an unmade bed - and if people knew you did the top tier they would assume you also baked  the contaminated cupcakes........ and will never contact you to place an order.  So to protect the integrity of your business, you need to refuse her order.  Then send her to your competition.................you know who I mean,......................the people you have had issues with in the past.  It's called "sharing the pain".  :-)

Of course, a lot depends on the pedigree of the "other" cupcakes. And on whether or not there is any possibility of them being passed of as your work, or yours as that of the cupcake supplier (and heaven only knows which is worse, in any given situation).

Just as a lot depends on the pedigree of "other" musicians performing at a wedding (i.e., the staff organist at a church, if under a contract adhering to American Guild of Organists guidelines, has a right to demand any amount up to and including his or her normal full wedding fee, if the wedding party chooses "other" musicians, and any AGO member[s] who might be among the "other" musicians would be required by the AGO code of ethics to inform the wedding party of that right, and can be censured or expelled by the AGO for accepting the gig without doing so, but conceivably the staff organist might waive that right if he or she greatly respects the "other" musicians).

AI just don't do groom's cakes if I don't do the wedding cake anymore, which is what I came up against most often. They'd get a cheap wedding cake baker then try to get me to do a complicated groom's cake, and I won't do that. Because this happened to me: [URL=https://www.facebook.com/#!/acaketoremember/posts/10151788360048671]https://www.facebook.com/#!/acaketoremember/posts/10151788360048671[/URL] [/quote]

What happened to you?

Either I do the entire order or I don't do it at all. 

costumeczar:  the FB thread didn't work, so the curiosity is building.

DeniseNH: pretty well explained why she wouldn't want to share the stage with another baker.

A

What happened to you?[/quote]

Ah, sorry about that...stupid ipad doesn't do copying correctly. This is the story of the cute dog cake vs. the hideous wedding cake: http://acaketorememberva.blogspot.com/2010/02/why-i-dont-do-random-grooms-cakes.html

Yup You guys are right on target with your refusal to be involved.  reasonable and logical.

(ps: your puppy cake was so beautiful I want to adopt him. )

I have a clause in my contract that states that no other desserts or cakes are to be served with mine.  The reason for this is you don't want "credit" for the store bought cupcakes or cupcakes made by "aunt Kathy" or whatever.  When people ask who made the cake, they will assume that the same person is responsible for the cupcakes as well.  So, if the cupcakes are lesser quality, not decorated well, taste terrible, whatever the case may be, then that may be detrimental to your business.  

A

Ah, sorry about that...stupid ipad doesn't do copying correctly. This is the story of the cute dog cake vs. the hideous wedding cake: http://acaketorememberva.blogspot.com/2010/02/why-i-dont-do-random-grooms-cakes.html[/quote]

Thank you for reposting the link. I think that stories like that help us to feel more firm in our gut instinct to do all or nothing. That dog was perfect too :)

A

You should have seen the wedding cake, it was horrific. Best part was the bride called the other baker to complain, and he wouldn't give them any refund at all. Plus, he had been out of the country and had left an assistant to decorate it so he didn't even know what it looked like but he kept telling the bride nothing was wrong with it.

AThis is not really a cut-and-dried issue. I agree that if a customer is going to supplement your order with Walmart cupcakes due to cost concerns (which seems to be the case here) the all-or-nothing approach makes sense, but there are other situations where some flexibility is warranted...for example, if an allergy or dietary restriction needs to be accommodated, or a friend/family member is making a special cake or dessert for the event.

We made several supplementary allergy-friendly cakes for weddings where the primary cake was made by someone else, in order to avoid any conflict we would schedule the delivery of the cake to take place after the primary cake was set up.