I cannot belive this.....I am almost finished with the cake 4 tiers of white fondant covered wedding cake and the brides choice of aqua fondant ribbon around the base of each tier. 3 tiers are stacked and the 4th tier was to be seperated with pillars and fresh flowers going inbetween....these were to be provided by the brides florist.

I called the florist to see what time she was going to be at the reception hall to coordinate my arrival....she knew nothing about flowers to go on the cake however the bride and her mother were do to arrive there later in the day and she would have them call me. Well they did.....the brides mother called and said that since the florist just had sooooooo much to do that "could I just stop by Kroger and pick up some off white roses and baby breath on my way to set up the cake and that would be fine. I was just so stunned that I didn't know what to say. This is my first wedding cake. Off white roses on a white wedding cake are going to look awful!!! The cake is brite white! Help What do I do....I still have the fondant ribbon to make to go around the tiers this morning which won't take that long....dh and I went to Kroger last night and their flowers looked awful! This cake is a reflection on me and is going to be sitting in the lobby of a 5 star hotel....I am just beside myself.......I think this is the first and last wedding cake I will be doing!!!

It will not be the last!!!!

Call the bride and/or her mother, explain tothem that those colors will not go well...suggest what will. If they do not agree, then you can just set up the cake with the fondant only; they can take it from there.

Also explain some concern for the "busy" and "hectic" day, but you just can't slap some off colored flowers on a bright white cake. Maybe explain that you can help them in anyway.

It sounds like the brides florist was "supposed" to be bringing off white flowers.

I know it's tough, but stand your ground firmly.

Good Luck, post a pic and let us know whathappens!!

I agree with mmdd. Call and stand your ground.

Can you stop by that florist (or another in the area) and get the color roses you need? Do you need alot of them, or just a few - if only a few, you might luck out and a florist will have what you need. In your converstion with the bride/mother, be sure to let them know the extra cost for these roses too!

Deb

I would call the mother or bride and tell them to call the florist and let you pick out what you need, and bill them directly.

Theresa

A lot of florist have die, in order to change the colors of the flowers. The die is in spray cans. See if they will die the flowers for you,

If you do end up getting the flowers the off white might not look that bad if you break it up with the baby's breath & maybe some of the leaves. I've seen some really pretty white cakes with the cream colored roses.

If you don't think it will look good with this particular cake...I think the bright white roses on the white cake look really classic & pretty.

I don't think the mother can really be that picky sending you out to do something that should have already been done. And please don't get discouraged from doing wedding cakes...they are not all like this.

well.... whatcha do????

I had a nightmare bride do the exact same thing to me some years ago. The flowers were the focal point of her cake!! When she said she never ordered them, I told her that her chosen design would not work and I would have to pipe what I felt would look good on the cake. Some people are so rude to overlook such important details - even when you sent them a reminder email once a week for a month before.

If I had the time to go get flowers, I would do it but charge her 4x what I paid.

Well, it's over, it's done, thank the good Lord! I used my own good judgement, picked up roses that were tiped in pink....the pictures are loaded in my photos already. The cake tured out fine and the florist was still there and my roses matched hers almost perfect....the petals she had left are the ones that are around the cake stand! Whew I am glad this is over with. I have sweated this one all week. If it wasn't for dh I don't know if I would have made it. He rolled fondant and cut dowels and drove like a little old lady in 70 mile an hour traffic....and helped me set up the cake and bought me 3 jack daniels and club sodas after I got the thing put together! I know this was my first one....please tell me it gets easier

great job southernbelle. Yes it does get easier. l always treat my challenges (and mishaps) as a learning experience for future orders.

Oh yeh it does get easier, but it seems that challenges always happen. Keeps us on our toes! Ha Ha You did a great job and thanks to your dh for all his support! That makes a huge difference! Great job!

One of the advantages in making your own flowers, you can actually make them all white then colour as you need them. Don't give up it the more experience you get the easier it becomes. Says me who just had a nightmare, but they pass, you work out a way round them. This is what I was taught was the hallmarks of a good cake decorator.

Southerbelle - the cake turned out beautifully! The color of those roses is beautiful...so soft. That's funny how yours were almost identical to the florist's! I'm sure the bride was very happy. And your DH sounds like a dream-boat!!! So glad you had him to help you & how nice of him to take you for drinks afterwards....cool guy!!

You're cake turned out beautiful. I'm glad everything worked out for you. I'm very new to the whole cake decorating thing, but I did want to comment on the last minute request. I am a photographer by trade. I've been self-employed for about 4 years now. I have learned so much about people and business in that time. Basically what I have learned is that given the opportunity, people WILL take advantage of you, your talent and your time. A lot of time they just think you should be grateful that they gave you a job. Through the years I have developed contracts to cover just about any scenario (late arrivals, no shows, deposits/retainers, balances, etc.) and of course they developed from learning the hard way.

Anyway, to specifically address the MOB request that YOU run to the store and purchase the flowers, I would have said, I will be happy to do that for you if you are unable to, however, I need for you to know that I charge a $25.00 trip charge for this service and $1.00 a mile. I would also let them know that your out of pocket expense for the flowers is due at the time of your arrival. One of two things will happen, they would say, fine, its worth the money because I just dont have the time to do it, or !@#$@%!&*! Thats outrageous! At which point you would say, Mrs. So & So, I am sorry you feel that way, but my time is valuable. Any time that takes me away from my business and/or my family is time I must be compensated for. The client may all of a sudden be able to bring the flowers to you, which she probably knew from the beginning, but why should she when she can get you to do it for nothing. My thought is although we should be happy to have clients and be glad that they love our creations, we should not be so desperate as to let them trample on us.

Excellent advice, BellaDonna!! Thanks for sharing that with us!

Thanks JennT. This got me to thinking afterwards about some other things as well. Contracts should be drawn up with clauses addressing "Change Orders". Something to the effect that change orders may not be possible 72/48/24 hours before the cake it due to be delivered, and IF they are possible, a fee would be required to change the order as taken. This is a time issue, and any time you spend more of your time on a project, compensation should be expected. Also, in the situation described, if you are to use flowers to be supplied by the bride, it should be stipulated in the contract when those flowers should be delivered to the baker and if they are not delivered by that time, you cannot guarantee that they can be used or that the cake my not be delivered by the time specified in the contract. There are sorts of things that you can do to eliminate last minute ciaos. I am a firm believer in contracts and crossing T's and dotting I's, and while it may seem impersonal, it keeps everyone on the same page. Its for the client as well as the cake baker/decorator. After all, that's why it is called "business"

Welcome to the world of first wedding cake gitters

Congratulations, you did a wonderful job.

I worked in a court room for almost 30 years. People can cause so much havoc ! I too am a firm believer in very firm contracts. I used Earlene Moore's contract as a guide and put in a few stipulations of my own. All changes must be made 7 days before the event. If they bring me a picture there is a clause that the cake will be as closely executed to what they brought in but not exactly and that includes the colors. I wil never do large cakes anymore but only ones they can pick up. My very first cake was for 300 in a basement and the elevators were off. As soon as my DH brought the cakes in cockroaches were on them. Such a mess. They wanted me there 3 hours ahead. I left a nasty note. Now,When the cake leaves my house, I take a picture with the person who gets it along side the cake. That't it.

Don't stop doing wedding cakes. I felt the same way when I did my first wedding cake. The bride's mom saw an unsmooth part of the icing after the cake was set up and I had to pick up the entire cake just to turn the unsmooth part away from the guests. I said I would never do another wedding cake but I couldn't stop.

I'm glad everything worked out fine.

I think this should be a lesson learned. You should add a change clause in your wedding cake contract that states that any changes made 2 weeks or less prior to the wedding will be charge an additional $___. I have this in my contract. This will help deal with any last minute runs to the store such as gas, your time, etc.

Good luck with your next order!

I really am glad it is over and when the brides mother called I was up to my elbows in icing and fondant and just speechless. Next time I will not be so soft hearted. This cake made me a nervous wreck. First wedding cake, 5 start hotel in downtown Nashville and she wants me to pick up flowers at the last minute that don't even match......

The brides mother did call me today to tell me the cake was beautiful and thanked me for everything. Said everyone loved it. She wanted to know where I had gotten the stand.......I rented the stand at a local rental company here in town....it was in the contract and she paid for that in addition to the cake. I am picking it up from her tomorrow and will return it...that way I know it gets returned!

I couldn't have made it through this cake experience without all of my co-cakers here at cc. Thank you everyone! I know you have all been through this, I'll tell you today I fell like someone has beaten me with a stick! ( of course the 3 Jack and sodas I had after the cake delivery probably didn't help) Thank you all for your support and my dh for standing beside me and rolling out fondant until midnight

I think the cake is beautiful.

Glad your first is over.....they'll be much easier from now on, LOL!

your husband sounds like a gem!!!

he is...........don't know how I would have made it through without his help......he keeps reminding me now.....

Your cake was beautiful!! I don't know that I could take the stress of a wedding cake. But you did it wonderfully. I am with everyone else when they said about charging a fee for the changes and all you had to go through. Sounds to me like someone fell asleep at the wheel! But now that your first is over. I am sure that you will be asked to do more. You did an excellant job, and the DH sounds like he is so wonderful!! Take care and keep up the great work!!

Tanya

Your cake was gorgeous! Don't stop doing wedding cakes - you're really good at them! I'm so glad everything worked out for you in the end!