I have a wedding to do in August. I will be using the Tall Tier Satnd as the bride is asking for a 6in cuttung cake and 140 brownies. The wedding is in Amsterdam which is about 1 1/2hrs drive away (on a good day!). I have charged her for delivery in my quote, which she has no problem with. Now, my problem is getting the stand back. I want it back within a week in case have need of it again in that time (people are so last minute around here you never know!). They are leaving for honeymoon straight aftre the reception and won't be back for 2 weeks!

She asked if I could go and pick it up, but I think it would only be fair to have my travelling & time expenses covered if I do.
I have also given her the option of returning it via a signed-for postal service, or finding out if there is a wedding guest who lives close by to me who could return it.

I could wait until the end of the reception and bring it home with me, but that could mean a minimum 5-6 hour wait (I'm delivering around 3-4pm, reception starts at 5pm and the cake cutting isn't being done until 8pm!), and then travelling home by train late at night on my own.

What would you do, any other suggestions on how to sort this one out? If it was a local wedding it wouldn't be a problem (or at least much easier!).

Just an idea....you could have her give you a REFUNDABLE deposit on the cake stand [to cover your loss if not returned] and provide a prepaid container [In America I would take the entire box with stand inside to the Post Office and have it weighed]. You get the item back in good condition, she gets her deposit back. No stand within a certain amount of time--she forfeits the deposit.

Charge her for a pre-paid envelope and get the name of the person responsible for putting in that envelope and put it in writing. Much cheaper than traveling again to get it and you don't have to depend on a random person to meet up with later.

Some people charge (as a refundable fee) the amount it would cost to replace such items that way if it doesn't get returned or if the bride doesn't want to go to the trouble of returning it, you are already covered.

I'm already charging a refundable deposit (to be paid with the final payment), and getting the stand sent back to me signed for will only cost her E6,75 up to 5kg (I think the stand weighs less than that!). I have asked her to put the name and phone number of the person responsible for returning it on her contact form (she still has to send the contract back to me!). I also have in the contract that for every day over the weekm she'll lose E5 from the deposit, and if I don't get it back within 2 weeks, she won't get the deposit back. I'd just rather get my stand back though as I had to import it and it'll take me weeks to get another one sorted out!