I was checking email this morning and there it was...an email from Bridezilla, with whom I did a tasting for over 5 months ago! Still looking for a cake decorator for her late summer wedding. Well, she asked if I had a booking for her wedding weekend, and without truly realizing WHO she was until I'd already responded, I said NO. Looking back through my consultation notes...I found it...the information on Bridezilla!!! This is the young lady who said that my cakes were "VERY MOIST, but not quite moist enough." Apparently, no one else has been able to please her either. Ever wished that you hadn't been so quick to respond? Oh well, hindsight is 20/20. As always, I'll give 200% and work even harder to please her.

Remember, this time, the ball is in your court, so keep your guard up, and consider not doing this cake, at the first sign of trouble.

Theresa

"VERY moist, but not quite moist enough?"

Yeah. In cops' language that translates to "VERY spoiled, but not quite prison material...YET."

I agree with TMRIGA. The ball's in your court, and ultimately YOU control the game on this one. Turn HER down instead of vice versa. And I'm sure your cakes are simply wonderful!

--Knox--

Moist but not quite moist enough , I never heard that one. Keep your guard up, sounds like a real live one! LOL

"Moist, but not quite moist enough?!" Get real, Bridezilla! Is she nutty as a fruitcake?! You are in the front seat of this race. Best of luck. Let her know that upfront. People just amaze you, dont' they?
Your work is awesome....and not quite moist enough? HA!!!!!!!!!!

Bride to be's have to be the pickiest of all the cake/candy/cookie customers we all get, are they not?

I would def adjust my price to make up for the aggrevation this Bridezilla is sure to give u! It might just scare her away!

I would get out of it now unless you desperately need the money for that one! No matter what you do, it sounds like it's going to be trouble.
Bail now!!!!!!

Yeah. In cops' language that translates to "VERY spoiled, but not quite prison material...YET."

KnoxCop, you made me spit my morning coffee on my keyboard at work!!! I am laughing so hard.

KnoxCop, your comment made me spit my morning coffee on my keyboard at work!!! I am laughing so hard.

I am awake now!!

oops, sorry for the double post

too funny,Knox.

Poor you,I don't envy any of you shop owners having to deal with bridezillas.

Emily

Leaving this one alone

My dad has a painting business. When he sees a customer is going to be a pain in the rear, he ups his quote big time. That way he either won't get the business b'c his price is too high, or if he does he gets compensated for the aggravation. That's what I would do if you don't just want to flat turn her down.

Did she ask for a 6 foot tall cake and tell you she didn't want to pay for it???? I'm still reeling from that one!!!

Oh who knows. The minimum amount of $$ I figured it at (including dummies) was around $5000. She spit her coffee over that one!

I came home from work and checked my email. No response back from Bridezilla, so I'm hoping that my email never even made it to her. Yeh, right. After the way that she made me feel with her snide comments from the tasting, I definitely DON'T want to have to endure that just to add another wedding cake photo to my portfolio. I have thought about it all day, and I'm going to politely decline doing her cake. I heard through the grapevine that she'd gone to a local florist (that I'm partnered with) and complained that my prices were too much for my decorating skills. I was so bummed about that comment for weeks...questioning my abilities...wondering if I WAS good enough to do this...etc. Can't let her get to me again. I have Lupus and the stress of worrying over not being "perfect" would bring me out of remission. NOT even worth the money!!!

Thanks all for you input!!!

Well, gee, if that's the case, then go all the way. Let her know that you are aware of her comments.

Here is the response I would send --

Dear nomind (or whatever her name is)

It has come to my attention, via information reported to me by another local vendor, that you have been making disparaging remarks regarding the quality and value of my cake decorating skills.

Since you are obviously so expert in this craft, I suggest that you find someone who can fit into your obviously small wedding cake budget.

Most Sincerely --

And then sign my name

Theresa

P.S. And yes, I have spent years earning the title BIT--!

T.

bridezilla (bryd.ZIL.uh) n. A bride-to-be who, while planning her wedding, becomes exceptionally selfish, greedy, and obnoxious. Also: bride-zilla.

I have many experiences with this type of girl this last year. Although it is very hard to say no think about all the crap you will deal with before the wedding. From the sound of it you would probably hear back after the wedding also. It's alot of waisted energy dealing with a personality like this. I am VERY selective these days and I don't just book anyone. One of the key things I have figured out is if you email has a princess, diva or anything like those words I'M BOOKED! Every issue I had this year I should of seen it from the email address.

Andrea

"VERY MOIST, but not quite moist enough."

What does that even mean?? What does she want, a plate of cake batter?

I would wait for her email reply and then respond back that between now and her reply that date has become booked. also, i like the letter in an above reply about knowing about her comments to another vendor. this would let her know that you have "ears" everywhere lol
good luck
Amy

I agree with zoomitoons.

Tell her that since you have not heard from her, you booked that date with another client. Her loss.

O.k. you don't want her wondering what other vendors are talking about her lack of decorum about bashing others especially if the other vendor is the only person she said anything to, you don't want her to have to deal with her.

SO... Here's your easy, yet "white lie" that will get you out of doing her cake... "I apologize, but I was looking at my calendar this afternoon and realized I mistakingly looked at the wrong date and jumped the gun on emailing you back. You were asking about the weekend of _____, and I'm sorry, but I'm already booked for two events that weekend."

They don't need to know that one is taking a nice warm relaxing tub and the other is rearranging your sock drawer... Or, if you feel the need to do penance, then do something good for someone at church or bake a cake for the nursing home.

IMO- email her back and say that someone just walked in payment in full for a wedding the same weekend they also had a consultation before she did. Your policy is first to get their deposit in is the one that gets your cake. You can also suggest that they contact XYZ vendor (vendor that she talked bad about you to) as they are a business partner of yours and could help refer her to alist of other bakers in the area. That way she knows that her comments got back to you and you were able to turn her down in the nicest most professional way possible.

If I don't want to do someone's cake I tell them that I'm booked that weekend, but I could dqueeze them in if they have a fruit cake (which can be made in advance and I prefer working with) I also give them a very high quote; generally they've agreed with me and paid up which means I get paid decently and compensated for their greif. I recommend it heartily, you get a feeling of smugness everytime they give you hassle.

The saga continues...I have received a number of emails from Bridezilla over the last week asking if I'm booked for her date; how much were my booking fees, etc. I responded to ONE of her emails...they were all the same...just seemed to copy and paste the same one every other day. Today, I get an email almost *begging* me to know if I'd scheduled anything for her date (my bookings and opening are on my site for her to read), and how much she could pay me to hold her date. Funny, that "moist, but not quite moist enough" cake sure is sounding better to her now, eh? I'm sure that it had nothing to do with my cakes...even though I worried over it for WEEKS...since I have booked all but 2 cakes that I'd done tastings for...looks like she was simply shopping for a cheaper priced cake. Go ahead, I hear Walmart does wedding cakes. Knock yourself out. I expect a nasty email from her. She just seems the type. That's okay. This is one that I'm glad I was too busy to worry over. She was too critical of everything.

Just wanted to add an ending to this story...

Good for you, life's too short to worry over people like this. Let her go worry someone else.