I got a call this past Friday, Oct 29, from a bride. I did her wedding cake on October 23. She said she loved her wedding cake but wanted to tell me that her cake had the wrong filling in it.

She had ordered a 4-tiered hexagon cake with only the 12" tier cake...the others were fake. She had ordered 100 cupcakes from another bakery for the additional servings. Her 12" hex cake was chocolate with Heath Bar chocolate mousse. I asked what filling was in her cake, and she said raspberry and that her fiance cannot eat berries.

I explained to her that we did not have raspberry available in the shop because we didn't have any orders for that particular flavor and therefore, did not have any made up. In fact, my supplier was late in delivering my ingredients, and we didn't even have the proper ingredients on hand to make a raspberry filling.

She proceeded to yell, scream, and curse at my business partner insisting that we put raspberry filling in her wedding cake. She said she was not asking for compensation, just wanted us to know, but in the same breath wanted a partial refund.

I know for a fact that the Heath Bar filling was made and put into her cake. I personally made the filling and watched my business partner fill her cake with the Heath Bar mousse. Also, as I said, we didn't even have raspberry filling available. The only other cake we did that day was a vanilla wedding cake with buttercream icing. I spoke to that bride, and she did not have the mousse in her cake.

I am not sure how to handle this bride. It peeves me that she would make up such a story about her cake having raspberry filling in it when we didn't even have any on hand in our shop. Had she mentioned a different filling flavor, I may have bought her story, but I know she is lying. She has called numerous times wanting to discuss compensation, and I keep telling her I am investigating the issue. I am tempted to give her the refund just to make her go away. Any suggestions?

I am not a professional decorator but I would not give her a refund unless she provided me with proof. I bet if you asked for a piece of the left over cake, or even pictures she would not have anything to produce. If you are sure you are right then let her know where you stand and be done with it. This is my unprofessional opinion.

Call the caterer who cut the cake and ask what was inside. Call the photographer to see if there's a random photo of a slice of cake.

My business partner asked her why she waited to call, and she got irrate. He also asked why she didn't call when she discovered it was the wrong filling because we would have brought a new cake to her wedding reception. Well, the curse words started flying from her mouth with that one. I'm confident it wasn't the wrong filling. As I said, we didn't even have raspberry available.

I agree with LillyCakes and lean_s. Also, she mentioned that she didn't want compensated, but then all of a sudden she want's to be?

I would go with what leah_s suggested. If she cut it herself, I would tell her that unless she has a piece to show you, you cannot refund any of the money. If this was true, wouldn't you keep a piece to show the bakery? Why would she buy cupcakes from a different bakery than where she bought the cake? I wouldn't give her a penny back without proof.

First thing that came to mind when I read this -- cupcakes from another bakery??? Could it possibly be that it was those that had the raspberry filling???

Many other ccer's (including myself) won't do a cake if they know that cakes (or desserts) other than their own are going to be served -- and this is exactly the reason why.

true dat, nhbaker, true dat.

I wondered the same thing, nhbaker. It seems possible that the groom misinformed the bride, and it was actually the other baker that had the raspberry filling in the cupcakes. I placed a call to the venue, and the catering manager assigned to the wedding reception that evening is going to call me back tomorrow (off today). The general catering manager I spoke with said there weren't any problems with the bride's wedding cake from everything she's heard, but they will investigate it further.

The bride got my consent for the cupcakes prior to her wedding. I knew they were going to be there. I provide sculpted groom's cakes all the time when another baker provides the wedding cake...always have the bride obtain the baker's consent. Therefore, I really can't say anything about cupcakes from another baker being at the reception.

I'm looking forward to hearing back from the venue on this.

Sounds like she is confused about which bakery baked what for her...If you know for a fact the filling was right and you didn't even have raspberry around then it's possible she is yelling at the wrong person.I would not give in though..Find out more before you are pushed into giving a refund.

definitely wait until you have the information fom the other bakery first. Sounds kinda fishy... can'
t wait to hear how this one plays out.

Sounds like to me a bride spent to much and the bills are all rolling in and this seems like a place to get a little bit of the money back. Can't say for sure but I know that is what it seems like. I have a friend who was trying to do this to a baker after her wedding then tried to order a cake off of me for a party, I refused as I knew what she would do to others and I didn't want to open that door. Since I found out she is this way, we are not close anymore. Dishonesty is a poor trait in my opinion.

Sounds like a "Bridezillas" episode I saw -- that girl was determined to get her stuff free or at a discount. With each vendor she threw tantrums (which she turned off and grinned about the instant she walked out of the store). She was very proud of what she was doing.

I agree with all posts! I am not a professional however I know if someone is trying to jip me they'd better have the proof to say I'm in the wrong. I know for a fact this bride is making up the story because she should have called you the moment she "Saw" the filling. That's what I would have done because that's the type of person I am. However again because I'm that type of person I also need to be proven wrong sorry don't mean to sound like I'm a bad person I just know how to take care of myself on both sides! I used to be a collector LOL but yes you need proof!
@ piper10 I agree I saw that episode this chic was nuts!
@ Bakeacakea keep on holding your ground in a professional way! YOu are right Hang in there I'm sure it will all go well for you!

I had the same thought as Leah, call the venue and ask the person who cut the cake what was in it. Even though it was a week ago they'll remember Heath Bar mousse (I would!) I would jsut stick to my guns, if you're sure about the filling. Sometimes people just want to get free stuff...

My business partner asked the bride why she didn't contact us if she thought something wasn't right. Of course she thought it was outrageous to contact us on her wedding day or even the day after. Even when we told her we could have easily have brought her a new cake, she went off on another yelling and screaming tangent. I have never had a bride yell or curse like this woman. We are a bakery and had additional cakes baked. We could have easily put a new cake together in 30 minutes. The venue is five minutes from our place of business so it wasn't unreasonable to think we could have taken her a new cake.

I've contacted all of my other brides for that particular weekend and none of them ended up with the Heath Bar mousse in their cakes. I guess it disappeared into a black hole.

When my brother got married 2 years ago the bakery sent the wrong cake...not the wrong flavor cake, a completely wrong cake, different design then what the bride and groom picked out... she ordered a round 4 tier cake they sent a square 3 tier cake, she ordered ribbons and swiss dots, she got damask print which was sweating like crazy and was smeared all down the side of the cake....weird!

And strangely enough the wrong cake's colors did match her wedding so no one knew any different BUT she came right to me and said...Make sure you take pictures!!! So I documented the whole thing, even the inside when it was cut which again strangely enough was the correct flavor...hmmm.....so when she called the bakery the next day to let them know she had all her back up ready to go.

She wasn't a Bridezilla and everyone enjoyed the cake and no one knew any different but us, she just wanted to let the bakery know that it wasn't correct and she was smart enough to take pictures!!!!!

I know if it was me and I knew I was going to call the bakery to let them know it wasn't the correct cake I would document everything w/ pictures and even save a piece or two to show the baker! How can she dispute a filling flavor that you don't even have available???

I hope you everything turns out in the end for you! I'm sure someone there has to have a picture or something to let you know if they did get the correct filling. I'm just a true believer if you're going to complain about something you better have proof to back it up!

I the woman is totally fishing for something....

but just to throw out a minute possiblity....could a wrong flavoring have been added to the mousse to make it taste like raspberry? Did she say it actually contained raspberries?

Pretty remote, I know...just thought I'd throw it out there.

If you know for a fact that you did not put the wrong filling then you need to shut this woman down now.

Tell her once again that you are completely confident that your cake did not have raspberry filling in it since you did not have it in the shop. Politely suggest she contact the other bakery to see if the mix-up was on their end but inform her that she will not be receiving any kind of refund or compensation from you.

If this is a case of her just trying to get some money back from anyone she can in any way she can, once she realizes you are not going to give in I bet she'll go away.

At this point, it sounds like harassment. The next time she calls, tell her that you turned the case over to your attorney and she can contact them.

For me, the first curse word out of her mouth would have been met with "we obviously have nothing to discuss as long as you continue to speak to me in this manner" Give her one chance at recovering, explain your end of the story and state that without pictures of the cake or a piece of the cake there is nothing you can or will do.

I can see that she wouldn't want a "changing of the cakes" during her reception and have the guests wait since they surely wouldn't have seen the mistake until they were cutting the cake.

But you didn't get the filling wrong anyway!! I can't wait to hear how this turns out. Sorry you had this experience, but these crazy/selfish people are out there. Maybe she saw the bridezilla show and thinks this is the way to get a discount.

Just a thought but you said that the reception was only 5 minutes away from where you are so I am just thinking maybe someone you know may have been at the wedding that you could ask.

I have yet to do a wedding cake, and all the bride horror stories on this site are making me not want to! LOL, the brides scare me.

You swear at me like that, the conversation ends until you can be civil.

You demand a refund, show me your proof.

Don't tell me if you filled the cake wrong someone wouldn't have had presence of mind to slip a piece aside to return to you as proof, or the very least taken a picture or two. This totally smells of scam. With all the cameras out there in cell phones SOMEONE would have snapped a picture.

I worked in medical equipment sales with very sick clients for 35 years. Once in a while, a patient or family member would call and begin cursing on the telephone. I would politely say [sometimes I'd just have to talk while they continued to swear and carry on], "Sir (or ma'am), I will not speak with anyone on the telephone while they are cursing. Please call back when you can discuss this without swearing." THEN I WOULD HANG UP.

Two things happened, 1)the patient/family member would call back in 5-10 minutes and apologize for swearing, and 2) we'd get to the real problem and be able to move forward on solving it. Interestingly, in all those years I do not recall even one face-to-face swearing episode. People feel free to swear on the phone, but rarely in person. You and your associate should make an immediate plan to handle any future "telephone cursing" incidents in exactly this manner. ALL businesses should immediately train employees on this protocol.

Re-reading only bakeacakea posts, it sounds as if the bride has made 2 or 3 phone calls to your business partner and swore each time. He should have nipped this behavior in the bud the first time. At the very least, do not allow this to happen again.

We're all dying to hear what the caterer has to say. Let us know!

I am in total agreement with everyone...and then it dawned on me.

What is one of the biggest photo op's at a wedding reception that no photographer in their right mind misses? THE BRIDE & GROOM FEEDING EACH OTHER CAKE. If said groom is allergic to raspberries (as Bridezilla is claiming) wouldn't their have been a horrible fiasco when they cut into the cake and realized he couldn't eat it? I guarantee their are both professional and non-professional pics of them cutting and eating your cake. Case closed.

I agree with all replies..stick to your guns! NO proof, NO refund! and if harassment continues, take it upon. SOrry this happened to you.