What a weird experience...

I made a small wedding cake for my nephew -

http://cakecentral.com//gallery/2010623 -

while at the reception the MOB says to me that she also is a cake decorator and thinks my cake is "unfinished" and that she thinks it needs more flowers. I told her that what I provided is exactly what the bride wanted (the bride provided me with pics of a simple piped cake). So about halfway into the reception I notice she's up by the cake and she has taken flowers from a centerpiece and is starting to push them into the top tier!

I told her that I have provided the bride with EXACTLY what she wanted, removed the flowers, and repaired the buttercream. About halfway thru the reception she catches my eye and mouths to me "where are my flowers?" I told her that the bride has chosen the cake design and does not want any changes to the cake.

I am totally flabbergasted by this behavior! I would never go up to another decorator's cake and try to change the design. I don't know if I should mention it to the bride (since its her mother) or just let it go as "weirdness".

What do you think?
I was very upset and cannot imagine this type of behavior.

Wow! That's completely mad.

I would suspect that the bride knows exactly what her mother is like and that this news wouldn't surprise her at all. I bet she used to be a seamstress when dress shopping and an amateur flower arranger at the florist too.

If you're worried that she ruined the finish of your cake, I might mention it.

I have a bit of a mouth on me so my first question to her would have been "well if your a cake decorator, then why didn't you make their cake?" I would have been soooooo mad if I saw her messing with my cake!

Wooow! Some people are just crazy and weddings always bring the crazies!! Yea I would've given her a mouthful!! I doubt I would've been able to hold anything back.

Something tells me the mother of the bride was just pissed off that she wasn't asked to make the cake. She seems like a crazy control freak. When people in my family get married/have special occasions I cross my damn fingers and hope to a g-d I don't believe in that they will NOT ask me to make the cake or the cupcakes.

Some people are just crazy. I would never change someone else's work. I would definitely tell the bride. I'm sure she knows how her mother is and maybe that is why she didn't ask her to do the cake.

I can't add much to what everyone else has said. The nerve of this woman!!

wow really!?! I am sorry, but I am cracking up at the insanity!!! I can not believe she did that! Yes, wedding do tend to pull the "crazy" out in people...But I read another post that was a good point, if she was really a decorator, why wasnt she the one doing the cake!? That tells me she isnt good enough for her own daughters taste lol!

When I read she actually put other flowers in the cake herself my jaw hit the floor! The nerve of some people! I would never disrespect another decorator by even touching their cake without their permission! I thought your cake was beautiful. Simple and elegant with beautiful piping detail! Good for you for keeping your cool during a situation like this!

You could have also told her that she just endangered all the guests by putting real flowers in a cake without a flower pick, some flowers are posionous. What nerve

yummy.....pesticides

I just have to say it is soooo pretty. Very simple and elegant at the same time. I know my MIL is crazy but I am glad she would never have done this. I know I would have lost it and said something so go you for being a bigger person. She is just made that she was not asked to do the cake and was taking it out on you. AGAIN you work is wonderful

I'm a newbie to this beautiful cake world, and even I was surprised that she, being a decorator and all, would put the flowers directly into the cake. I'm sure the green oasis "crumbs" that were probably stuck on the flowers from the centerpiece are not what the bride wanted, either. All of the posts above are probably the EXACT reason why the bride didn't ask her own mother to do the cake. She probably sketched up a cake that SHE wanted, not her daughter!! Believe me, the bride knows JUST how controlling her mother can be & may have given an extra thanks to you to put her mother in her place. I think the cake was simply beautiful!!

First off, a super HUGE congratulations to you for being so professional about the situation!! The cake is absolutely stunning!! Can you imagine what the daughter is going to hear every time pictures of the wedding cake are pulled out? Or when the wedding is mentioned in years to come? The MOB will more than likely never let it go - poor daughter!

Well, they bought it and paid for it and now they can do what they want with it, IMO. The bride saw the cake before mom messed with it, right? If not, I'd make sure to tell her so she knows that YOU did exactly what she asked for.

Yep, the old bag is crazy. However, I wouldn't say anything to the bride. She already knows her mom is insane.

Vonda

"poor daughter"? what about the poor groom?! Imagine what a lovely mother-in-law she must be.

Hopefully the daughter makes up for what the mother lacks in a big way! In-laws/out-laws. If the daughter was savvy enough to not have her mom make the cake, hopefully she is just as skilled to save her new hubby from how her mom is. Bottom line, the cake was made beautifully, the bride apparently knew what she wanted and got it despite mom, and KodiSnip did a great job in handling the MOB at the wedding.

oh my.......I so think I would lost my cool after you had already explained to her the situation.

I think its you handled it very well and obviously the MOB must not be that great of a baker/decorator or her daughter would of been more than proud to have her mamma make her , her wedding cake.

I would have grabbed a handful of flowers and started sticking them in the woman's hair. Heh.

Not only did she try to ruin your work and what the bride wanted, she proceeded to destroy the centerpiece that the florist worked to provide for the bride the way she wanted. It takes all kinds...your cake is beautiful!

I just wanted to say thank you for the kind comments and support on my venting about the shocking event! I like to think I treat my fellow decorators with respect since we've all been there, you know? I don't understand why she did that and criticized my cake. Everyone has different tastes and styles, etc. You would think she would know what her daughter likes. Even the flowers she got out of the centerpiece werent anything close to the cake (they were spring: baby pink roses with yellow/purple/white filler flowers and a splash of maroon alstromeria) and would have looked odd.

I guess I'll never get it and I don't care to, but I know one thing.... her daughter loved my cake and that's who counted! I scraped the damaged BC and repaired it - Thank heavens for crusting BC! I got it back to smooth in time for the cake cutting and more pictures.

KodiSnip - nice piping work on the cake and love the two red flowers...

I bet she was just jealous!!!

I have seen some pretty wacky situations, including arguements with MOBs with their daughters in the middle of a store deciding on flowers (I am a professional floral designer! lol Honest!), the mom wanting one thing and the daughters want another-who's weddings are these anyway?
I was so upset for one bride I turned to her mom and said, if you want those flowers then why don't you plan to renew your vows so you can plan your own wedding! The brides look on her face was of thanks and despiration.

C

It's such an annoying situation, and it really is best sometimes to have the attitude of "I arrived with the cake that was ordered, I got paid and now the customer can do what they like with it...." but it is hard to let go...I know after spending hours on a wedding cake, I start to think of the cake as "my baby" and it's hard to let your "baby" out there in the big bad world(AKA the reception ), where crazy old ladies are trying to "jazz it up"! Just last week, I delivered a small wedding cake (pale blue and white in my pics) and the MOG put orange and purple flowers on it AND not one, but TWO freaking cake toppers on it. It was hideous, but MOG was really pleased and she paid for it, so what can I say?
Your cake is beautiful, btw, I bet you're happy you photographed it before it got it's "make-over"!!

Wow KodiSnip, I admire how you kept your cool! Regardless of being the MOB or not, she has no right to touch someone else's work, whether its the cake or the flowers!
I recently made a christening cake for a friend and just as they were about to do the speeches and cut the cake etc, a little boy ran up to the cake and tried to pull off the fondant baby blocks which spelt out the baby's name.....I don't think I've ever jumped out of my seat so quickly!! (mind you he'd been at that cake all day trying to pull stuff off, so I was ready..LOL) At least with kids its understandable, but adults should definately know better! Your cake was lovely by the way..