I was hired 6 months ago to make a 25th Anniversary Cake. Due Feb 6th. The last couple weeks I started making all the different pieces that were to go on it. The theme was a tropical cake with requests of two people, a Tikki Bar and a piano. There had to the look of water somewhere, oh and could I incorporate Valentines Day in there somehow. Well I drew up a great design. It was approved, and I started. She called on Jan 25th and canceled the whole thing. I hadn't started baking yet so that wasn't the problem. I'm just disappointed that all my thought, and excitement to make this cake will never happen. I do this because I get so excited about each project I can barely sleep at night with ideas. Now that I had this one set so firmly in my head and will never see it come to life, well, it's very upsetting. Ok, I'm done venting. On the next project.!!!!

That sucks. Hopefully you can save some of those great ideas and try them out on another cake. It's so disappointing when a cake you really want to do doesn't happen.

I just saw a tikki bar; I'm guessing it is yours. It looked fantastic! I have a friend who I make her kids' birthday cakes for, but she is always changing her mind. One year she wanted a a really cool-sounding Dr. Suess-themed cake. I had the design all drawn up, with a cat in the hat hat and green eggs and ham on top. I was so excited, but the next week she changed her mind and just wanted plain cupcakes with the frosting separate so the kids could decorate them themselves. I was so disappointed! So, I kind of know how you feel, but you had even started already! Is there any way you can just have your own luau? I hope you took a deposit on this cake!

Good Lord Ladies, don't let that stop you. Get out your cake dummies and make the cake anyway. Why? You'll learn so much while doing it that you can apply to future cakes and you can take a photo of the new design and put it on your web site or in your photo album.

That is sad, but in business these things can be expected.

This is the reason why it's so important to take a deposit to hold the date -- that deposit should be nonrefundable, since the customer is reserving the date and you would have to turn away other business for that date.

Of course it's always a good idea to be flexible and refund all or part of the deposit if there is a very good reason for the cancellation.

This is a lesson that I have learnt in my business! YOU MUST TAKE A 50% DEPOSIT! People will cancel on you last minute and you get stuck with money put out and time put out. You cannot recover time lost.

Please make them confirm via email or a small contract with their signature and get a 50% deposit before you start to do anything for them!

Thanks Everyone! I will make sure I take a deposit from everyone from now on. She was a close friend.

Well now that you mentioned she was a close friend...I can relate to your story. Most of my orders for close friends up to only a few mths ago were done without deposits. I eventually grew some balls and told them I needed half to start the order. All of a sudden, they understood I was running a real and serious business.

Before I never took deposits from friends and got into a situation where one decided he no longer wanted the cake after it was boxed waiting for him! LOL. Imagine that!

I agree about getting the deposit, even if it's for a close friend. Even though you hadn't started baking yet, part of what she is paying you for is your design and time taken to come up with the design. You should be compensated for that, even if the cake itself is never made.

I can totally relate, I still have cake designs and ideas that never happened floating around in my head that I intend to do someday! I agree with everyone, definitely still do it as a dummy cake! At least you will have the pictures for your web site!

I drive my family crazy with every new order... I stay up nights (i am a night owl) and look for ideas and work on designs.. then change and start over and just dream up ideas while I am sleeping.... if i can get to sleep.

I love trying to make sure they are going to be pleased with everything and the cake for them is going to be something that is awsome even if it is the smallest birthday cake. For everyone it is something different that they desire... being able to provide that for someone is truly special.

I love the idea of making a dummy or just a family cake with the items you have already made for this cake then post the photo.

I have a smilar theme cake for a beach wedding in april. They want two beach chairs on top of the cake.. saw them on a cake the other day now I need to figure how to do them. They were the adarondak (sp?) chairs.
they have yet to call me back after giving a price to them so I am not getting fired up on this one. I just make her daughters wedding cake in October and the bride was a bridezilla and to make this worse the bride got the cake for free... as a gift from someone and the girl kept adding and adding to the cake.. makingit more and more expensive and she just laughed about it and enjoyed every minute. I would have rather had her cancel. So I am not holding my breath on the mom. I don't think she liked the prices.

I also do the deposit on the cakes.. and the dates... lost too much equipment and also too many date changes and cancelled events. More so now days due to the economy i am sure.